Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-11-01
into hateful marriage, bIushing

prettily.
The old. old. story-stern father,
elderly lover. titled. rich but horrid.
No mother, no sister, no brother.
She was flying from bondage to her
aunt, Lady Azuregore, in Guernsey
Yes, she was Lady Constance
Azuregore. Had he really met her
ut the Duchess of Arlington's dance ?
She thought she knew his face. That
was why she trusted him SO implic-
:tly on the platform of course. But
IL she was yelled, why was he so
shrouded in big cloakY Come,
now" anxiously, "a lady? An
elopement?'
| No, no, and again mol Nothing
so joyous. He was Prince Paul DEM
tofi, and had fallen betwsel two stools
had incurred the ensnlIy of the
Imperial Court through c,ouetting
with the Nihilists. That meant the
Alexiefsky Ravelin or the fortress of
Peter and Paul in ST.. Petersburg,
and, on the other hand, finding the
party of progress" going too far, he
was threatened with death for de-
sorting the red flag.
"You must pardsn me, Prince, but
we seem in tror o together" and
she laughed merrily. DO you know,
half thought you were detec-
tive?"
BY this time he had returned TO his
hamper and produced deftly table
cloth, plates, knives, forks and SER
vietes, q small bottle of Chateau
Mouton Rothschild and dainty cold
chicken. Their mutual confessions
had lessened embarrassment, and the
lady, after making little moue,
said that she was so hungry and so
glad to eat, etc.
They chatted and laughed as the
train sped through the beautiful
country, and by the time Southamp-
ton was thought of he had kissed her
hand.
She readjustei her veil, and he as
sumed his big cloak with sigh rs
the whistle of the train signaled the
station.
THE Guernsey boat does not leave
till midnight. What are you going
to 90? Where will you put up?"
II don't know. l will never be
taken back alive. And you? You
are hunted. What will you do ?"
go on board my yacht. She is
lying of here, and the gig waits for
this train at the landing steps.
must hail them, as none of them
know me. My agent has engaged an
entirely new crew, skipper included,
all English. want no Nihilists on
board" And he looked moodily out
of the window.
She made sudden movement, as
IL about to speak, but drew back.
Again she leaned forward, and the
repetition reused him from his
thoughts. He looked up and saw her
eyes glistehing even through the
thick veil. She was crying!
What is the matter? You are
frightened. Can help you %
II hardly dare ask you. You may
think badly of me, but will not be
forced into this detestable marriage.
Can you-may /"
He OWNED her thoughts. " Stay
on board my yacht and board the
boat at midnight ? Yes, your lady
ship, yes-in all honor, yes" And
he held out both hands, and with a
sob almost hysterical she placed her
tiny gloves in them and the train
stopped.
They left the station by side door
unnoticed, and walking down the
broad, graveled road with the soft
sward and the old-time cannon,
passed the crumbling walls and found
the boat manned by six bronzed, typi-
cal yachtsmen, the skipper, fine
looking old man, sitting motionless
in the stern sheets holding the yoke
lines.
''Do you know respectable wom-
an who can look after this lady until
the mail boat starts?" asked the
Prince, as he handed her carefully on
board and passed her portmanteau.
She carried the morocco case herself.
"Well SURF, I've took the liberty
Of invitun' my old woman on board
to-day. She has been q stewardess,
SURF"
Capital, captain, Now, lads, give
way!"
The boat soon shot alongside
beautiful schooner yacht. Ike crew
manned the gangway as the Prince
and Lady Constance came on board,
and q motherly, sunburned woman
courtsied her through an exquisitely
furnished saloon cabin into a bijou
boudoir with lace curtained bunk
and host of feminine fripperies.
II may sail tonight. Is all ready?
Right. Take the boat and go ashore,
bring of my baggage and anything
we may want from the ships stores.
And johnson, keep the men afioat.
but you just find out il there is any
hue and cry about a lady eloping."
Captain Johnson, an old merchant
captain, slowly winked and looked
very knowingly. "H'mV he said to
himself, Il half s'spected as much.
That's the sort of owner / likes to
sail with. Lots o yellow boys kick
in about this voyage, 1 lay"
In about an hour he returned, and
doffing his peaked cap said mysteri-
ously: II spoke to my cousin, the
pleeceman an he says there's a lot
O cockney detectives down a-watch-
in the station an the Guernsey
packet for some young 'ooman."