Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-09-21

laughed Clarchen.
There arc books pointing TO the
well.6ned table; "tben there are some
wonderful gardens, the Versailles they
say. not far on, and you might catch
Herr Lieutenant IL you like-they had
only just ridden out Of the Hof as
came in.
80 adieu. Herr Rittmeister,' and
with saucy courtesy she walked
quickly out of the room,
"Impertinent little puss' thought
Steinhausen, looking after her.
at is too absurd. the prejudices Of
these people"
He paused in momentary hesitation
then, catching a glimpse Of trim litile
Daisy clearing away the remains OF
breakfast, he called her into the salon
Whereabouts are these wonderful
gardens Of yours?' be asked.
"Oh. the schloss gardens?
-Yes. l suppose So"
"rhe gnadiger Herr must go up the
hill right through the village to ober'
bergfelder. and leave the Gasthof zun
lschwarz on Bar to the right. Keep on
across the helds until you come to a
little house in a clump Of fir trees, and
there they will direct you"
Thanks" interrupted the Rlttmeis-
ter "Oberbergfelder. have no doubt
{ shall find the place"
Daisy dropped courtesy and re.
treated. while Steinhausen. remember.
ing Ciarchen's account Of her sisters
errand. took up his cap and started
forth on the sunny, dusty road in
search of the will-o -the-wisp mystery.
the attraction Of which he could moi
resist.
The distance to the oberbergfeldeI
was not great, but on the way the
Rittmeister met and spoke with sew
eral of his troopers; he also paused
more than once to look behind him ai
the villa aud It's sheltering lindens. sc
that good deal Of time was consumed
before he reached the little hamlet
Yet the only specimen Of womankind
| whom he encountered was an aged
bent and bare-legged crone, with q
huge basket on her back, who bid hiHs
"Guten Tag" mechanically.
Reaching the few cottages which
constituted the Dorf. the road divided
or. rather. a cart track diverged to the
right and the road kept away left
across some open grassland, fiat and
unbroken. to the clump of fir trees i'll
dicated by Daisy
The Rittenmelster hesitated.
1t was improbable that such az &c
complished housewife as the youn:
Frau Lisabet would at this period o
the day absent herself long, but as ye
there was no sign of her.
TO be sure she knew the country an'
had probably returned BY some NOR
agreeable route.
True to his Hussar training. Vol
Steinhausen looked about for a want
age post whence to study the position
stunted. gnarlcd pollard was the onll
object save the housetops) at all ele
vated above the level of the field and
road.
The Ritumeister, thougi no slender
STRIPPING, managed to climb up coapls
Of feet OF the ungainly knotted trunk
and. taking a searching look around
q ed he saw a whitish, strange OBJ
| ject moving toward sudden steep
tlecliyity, down which the cart track
led, and which he had not before per
ceived.
A continuous eager gaze convinced
him that this object was certain
drab-white cotton snnshade, lined with
green, which he had noticed in an um
brella stand in the entrance Of villa
Bellevue
This was clew enough; the enter
! prising Rittmeister started at once In
pursuit, and when within reach Of his
quarry slackened speed i'll order tC
come up alongside as if by pure acei
dent
The certainty that had grown upon
him since morning that Lies was mar
ried and in some way, more or less un
fortunate. separated from her husband
had changed the current OF Steinhau
sens ideas considerably.
IL this charming girl or woman, was
thus shackled. he must assume a diff
ferent tone and approach her OIL diff
ferent footing
Her bonds did not render her less
fascinating; far from it, but he might
be better understood. more appreciated
than by mere girl; yet preposterous
as 1t was, he was conscious Of 4 dim
regret that there was any one before
himself that had better charee of
winning What?
What arrant folly 20 think seriously
of such passing fancy?
What did he seek?
Only to while away few hours Of
Punishment in an enemy's country.
Ito be Continued,l