The Washington times., 1906-05-13
Ole PRINCESS EIOPE.SvnssgqgR gprn ?

Chloe following knowingly al my heels.
I could feel the crumbling rust on my
gloves Chloe whinnied again. and
there came an answering whinny from
somewhere IN the rear OF the castle.
Somebody must be inside. I reasoned.
There were lights IN the left wing.
but this part Of the castle was sur
rounded by an empty moat damp and
weedy. This was not 10 be entered
save by a ladder. There was a great
central door. however. which had a
modern appearance. The approach was
a broad gravelcd walk I tied Lady
Chloe TO a tree. knOtted the bri.Je
reins above her neck 10 prey ent her
from putting her restless feet into
them. and proceeded toward tae door.
OF all the nights this zas the one
on which my usually lively magma
uon reposed- ! was hungry and tired.
and dare say my little mare was
wasn't looking for an adventure. Z
didn't want any adventure: waited
nothing in the world but . meal and
bed But for the chill Of the Right
air-the breath Of the mountlin is cold
al night should have beer perfectly
viking 10 sleep in the open. Down
drswbridge. UP portcullis.
boldly climbed the steps and
groped around for the knocker. IL
was broken and useless. like the lock
on the gate And never a bell could
l find swore softly and became i'm
patient People in Barscheit dsd not
usually live in this slovenIy fashion.
hat sort Of place was this2
Suddenly l grew erect. every fiber
IN my body tense and expectant.
A voice. lifted IN song. A great
penetrating, yet silkily mellow voice
soprano; heavenly. not 10 say ghost
~ coming as it did from the heart Of
THIS gloomy ruin OF stone ard iron.
he jewel song from Faust too
How the voice rose. fell. SCARED again
With Intoxicating waves OF sound,
VI hat permeating sweetness stood
there. a solitary listener. as far as I
knew. bewiidered. my heart beating
hard aGd fast. / forgot nv hunger
Had l stumbled upon one of my
dreams al last2 Had Romance sud
denly relented. as a coouette some
times relents2 For A space l knew
not what 10 do. Then. with sHrug-
l have never been accused OF lacking
courage tried once more by the
aid of a match. 10 locate a bell. There
was absolutely nothing: and the beat
ing Of my riding-crop on the panels
OF that huge door would have been as
noisy as feather. I grasped the
knob and turned it impatiently. Be
hold, the door opened without sound
and l stepped into the hallway, which
Was velvet black
The wonderful voice went on.
paused, with hands outstretched. Sun.
posing ! bumped into something!
took step forward. another and an.
other; / swung my crop in a half.
circle; all was vacancy. I took an
other step, this time in the direction
of the voiCe-and stared back with Z
smothered curse. Bang-ang, l haC
run into a suit of old arnor. the shield
OF which had clattered to the ston,
floor. AS / have observed, 1 am no
a coward. but l had all I could do I,
keep my legs which were sti:rup
weary, anyhow-from knocking unde
me,
Silence,
The song died. All ever that grea
rambling structure not even the re
assuring chirp of a cricket, I stoo'
perfectly still. What the deuce shouI,
/ do? Turn back? AS / formed thi
question in my mind a shaft Of vim
slammed the door shut l was in 70
It. sure enough; | was positive tina
I could never find that door again
There was nothing 20 do but wait
and wait with straining ears. Her
we're mysterious inhabitants-the