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Show By E Phillips Oppenheim Ooprrl(t by Llttl, Browa a 0. turn to England, with tti consent and the approbation of my relatives hwe. Paul and I have but one hop and one desire to live until the time when the H-cipl of Russia return to thtr allegiance, and to re-estahllrfh the Romanoff Ro-manoff dynasty In Russia, either through ourselves or our children. or thnt reason we art living here with an 1 unseen guard provided by the English government. When you flrnl met ua we lived In seclusion, because already four tlmea my life bud been attempted. There ire still men pledged to destroy de-stroy ua root and branch. Here they will not succeed. We are surrounded by fulthful guards, and our Uvea are consecrate. Not until the children isve and flourish who Khali carry on our nnme will I or my hiiKhand take rhe slightest risk. The world may aea something of ua Inter. For the present we have only one thought" Herald stood among the wreck of hi dreams. He aeemed to be listening to the thunder of the sen. to be watch-lug watch-lug the queer-ahitped shaft of aunlivht which stretched across the floor. He found speech almost Impossible. The silence lusted so long, however, that he waa compelled lo break It. "Your highness' explanation Is complete?" com-plete?" he asked. ; w n, , , , - - , CHAPTER VIII Continued . 26 ,. 1 wrote down the address and tere It la," Christopher laid, handing a enrd. "If I can be of any use" . "You dear man I" ihe exclaimed. "We must leae It to Gerald. I hope thiil he will let me go with him. I think he ought to find out Just where , ' be stands at once." 1 - "I am not going back to the house." Christopher remnrked. "Could we have one game of blllliirds?" ,' "I should love It," she answered, "Gerald will come and look for ua as toon as he haa finished with the doctor. doc-tor. You oaed to give me fifleea , wasn't Itt" Gerald came In ' presently. Mary eated herself by her brother's side. "Gerald," she said, "Christopher has discovered Pauline's address. It Is quite close by here. You must go and see her tomorrow. Would you like either of us to come with you J" Gerald began to tremble. "She la here In London ull right Y' he demanded. "Absolutely." Christopher declared. "She wai looking quite well. Her ' brother waa with her." "I will go alone." Gerald decided. "I will go tomorrow,; Now you have told me aomethlhg worth hearing. Per-hnps Per-hnps tonight I shall sleep." Two men servants, both foreigners, awaited his arrival. One attended to the closing of the door and remained with the chauffeur; the other silently beckoned Gerald to follow him across the stone floor of the bare, circular hall Into a room at the further end. He stood aside to let Ceruld precede him. "The gentleman will please De seated," he sold. Gerald found himself alone In an apartment not unduly lurge but exceedingly ex-ceedingly lofty. It was simply out niugnltlcently furnished, hut only a Ingle rug lay upon the floor. The windows looked sheer over the a, and the thunder of the waves against the Jagged rocks seemed almost at his feet., The windows themselves were narrow the windows of a fortress and the depth of the window seat showed the thickness of the walls. Gerald hud little time to take note of these things, however. Within a moment mo-ment or two of his being left alone the door opened Mnd Pauline entered. Speech of any Soft,. It seemed to Gerald, must be pitifully Inadequate. He stood looking it her, wondering If "It Is complete," she replied, "You will understand that your shull I call It admiration? was. In a sense, an offense to me. In Monte Carlo I will admit that through sheer weariness I was perhaps a little Indiscreet. The situation then seemed hopeless." "I understand," Gerald murmured. "The grand duke, my husband, will wish to offer you some hospitality," she said, touching a bell. "Be so g iod aa to await his coming." Prince Paul entered the room a moment mo-ment or two later, a touch of sunburn on his cheeks, erect and handsome, a very different person from the broken prisoner of a few months ago. He advanced toward Gerald with -outstretched hand. "It gives me great pleasure," he said, "to welcome you In my very bad English to our home. You see, I reached England safely. Perhaps you will give us the pleasure of your company com-pany to dinner tonlghtT" Gerald shook his head. "I have promised the owner of the car which I hired," he said, "to retnrn it to him tonight. I must, In fact, be leaving at once." anything In her expression would give