Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-31

What, oh, what is it you seew she implored, her heart leaping, then fall ing, But for once the courtesy due to an honored guest was forgotten, and the distracted Frau Yorvan fled from the room without giving an answer
 Half paralyzed with dread of what she might have to see, the grand duch- ess tottered to the window. Was there, yes, there was procession coming down the hilly street that led to town from the mountain. Oh, horror upon horror! They were perhaps bringing Virginia down, injured or dead, her beautiful face crushed out of recogni- tion! Yet, no; there was Virginia her self, the central figure In the process sion. Thank heaven! It could be noth- ing worse than an accident to poor, dear Miss Portman. But there was Miss Portman, too, and very tall, bronzed peasant man, loaded with cloaks and rucksacks, headed the band, while the girl and her ex-governess followed after.
 Unspeakably relieved, yet still pug zled and vaguely alarmed, the grand duchess threw up the window over looking the little village square. But as she strove to attract the truants' attention by waving her hand and crying out a welcome or a question, whichever should come first, the words were arrested on her lips. What could be the matter with Frau Yorvan?
 The stout old landlady popped out through the door like a Jack out of his box on very stiff spring, flew to the overloaded peasant and, almost rudely elbowing Miss Portman aside, began distractedly bobbing up and down. tearing at the bundle of rucksacks and cloaks. Her inarticulate cries ascend ed like incense to the grand duchess at the open window, adding much to the lady's intense bewilderment
 What has that man been doing?" demanded the grand duchess in loud, firm voice, but nobody answered, for the very good reason that nobody
 
 low was entirely taken up with their own concerns.
 Pray. mein frau, let him carry our things indoors" Virginia was insist ing. while the tall man stood among the three women, motionless, but ap- parently prey to conflicting emo tions. If the grand duchess had nit been obSessed with certain idea which was growing in her mind she must have seen that his dark face be- trayed a mingling of amusement, i'm patience, annoyance and bOyish mis- chief. He looked like a man who had somehow stumbled into false posi- ton from which it would be difficult to escape with dignity, yet which he half enjoyed. Torn between desire to laugh and fly into a rage with the cf1icious landlady, he frowned warn ingly at Frau Yorvan. smiled at thc princess and divided his energies be- tween quick, secret gestures intended for the eyes of the Rhaetian woman and endeavors to unburden himself in his own time and way of the load he carried.
 With each instant the perturbation of the grand duchess grew. Why did the man not speak out what he had to say? Why did the landlady first strive to seize the things from his back, then suddenly shrink as if in fear, leaving the tall fellow to his own devices? An, but that was a terrible look he gave her at last-the poor. good woman! Perhaps be was brigandl And the grand duchess remembered tales she had read-tales of fearful deeds, even fin these modern days, done in wild mountain fastnesses and remote vil- lages such as Alleheiligen-not in Rhaetia perhaps. but then there was no reason why they should not hap pen in Rhaetia at a place like this. And if there were not something evil, something to be dreaded, about this big. dark browed fellow. why had Frau Yorvan uttered that exclamation of frantic dismay at sight of him and rushed like a mad woman out of the house?
 It occurred to the grand duchess that the man must be some notorious des- perado of the mountains who had ob- tained her daughters confidence or got her and Miss POrtman into his pow CT. But. she remembered, fortunately some or all of the mysterious gentle men stopping at the inn had returned and were at this moment assembled in the room adjoining hers. The grand duchess resolved that at the first sign of insOlent behavior or threatening on the part of the luggage carrier these noblemen should be promptly sum- moned by her to the rescue of her daughter.
 Her anxiety was even slightly allay- ed at this point in her reflections by the thought flor she had not quite outgrown an innate love of romance) that the emperor himself might go to Nirginia's assistance His friends were in the next room. having come down from the mountain about noon, and there seemed little doubt that he was among them. If he had not already looked out of his window. drawn by the landlady's excited voice. the grand duchess resolved that in the circum stances 1t was her part as a mother to make him look out. She had promised to help Virginia. and she would help her by promoting a romantic first en counter
 Tn a penetrating voice which could