Maryland independent., 1906-09-21
why did you let them go. theng
.iaughcd Cfarchpu

laughed Clarchen.
There are books" pointing to the
well-nlled table; then there are some
wonderful gardens, the Versailles they
say. not far of. and you might catch
Herr Lieutenant If you iike-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.
ut is too absurd, the preiudices Of
these people,
He paused In momentary hesitation
then, catching a glimpse Of trim little
Daisy clearing away the remains OF
breakfast, he called her into the salon
Whereabouts are these wonderful
gardens Of yoursla he asked.
"Oh! the Schloss gardens"
~Yes, l suppose So
"The gnadiger Herr must 60 up the
hill right through the village TO ober-
hergfelder. and leave the Gasbof zum
Schwarz on Bar TO the right. fkeep on
across the helds until you come to a
little house in a ciump Of fir trees, and
there they will direct you"
Thanks" interrupted the Rittmeis
ter. "oberbergfelder. I have no doubt
1 shall find the place"
Daisy dropped courtesy and re.
treated, while Steinhausen. remember
ing Ciareheus 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 be could not
resist.
The distance to the Oberbergfeldet
was not great, but ON the way the
Rittmeister met and spoke with sev.
eral of his troopers; he also paused
more than once to look behind him at
the villa aud its sheltering llndens. 50
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 a
huge basket on her back, who bid hia
"Guten Tag" mechanically
Reaching the few cottages which
constituted the Dorf. the road divided.
or. rather. a cart track dlverged TO the
right and the road kept away left
across some open grassland, fat and
unbroken. to the clump of fir trees in
dicated by Daisy
The Rittenmeister hesitated
1t was improbable that such an ac'
complished housewife as the young
Frau Lisabet would at this period OF
the day absent herself long, but as yet
there was no sign Of her
To be sure she knew the country and
had probably returned bv some more
agreeable route.
True TO his Hussar training, Won
Steinhausen looked about for want
age post" whence to study the position
a stunted. gnarled pollard was the only
object save the housetopsl at all ele-
vated above the level of the field and
road.
The Ritlmeister, though no slender
STRIPPING. managed to climb up couple
Of feet of the ungainly knotted trunk.
and taking a searching look around.
G ed he saw whitish, strange OBJ
ject moving toward a sudden steep
declivity, down which the cart track
led. and which be bad not before per.
celved.
A continuous eager gaze convinced
him that this object was certain
drab-white cotton suushade, 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 slaekened speed in order to
come up alongside as if by pure acci-
dent.
The certainty that had grown upon
him since morning that Lies was mar
rled 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 shaekled, he must assume 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 a mere girl; yet, preposterous
as it was, he was conscious Of dim
regret that there was any one before
himself that had better chance Of
winnlng-What?
What arrant folly to think seriously
Of such passing fancyl
What did he seekf
Only to while away a few hours Of
banishment in an enemy's country.
Ito be C0ntinued1