hint the cine to her nijxierlmis behavior. be-havior. She came toward him. however, how-ever, as composed and unresponsive as ever. There was nothing whatever in her manner to indicate the fact that she was greeting the man who had risked his life In a mad enterprise for her sake. . -, "You have had a long Journey, Ird Domhey," she said. He bowed over the hund which ihe had extended to him. "A long Journey, Indeed." he assented. as-sented. "A Journey down Into h I and back," "Sit down," she Invited, "and I will give you the explanotlon I owe you." "Thank you," he answered. "I do not feel at home In this house. Let me remain standing until after you have told me what It all means. I have done your bidding. I have come to beg for my reward." Her eyes looked at blm coldly. "I promised no reward," she re-I re-I minded him. "Not In words." he admitted. "Yet you know what I desire." "Whut you desire Is absurd," ihe declared. "That Is what I wish to ex- . ', Gerald, after all, derived small satisfaction satis-faction from bla visit on the following day. Me found hia destination easily a small, detached house In a retired bsck street, with a bell at the front gate and spiked railings. He was admitted ad-mitted without undue delay by an ordinary-looking parlor maid and conducted con-ducted Into a small ilttlng-room. After waiting a minute or two, the door was opened and Madume de Po- nlere entered.. "You have come to see my niece, Lord DombeyT" she Inquired, after a ' word of conventional greeting. ' , ' "Is It very surprising that I should comer Gerald rejoined, a little bitterly. bit-terly. "Perhaps not from your point of view," was the equable reply. "My niece has. In fact, been anticipating your visit." "It would have been kinder of hr," Gerald ventured, 'If she had let me know her wherenbouts. I have beets In the hospital and afterward in a musing mus-ing home for some time." "My niece had other matters to consider," con-sider," Madame de Ponlere declared dryly. "She Is living In the utmost retirement, re-tirement, through force of clrcuin- A servant entered with a tray bearing bear-ing wine and whisky. Paul served his guest himself. "They tell me that this Is the most hospitable country of the world," he observed. "Even in Russia we should not let you depart without a toast You will wish us those things for which her highness and I live." ; Gerald bowed and raised his glass to his lips. "I shall drink to you and to your country," he s.'ild, "and to the good of both." He set down his glass empty. Pauline Pau-line smiled her goodby, but they handed him over to the care of servants serv-ants with the air of royalty. Gerald drove through the opened gates, heard the bars grind behind him, and, looking look-ing around for a lust view, was ducly conscious of men who watched. Years afterward this strange visit, with all Its trifling events, assumed Its proper proportions In his mind. That nlnht. however, he drove over the moors and around the mountains absolutely without with-out any direct emotions. It' waa im-possible im-possible to believe that his visit had not been the phantasy of an after-noon's after-noon's slumber. Chapter IX stances." "Can I see her now T' Gerald asked bluntly. "She will grant you an iudlen-e," Madame de Ponlere replied. ; "I have her permission to disclose her whereabouts where-abouts to you only, enjoining secrecy." "Where Is shef Gerald asked. "My niece Is to be found at Duvenny castle In Scotland," Madame de Ponlere Po-nlere announced, "It Is a somewhat Inaccessible place. Particulars of how to reach It are here." She handed him a slip of paper. "In Scotland?" Gerald repeated, a ' little wearily, "But she was here yesterday,"' yes-terday,"' "She left at night," Madame de Po-nlere Po-nlere reminded hlra. . Gerald folded the slip of paper and put It In his pocket. "Very well," be said, "I will go to Scotland." Madame de Ponlere looked at tiro through her lorgnettes for 1 moment thoughtfully. ,.. "You have been 111," she remarked. "I have been 111," he assented. Madame de Ponlere lowered ner w lorgnettes and closed them with a little " snap. "If I thought that you would accept It" he said, "I would give you a word of advice." "I can at least hear It," he sug-. sug-. ' . , gested. "Go back to the manner of life you were living before you met Pauline and forget her. Your visit to Scotland Scot-land will be of no service to you. It will only end in disappointment." Gerald shook his head. . "That," be said obstinately, "I must discover for myself' Gerald, following In the main