The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-08-12
You want your motor CART"

You want your motor CART"
Yes"
"Pll telephone. Your chauffeur will
have 1t here in six minutes. And your
aid-de-camp. VIII YOU
IL don't want him, thanks. I'd rather
go alone"
Seven minutes later the big white
motor car was Mt the door which was
the private entrance to the emperor's
suit, and the emperor was waiting for
1T, having forgotten all about the sable
lined coat which had beer n present
from the car. If 1t had been midwin-
ter he would have forgotten, Just tho
same, nor would lie have known that
1t was cold.
There was plenty OF time now to car
ny out his plan, which was to catch
the Orlcn express at the Kronburg
station and present himself to the
Mowbrays In the train later. AS to
what would happen afterward, 1t was
beyond planning, but Leopold knew
that the girl had loved him, and he
hoped that he would have Lady Now.
bray on his side.
The only way Of reaching Kronburg
from Schloss Lyndalberg was by road.
There was no railway connection be-
tween h two places. But the town
and the castle were separated by a
short eight miles, and until checked by
traffic In the suburbs the sixty horse
power car could cover a mile in less
than two minutes.
Unfortunately, however, police regu.
lations were strict, and Of this Leo.
pold could not complain, as he had ap.
proved them himself. Once he was
stopped and would certainly not have
been allowed to proceed had he not re-
vealed himself as the emperor, the
owner Of the one unnumbered car I'm
lthaetia. AS 1t was, he had suffered
Il delay Of five minutes, and just as
he was congrntulating himself Oh the
goodness OF his tires, which had made
htm no trouble for many weeks, a loud
report as of n pistol shot gave warn
ing Of n puncture.
Tut there was not n moment to waste
on repairs. Leopold drove on on the
rims, ONLY to acknowledge presently
the truth of an old proverb, 1.-THE moro
haste the less speed"
Delayed by n torn and Tapping tire,
the car arrived at the big central sta
ton of Kronburg only Eve minutes be.
fore II. Leopold dashed I'm, careless
whether he We're recognized or not,
and was surprised at the absence OF
the crowd which usually throngs the
platform before the departure OF the
most important train Of the day.
rs the Orient express late" he ask.
ed of nm inspector to whom he was
but n man among other men.
mo, sir. Just ON time. Went out
five minutes ago."
"But 1T isu't due to start till IL"
Summer time table, sir. Autumn
time table takes effect today, the LIST
Of October. Orient express departure
changed to 11:50."
An unreasoning rage against fate
boiled in the emperor's breast. He
ruled this country, yet everything in 1t
seemed to conspire in a plot to wreck
his dearest desires.
For a few seconds he stood speech
less, feeling as If he had been dashed
against n blank wall and there were
no way of getting around 1t. Yet the
seconds were but few, for Leopold was
not n man of slow decisions.
His first step was to inquire the
name of the town at which the Orient
express stopped soonest. In three
hours, he learned, 1t would reach Eel
gardc, the last station On the Rhaetian
side of the frontier.
His first thought on hearing this was
to engage n special and follow, But
even In these days there is much red
tape ~cntangled with railway regula-
tons In Rhaetia. 1t soon appeared
that 1t would be quicker to take the
next train to Felgarde, which was due
to leave In half IN hour and would ar
rive only an hour later than the Orient
express.
Icopold's heart was chilled, but he
shook off dependency and would not
be discouraged. Telephoning to the
hotel where the Mowbrays had been
stopping. he learned that they had
gone. Then he wrote out a telegram:
Miss Helen Mowbray. Travelling From
kronburR to Paris by Orient Express,
Caro- of Station Master Mt Fe,gardo:
L imploro you leave the train at Fell
Gardc and walt for mo. Am following in
all haste. VIII arrive Felgardo ono hour
after you and hope to And you at Leo
poldhof.
So far the wording was simple. He
had signiGed his intention and express
ed his wish, which would have been