New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-07
IRMA'S BETROTHAL.
A LOVE STORY.

whifp aprOn.
sound Of footsteps she paused IN her W1 b 90 a.
the sight of hussar officer in uniform she req
dened with veXation. Yet there was lo'o - -,
Albrecht Won Reitzenbergs appearance u amy nS
her; on the contrary. he was young very soou-
looking tall. and Of dignified bearing 49,,
"Will you allow me 10 come IN he asheu'
standing on the Threshold. -
come in if YOU wish" she said lndinerently'
He walked across the room Il have e. "a, pro,
posal to make 10 YOU. Baroness lima Mhi !ou
give me your attention for lttie Wnlle' ..
She looked al him Indignantly she nae d sweet
oval face and deep gray eyes. ,,,..
Il prefer not to listen TO you, Count AioreCht'
II thought that YOU would say So" (there was
something like ring of triumph in his voice..
"but indeed my proposal Is very harrh'ess' Ae'
US come to an understandings
There was uncertainty. distrust in her eyes.
Yes" continued the young ofiicer. / Know nov
that you have every reason to be o1ehueo' lou
have been mos. unfairly treated.
II have been invited To this house under false
pretcnces / came because thought that the
visit would give pleasure to FTar Won W t ,',
who fills. or is supposed TO fill, the place OF my
mother am sorry to speak disrespectfully 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 beginning | know all about IT
now My old uncle has Just enlightened me j.
as the heir OF Retzenberg Castle-you Viii ex-
cuse my mentioning my name hrst:-haVe re-
ceived orders 10 offer my hand and my debts. IN
marriage 10 the Baroness lrma Won Buchow
who on attaining her majority VIII become pos
sessod Of 50 large a fortune that she could free
the RcitZenberg 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 chapcrOne could not resist the temptation OF
giving her hint as - how matters stand AFTER
she had become the guest Of the castle Is tHis
so?"
Yes" She stood by his side now. and the sun
light just touched the coils of heH auburn halr'
~ have been deceived cruelty deceived
Under the circumstances. nothing remains FOR
me but To give you the opportunity Of expressing
your opinion as to this tyrannous family com
pact even more decidedly than YOU have done
already Baroness Irma OF Buchow. will you
consen; to give me your hand in marriage"
Count Alhrecht of Reitzenbers, thank you
not
They stood facing each other. and as Irma
looked AT her strange Wooer she saw faint
smile in his eyes. Her own anger was beginning
10 eVapOratc: he really was behaving well. con-
sderng that the Retzenbergs We're renowned
for their hasty tempers
"iOu admit" she said, after q pause, that |
nave been aWkwardly, laced"
y admit that you have been inhospitably.
abominanly ,rcatcd, I blush to think that a
member Of our family could have dreamed OF
such scheme. in order TO show YOU how pen!-
tent am. now that I have received my dismiss
sal, l will Immediately leave this house and rid
You Of my presence.
IF you do that, Count Albrecht. shall be
worse off than ever. You don't know your cous-
in Frau Won WOlde. She will insist upon my re-
naming here for three months as was arranged,
she will reproach for your absence. she will
argue and make me dislike you more than ever.
IF possible"
His good humor irresistible; she burst into
a merry laugh.
For another half-hour the rejected sutton re-
manned in conversation with the heress and at
the end Of that time they. too. had made plot
Albrecht TO remain at the Castle. he and
the Baroness Irma were to pretend to be on
amcable terms, and the two consprators (he
Count and the chaperone) were not TO learn until
the last day of the visit expired that their hopes
had failed.
Il will endeavor TO make your visit as little irk-
some to you as possible" explained the heir Of
ReitzenberC; and we can behave as if there
were enmty between us"
yes" Uhere was still little doubt in her
voice and manner Il think that | trust
you"
Come" he said gently. Baroness Irna, is 1t
truce between signed and sealed"
He took her hand in his. and, bending over It,
raised her fingers 10 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 awaiting her
arrival. and in instant she perceived that
something was wrong. Frau Won Wolde had
been shedding tears. the old Counts brow was
clouded with anger. and Albrecht!-Irma hardly
dared 10 look at him. so changed was his aspect.
1t too clear that the termination of the
pleasant companiOnship OF the last few weeks
was be
"My dear Baroness Irma." said the Count.
advancing to meet his young guest with cere-
monious politeness. Il am exceedingly pleased
10 see you. Your visit here has given great
satisfaction. You honored this house with your
presence. with the full consent OF your guardian
and my esteemed cousin, Frau WOlde. I
had hoped not without grounds. that the friend
ship between you and my heir was gradually
ripening into deeper and more lasting feeling.
The alliance is one which must give satisfaction
to all interested in families. Imagine my
distress on hearing to-day from my nephew that
you have refused his proposal Of marriage"
Irrna looked toward Count Abrecht: some
thing that she read in his wrathful men made
her hesitate she answered: 1t is quite true;
we re fri mr.
1t cannot be, my dear young lady that so
young a maiden should have given away her
preference without the consent or knowledge Of
her guardian? Answer me candidly: your
affections already engaged"
The color surged into Irma's cheeks and left
them pale again. She glanced at Frau Won
Wolde. There was no help for her there. This
is a question which you have right TO ask,
Count Reitzenberg, and which | refuse to an
swer. / must beg YOU 10 excuse me"
THE Baroness BuchOw IS right" burst In
Abrecht she has suffered enough our
hands already. She shall not be thwarted in
her will. If she honors me with her friendship,
] accept 1t gratefully. Listen to me, my uncle.
refuse 10 be a party 10 your scheme"
He rose and held the door wide open. There
was no smile on his face now: his eyes were full
of trouble they rested on hers He did not
offer to take her hand in farewell He stood
there in mute distress as she passed by-a fair,
girlish figure in her white dress. her laces and
blue rbbons-and she passed him without a
word The truce between them was over
The forest spread its wide wings even as far
as the Castle garden. Irma loved the green
paths and quiet shades, and here she came with
her book the morning after her interview with
the Count and pretended TO read. But. though
she kept her eyes on the pages she read there
only Count Albrechts parting wOrds-he
cepted her offer of friendship gratefully! Driven
TO bay as IL were. in order 10 save her. that
was what he had said. During the last three
months she had come TO understand something
OF his uprightness his high of honor. He
would never marry d woman-thOugh she were
q princess-to whom he could not give his love.
1T was my fortune" sighed Irma. that made
him nearly hate me at first" Did he hate her
now?
She shut up her book and wandered still
further into the wood, down hillside covered