the i directions on the slip of paper given him by Madame de Ponlere, reached . his destination on the afternoon of the- After they bad left Toulon the two ' men seemed almost to change places. , Gerald, who for the last four days bad been In much the same mentally coma- "You Have Had a Long Journey, Lord ; Dombey," She Said. plain. You have discovered, perhaps, who I am." "I learned who your brother waa" "My brother I" she smiled. "Well," she went on, "listen. I am the Grand Duchess Pauline of Itunsla, princess and hereditary ruler of the Caspian provinces, and nearest in kin sin.mg living women to Nicholas, who was murdered by the people. The man whom you rescued Is Paul, grand duke of Volostok, hereditary ruler of seventeen seven-teen provinces, and nearer In the tuse state as he had been since his return from Scotland, sat up and for the first time began to look about blm with Interest. Christopher, on the other hund, who during the whole of their journey had been continually endeavoring en-deavoring to amuse and entertain bis companion, gradually relapsed Into a rare fit of thoughtfulness. They had passed through llyerea, however, and were winding their way around the Poret du Dom, before any direct allu- slon was made to the subject wh'ch In varying degrees was foremost In the minds of both of them. "About an hour and a half beyond this, wasn't It?" Get aid asked. ; ; Christopher nodded. It was significant signifi-cant that he made 00 comment upon the fact that Gerald had caught up with his own train of thought "Just about this time of the year, too," Gerald went on, rumlnatlr.gly. "I remember these orchards were lust showing a little pink. And you say she's back again there, Chris. I wonder won-der why? There wasn't any trouoie at home, was there?" ' "Not the slightest," Christopher assured as-sured him. "In fact, all the time you were In Russia your father seemed to rely upon her absolutely. ' I waa a great blow to him when she made up her mind to go back." (TO BE CONTINUED ) male Hue to the crown of Russia. He Is my cousin." "Your cousin?"' Gerald exclaimed. "And my husband," she answered calmly. Gerald was extraordinarily cool. The. situation began slowly to shtpe Itself In his mind. ' " v "It has been the province of royalty," royal-ty," Pauline continued, "to make use of their courtiers, without explanation, tn whatever way may seem good to them. ; I have made use of you. I -lid not seek your acquaintance or your friendship. I have mude you no promises. prom-ises. I have kept you much farther away even from hope than would many of my Illustrious ancestresses. Vet, In these days, you will probably think that you have been Ill-treated. I cannot can-not help ft. I and others of my race have been 111 and mercilessly treated. Yours hits been a small wrong. I made use of you and your devotion to free my cousin, to whom I was affianced. af-fianced. So far as ruy thanks can satisfy sat-isfy you, I tender them." "You are very gracious." Gerald acknowledged, ac-knowledged, forgetting all his weariness weari-ness and holding himself like a man. "May I ask, were you married to the grand duke when I fetched him from hU prison?" '. "I was notJV Pauline assured ulm. "1 was married a month after his re- ; third day. Ue was in the car which m he had hired at the last town on the V railway route, a town which seemej to " him, unacquainted with this corner of Scotland, almost an outpost of civilization. civiliza-tion. After miles of moorland, un- broken except for huge boulders, the ; way had led around a range of smaller mountains until he had suddenly en countered, when be had 'been least expecting ex-pecting It, the tang of the sen. Muny hundreds of feet below he saw at last his destination, a dwelling of stone as ancient and rudely fashioned. It . seemed, as the massed-up boulderi on every aide. The road by which It was .. approached was precipitous, in places almost Impassable. The last quarter of a mile was along a narrow bank, unprotected unpro-tected on either side, with the spray 4 from the wavea leaping up Into nis v' face. The road ended In a circular sweep, surrounded by a high wall. In J, iront of blm waa a massive gate, . closed and barred. The porter who appeared In answer to the bell kept aim waiting while he communicated with the bouse, finally the gates were - pushed pea and the car allowed to proceed up a steep, stone-paved ascent to s courtyard also flagged with stones I and also surrounded by a high wall. In front was aaother massive Aoor, which, however, already stood opeau |