The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-22

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young and good walker,
good looks absolutely es-
sentiaI. Salary, 100 pounds a year"
read the advertisement as far as
this. three times over, then ! jumped
ND from my chair, and stood before
the looking glass.
Good looks absolutely essential,
I said aloud ''We-eli-I should
think"
did not finish my sentence. Even
to myself, i'm the solitude OF my own
poky bed-sitting-room, it sounded TOO
vain.
All the same / laughed under m-
breath and kissed my hand to my own
reflection. saying in a whisper:
"Neyer mind, Miss Vanity. you'll do.
After ALL" | added, its no use pre-
tending not TO know | am-passaply
good looking" and ut this | laughed
aloud. for you see the glass showed
me a pair Of shining eyes, sweeping
lashes. and dark hair that came tum-
bling over my forehead in little Will
full curls. There you have a fair pic
ture of Molly Tremayne, sometime
nursery governess, next, companion
and no rich friends, and with money
running shorter and shorter every
day.
OF course I knew the folly of ac-
cepting a foreign post of which knew
nothing. but | had no training and l
did not want to starve. Therefore L
determined to apply for this situation
at the address given-that of hotel
off the Strand.
was received by an old gentle
man of so benevolent an appearance
and such charming manners that the
doubts had had of my wisdom van
ished. more especially when he SEEM
ed to think me eminentiy suitable.
He informed me that the lady who
needed a companion was Countess
Pravsnoski, who. with her son, lived
in remote corner of Hungary. He
told me of the duties required of me,
and-weli, to make a long story short,
l accepted the post. The old gentle
man-who said he was steward of the
Countess estate-gave me substan-
tial sum for my journey, with all III
structions as to the route, and, as
surfing me that I should do admirably
for all that the Countess wanted or
me, he babe me farewell.
We were driving up-up-up-for
ever up a long. winding road: and,
tired though | was after my journey
half across Europe, l ieant forward
to view the landscape from the carri-
age window.
After drive of nearly ten hours
we numbered round bend in the des-
olate road. and l saw massive build
ing Just ahead of us. AT first rocks
and buildings seemed to be mixed up
inextricahly. then I disentangled CHM
news. turrets and windows and saw
that we were rapidly approaching a
huge medieval castle.
We drove up TO a great gateway,
upon which my coachman knocked
A wicket slid back and repulsive
mans face peered out. This man next
began to unfasten the gate with
Changing of bolts and chains that re-
minded me of a prison. The huge
gate slowly creaked and swung OPEN
we drove through into a paved court
yard, and the gate swung to bemind
us with a clang that sent my heart
into my boots.
7 felt myself shaking as I got out of
the carriage and stiffly climbed the
stems into the great hall where | was
met bv servant who had appeared
as we drove up. He ushered me at
once into a comfortable room with a
big fire. from which tall woman adj
vanced TO greet me-
She was singuiarly handsome, in
spite of her nifty and odd years. and
her dark, piercing eyes seemed to look
me through and through. A man
stood behind her, leaning against the
mantlepiece. AS his eyes fell on me
I saw that he stared violently, and an