Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-16
CHAPTER XIV.
How Martha Entered Sturatzberg.

| which made the effort Of breathing a con-
| scious one. II was stiIl early as Frina
! Mavrodin was driven rapidly homeward
4, She left the palace Immediately after her
| conversation with the king. The few hours
| before tomorrow were best spent alone. A
! wild confusion of thoughts surged through
her BRAIN but one thought was ever DOM
| inant-how could she save Desmond Ellerey
| without betraying others? For while the
! kings suggestion was subtle and potent
| temptation 1t had the effect Of steadying
| the countess. Such an idea as a wholesale
betrayal of those who had trusted her had
never occurred to her: her only thought
| had been how to raise a barrier between
Martha and Desmond Ellerey. how to act
so that they might be effectually separated
| forever Such plans as had come into her
| mind may have been mean and unworthy.
| but the circumstances had excused them.
| The kings words had robbed them of all
| excuse, had shown her that base treachery
| belonged to them as surely as to the larger
| scheme which he had suggested. 1t did not
| occur to her to blame him for the sugges-
| ton: politically. perhaps, he was justified:
| but that he could believe her capable of
| such treachery showed her that between
| her private jealousy and her political posi-
| ton, there was no room to draw even the
| finest of lines So the few hours before to-
| morrow We're not to be used as the king
! supposed, in struggle between her honor
| and her desire, but in concentrated thought
| of how his majesty might be outwitted.
| Desmond F.llery must be saved, but neither
! the princess nor her followers must be
sacrificed to him. Her own desire
must stand aside whatever the suffering
| might be- Thus, through the fierce fire of
| temptation Frina Mavrodin came forth a
stronger woman, a keener slave TO duty,
| because that duty must cost her much.
And having shaken herself free from the
letters of seltishness, her thoughts and
| conceptions became more acute.
1t was hardly possible that Desmond FL
L., 4 -
| one could know his movements better than
| Dunlitru, and he had shown fear con-
| corning him. Even,if the king possessed
| Information which might point to the prob
ability of his arrest, Ellereys courage and
| resourcefulness were factors to be reckoned
| with before his arrest could become an
accomplished fact. That in Maritze's de-
| fence he might prove reckless was true,
but he would hardly do so until every other
| means had failed. No; the king had played
upon her fears, and she had fallen a victim
| to his cunning. She had plainly shown
| that Elerey dear to her. that she was
safety; she had. moreover. given the i'm
preston that She could betray many In
SturatZberg If she would, and therefore,
should the rescue of Martha prove success
| full. she herself. and her house. and all who
| belonged to her would be closely watched.
| She had, in fact. undone what she had so
| persistently taken pains to accomplish; she
had given cause for suspicion; she had rem
| dered her house by the river unsafe
| place of refuge. How was she to retrieve
| the position?
Entering her house she gave rapid in
structions to certain of her servants, and
| then went to her own rooms and sent for
Hannah. The old serving woman came
| quickly, and to her Frina made her first
confession.
Il have been cross, Hannah, sometimes,
| she said; forgive me-
Oh. no, my lady, you have only been
troubled We all have our own way Of
| showing grief"
True, Hannah, and have had troubles
which you cannot know of Sour quick
| pardon teaches me a lesson"
"Oh. my lady,
| Listen, Hannah, there is much to do
| and little time to do it in. Tonight, per-
| haps the princess will return"
"Here!" Hannah exclaimed.
Yes: but she will be fugitive from her
enemies, and how long this house may be
| a safe refuge for her / cannot tell. Come
| with me. l will show you a means of es-
cape should the worst happen-a stout door
which will hold back pursuers for long
| time. 1t opens from room which shall be
yours for time The key shall be In your
possession. Study to look innocent Han
| nah, when you are questioned. and in a cru
| cial moment you may prove a far better
defense than a dozen armed men. Come. y
AS Frina Navrodin had driven through
the city there were many people In the
streets. The cafes were still full, and there
| were no signs of any unusual excitement
A few may have discussed Princess Ma
| rita over their coffee, liquor or syrup, but
| In most cases 1t was with casual interest.
| or with a remark that, If they were abroad
| early enough, they might walk down to
| the southern gate to see her enter. What
| had her fate to do with them? Though the
| times were troublous they would go their
way tomorrow as they had done today. as
| they would every day until their own small
| circle of interest were touched. They had as
| little sympathy with the agitator as they
| had with the government; neither the one
nor the oher' did anything to affect them
materially So these law abiding citizens,
| law abiding only because there was no
| temptation to be otherwise perhaps, fin
| ished their coffee and went home, and the
streets of Sturatzbsrg were quieter, and.
| with the closing of the cafes, darker. The
| city gates were shut, and If few soldiers
appeared at the corners of streets, they
caused little interest to the people going
| home Since the murdered bodies had been
| found lying in the Bergenstrasse, it was
only right that the city should be well
guarded.
| The soldiers themselves grumble1 some
what. Fighting their trade. and they
| were discontented at being made city
watch. Beyond a late reveler or two no
| one was out after midnight. What was the
| use OF all this precaution? In the smaller
streets there was even greater silence.
| Where one might have expected TO md
| whatever dissatisfaction existed In the city,
there was only the greater peace. Hardly
| q light shone out from any OF the dark
| buildings no one lurked in shadowy cor
| ners, and although the soldiers had been
| ordered to be especially careful tonight.
| there seemed to be even less than usual to
| demand their attention. They believed that
| the Princess Martha was to enter the city
at dawn
At the guard house of the southern gate
| the men were alert. An hour ago their
! officer had told them what was to happen
| and the news was presently conveyed to
the soldiers at the corners. The officer Of
the guard room kept a steady watch upon
the slowly passing minutes, while outside
the city small army had approached under
cover Of the darkness.
without and within there was silence.
Yet wakeful and watching men may be as
silent as those who sleep. Throughout the
day a man had passed from one narrow
street to another with quick and stealthy
steps. Into this house he went. mounting
the stairs swiftly, and disappeared for a
few moments into some upper room; then
as swiftly he came down again. and Gid
ing up alleys and half-deserted streets, en-
tered one little cafe after another, and
mounted to many a room whose occupants
listened eagerly to his words and made a
sign that they were understood. Long
before darkness had fallen upon Sturatz-
berg there were many cafes doing little
business to all seeming, which. neverthe-
r.,,&l III