The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-03-08
CHAPTER VIII.
CONTINUED from last week.1

the ola Inn. III was relic or the days
when feudal lords still warred with
one another and the united kingdom
was undreamed of. 1t looked to be
300 years old and might have been
more. From time to time it had I'M
dergone various repairs. as shown by
the new stone and signs Of modern
masonry, the slate peeping out among
the moss covered tiles. 1t sat back
from the highway and was surrounded
by thick rows Of untrimmed hedges
and was partly concealed from view
by oaks and chestnuts. The gardens
were full of roses all in bloom, and
their perfume hung heavy on the
moist air. And within Il stones throw
of the rear the Danube nOiselessly slid
along its green banks. All l knew
about the inn was that it had been by
a within Of nature the birthplace Of
that beautiful, erratic and irresponsi-
bic young person, her serene highness
the Princess Hildegarde. 1t was here
I thought to find Hillars, though it was
idle curiosity as much as anything
which led me to the place.
The village was five miles below. l
could see the turrets of the castle
which belonged to the princess. She
was very wealthy and owned as many
as three strongholds in the petty prin-
cipality of Hohenphalia. Capricious
indeed must have been the woman who
was ready to relinquish them for free
dom.
The innkeeper was q pleasant, ruddy
checked old man who had seen serv-
ice. He greeted me with some sur
prise. Tourists, he said, seldom made
this forgotten, out of the way village
an objective point. l received a room
which commanded a fine view Of the
river and a stretch of the broad high
way. l was the only guest. This very
loneliness pleased me. My travel stain
ed suit l exchanged for knickerbockers
and a belted jacket. | went down to
supper. 1t was a simple affair, and |
was made to feel at home. From the
dining room | caught a momentary
flash of white skirts ir the barroom.
"Ah," thought, "a barmaid! If she
is pretty, it will be a diversion"
In the course of my wanderings |
had seen few barmaids worth looking
at twice. When the table was cleared,
lit a cigar and strolled into the gar
dens. The evening air was delicious
with the smell Of flowers still wet with
rain. The spirit Of the breeze softly
whispered among the branches above
me. Far up in the darkening blues a
hawk circled. The west was a thread
of yellow fame; the moon rose over
the hills in the east; Diana on the heels
Of Apollo! And the river! 1t was as
though nature had suddenly become
lavish in her bounty and had sent a
stream Of melting silver trailing over
all the land. There is nothing more
beautiful to see than placid water as it
reflects a summers twilight. The blue
Danube! Who has heard that magic
name without the remembrance of a
face close TO your own, an arm, bare,
white. dazzling, resting and cleaning
like marble on your broadclOth sleeve
and. above all. the dreamy, swinging
strains Of Strauss? There was a face
once which had rested near mine.
Heigho! | fingered with my cigar and
watched the night reveal itself.
And then. right in the midst of my
dreams. a small foot planted itself.
turned my head and saw n woman.
On seeing the bright end Of my cigar,
she stopped. She stood so that the
light of the moon fell full upon her
face. My cigar trembled and fell
Phyllis | cried. springing to my
feet, almost dumfounded. my heart
nigh suffocating me in its desire to
leap forth. "Phyllis!-and here? What
does this mean"
The woman looked at me with a
puzzled frown. but did not answer.
Then as started toward her with out
stretched arms she turned and fled
into the shadows. leaving with me
nothing but the echo of her laughter.
the softest. sweetest laughter! / made
no effort to follow her, because | was
not quite sure that | had seen any
thing.
"Moonightr' laughed discordantly.
Phyllis in this deserted place? l
saw how impossible that was. / had
been dreaming. The spirit OF some
wood nymph had visited me and for n
brief space had borrowed the features
Of the woman l loved. In vain /
searched the grove. The vision was
nowhere to be found. l went back to
the inn somewhat shaken up. Several
old veterans were seated in the bar
room, smoking bad tobacco and drink
ing q final bout. Their jargon was
unintelligible to me.
"where's your barmaidT' I asked Of
the innkeeper.
His faded blue eyes scanned me
sharply / read a question in them and
wondered. "She went into the garden
to get breath of fresh air." he said.
"She does not like the smoke"
1t annoyed me. / had seen some
one, then. What would Phyllis, proud
Phyllis, say, unused, when she heard
that a barmaid was her prototype
This thought had scarcely left me
when the door in the rear Of the bar