The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-06-20
1Continned nom Last Week

yet mystery; the older she grew the
less she understood Wasn't anybody
good? Was everybody to be distrust-
ed? Which way should she turn now
The world was beautiful enough; 1t
was the people in it. Poor Betty! She
had her troubles. too; but somehow
she refused to confide them. She acted
very much as il she were In love.
She gazed at the hawk enviously.
How proud and free he was, so high
up there, circling and circling. Even
the fo& was freer than she; the for
ests were his, and he might go whittier
he listed And the fish that leaped in
frolic from the water and the black
bird in the rushesl She could not un-
derstand.
She would never marry Doppelkinn
never
But how should she escape-how?
On Wednesday night she would be
given her quarterly allowance Of d
Thousand crowns, and on Thursday she
must act. Yes, yes, that was it!
How simplel She would slip over into
Doppelkinn, where they never would
think to search for her. She knew a
place in which to hide. From Doppel-
kim she would go straight to Dresden
end seek the protection OF her old gov
erness who would hide her till the
duke came to his senses. If only she
had all independent fortune, how she
would snap her fingers at them all!
She was distracted by the sound of
jangling steel Artemis had cast a
shoe How annoying! 1t would take
ten minutes to reach old Bauer's
smithy, and ten minutes more to put
on shoe She brought the tilly down
to a walk
What was the use of being prin-
cess if one was not allowed to act in
q royal fashion? 1t wasn't so terrible
to wear mems clothes, and, besides,
they were very comfortable for riding
a horse; and as for riding bicycle in
the public streets, hadn't that ugly
Italian duchess ridden through the
streets of Rome, and in knickerbock-
ers, too? Nobody seemed TO mind ii
there But in Barscheit it had been
little short of crime. She recalled
the flaming fagots and the redhot wire
of her unfortunate wheel. A smile rip
pied over her face, but it passed quick
ly. There was nothing left to smile
over, They were going to force her to
marry tomb, man in whom love
and courage and JOY were as dead
things Woe to Doppelkinn, though
woe to him! She would lead him a
dance, wild and terrible.
If only she were Betty, free to do
what she pleased, to go and come at
will! She wasn't born to be prin-
cess; she wasn't commonplace
enough; she enjoyed life TOO we'll An,
ii only she might live and act like
those English cousins OF hers with
whom she went to schools They could
ride man-fashion, hunt man-fashion,
shcot play cards and bet at the races
man-fashiOn, and nobody threatened
them with Doppelkinns. They might
dance, TOO, till the sun came into the
windows and the rouge on their faces
cracked. But she! q use the en-
phasis to illustrate the decided mods OF
her pretty head) Why, every sweet
had to be stolen!
She would never marry Doppelkinn
never. She would never watch his
old nose grow purple at the table. She
would run away. And since Prince
Charming was nowhere to be seen, ii
we're better to die an old maid.
Presently the smithy came into view,
emerging from cluster Of poplars-
She trode up TO the doors, dismounted
ard entered. Old Bauer himself was
at the bellows, and the weird blue
light Kissing up from the blown Goals
discovered another customer. She
turned and met mis- frank glance of ad-
miration (If she hadn't turned II
his admiration hadn't been entirely
frank y Instantly she sent Bauer
warning glance which that old worthy
seemed Immediately TO understand
The stranger was tall well-made,
handsome, with yellow hair and eyes
as blue as the sky is when the west
wind blows.
He raised his cap, and the heart OF
the girl fiuttered. Wherever had this
seemly fellow come from?
Good morning" said the stranger
courteously u see that you have had
the same misfortune as myself"
You have lost a shoe? Rather an
noying, when one doesn't want sin
gle break in the going" She uttered
the words carelessly, as If she wasn't
at all interested
The stranger stuffed his cap into
pocket
She was glad that she had chosen
the new saddle. The crest and coat
OF arms had not yet been burned upon
the leather nor engraved upon the sill
Yer ornaments, and there was no
blanket under the English saddle
There might be an adventure; one
could not always tell. She must hide
her identity II the stranger knew that
abe belonged 10 the House of Barseheit,
possibly he would be frightened and
take 70 his heels.
But the Princess Hildegarde did not
know that this stranger never took TO
his heels; he wasn't that kind Prin-
cess or peasant, II would have been all
the same 10 him. only his tone might
have lost half key
Bauer called to his assistant, and the
girl stepped out into the road. The
stranger followed, as she knew ne
would. II viii be seen that she knew
something or men, ii only that they
possess curiosity.