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Show ft The Princess Elopes By HAROLD McCRATH sAurAe 'Tli Mm en th Ifot.. 'HrU tid Masks," .Lie. i - (V('lit. 1AM Ik.l.i.. M.lti.1 lfcJ SYNOPSIS. 'P.- An., rl. i "ti" 1 il In It, ir., In It ii I. 'i'i'i. nil . .i.. .h!k. ' I. ..' ill. l' "". ll.'.'l i'in.'i-J" ir'.'t. .'"i.V "ii ','iiT ".i'.'.V. . ii.'i Hull rli ! II . I " I In- nl t ( Iklni,. v Lrv,;:,:,,: Illlll.l 111,. 11,11.. l.lni I I,, , . !, ,. , ..I,,. I . 'I II III l.,. II, ,1 I'M . ,"'. V l.ll.. . . niir 11. ,. la -l.it 1. . Tl.. .l.i... I. llll. .1.11.. I ' l.v I. .in, if II. ,11, .11 llllil llll ,il,l M'TMI'-r Tiny U.I, 1,1111 I I l,,r I If ,1:1.1 Imrs 1 1. .ii-ii. .ii-ii. .11 ll.it I,.. I, i, tilthlti mi I r Tl.v III. . n.-.-uili.iilv I.. Ill ..11 r.-l .., iii,i. l.f I" Kill. mi.. HI. HiIi.ii k. CHAPTER II. Continued. The other well, I ciiuliln't hcli II. It win, Kismet. I11K', Ilii- turn III the n,ui. what yuu will. I foil heels uvnr head In lnva wlih her nt once. Kycs hIii Iiail tin Ithii1 aa tln .Fgcan ncu nil windy days, llllil HH Dili olllllll winnuwcd sky if a winter's twilight. I1I1111 mi BiipphlrcB--1rlnti eyes! Ili'i' hull' was hh dark and silken as 11 plume Iruiii tin wings nt night. 1 1 Mil I nut mi)' Hint I hud sumo poetry In my system?) sys-tem?) Thi mIiiii nf her liiulllli Never mlnil: I cu recall only 1 ln 111111I ili-Hlrn to kins It. A graceful figure, n liniuil head, tt shinier IiiiiiiI. a IikiI mi hiiiiiII tli.it I wondered l( It really poised, balanced or supported her young bisly. Tender she must Im. mid IiivIiik. iii' 1 1 1 Ii ul ralher than erect like her autliorltuilvc riuiiiiinl(in. Hhe mil 4 , ' adorable. AM this Inventory nf feminine rhiirme f 1 wua tuki'n by rurilvn glnnceu, some- ' times caught r were limy tnklnK au Icivi'iiiury nf myself? Presently my uppctllo became slngulurly submissive. submis-sive. IlutiKur often Is siitlsllod liy tho feeding nl I Im eyes. 1 dropped my nn,kln on tho table mul pushed bark j. my ctielr. My hostesses ceased eon-- versing. 1 "Ijulloi," villi I courteously, "I of- ft 1 for you my sincere aiHiloglos (or this w! Innocent Intrusion." I looked at my I wuteh. "I bollovo that you gave nin ' ' an luiiir'a ri-xji. 80, Hu n, I hnyu 30 mlnuli'n to tuy arriumt." 1 1 Till" wiiinen Ktizist at rnch other. I Onn laiiKlivil. anil tbn 11II11T mnlli'il; It " wan the KimlUh Kill hn IiiiikIh iI thli ' tlmo. I llki'd I tin miiinil of It lintttT than any 1 hail yet hi'unl. (Tarilon auolhiT imrtMithinU. I " hnio you hayi n't Ih-ruii to think I am tho hero of thla ciminly. I.pt It be (urthi'Dt from your thiiughta. I am vnb' a paiiHlvo byHtanilfT.I 1 uliiruri'ly trum that your hunKr it iiiii'UhimI." tsuld tho onn who huil mnlli'd. "It la. thank you." I abnoiiily fuin-lilvd fuin-lilvd In my rout iiK'ki't. thi'n K"IMIIy lroiiiil my hamU. What a IitiIIiIi' thliiK hulilt U! "You may miiuki'," m.lil th llou-KUi'i'iMiu llou-KUi'i'iMiu ihllil who win urimn Into womunhiHiil. Waan't that Hue of her? Anil waHti't It ruthfir ohioirvunt, too? 1 1 li'iirni'il latur that hIiu hail a brother t who wua fontl of tobarco. To nor eyva 4 my iniivi'ini'iit waa a familiar one. J "With your kind hm 111 IhmUiii." milil I j Krulefiilly. I huilu'l hail a amukti In I f tour hnura. 1 owueil a nlimlii kihhI clitiir. On IiikI nf my 1 111 1 r 1 11 1 1 111 . I IlKhti'il It ami blew forth tt Kitowy lilllnw of hfuvrnly nrniiui. 1 know Komi'thtnK about human hu-man nntun. eyon tho feminine utile nf III. A lU'eHi'lllllllle youuu 111:111 with 11 roll nf aronmile toluieeo nolilnin IhIIh to win tho eolitlileui'o nf ttume aboiil llllil. Willi llllil rlilllil of Hllllike tile raw 'ili2e nf formality muiMilheil ilown "II111I you j 1 1 1 y iiartlt-iilur ilenllua-tlon?" ilenllua-tlon?" a.