The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1908-07-15
By c. N. and A. M. WILLIAMSON
Authors of"6be Lightning Conductor" "Rose-
mary In Search OF n Father" Etc. ~ ~

When the captain Of cavalry had set
out from Lyndalberg to Schloss Brett
stein by the shortest way-across the
lake In smart little motor boat
promising to be back In time for din
ncr and n concert, the baroness spent
all her energy in getting up an Inn
promptu riding party, which would
give Leopold the chance OF another
tete-a-tete with Miss Mowbray.
Already many such chances had been
arranged, so cleverly as not to excite
gossip, and II the ilirtation, destined
by the hostess to disgust Leopold with
his chancellor's matrimonial projects,
did not advance by leaps and bounds
1t was certainly not the fault OF Baron.
cSS Won byndal.
"Egon has been told to use his eyes
and ears for all they're worth at Lyn-
dalberg, and now he's called upon to
hand In his first report" she said TO
herself when the younger Won Brett
stein was Off on his mission across the
lake.
But for once, at least, the "chan.
cellor's jackaW was wronged by un-
Just suspicion. He arrived at Schloss
Breitstein ignorant OF his brothers mo-
tive in sending for him, though he
shrewdly suspected 1t to be something
quite different from the one alleged.
The chancellor was In his study,
deep windowed tower room, with
walls book lined nearly to the cross-
bcamed ceiling. he sat reading
budget OF letters when Egon was an:
nounced, and II he were really Ill he
did not betray his suffering. The
square face. with its beetling brows,
eyes OF somber fire and forehead i'm
prcssive as cathedral dome, showed
no new lines craven by pain.
"Sit down, Egon," he said abruptly,
tearing in half an envelope stamped
with the head OF Hungaria's king.
I'll be ready for you In a moment"
The young man took tho least un-
comfortable chair in the room, which
from his point Of view was to say lit
tie In Its favor, because the newest
piece Of furniture there had been made
a hundred years before the world un-
Lcrstood that lounglng was not a
crime. Over the high stone mantel
hung q shield, so brightly polished as
TO fulfill the office OF mirror, and
from where Egon sat, perforce upright
and rigid, he could see himself vi
gnetted In reflection.
He admired his fresh color. which
was like girls, pointed the wnxcd
ends Of his mustache with nervous
cigarette stained fingers, and thinking
of many agreeable things, from bac-
carat to roulette, from roulette to races
and races to pretty women, he wonder
cd which he had to thank for this sum.
mons to the chancellor. Unfortunately
Brother IIorenz knew everything.
Ones pleasant peccadillos buzzcd to
his ears like flies. There was little
hope Of deceiving him.
Egon sighed, and his eyes turned me-
chanically from his own visagc on
shining steel TO the letter held in an
old hand so veined that 1t reminded the
young man OF a rock netted with the
sprawling roots OF ancient trees. He
had just time to recognize the writing
rs that OF Adalbert, crown prince of
IIungarla, whom he knew slightly,
when keen eyes curtained with furled
and wrlnkled lids glanced up from the
letter
"It's coming" thought Egon. what
can the old chap have found out?"
But, to his surprise, the chancellor's
first words had no connection with him
or his misdeeds.
80 our emperor is amusing himself
at LyndalbergT
EGon's face frightened. He could
be cunning In emergencies, but he was
not clever, and always he felt himself
at disadvantage with the old states
man. Unless he had q special favor to
ask he generally preferred discussing
the affairs Of others with the chancel-
lor rather than allowing attention to be
attracted to his own. "Oh, yes" he
answered brightly. His majesty is
amusing himself uncommonly well. 1
never saw him in as brilliant spirits.
But you, dear Lorenz-toll me about
yourself. Is your gout''-
THE devil take my gout!
Egon started. "a good thing If he
did, provided he left you behind" he
retorted, meaning exactly the opposite,
as he often did when trying to measure
wits with the chancellor. "But yon
sent for me-
Don't tell me you supposed sent
for you because l wanted consolation
or condolencep
MOO" laughed Egon uneaslly. "T
fancied there was some other more
pressing reason. But I'm bound I'm
common courtesy to take your sin.
cerity for granted until you undeceive
me-"
"ITRn9 common courtesy between