The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-11-27
A RUNAWAY
PRINCESS
By Curraa
Richard Greenlsy
Copyright. 1905. bp T. c. Mcclure

4
"It is useless. your highness. to pro-
l test against the things that are" The
baroness smoothed down her laces
| with plump little hands upon which
cleaned innumerable rings. Marie
Amalie Constantia Louise --and all
the rest OF it." as she said 10 herself.
Princess of Doldrums. arose fron her
low chair with a most unroyal impa-
| tience. Swish swish. went the silken
skirts over the polished floor. and the
Baroness Won Griefenstein wisely kept
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 a 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.
i When Marr Davent rode from the
gasthaus that morning he drew long
breaths Of the forest freshness. For
miles beneath the archIng iindens Of
the dukes forest he rode at walk. the
reins hanging loose on the bays neck.
singing snatches Of college giees aud
thinking OF the farofr 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 10 no one else did that
, tmperious young woman vouchsafe
> rhyme or reason for her deeds. IL was
temptation. pure and simple. at q time
when the girl was sore imbittered
against the traditional shackles. A
prisoned thing. bound and dumb In her
| Jewels and laces. she had known the
I shame OF the old roue's approval when
1 he came to view her. as one would the
: points or a prize mare. and pronounced
I her fit to be Duchess of Grassland.
? ~Fitw Marie Anialie ground her white
teeth together at the remembrance OF
Q II. But she smiled with level brows in
= to the brown eyes of Davent as the
. handsome head was bowed before her
l | and then trouble began for the Baron.
= ess Griefenstein.
v Two hours later they parted under
= the lindens. lac believing her some no.
+ blemans daughter in the train Of the
h young princess: she knowing all the
4 facts about him. Marie Amalie came
a up the linden walk. thinking deeply
An American. II suited her exactly
e She thought OF the yacht that lay
+ even now at Havre: thought. too. OF
p the doddering old Duke OF Grassland
o who had buried his second wife not 9
e year before. the pale. pretty princes:
, out OF the north. who had been sold tt
L him. as they were selling her.
:. Mario Amafie went softly up the
u marble steps. through the portico and
u down the hall. her footsteps making
no sound In the thick carpet. 81,
drew hack the portiere that hung iI
straight. heavy folds. There was 4
" smothered cry from within. a rustl,
Of paper. but before the baroness coult
close the drawer a white hand close<
firmly upon her wrists.
What are you doing here among
II the private papers of Duke Fritz:"
:, The baroness sank down. gasping
IS speechless. as Marie Amalie lowered
y over her. Then the girl made a hast,
:, examination of the drawer. The ke.
"a was in the lock. A fragment OF wa,
u that adhered to the keyhole told the se
2 cret OF the baroness access TO the pa
y pers Of the young duke who had kilie'
v himself In that very room years before
when the Baroness Griefensteiu ha,
ID been a famous court beauty and Mari
q Amaiie but n child in the cradle.
IL Only q bundle OF yeliowed letters
~ written In the delicate Italian scrip
affected by the women OF that genera
10 ton. Marie held them thoughtfully
70 then. with sndden impulse. retied tn
u faded ribbon about them. locked tn
e drawer and placed the key in he
10 bosom. The letters she kept In he
D. hand. With a slow smile around th
= mischievous red mouth. she passe
through the portierr ont into the SUI
light. She held the key TO the situs
tion.
The Baroness Griefenstein was a Sci
s!bie woman. She knew herself at th
mercy of the Eiri whom heretofore sh
had ruled rrleuilessly. Therefor
"a through the weeks that followed SD
'" temporized. telling herself that Il wa
only for n time. In month the 81
- would he safety married. There wei
q, various expeditions TO the forest. evei
"a Ing walks. when only the barone:
!. guarded the pretty princess. II
young American still fingered at Il
gasthaus and rode his hay through "a
dukes forest.
n, Meanwhile the women came an
went. intent upon the preparations Il
III the marriage. All around the iuxur
o.. Gus room were scattered the silks an
n laces. Jewels strrwei the tables. An
:. in their midst Marie Amalie at Il
window. her eyes upon the forest hes'