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Show "The " Fiction A PRINCE CAN LAUGH Corner PRESENTLY the task was done and I turned to him, grinning. "Thanks a lot. I don't know how I would have managed without you." "Really?" He seemed to appreciate appreci-ate my compliment. "Frankly, I've enjoyed it, not only the work, but our little visit." He hesitated. "You are new in town, aren't you?" "Comparatively," I said. "It's a mightly nice town. Folks are all like yourself. Ready and willing to lend a hand when help is needed." I smiled happily. "The fact that I know your name, Prince Alexander, Alexan-der, proves a little theory of my own." He stared in astonishment. "You know who I am? You knew when yon asked nu i help remove the wmdon" I nodded. "Your philosophj mine have a good deal in can Prince. And that is, that yt'.i: different from the rest ol i; even venture to say that jr.; quite unhappy living up tfc your castle so far removed; everybody. To prove that I right, I'm going to ask you a:, i tion. Tomorrow I'm going fc l How would you like to come i:- "I'd like to very much," he:- ' "But we must keep it a secre:: ; the rest of the people. It - i a pity to destroy their Stasia I agreed, winking at him c ingly, and the prince and I ' and there shared a hearty fc j A WEEK after I established residence resi-dence in Seabrook, Ray Quimper, my next door neighbor took time off to drive me around the town and show me the points of interest. Toward evening he stopped stop-ped his car before a driveway that led up to a huge brick house on top of Drybridge Hill. It was the only brick building in town and could be seen for miles around. I had wondered about I it since the day 3- Minute W arrival. Fiction "The hornAe, 01 I j Prince Alexander Alex-ander Moisevich Deborin," he explained. I looked at him curiously, sensing that this was a proud moment for Ray. He had saved the brick house until last, like a child relishing the last morsel. I "Of course," Ray explained further "he has a city home too. But the fact is he spends the greater part of his time out here. He craves solitude." "Are you sure? I mean, wouldn't it be fitting to let the man know you're glad to have him as a citizen?" "We've tended to that," Ray said importantly. "Three days after his arrival a committee made up of leading citizens waited on the prince and extended him a formal welcome." He regarded me sagely. "We're smart enough not to antagonize an-tagonize the man by pestering him to death." On the day of w&ich I write I was removing the storm windows from my house, for spiing was near and the day was bright and warm. The prince came strolling along my street and stopped, oddly enough, at the end of my drive to watch. I perceived him from the corner of my eye, though gave no indication that I had seen. After a moment or two, much to my satisfaction, he turned in at the drive and came slowly toward me. At this precise moment the stepladder on which I was standing tilted precariously and the window I was removing threatened threat-ened to tumble to the ground. I uttered a cry of alarm, turned, perceived the prince as if for the first time, and shouted to him for aid. Involuntarily, he leaped forward and steadied the ladder until I had descended. de-scended. "Phew!" I grinned. "That was a close call." "It was indeed," he replied. "Would you mind holding the ladder lad-der for me on this window over here?" He seemed a little surprised, sur-prised, but agreed to lend his assistance. as-sistance. He proved as good a helper as I could have asked for. Three windows I removed while he steadied the ladder and helped rrie lower them to the ground. We chatted amiably about the weather.' |