-.keil flretrhi-n. "None at ull. The roinl took my fum y, anil I liii.ly fulloweil It." ' "Ah! that la line nf the pleamireH or liilliiK to ko wheii.ver (hu liielluallon bid. 1 ride." We were uetllni; 011 fiiiiinimly. "l)o yon luke lonn JouineyiV" I In-tiilreil. In-tiilreil. "Oflen. It In the niont t'xhllurnlliiK nf aiortH." uiild the Kni-baiitiiient. "The ari'iivry chaiiKea; there are ao many thluK that rhiirni and eiiKaiie your InlereMt; the moiintalnH, the wa-terwaya. wa-terwaya. the old rulna. Have you ever whlalled to the horaea Hllilil ami wnlehed theni rome i;alloilii- down to tho wall? It la line. In KiiKland " Hut her mouth cloned Hiidilenly. Hhe was tulkliiK U a atruiiKer. I love viilhiialaaiu In a woman. It colora her rheeka unit makea her eyea amirkle. I Krew a bit bolder. "I heard a wonderful voice aa 1 ai-jiroached ai-jiroached the caatle." aald 1. Uretcheo hhriium-d. "1 haven't heard Ita equal outalde llei lln or I'urU," I went on. "Parla?" aald Uretchen. laylnK a ueat little trap for me Into which my conceit waa aoon to tumble me. "Farla la a marvelous city." I '"Tlii re In no city to equal It. Inan-mii'li Inan-mii'li a- i. lime ahall tuier meet at iln. mill ,,ii not do me the honor to , icjieut thill jewel Bona f mill KllllBt ?" IM) auilaclty did not ln .i f-nt. her In I II.. h aul. j j ' Ynil i nn to .ireely e.eet tne tnijlve : I a miner In a ntr. inter and then nine I fur linn. I.. .-I,lei.. mild lljeti hen. a 1 chill ac.iln BteiilltiK Into her tiuien , 'Tlii-M. Aiiieilealin''' nhe nli .ered ro I ' her ciitni-iitilnii In Kn iich I laid anlde my clKar, aiiprnai hed the plHno. and nat down. 1 -.ttuek a few chord and found (he I ti t r 11 in . 11 1 10 lie In remai kiible Kood order I played a I'll. .. in ' I'l.li.lialne," I tinkled tirll'K'B r:i.lllun." then I leaned "That la to pay for my supper." I explained N'ctt I played l.e Courier, aid when I hud Iltiltlii'i1 that I turned inialr.. lis Init "That Is to pay for my horv's sup per." I uiild. 1 tlreichen'B kikmI humor relumed. "Wlmever vou are. sir." her tone no i liinKer repellent, "you m aniuitliiK. . I'ray. tell nr. whotti we hair the honor to entertain?" ' "I Ii.ivi n't (he vaiiieit Idea who m i hilkle- Is," evunUely. 'it In ipille nut nf the ipienl loll. You aie the Intruder." l ull me Mr. Intruder, then." said I II ., oll Will IIKree. 11 ll.nel lid M tiliire. I wan be-iuiilui In enjoy It hiocly. Ul... iln you Blippone this fellow Im'.'" tlrelc hen aNked. "lie naii he In an American, mid I helleie he In. What AllierlcaliH ate In H111 c li.-lt ?" "I know nf mine at iill. What vhall we do to iol rid nf hllll?" All (his wiin curried on with un nil, died rildi'tlesa. They wete women i.r hluli and in. I.le quality; ami aa I was an Intetloper. I could takv no exception ex-ception to u runvcmiiloii lu a lan- n:e If t leave the latches down, thAt Is duo In the fact that I have no nne to fear. Now. sir, you have eaten the broad of my table, and I demand to Urn. w wiin i,, are If you do not tell me al once I nhiill he forced to con-line con-line nii In le till I am roidy to have." 't'oiitlhe iue'" -nonpliiysed. This w.ih inure than I had reckoned on 'Yes " She 10:11 hod nut to strike the iziiiii; 1 1 can not he blamed for -in n n l. 1 lin: so tamely. I dldn t know that the ol.l servlior was the only man around 1 "I am Hie American consul at llarehelt " The two women diew toaether Instinctively, In-stinctively, as If one desired to pro-ti-ot the other from some unknown calamity What the deuce was It all 1 about ? All al once Uretchen thrust j aside her frlctnl and approached. Th 1 luble was between us. and she rested her hands upon It. Our alani ea met and clashed "Kid the duke send you here?" she doitiainloit n-pollciitly. "The duke?" I was nelllnit deeper f tl it 11 over "The duke?" "Yes. I am the I'nuocss HUile-tardo " CHAPTER III. The l'i Im ess llildeKiirile nf liar-n liar-n heli' Mv cloves and rldliiK crop slipieil fiom my nerveloNs llimors to the ilnor. A 11. 111. 1. int. wllilmt sonsa-Hon sonsa-Hon wrinkled mv Nplne. The Princess IIIM.