Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-04
CHATTER WILL

CHAPTER VIII.
TIE ABDUCTION OF A PRINCESS.
"IIAT afternoon they went to
u the palace grounds and in.
e3 quired for the chief steward.
Aftpr few moments they
were shown to his office in a small
dwelling house just inside the gates.
The vkd was red faced little
man, pleasant and accommodating. He
could speak Gcrman-in fact, he was
German by birth-and they had no
difficulty in presenting their request.
Mir. Fraasch-Jacob Fraasch-was at
first dubious, but their frank, eager
faces soon gained for them his consent
to see that part of the great park
open 10 the public. Beyond certain
lines they were not to trcspass. An
guish asked how they could be expect.
ed to distinguish these lines. being I'M
acquainted. and the steward grmly
Informed them that the members of
! the royal guard would establish the
lines so plainly that it would be quite
/ clear.
He then wrote for them pass to the
grounds of the royal palace of Grau-
stark, alliXing his seal In giving this
/ pass to them he found occasion to say
that the princess had instructed him
TO extend every courtesy possible to an
American citizen. 1t was then that
Anguish asked if he might he permit
| ted to use his camera. There was an
! instant and emphatic refusal. and
they were told that the pass woulG be
rcscinded " they did not leave the
camera outside the gates. Rciuctant-
ly Anguish deposited his luckless box
in the stewards office. and they passed
into the broad avenue which led to-
ward the palace.
| a guard, who served also as guide
stepped TO their side before they had
taken ten PAGES. Where be came from
they never knew, SO Instantaneous
was his appearance. He remained
with them during the two hours spent
in the wonderful park.
The palace stood in the northwestern
part of the grounds, possibly a half
mile from the base of the mountain
Its front faced the mountain side. The
visitors were not permitted to 30 closer
than quarter Of a mile from the struc-
ture, but attained a position from
which it could be seen in all its mass
i've, ancient splcndor. Anguish who
had studied churches and old struc-
lures, painted the castles on the Rhine
and was something of connoisscur in
architecture, Mas of the opinion that it
had been standing for more than 500
years. 1t WAS n vast, medieval mass
OF stone, covered with moss and ivy,
with towers turrets and battlements
The park was probably a mile square
and was surrounded by a high wall. on
the top OF which were little guard
houses and several masked cannon.
When they had completed their tour of
inspection. their guide rapidly led the
way to the wall that encircled the
grounds reaching II at point not far
from the castle itself. Here was situat-
ed another large gate. through which
they did not pass. Instead they ascend.
cd some steps and came out upon the
high wall The top of this wall was
several feet wide. and walking WAS
comparatively safe. They soon under
stood the guides design. The object
was to walk along this wall until they
reached the main gate. Why this Pc
culiar course was TO be taken they
could not imagine at first. Anguish's
fertile brain came to the rescue He
saw number of women in a distant
part of the grounds and remembering
their guides haste in conducting them
to the wall, rightly conjectured that it
was against custom for visitors to meet
ana gaze upon members of the royal
household. The men and women, none
OF whom could be plainly distinguished
from the faraway wall, were undoubt-
edly part Of the castles family and
were not to be subjected to the curious
gaze of sightseers. Perhaps her royal
highness the Princess of Graustark
was among them.
They reached the main gate and de-
scendcd, Anguish securing his camera
after which they thanked the steward
and turned to fee the guide. But he
had disappeared as if the ground had
swallowed him.
''''' II y IdlT NPTSdlllcS, OD-
served Anguish, as they walked down
the street. CHANGING back at the frown.
ing wall
ut all goes to make me wonder why
In the name of heaven we have never
heard OF this land of Graustark," said
Lorry, still thinking of the castles
grandeur
MY boy, there are lots of things we
don't know. We're too busy. Don't you
remember that but one half the world
knows how the other half lives? I'll
wager there are not twenty-five people
In the United States who know there
Is such country as Graustark."
II don't believe that single soul
over there has heard iof the place.