“‘No, no. I mean you have—you—know—perhaps—ah—a life story.’
“Then while he held me in his strong arms I told him all. I think I felt better after I had finished than I ever had since Ned Singleton had instilled a hope in my heart. It was only three hours until the boat would draw in the gang-plank and depart for sunny Italy.
“The prince came to say goodbye, as he held my hands in both his and looked into my eyes I saw the tenderness shine out of his face, then, without warning, without power to stop, I burst into tears.
“‘There, there, little girl,’ he said, ‘don’t cry, I won’t go and leave you; you shall go with me.’
“Glad to leave the country where I had known so much misery and pain I did not wait for a second invitation. In one hour my trunk was aboard the vessel, and I was strolling about the deck taking in the wonders which the huge ocean liner affords the untrained mind of the untraveled novice.
“The state room (our state room) was to me the most wonderful and interesting point on the boat, so cozy and secluded, to what I had anticipated, that I felt like lounging around all the time for the first day or two out.
“The prince was so pleased to have me play and sing to him that I found great pleasure in that pastime.
“I know you think it strange that a woman of the age that I had reached, should repeat my youthful indiscretions, but nevertheless I did so. The commonplace existence of man and mistress seemed very conducive to pleasure for we did enjoy each other’s society so much.
“We traveled from one point of interest to another in the foreign country; six years had been spent in sight seeing and pleasure seeking. I was then thirty-six. We were in Paris when the Chicago World’s Fair opened. The Prince had often told me that we must begin to surrender each other, for he was expected to marry someone of rank; I knew all the time that he was everything to me that it was possible for him to be. I well knew that I was drifting down the stream of time only to be cast onto the breakers of separation. We could see the great ghost of dissolution looming up higher and higher as one by one the days were torn from our calendar of pleasure. That one haunting thought was the only blot on our title of happiness. I was surrounded by all the luxuries of the land. The Prince lavished costly presents on me and seemed so happy when he could think of some little act of kindness that would especially please me; he was ever thoughtful and kind, he cared nothing for the company of other women.
“He came to our apartments one day. I was almost lost in thought and only looked up and smiled after he had taken my face between his soft hands and kissed me.