The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-02-02
COUNT NECKERS
REPRIEVE.

Il 10
On January I, ls5-. Prince Degen-
thai, colonel of the Hussars, was
opening the carnival with a ball in his
house, aud his eldest daughter, Princess
Pauline, was being pressed for far more
dances than could possibly take place
before daylight. Even if Pauline's
hair had been sandy and her shoulders
OF unequal height, is is probable that
her card would have been full, for was
she not the colonels daughter, and did
not everything depend on private favor
in those far-off days? But, as it hap
pened, her hair was of a beautiful rich
brown, and her shoulders as though
hewn out of marble, while the rapid,
unexpected movements of her almost
too 1.-THE figure, and the everchanging
light in her intensely dark eyes gave
an impression Of vivacity and some
what petulant grace, more remarkable
even than her undoubted beauty OF
feature. Small wonder that the eyes
even of sober staff officers fingered
about the brilliant apparitiOn; while
as for the lieutenants, the mere glitter
of the diamond star that trembled above
her white forehead seemed to have gone
to their youthful heads as infallibly as
champagne. Before the hrst waltz was
over there was not one of them who
had not had his turn with her.
Almost the only member of the regi-
ment who had not approached her was
a big dark-browed man-almost too
big for a representative of what was
then known, par excellence, as 'light
cavalry"-and bearing the insignia Of
a captain. Itwas a fine though slight
Iy heavy face, except for the morose
expression and the lowering brows
which almos. masked the eyes. A close
observer would have noticed that those
shaggily fringed eyes were forever busy
in one direction. With his back against
the wall, Captain Brenter stood quiz
escent, watching from afar the group
which was forever forming and reform
ing around Princess Pauline's chair;
and az he watched, certain slight
twitchings of his black m1stache, as
well as a spasmodic contraction of the
eyelids now and then, betrayed some
strong inward emotion. This attitude
OF looker-on was his usual one on oe-
casions Of this sort; even at the supper
table, when his comrades with the full
purses and the high-sounding names
were chatting gaily of their connec-
tions and their prospects, he generally
played passive part. His own name
was not high sounding, nor his purse
particularly full, and this, st period
when an Austrian cavalry regiment
was very hOtbed of young princes
and counts, anxious to acquire the
much-coveted military gloss" at the
cost of at least part of their fathers
fortunes, meant position nothing short
of paradoxical. Rigid self-control and
dogged perseverance were the only
qualities which could make it tenable,
and both these qualities Brentner pos
sessed in supreme degree excellent
things, in their way, no doubt, but the
exercise of which, under certain cir
cumstances, is apt to harden mans
iudgnent of Others and embitter his
views of life. Had ne not known him
self to be an excellent officer he would
never have ceased to regret the militia
nv ambition which had put him on
this road OF life.
Presently, over Brentner's dark face
there passed a quicker contraction,
while his broad back changed its posi-
| ton against the wall. Another dancer
had approached the queen OF the ball
| He knew that slender-waisted figure
well. with the close-cropped sunny hair
about the high bred temples, and the
| boyish self-confidence on the full fresh
lips and in the dancing elue eyes
Count Neckers was generally account
ed the most ''dashingn officer IN this
particularly ''dashing" regiment, and
| il the number Of female hearts con
quered was to decide the question there
could be no doubt that he deserved his
reputation. Even Brentner, though
very far from loving his subordinate,
was forced to acknowledge that the
mans looks were well calculated TO en-
snare the female fancy. He could not
even wonder that the beautiful Pauline
herself should have fallen victim to
those brilliant looks. That this was the
case the whole regiment could see, as
| clearly as Prince Degenthal himself,
towards whom Brentner now shot a
quietly observant look. Yes, it was
easy TO note the gratified smile, badly
concealed by the fine silver-gray nous
tache, while the old aristocrat's usually
so icy gray eyes, resting furtively on
the couple just across the room, were
lit up by CLEAN of unmistakable sat
isfaction. Even Prince Dengenthal
could scarcely hope to secure for his
| favOrite child more ueslraole nusoanu
than the heir to the titles and fortunes
of the long line Of Neckers. And no
doubt he would get his wish. True, it
was not on Neckers alone that Pauline
had bestowed her favors, for, reveling
in the sense of her own power, and per-
haps little intoxicated by the adala-
ton poured out at her feet, she had in
the past two carnivals succeeded In
| turning several heads beside that Of
Young Count Neckers. Not even the
deep, dsvouring passion with which
she had freal the first Inspired him
could blind Brentner TO the fact thai
the woman be loved71uite hopelessiy,
linz. af s,ursa he WAS not a fit hus-