Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-11-14

DE put up. and wandered away 10
brunswick. 4 week I'm August Is OF
very little Use. except to potter about.
In the German country. England was
too far, and the time to remain there
TOO short. SO | spent two days In
brunswick. where | became fred with
enthusiasm about Henry the Lion. his
relics and his tomb. and I'm the dukes
palace found upon a banner the
ancient scroll:
Ny soul for God
Ny life for the king
Ny heart tor women
Honor for myself
From Brunswick drifted. as a leaf
In n stream. 10 HarzburE. where the
idea suddenly occurred to me that I
would drive up the Brockcn. I char
tered conveyance and started at 10
O'Clock In the morning The drive. /
was told. would take me seven hours.
The weather was perfect. the way was
solitary. The bells on the horses har-
ness sounded family on the drowsy air.
My driver rolled about on his box. en-
gagged at the time In profound sleep.
q pipe In his mouth and a sweet pea
behind his ear. Our way lay upward.
OF course. and by the roadside a de-
Iiclous stream dashed and foamed over
the rocky soil. Several times / follow
ed my drivers example. and slept. At
last impatient. | descended. bidding
my kutscher hustle onward and wait
for me mile or two farther on.
heard the heavy carriage lumber away;
IL disappeared round a corner OF the
road. and / and the stream were alone.
walked briskly on. my hands In my
pockets. whistling. At the turn Of the
road ! saw something that immediate
iy arrested my attention. rock, lar
ger than the rest. stood In the center
OF the stream. The water parted away
from IL in two lines OF foam Seated
upon II. her face turned in profile to-
ward me. was young woman. Her
head was bare and her hands were
bare. and her naked feet were swing
Ing In the water. carelessly clicking
the foam from side to side II was q
strange apparition TO come upon sud
denly In the wilds OF the lIarz noun
tains. l approa ched difiidently. There
Ia sort OF freemasonry among travel
ers. This strange creature nodded at
me when she discovered my presence.
''You can't think how nice II is," she
said. looking me in the face. as II she
had known me all her life.
Instantly her manner set me at my
ease.
How did you get thereT' asked In
the same tone.
81 took Off my stockings on the bank.
and waded across" she answered.
stood looking ut her. a meager strip
OF running water between us.
Take Off yours and come. too" she
cried; ''there is room for two on this
rock"
The utter ludicrOusness OF my posi-
ton never struck me at the time: then
felt irresistibly prompted to do as
was told. and in two moments was
sitting by her side. The full midday
seem to mind. looked at her. and
wondered at her extremely. In appear
ance she was very youthful. should
have guessed ber between 20 and 20.
Her face was pale-of a clear pallor:
her lips were chiseled. and of the rich
est carmine color; her eyes were cats
eyes. fringed with long. dark lashes-
eyes like nothing human. bewildering.
absorbing. compelling. caught my
self wondering II they shone In the
dark. her hair peeled finely OF her
low. sensitive brow. II was arranged
In delicious disorder. OF which one
could not make out the beginning nor
the end. t.dded to all this. her gown
was OF fine texture and delicate taste -
the gown g, q woman who was fond OF
good dressing.
And this woman was sitting bare
headed. barefooted. alone. on a rock In
the midst OF the Harz mountains!
"You are going TO the BrockenT' she
asked interrogatively.
Yes: are you?"
She nodded
"Are you alone?" I asked.
Yes" she answered. quite tran
GULLY. There Is my carriage. and
there"-Gs man approached US from
the road there ls my courier"
There ~'1s an infection. the v-~y
slightest. & hesitation az she ~ X ;.
The NAH, who came forward VAS