Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-06-14

| though by concert
at IL n typical mountain resort,
then" she said II think | can man.
age very well II you viii fetch my
bags to my room, sir
by tho way, will you have dinner.
served In your ROOM very good hu
noredly
"If you don't mind I'd like to eat in
the public dining room" said she A
few minutes later Beverly was sitting
upon one of her small trunks, aud Aunt
Fanny was laboriously brushing her
dark hair.
ITS very jolly being princess"
murmured Miss Calhoun. She had
bathed her face in one of the leather
buckets from the coach, and the dust
Of the road had been brushed away by
the vigorous lady in waiting.
"Yaas. ma'am. Miss yo' hiehness,
hits monstrous fine TO yo bat whar
is All goin' to sleep? out yondah VIII
all dose scaawagsY said Aunt Fanny
rebclliously.
you shall have bed in here Aunt
Fanny" said Beverly.
"Dey's de queeres' lot o. tramps All
eveh did see, an All wouldn' trust 'em
as fer as An could heave a brick
house"
But the leader is such a very courte
GUS gentleman" demonstrated Beverly
"Yaas. nam; he mussa came I'm
Gawgia or kaintuck," was Aunt Fan
ny's sincere compliment
The pseudo princess d!ned with the
yagabouds that night. She sat On the
log beside the tall leader and ate
heartily of the broth and broiled goat
. meat, the grapes and the nuts, and
} drank of the spring water which took
the place OF wine and coffee and cor
, dial 1t was strange supper amid
strange environments, but she enjoyed
It as she had never before enjoyed a
meal The air was full of romance
, and danger, and her Imagination was
, enthralled. Everything was SO new
and unreal that she scarcely could be-
. lieve herself awake The world seem
ed to have gone back TO the days OF
!. Robin Hood and HIS merry men.
You fare well at the Inn of the
Hawk and Raven" she said TO him
her voice tremulous with excitement.
He looked mournfully at her for a
moment and then smiled naively.
1t is the first wholesome meal we
= have had in two days. he replied.
You don't mean it,
u Yes We We're lucky with the guns
u today. Fate was kind to us-and &c
Won. for We are better prepared to On
terrain royalty today than at any time
since | have been in the hills OF Grau
y stark
Then you have not always lived II
u Graustark;'
a Alas. no. your highness. have
u lived else where"
!. But you were born in the princi
: palty?'
q II am a subject OF It's princess il
IS heart from this day forth but not by
o birth or condition. | am native o
g the vast domain known to few o
p us as Circumstance" and he smiled
l. "a Their recklessly.
& You are poet delicious poet,
Il cried Beverly, forgetting herself in he
- enthusiasm.
= Perhaps that is why am hungr.
I ana uISnOTI. X nbn NV " Nhl W u
me in that light When you are read.
e to retire, your hishncss,' he said
l. abruptly rising. I'VE shall be please,
IS to consider the Inn Of the Hawk am
lie Raven closed for the night. Haviu
toasted we'll we should sleep wei
ar We have hard day before US. Wit
lie your consent, l shall place my cou'
:, Of grass near your door. | am tn
& porter. You have but to call II any
g, thing is desired"
ID She was tired, but she would hay
u sat up all night rather than miss an
II Of the strange romance that had bee
thrust upon her But Sir Redfeather'
7e suggestion savored OF a command an
lie she reluctantly made her way 20 tn
d. Tapping blanket that marked the or
n trance TO the hedChamber He dreN
at the curtain aside. swung his hat 10y
If, and muttered a soft good night,
n. May your highness' dreams be plea!
O. ant ones" he said
n Thank YOU said she and the cul
II tain dropped impertinently THAT wa
n very cool of him, / must say she ado
IN Ell as she looked at the waverinG doc
w When she went to sleep she neyo
no knew. She was certain that her eye
n. were rebellious for long time and ths
"a she wondered how her gray dres
III would look after she had slept in
,e all night She heard low singing as
IN In the distance but after awhile IL
~. stiffness became SO intense that II
-. pressure almost sufloCated her I'll
L. rush of the river grew louder and louC
% er. and there was "A swishiuG SCUM
no, that died In her ears almost az she VOL
or dereI what il meant. Her last wal
ca ing thoughts We're of the "black patch
poet. Was he lying near the door?
is She was awak in the middle {
,ir the night by the violent Tapping of h
~. chamber window Startled, she 81
os bolt upright and strained her eyes
20 pierce the mysterious darkness. AM
~, Fanny, on her bed Of grass, stirre
"a convulsively. but did not awake I'll
10 blackness OF the strange chamber WI
~ broken ever and anon by faint fssht
80 of light from without, and she live
- through long minutes OF terror befoI
10 II dawned upon her that n thunde
~, storm was brewing The wind WI
-, rising, and the night seemed agog wit
excitement Beverly Crept from h
:, couch and felt her way 10 the futterir
- ,lpnpuov wing side tho hin n L 8