The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-02
IRMAS' BETROTHAL.

In one of the turret rooms of Reitzen
berg castle n young girl arrayed in
simple dress and white apron sat sew
ing industriously. At the sound o
footsteps she paused in her work; at th
sight of hussar officer i'm uniform sh'
Redeemed with vexation. Yet ther
was nothing in Albrecht Won Reitzen
berg's appearance to annoy her; on th'
contrary, he was young, very goot
looking, tall and of dignified bearing
"Will you allow me to come in?' h,
asked, standing on the threshold.
The girl took up her work again
"You can come in if you WISH" sh,
said, indifferently.
He walked across the room. al have
proposal to make To you, Baroness
Irma. Will you give me your atten
tion for little while?"
She looked at him Indignantly. She
had sweet, oval face and deep gray
eyes.
al prefer not to listen to you, Count
Albrecht."
al thought that you would say soni
There was something like a ring oi
triumph in his voice. "But, indeed,
my proposal is very harmless. Let Us
come to an understanding"
There was an uncertainty, distrust in
her eyes.
"Yes,p continued the young officer,
al know you have every reason to be
offended. You have every reason to
be offended. You have been most un-
fairly treated"
81 have been invited to this house
under false pretenses. L came here be-
cause L thought that the visit would
give pleasure to Frau Won Wolde, who
fills, or is supposed to fill, the place OF
my mother. am sorry to speak dis
respectfully of your cousin, but"
"Not at all. You are perfectly right,
and my relative, Frau Won Wolde, is in
the plot and has been from the begin
ming. / know all about it now. My
old uncle has just enlightened me. i,
as the heir of Reitzenberg castle-yOu
will excuse my mentioning my name
first-have received orders to offer my
hand and my debts in marriage.to Bar
oness Irma Won Buchow, who, on at
tanning her majority, will become pos
sessed so large a fortune that she could
free the Rsitzenberg state with a stroke
of her pen. Now, hear me out: this lady
was to have been kept in ignorance of
the plan, but that her friend and chap
eron could not resist the temptation of
giving her hint as to how matters
stand after she had become the guest of
the castle. Is this so?''
"Yes." She stood by his side now,
and the sunlight just touched the coils
of her auburn hair. II have been Ce-
eeived; cruelty deceived"
"Under the circumstances, nothing
remains for me but to give you the op-
portunity of expressing your opinion
as to this tyrannous family compact
even more decidedly than you have
done already. Baroness Irma of
Buchow, will you consent to give me
your hand in MARRIAGE"
"Count Albrecht of Reitzenberg, l
thank you for the honor, which you
have shown me- | will nOt.n
They stood facing each other, and as
Irma looked at her strange wooer she
saw a faint smile in his eyes. Her own
anger was beginning TO evaporate; he
really was behaving well, considering
that the Reitzenbergs were renowned
for their hasty tempers.
"You admit" she said, after a pause,
"that have been awkwardly placed. !"
al admit that you have been inhos-
pitably, abominably treated! blush
to think that q member of our family
| could have dreamed of such a scheme.
In order to show you how penitent
am, now that I have received my dis
missal, L will Immediately leave
this house and rid you ofmy presence. u
"If you do that, Count Albrecht, L
shall be worse of than ever. You don't
know your cousin, Frou Won WOlde.
She will insist upon my remaining
here for three months as was arranged,
she will reproach me for your absence,
she will argue and make me dislike
you more than ever, if"
"If possible?'
His good humor was irresistible; she
burst into a merry laugh.
For another half hour the rejected
suitor remained in conversation with
the heiress, and at the end of that time
they, too, had made a plot. Albrecht
was to remain at the castle, he aud the
Baroness Irma were to pretend to be on
amicable terms, and the two conspira-
tors 1.-THE count and the chaperon) were
not to learn until the last day of the
visit expired that their hopes had
failed.
81 will endeavor TO make your visit
as little irksome as possible" explain
ed the heir Reitzenberg; land we can
behave as if there were no enmity be-
tween u.s."
"Yes,n land there was still q little
doubt in her voice and manner. 81
think can trust you"
'iCome," he said, gently, Baroness
Irma, it is truce between us signed
and sealed?"
He took her hand in his, and, bend
ing over it, raised her fingers to his
lips.
The master of the castle was the first
to begin hostilities.
One day, toward the end of the three
months visit, Irma came into the draw
ing room to find the whole party await
ing her arrival, and in an instant she
perceive that something was wrong.
Frau Won Wolde had been shedding
tears, the old counts brow was cloud
ed with anger, and Albrecht-Irma
hardly dared look at him, so changed
was his aspect.
1t was too clear that the termination
of the pleasant companionship of the
last few weeks was to be war.
"My dear Baroness Irma," said the
al. 10 In ~