The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-10

What has taken place in this room need not be known outside of it."
 That ended the incident of the Baron won Sonlgsten for Vivian. But his sud- den departure made Q political mystery
 that disturbed Europe and created
 panic on the Bourse. In politics and
 business, however tremendous the effects, the cause is often trifing this. It was Essper George who warned Vivian of the trick of the marked cards. He had seen the pack in the possession of the Baron's servant and knew that
 Vivian was to be at the Baron's house that night. The marking was done in q
 manner known generally only to con-
 jurors and had Essper George not eX- pained it to his master Vivian would not have been able to detect the trick. Weeks of happiness succeeded for Vivian Grey. In the company of Violet Fane he wan dered about the beautiful walks of the
 picturesque country and loved and lived once more.
 One night as they walked alone by the banks of the stream he spoke to her of his early hopes and follies, his miseries
 and his now matured views and his new hopes. Violet in reply said q few words which made him the happiest of human beings. As he bent down and kissed her,
 the frail girl suddenly clung to him with q strong grasp
 Violet, my dearest, my own!' he cried. you are overcome. Speak to me" She spoke not but, still clinging to her lover with q fearful strength, her head fell on his breast and her eyes closed. He laid her down by the river side and sprinbed her face with water, calling mady upon
 her to speak. great horror came over him Her body was cold, her limbs stiff
 She was quite dead. Vivian Grey
 screamed and fell senseless over her form The second period in the life of | Il EI-- sorrow and disaster, though 1t was an un-
 toward fate and not his own overweening self-confidence which had this time brought about the result.
 The summer had passed away before Vivian was sufficiently recovered from the illness that seized him after the tragic death of Violet Fame to be able to travel. Accompanied by the faithful Essper George, he made his way now toward Vienna and after escaping from the rude hospitality of hard drinking German baron and his conyivial associates he stayed for awhile as the guest of the Prince of Little LiIllput, a mediatized prince whose ancestral sovereignty was now merged in that of the Grand Duke of Reisenburg. They had been equal once, Little Lilliput and Reisenburg. but Reis- enburg had played tpe game better and won the stakes.
 Vivian had come 'on the Prince in q
 
 where wild boar held him at bay. Hay- ing saved the Princes life. the Prince naturally took him to the castle as his guest and soon became so fascinated by the intelligence and bearing of the young Englishman that he not only induced him to proiong his stay, but made him q con fdent as to the plots which were brewing among the mediatized princes for res tofation of their former power To find himself q councillor of princes , would once have filled Vivian with ex- ultation but that time was past and he gave his advise soberly and soundly with little enthusiasm for the matter in hand. or as he thought, for anything else n this world. The question was whether the Prince should be reconciled to the grand Duke of Reisenburg and accept an im- portant office in his household or should persevere in his attempt to unite the mediatzed princes. After fauch cogita- 1 ton and negotiation the latter course was decided upon and Vivian found himself at the court of the Grand Duke, whither
 he had gone with the Prince.