Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-21
the very root of such tyranny he could

the very root Of such tyranny he could
not believe. SO
Love" " repeated Muncaster. with bit
ing scorn. "Selfishness and pride! I say
it is murder, and nothing less, to separate
| us!'
And having worked himself up sufficient
ly he reached point where he vowed that
as Beth loved him, she was his by every
right, and he would claim her! When? He
looked about the shabby rooms furnished
principally with a valuable collection of
his own works; he looked at letter that
had come that morning from Maryland, and
groaned aloud!
The faithful Brandt. too, grew despon-
dent. The melodious diapasons which were
the habitual expression of his inner con-
tent, gave way to lowering gloom broken
by explosions of lurid TeutSnic maledic-
tons. He showed about this time. too. an
| interest in the society columns of the daily
papers, which at any other time would
have aroused MuncaSter's attention. It
seemed as If Brandt was seeking for some
thing, and one day he had apparently found
it, for the big fore-fnger was arrested
wurdig!" escaped his lips, and society do
irgs were henceforth relegated to their
previous contemptuous obscurity in
Brandt's mind
And while Muncaster suffered, and
Brandt fumed and plotted, Beth Drayton
cat in her luxurious chamber and watched
with dull eyes the expanding tree buds III
the park opposite, refusing to go out, deaf
II,
thority.
AS for Mrs Drayton. no one. seeing her
in all the pomp and splendor of her social
panoply, could have even remotely guessed
what was going on in that proud yet low
ing, heart Brown, her maid, could have
told, if she had chosen, of the haggard old
woman, who walked the floor for hours
when the daily and nightly battle was over,
or sat staring at the fire like a craven
image-with eyes almost as cold and stony.
Notwithstanding all this the earth con-
tinued its customary revolutions, and the
days grew longer and warmer, and on one
of these days, early in the afternoon
card was brought up to Mrs Drayton.
She glanced at the name written, not en-
graved. upon it, and shook her head
HERMANN BRANDT.
He says" ventured the footman, "as
how it's on business of importance to
madam"
Mrs. Drayton's eyebrows went up in
creduously, but she rose and went down to
the reception room. A man was standing
there, hat in hand, a colossal man. with a
head that might have belonged to Thor, the
Thunderer; with majesty of carriage, too,
which numerous toilet deficiencies accent
uated by a particularly shiny, black frock
coat could not impair
AS Mrs. Drayton entered this man drew
his heels together, laid one hand upon his
breast, where the order of The Iron
Cross" dangled conspicuously, and bowling
with courtly grace. said:
II have the honor TO addle IS Mrs. Car
Brar dts Er glish was lahcrcd, his accent,
which for obvious reasons shall be ignored
in the account CT this interview, unusually
marked, but Mrs. Draytou bowed with more
gracousness than she was aware of.
ITO what am l indebted she began.
Brardt forestalled the question. Putting
his hat on a chair, he drew from his breast
pocket a carte-de-yisite of ancient appear
al ce, and without a word handed it to the
lady, his eyes fastened upon her with pain
full intensity he did SO.
Mrs Drayton took the card mechanically
and cast upon 1t an indifferent glance. Then
her color rose, and a cry escaped her. She
turned the card-there was no writing upon
it.
Where did you get this?" she asked.
sharply. with a suspicious look at Brandt.
Brandt parted that look with eyes like
steel. An eXultant smile was buried in the
heavy beard that covered his lips.
Mrs Drayton remembers, perhaps
Heinrich Gartner?' he asked, quietly
There was a slight treIn0r of anxiety in
his voice, for he was not quite sure, but at
that name Mrs. Drayton turned deadly
white. Her fingers closed tightly on the
card She spoke with difficulty
You knew-Heinrich GARNER"
Madam" said Brandt, solemnly. "he
died in my armS!' /
Then he turned his eyes away.