he believer in the Vision Splendid. The instinctive appeal to
the romantic ringing so true and so sincere awoke responsive chords in
hearts which, after all, as is the simple way of hearts of men and
women, were very human.

He sat down a made man, amid pleasant laughter and bowings and lifting
of glasses, the length of the long table.

Lady Danesborough said gently: "It was charming of you to bring me in.
But I shall be besieged with questions. What on earth shall I tell
them?"

"The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," he replied.
"What do the Princess and I care?"

Later in the evening he managed to find himself alone for a moment with
the Princess. "My wonderful Sophie, what can I say to you?"

She smiled victoriously. "Cry quits. Confess that you have not the
monopoly of the grand manner. You have worked in your man's way--I in
my woman's way."

"You took a great risk," said he.

Her eyes softened adorably. "Non, mon Paul, cheri. C'etait tout
arrange. It was a certainty."

And then, Paul's dearest lady came up and pressed both their hands. "I
am so glad. Oh, so glad." The tears started. "But it is something like
a fairy-tale, isn't it?"

Well, as far as his chronicler can say at present, that is the end of
the Fortunate Youth. But it is really only a beginning. Although his
party is still in opposition, he is still young; his sun is rising and
he is rich in the glory thereof. A worldful of great life lies before
him and his Princess. What limit can we set to their achievement? Of
course he was the Fortunate Youth. Of that there is no gainsaying. He
had his beauty, his charm, his temperament, his quick southern
intelligence--all his Sicilian heritage--and a freakish chance had
favoured him from the day that, vagabond urchin, he attended his first
and only Sunday-school treat. But personal gifts and favouring chance
are not everything in this world.

On the day before his wedding he had a long talk with Barney Bill.

"Sonny," said the old man, scratching his white poll, "when yer used to
talk about princes and princesses, I used to larf--larf fit to bust
myself. I never let yer seen me do it, sonny, for all the time you was
so dead serious. And now it has come true. And d'yer know why it's come
true, sonny?" He cocked his head on one side, his little diamond eyes
glittering, and laid a hand on Paul's knee. "D'yer know why? Because
yer believed in it. I ain't had much religion, not having,