Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-05
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
After n pleasant voyage the Russia
arrived, and GIG May morning walked
into the Northwestern railway station
in Liverpool to take tie train for Lon
don.
Going TO the station, bought my
ticket for Franhort-that old town
was destined to see so much of during
tl.c next few years. On my journey I
would pass through Cologne, and from
there the railway skirts the bank Of the
Rhine.
travelled through belgium and some
parts of Germany by daylight, ard was,
as most Americans are who travel on
the continent, shocked to see the en-
ployIncnts Of women. Soon after leav-
ing Brussels l saw the, to me, novel
sight OF u numlser of women shoveling
coal, handling the shovel like mon. In
other place; l saw them laboring in the
bricliyards, digging and wheeling clay,
and everywhere they were to be seen
working at mems work i'll the fields.
4 Traveller i'll my compartment proved
n most entertaining companion. &c de-
scribed himself 10 me as one who went
about pottering over lot Of antiquities
ard fooling around generally.
But my friend, the pottcring old an
tiquary, gave me something of Il sur
prise. Al Chalons al Of our fellow
travellers IN the compartment left us.
Two Of item were voluble Frenchwom
on, and they kept it uD with amazing
cnorpy for the six hours from Brussels
to ChaiUas. AT every unusual sWayiDg
Of the car thee would be Il volley Of
"Mon Dicrs!' and ear piercing excla
when tEcy Left.
Bringing; out a box Of cigars and my
companion Producing = flask of wine,
we soon became confidential. Presently,
to my great amusement, my old anti
quarry, warmed by the wine, cOniidcd TO
nc that lie Was Il detective police officer
and chief Of the secret service ut Ant
wcrp; that he was then working on
famous case and had been shadowing
ono Of the ladies who had journeyed
with Us from Brussels. Before leaving
Brussels he had discovered his quarry
was to quit the train, and as he had to
go on to Mayencc he had turned the
business over 10 q confederate.
l was young, and no doubt he thought
mo innocent. Certainly he did not with
hold his confidence. This is the case he
was investigating:
There was wealthy gentleman of
the name of Van Tromp living in Ant
werp, widower, 20 years of age, the
father of a grownup family and many
times q grandfather. 1t had been his
custom to 20 to Baden Baden every sum
mcr, spending money freely both i'll
pleasure and i'll the famous gambling
resorts there. The last time he had met
woman, tho Countess Winzerode, one
of the many adycnturCsscs TO be found
there, and speedily became infatuated.
This Van Tronp was descendant of
old Admiral Van Tromp. who, i'll the
mighty life and death struggle between
Holland and Spain, and in the two wars
with England, the first when Cromwell
ruled, the second when the second
Charles was on the throne, held up the
fame and glory of Holland. In one case
lie swept the proud navies of Spain from
the seas and carried the Dutch flag
around the world III the other he was
only vanquished after stubborn sea fights
lasting for days This Van Tromp was
the heir Of the fame and the wealth of
all the Van Tromps. and both had gone
on accommodating for 500 years.
The self styled countess knew all this,
and, as the sequel shows, knew her man.
She was 40. had been beautiful, was
still comedy. with good figure, fair
haired. but with steel blue ewes. She
spoke many languages and had dwelt in
every land from Petersburg to Paris
1t is needless 10 tell how they first met
or of the intimacy that sprang up be-
tween them. but will merely saw in
passing that within five DAYS of their
first meeting he had given her mapnif-
icent diamond bracelet which had been
in his family more than acentury. This
alarmed his two daughters. who were
terrified ct the mere suspicion that their
father was in earnest and might posi-.
bly, present them with q stcpmother.
above all u comparatively young step.
mother, and. so far as physique Went.
magnificent animal, with promise OF
a long life. so long that her rights Of
dover would make u cut in the Van
Tromp estates and treasures which
might well cause the~oid admiral &c
ronse himself from his three century
sleep in Dordrecht church and once
more walk these glimpses Of the moon
III protest Of the sacrilege.
Then the scandal of countess adven
turess becoming Van Tromp-head o;
that family too! They knew of the pen
chant Of the countess and cared nothing
for it until. with o feeling akin te