Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-11-19
A RUNAWAY
PRINCESS
By Curran
Richard Greenley
Copyright, 1905, by T. c. Mcclure

silence.
Marie Amalie stood at the window
and drummed a tattoo upon the pane.
Below, the little fountain tossed its
laughing waters and the cuirassiers'
band poured forth the national air.
Marie Amalie was tired of fountains
that played in the sunlight, tired of the
national hymn, sick to the soul of the
duchy of Doldrums and all IL contain
ed-all because a few short weeks be-
fore the baroness had taken her young
charge with her train to the hunting
schloss and then spent glad, never
to be forgotten day.
Somehow-nobody knows. for such
things have a way of managing them
selves-the equerries and the princess
maids drifted two by two down the
forest alleys in the languorous after
noon. The baroness nodded in her
chair, and Marie Amalie found herself
alone.
When Mari Davent rode from the
gasthaus that morning he drew long
breaths of the forest freshness. For
miles beneath the arching lindens OF
the dukes forest he rode at a walk. the
reins hanging loose on the bays neck,
singing snatches Of college glees and
thinking Of the faroff country whittier
he would soon be going.
He raised his eyes and looked down
the linden reaches-looked and woke,
SO near that the bay reared In sudden
fright. Then Davent slipped from the
saddle and stood, hat In hand, as Marie
Amalie came toward him through the
green twilight.
She did not attempt to excuse herself
to herself, and to no one else did that
imperious young woman vouchsafe
rhyme or reason for her deeds 1t was
temptation, pure and simple, at time
when the girl was sore fmbittered
against the traditional shackles. A
prisoned thing, bound and dumb In her
Jewels and laces, she had known the
shame OF the old roues approval when
he came to view her, as one would the
points OF prize mare, and pronounced
her fit to be Duchess OF Grassland.
"FItp Marie Amalie ground her white
teeth together at the remembrance OF
IL. But she smiled with level brows In
to the brown eyes Of Davent as the
handsome head was bowed before her,
and then trouble began for the Baron
ess Griefengtein.
Two hours later they parted under
tue llndens, he believing her some no.
bleman's daughter In the train Of the
young princess; she knowing all the
facts about him. Marie Amalie came
up the linden walk, thinking deeply.
An American, 1t suited her exactly.
Che thought OF the - ll.a.l lay
even now mt ftnvrc; thought, too, OF
the doddering old Duke Of Grassland,
who had buried his second wife not n
year before. the pale, pretty princess
out OF the north, who had been sold TO
him, as they were selling her.
Marie Amalie went softly up the
marble steps, through the portico and
down tho hall, her footsteps making
no sound In the thick carpet She
drew back the portiere that hung In
straight. heavy folds. There was d
smothcred cry from within, rustic
OF paper, but before the baroness could
close the drawer a white hand closed
nrmly upon her wrists.
what are you doing here among
the private papers of Duke Fritzr'
The baroness sank down, gagping,
speechlesg, as Marie Amalie lowered
over her. Then the girl made a hasty
4s,.a ~ kHs. I,.. hn Lay
was In the lock. A fragment OF wax
TINT adhered to the keyhole told the ge-
cret OF the baroness access to the pa
pers of the young duke who had killed
himself In that very room years before,
when the Baroness Griefenstein had
been famous court beauty and Marie
Amalic but child In the cradle.
Only bundle OF yellowed letters
written In the delicate Italian script
affected by the women Of that genera
ton. Marie held them thoughtfully
then. with sudden impulse. retied ths
faded ribbon about them, locked the
drawer and placed tho key In hel
bosom. The letters she kept In hei
hand. With slow smile around the
mischievous red mouth. she passed
through the portiero out into the sun
light. She held the key TO tho situn
ton.
TIE Baroness Griefcngtein was sen
eIbIe woman. She knew herself Mt this
mercy OF the girl whom heretofore she
had ruled relcntlcssly. Therefore
through the weeks that followed Bh'
tcmporized, telling herself that IL wai
only for time. In n month the glr
would bc safely married. There wer'
various expeditions 10 tho forest. oven
ing walks, when only the baroness
guarded the pretty princess. TIT
young American still fingered Mt TIN
Rnsthaus mud rode his bay through tn
dukes forest.
Meanwhile tho women came ant
went, intent upon tho preparations TO
the marriage. All around the luxuri
ous room were scattered the silks AM
laces, jewels strewed tho tables. Ant
in their midst Marie Amalic ut tia
window, her eyes upon the forest, heed
less OF II all. A horscman rodo dowi
tho winding road and turned In Tn
saddle for long look Mt tho pnihct
Some dny hs would ride from her for
over 20 his land OF "LenrtB content
over the sen. leaving her to tho desc
late pomp of the Duchess or 6rnfr
land. She turned 10 the baroness, nn'
their eyes met. The baroness shiyorcc
The crisis that she had becn drcuhin
had come. Marie Amnlie leaned dowr
husling her voice 10 n Whisper u WI
do n ind you must help me- And Ia
bara -4s knew that she would kec
TINT gotd
The old duke. her father, could hard
Iy believe his eyes aud ears when Ma
rio Amnllc GWifnlly accepted her be
trothni pfrrauis frurn tie old Duke o
Grn island Hnd rvru btnt her whit
brow 10 bis klss TlrodGil nll the fcf
tivfties thai followed size moved,
quccnly figure. but there WIS wicl.
cd light in the brown cyeg. n mutinoti
curve 10 the red lips. aud the days O
the Baroness Gricfcnstein were no
Days Of pleasure.
The Princess Mnrio Amnlic lay !
| her dnrkencd room. Once tho doctO
would have let In the light, but eh
| protested. aud finally he left her alon
with sleeping draft AZ he ment
ure1 n, gulpg yto tho wiwigw wrtb 10