Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-10-17
CHAPTER III.-continued.


held in the castle that night.
CHAPTER -IlI.-contnued.
Must! My presence here ought
not to be known to any one. When
you witness that which shall take
place here tonight, you will under
stand" Her tone lost its evenness; it
trembled and became bit wild.
I'm what manner may I be of serv-
ice to your highness?"NI asked pleas
antly, laying aside my gloves and crop
again. Il can easily give you my word
of honor as gentleman not to report
your presence here; but If am forced
to remain, / certainly demand"
Desire" she corrected, the old fire
In her eyes.
Thank you. desire, then, to know
the full reason; for / can not be a
party to anything which may reflect
upon the consulate. For myself, l do
not care" What harebrained escapade
was now in the air?
You have heard that am to marry
the Prince of Doppelkinn?' she began.
| nodded.
Doubtless you have also heard Of
my determination not to marry hiIn?"
she went on.
Again | nodded.
We'll, | am not going to marry
him"
I was seized with the desire to laugh
but dared not What had all this to
do with my detention in the castle?
Betty" said the princess, turning
imploringly to her companion (Th4t a
changeD you tell him"
~" The Honorable Betty drew
back.
(Had they kidnapped old Doppel-
kim? | wondered.)
Il can not tell him." cried her high
ness miserably, Il simply can not You
must do it, Betty. 1t is now absolute
ly necessary that he should know
everything; it is absolutely vital that
he be present. Perhaps heaven has
sent him. Do you understand? Now
tell him!"
And, wonders to behold! she who
but few minutes gone had been a
princess in everything, cold, seeing
tranquil, she fed from the room. Ode
cidedly this was growing iptareating
What had they done?) Thus, the Hon
orable Betty Moore and his excel
lency, the American consul at Bar
scheit, were left staring into each 9th
er's eyes fully minute.
You will, o. course pledge me your
word of honor?" She VINO had recent
ly been tmid now become cool and
even-pulsed.
''If in pledging it am asked to dc
nothing to discredit my office. l am
not an independent individual" ,"-smil
ing to put her more at ease. Il haven't
the least doubt that l would have com
mitted any sort of folly had she re
quired it of me.)
You have my word, sir, that yor
will be asked to do nothing dishonor
able. On the other hand, you will con
fer great favor upon her highness
who is in deep trouble and is seeking
way to escape it."
Command me-" said | promptly.
Her highness is being forced into
marriage with a man who is old enough
TO be her grandfather. She holds hin
in horror, and will go to any length tc
For my part, l have tried to convince
her of the futility of resisting hel
royal uncles will Sensible little
Britisher!) What she is about to dc
will be known only 10 four persons
one OF whom is downright rascal"
"A rascal?" slipped my lips, half
unconsciouSfy. II trust that haven
given you that impression" added
eagerly CA rascal? The plot Wa.
thickening to formidable opaqueness.
mo, MOI" she cried hastily, with
fash of summer on her lips. (Wha
is more charming than an Englisl
woman with a clear sense of the hu
morous0 You haven't given me tha
impression at all"
Thank you" My vanity expanded
under the genial warmth of this knowl
edge. /. was quite possible that she
looked upon me favorably.
ITO proceed. There is to be kline
of mock marriage neIe oyHtsht, ant
you arc TO witness it" She watched
me sEa7rly.