Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-15
Chapter TX.
The Castle of Sagan.

The broadly flowing Kofn forms part of
the northeastern boundary of the state of
Nassau. Its dark waters rush tumuituous-
ly from the gorge below the castle of Sagan,
and fling a vast inclosing arm about the
bleak plains ard marshes of which the
wastes of the frontier consist.
Ii is a land where even summer dwelIs
coldly.
To the north q chain of hills rises black
against the sky. and there. set upon a bold
ly jutting spur. the castle of Sagan domi-
mates the inhospitable landscape like a
frOwn upon a sinister face.
The whole spur and the hill behind it are
rough with ragged pine woods, and. below.
the banky sleIve to the river with
broken scattering of deciduous trees, that
leave on the eye the chill impression of
leaiess branches tangled against a back
ground Of gray and stony slopes.
Some two or three miles south of the
castle the river breaks across a Step-like
outcrop of rock, and thus forms that IA
nous ford, across which the Counts of
Sagan used in the old days to lead their
foraging expeditions over the border.
Simon of Sagan, the present count, in
herited in an unmodified degree the more
predatory and uncivilized instincts of his
fOrefathers- 1litterate, brutal and cunning,
the thin veneer laid by the nineteenth CEN
fury upon his coaTse-grained nature was
apt to rub off on the very slightest friction,
bringing the original savage 10 the surface.
He was at once the terror and the pride
Of the stolid, silent peasantry that lived
under mis- rule a fierce and fearless sports
man. his dependents delighted In Boosting o
the proHeSS of a master whose capriciOuS
cruelties they never dreamed of resenting.
With Sagan. throughout life, to desire was
to have. and in his pursuit of the wished
Tor object he was hampered by no new
tangled sentiments of honor, truth or
loyalty Like other sayages, he quickly
tired Of his fancies when once gratifed.
Not four years ago he had been possessed
by frantic passion for the beautiful young
wife whom he had now come to regard
with something dangerously near hate.
In dealing with such temperament as
this both Elrnur and Selpdorf were we'll
aware that they were handling an eXpiO-
s!ve that might at any moment wreck their
most carefully laid plans They would very
much have preferred to make a tool of
the reignins duke. but Selpdorf, who had
been plying him for more than a month
with a CeaselesS and exhaustive course of
iEnUendo. encouragement and yelled temp
fation, was at length convinced by the
dukes reply ON the day>of the review that
nothing further was To be hoped for in that
direction
For this reason the German party was
obliged to fall back on Count Sagan. That
he was untrammeled by principle, and was,
moreover, prepared to meet them half way.
rendered their schemes no whit safer. The
only hope of security lay in clinching the
matter as quickly as 1t was possible to do
~ laid uDon the state. the nominal sovcr-
eign might struggle ne liked; he could
hurt no one but himself.
M SeiDdorf's chief contribution toward
the new plot-which was TO be carried out
at the counts own fortress, the Castle of
Sagan-consisted in sending urgent let
ter after his daughter, begging her to fall
in with Won Elmurs wishes.
Valerie received the letter in Mime. de
Sagan's apartments. The countess lay on a
couch. reading a French novel and yawn-
ing.
What a devoted papar' she exclaimed,
CHANGING up.
Valerie did not Immediately reply She
was standing at the deep embayed window
that looked oct toward the river and the
apparently endless deSOlation beyond. She
only moved very slightly, thereby turning
her back even more completely Upon her
companion. The girl had not lived so long
in an atmosphere of diplomacy without
lrarning the wisdom of keeping her own
counsel
She had for some time been aware of
Baron Won Elmur's admiration, but only of
late had he seemed anxious to make his
aspirations manifest to the public-a much
more significant fact For the German was
in one way a universal admirer: he made
qualified love to most of lhe od-looking
ladies' about the court. Ird also, PERHAPS.
more pOinjedty, to some who were not SO
good looking. thus gaining much profit and
some pleasure. His hign-shouldered, port
Iy. personable figure. his han lsonae face
with its clGSe-set. narrow eye- rose Detore
Nalerie'S mental eye. Her future husband :
How absurd how impossible, And she
suddenly laughed a soft, thrOaty ripple OF
laughter.
Isolde moved noiselessly. end coming be-
hind Valerie. caught her by he shoulders
and swung her half round.
What are You laughing at?" she asket.
over the girls shoulder.
Valerie moved away gently from under
the slender hands
Can you imagine yourself in love with
TfTr
Were you laughing at that?'' inquired
the other, incredulous1y.
Yes" with another little laugh.
All the devoted papa has been writing
with an arch smile. But L can under
stand being in love with Won Elmur, He
is-difhcuit- Men no longer in their first
youth are much the most interesting. The
love of a young man is simple; he says
what he means, but when he grows older
1t is not So By that time he has gathered
memories, enlightenment, experiences: and
ne begins by thinking he knows one
through and through And why2because
he knows other wonderland them how I'm
perfectly! As II We were not as various as
The colors In the old Sagan diademi Eacn
woman is made differently, and each re-
meets her own color. To teach a mau-old
enough TO appreciate it-this little fact
about ourselves is. 1 assure you, never a
duh amusement"
Valerie paused before she spoke.
Now know why You married. Isolder'
An. yes! but 1<YaS too young to realize
that SaSan Is bear who cannot be taught
to Ga2ce. | had just left school. l could
not choose But you, Valerie. you have a
fortune before you. Poor Anthony like all
other y0TRg men. is desperately in earnest;
ne gives one the blues. ! know he already
bores you. hut Won Elmur- All that IS
altogether another affair"
Madame de Sagan sank down beside a
little bull table. ana tapped on 1t impa-
sientiS with her slight fingers. Against the
hght Of the afternoon glow she watched
he outline 81 Na'erie's cheek For Mile
ss'Pdorf had returned to her eonternp a