Middletown transcript., 1897-02-13
Irna's
BetrOthal
A LOVE STORY.

sight of y hussar officer in uniform sh
Redeemed with vexation. Yet ther
was nothing in Albrecht Won Rsitzsn
berg's appearance to annoy her; on th
contrary, he was young, very goodlook
ing, tall and of dignifled bearing.
"Will you allow me to come in?" b
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. 81 hav
a proposal to make to you, Baroness
Irma. Will you give me your atten
tion for little while?"
| She looked at him Indignantly; sh
had sweet oval face and deep gra,
eyes.
~ prefer not to listen to you, Coun
Albrecht."
~ thought that you would say SOL
(there was something like ring O
triumph in his voice), shut indeed my
proposal is very harmless. Let u
come to an understanding"
There was uncertainty, distrust, in
her eyes.
"Yes," continued the young officer
81 know that you have everyreasons Il
be offended, You have been most un
fairly treated"
81 have been invited to this house
under false pretences. came because
/ thought that the visit would give
pleasure to Frau Won Wolde, who fills
or is supposed to fill, the place Of my
mother. l am sorry to speak disre
spectfully of your cousin, but"-
'Not at all. You are perfectly
right, and my relative Frau Won Wolde
is in the plot, and has b. en- from the
beginning. l know all about it now
Ny old uncle has just enlightened me
l, Is the heir of Reitzenberg Castle
you will excuse my mentioning my
name frstP-have received orders tt
offer my hand and my debts, in mar
riage, to the Baroness Irma Won
Buchow, who. on attaining her ma
jofity, will become possessed Of SO
large fortune that she could free the
Reitzenberg estate with a stroke Of her
pen. Nay, hear me out; this lady was
to have been kept in ignorance of the
plan, but that her friend and chaper-
one could not resist the temptation of
giving her hint how matters stand
after she had become the guest of the
Castle. Is this SOP"
"Ies," She stood by lis side now
and the sunlight just touched the coils
of her auburn hair. 81 have been de-
ceived. cruelty deceived.
''Under the circumstances, nothing
remains for me but TO give you
the opportunity Of expressing your
opinion as to this tyranous family
compact even more decidedly than you
have done already. Baroness Irma o.
Buchow, will you consent to give mi
your hand in marriageP"
"Count Albrecht of Reitzenberg,
thank you for the honor which yol
have shown me. / will not"
They stood facing each other, and al
1rma looked at her strange wooer sh'
saw a faint smile in his eyes. He
own anger was beginning to evaporate
he really was behaving we'll, consider.
ing that the Reitzenbergs were re
nowned for their hasty tempers.
"You admit" she said, after pause
"that-I have been awkwardly placed.
| 81 admit that you have been inhos'
pitably, abominably treatedl I blust
to think that a member of our
family could have dreamed OF such q
scheme. In order to show you how
penitent | am, now that l have re
ceived my dismissal, L will immed.
lately leave this house and rid you ol
my presence"
] "If you do that, Count Albrecht,
shall be worse off than ever. Yor
don't know your cousin, Frau vor
Wolde. She will insist upon my re
manning here for three months as wa
arranged, she will reproach me fo
your absence. she viii argue and makt
me dislike you more than ever, it'-
II possible?"P"
i His good humor was irresistible; she
burst into merry laugh.
Il For another half-hour the rejected
suitor remained in conversation will
the heiress, and al the end Of that tim,
they, too, had made a plot. Albrech
was to remain at the Castle, he and th'
Baroness Irma were to pretend to b
on amicable terms, and the two con
spirators (the Count and the chaperone
: were not to learn until the last day o
the visit expired that their hopes ha,
failed.
81 will endeavor to make your visi
as little irksome to you as possible,
explained the heir of Reitzenberg
! ''and we can behave as if there wer
enmity between US.
.'Yes'' (there was still a little douh
in her voice and manner), 81 thinl
that can trust you."
"Come,'' be said gently. "Barones
Irma, is it truce between us signet
and sealedp''
\ He took her hand In his, and, bend
ing over it, raised her fingers to hi
lips.
Z. q
The master of the Castle was th
first to begin hostilities. One day t
j ward the end Of the three month";