SHE KNEW IT ALL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3711, 21 December 1912, Page 15

SHE KNEW IT ALL

(By Helen Wentworth.) When Miss Henderson went abroad her friends chaffed her in this wise:— "For mercy’s sake, don’t come home engaged to one of . those stupid for-tune-hunting noblemen over there. He’ll turn out .a wife-beater and make ducks and drakes with your money.” "Never fear,” replied Miss Henderson, "that I shall be taken in, whatever I. do. I am 25 years old, and a woman of 25 knows as much as she is ever going to know. I have cut my wisdom teeth, I assure you.” Miss Henderson did meet a nobleman, an Italian prince. Prince Baronetti was not as well off as some of his countrymen of title, hut he was a good fellow and much respected. He fell desperately in love with Miss Henderson . That he was what he purported to be was manfiset from the fact that he was a member of the Italian legation at Paris, where he met Miss Henderson. She was not averse to marrying a prince, and gave Baronetti considerable encouragement. However, if she married him it would be without love. The anticipation of being a princess was sufficient to induce her to marry a man she only respected, and the prince had great hopes of winning her. She told him that she was going to Rome, and while there she would write him her acceptance or declination of his proposition. "You will not marry me for love,” said the prince gloomily. "Why do you say that?” "When a woman loves a suitor she will engage herself to him first and look into his affairs and his standing afterward. You are going to JRome to 'look into mine. If you find them

satisfactory you will accept me; if not, you will reject me. 7 ’ Since this was the case Miss Henderson’s denial was not - very effective. However, she carried out her resolution, and, finding the prince’s status satisfactory in every particular -wrote him that she would marrv him! Later she returned to Paris, where the two made their plans for their united futuio. Miss Henderson was io return America, and the prince was to -follow her in the spring. After their marriage, he was to resign from the diplomatic service and.st.ini for the Italian Parliament.

When Miss Henderson bide goodbye to her fiance it was v. .'if. no especial regret on her part. But ->-, 3 was pleased with having secured a title and one of such high degree. She had taken pains to learn all about Baronetti, wand, remembering what her friends had said about- marrying a stupid fortune-hunting nobleman, thought how she would triumph over them in announcing her betrothal to a prince.

She had not Jong been on the ocean before the words of Baronetti that a woman in love engages herself first and looks up her lover’s standing afterward occurred to her. On the steamer was X isoount Clarence Cheasley, an English noblerjian, who, seeing her on deck tiro day after the vessel sailed, took such a violent fancy to her that he lost no time in securing a presentation. He was a handsome man, and evidentlv a genuine British nobleman. Miss Henderson’s brother had been a great deal in England, and sbo had often heard him speak of Cheasley. Mentioning the fact to the viscount, he said at once:

“Boh Henderson. I know him well. The last meeting we had in England was at the Ascot races., I remember it very well, since I borrowed a hundred pounds off him to hack the favorite. I won, and we had a champagne supper in the evening to celebrate the event.”

Miss Henderson was much pleased that her brother should have been so honored.

It was an eight-day trip, short, hilt long enough for Miss Henderson to forget her Italian lover and give her heart to Cheasley. He proposed to her. She gave him an evasive answer, intending to write Baronetti that she had decided that she could not love him and must break off tho engagement.

Upon the arrival of the steamer Cheasley saw Miss Henderson to her carriage. He told her that Ije would not be. able to visit her for a week or two. since he was going to Ottawa to see his personal friend rhe GovernorGeneral of Canada. The viscount was looking about him nervously, and just before he closed 'be door inn-led tie' lady a gold-headed cane, saving: “Give that to Bob. with my compliments, and tell him I’ll see lrm soon.”

Miss Henderson was driven off, } at the carriage was stopped at the end of the dock. A Custom House officer opened the door and said : “I’ll trouble you for that cane.”

Astonished, Miss Henderson gave it to him. Ho shook it, and, hearing something rattle within, unscrewed