-K.H.I,. of l'.:ieliclt' Hhe slisul opl.o-.lle iue. I Im otiifiu--oupht I not to say ulrl'-tor wluuii I had boon .Uni:. after n lulilon. all thoNii luonltis! The heaullltil maitcaii who took the dm by by the ears, evoty now nil. I then, and tweaked them! Tho pi-lnccsa heriiiir. here Hi this lonely old castle Into which I had au care-loNsly care-loNsly stumbled! Iloiniince, enchant-mint enchant-mint ! Oddly ciniutli. the picture of her rldlnit a blcvcle llasheil throiiitli my brain, and this was followed by Zriwppn 1 "Walti' 8ht kiiuko 1 had atated 1 did nut under-siuiid. under-siuiid. If they wero rude, 1 had acted In a manner unhi-roiiiliirc a Kentlemmi. Still. I waa somewhat on the defensive. defen-sive. I took out my wutch. My hour wua up. "1 regret Hint I must be off," 1 aald ruefully. "It la much pleasuntur here than on. the ruiid." "I ran not uk you tu remain here. You will find the Inn a very comfortable comfort-able place for the nlclit." wua Oroide en's HiiKnoxlliin. "Ilefore I km. may I ask In what manner I mli'lit serve aa a witness?" Kre the worda had fully crossed my lips I recoKiil'ed thut my smartness had canned mo to commit au unpardonable unpar-donable blunder for a man who wlt-aod to show up well lu an udventiire of thla sort. (Hut fate had a hand In II. as picHcntly you shall sec.) tirctchen lunched, but the sound waa hai'Hh mid meinllli:. Hhe turned to her compunton. w ho wua alurliiK nt tin. with startled eyes. "What did 1 toll you? Y'ou can not tell a continual! In the 111111II1) llclil." To me she aald: "I thoucht aa much. Yuu' have heard Faust lu I'arla, but you know nothliiK of the French Inn Kuace. You claimed to be a gentle man, yet you have permitted ua to converse In French." "Wua It polite of you to use It?" 1 asked. "AU this," Willi a wave of the hand, "nppeurs mysterious. This la not a residence one would expect to find Inhabited and by two churmlnK women!" 1 bowed. "Your presence here la even less satisfactorily explained ex-plained than mine. If I denied the knowledge of French It waa because I ain't sure of my aiirioiindliiKs. It w aa done In aclf-defenae rut her than In the desire tu play a trick. Aud In thla lanituaKu you apeak of wltnessea, of papers, of the coiiiIiik of a man you do not trust. It looks very much like a conspiracy." 1 Kutliorcd up my gloves and riding crop. I believed that I had extricated myself rather well. "Thla la my castle," aald Uretchen, nently sliakluK off the warning hand of her companion. "If I dealre to occupy oc-cupy It fur a iiUIH, who shall gainsay !ommanded." another, equally ennnnlnit, of the hussar hus-sar who roilu cross-country, to th horror of the consorvutlve element at court "The Princess lllldcKardc!" I murmured mur-mured stupidly. "Yea. 1 have asked you a qil"stlon, sir. Or ahull I put the question la French?" Ironically. "Waa It th duke who aent you hero?" There waa a look In tier superb eyea which told mo thut It would hava been tu her Inllulto pleasure to run a sword Hiroiicll my black and villainous vil-lainous heurt. Presently 1 recovered. ' Your hlchuoss. what the douce bus the duke to do wild my affairs, or 1 with his? Aa uu American, you would hcarcoly expecl mo to meddle Willi your private uffalrs. You are the lust person In the world I tl Kht to inoei this iilnht. I represent the I'nlied Sliiles In this country, mid thouch 1 inn linn dliialely yonnit. I have acquired ac-quired Hie halilt nf unending to my own affairs." From the angry face In finnt of me I turned to tho dismayed faco beyond. There must have been a question In my glance. The young woman drew herself up proudly. "I mn the Honorable Hetty Moore." (The prlncesa' schoolmate In F.uif-land! F.uif-land! I , Her highness stood hltlng the knucklo of a furellnger, undecided aa to what pulh of action to enter, to reach a satisfactory end. My very rudeness convinced her more than uiiythliiK else that 1 spoke the truth. "How, then, did you select thla particular par-ticular road?" still entertaining soma doubt. "It la a highway, free to all. Hut I have already explained that." I answered an-swered quietly. 1 moved deliberately toward the door, but with a cat Ilk movement she sprang In front of me. "Well, your highness?" "Walt!" she commanded, extending an authoritative arm (lovely, too!). "Since you are here, and alnce you know who 1 am. you must remain." "Must?" I repealed, taken aback, (TO UK CONTINUED.) |