Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-11-06
CHAPTER TWELVE
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& ~
- 7 was for refuge that the
~ princess fed to her own
VIM A boudoir shared by
EN/A the grand duchess ad.
S Joined It, and, entering
there. to her dismay the girl saw her
mother lying on sofa. attended by
Ernestine, the French maid.
Vtrginia's heart sank. She had sup
posed the grand duchess to be In the
white drawing room with the baroness
and the other guests Of the house.
Now there was no hope that she might
be left alone and unquestioned. And
the girl had longed to be alone.
AT last!' exclaimed q faint voice
from the sofa. II thought you would
never come"
The princess stared, half dazed. un.
able to tear her mind from her private
griefs. "Are you III, mother2'' she
stammered. "Had you sent for me?"
II came very near fainting In the
drawing room," the grand duchess an.
swered. "Ernestine, you may leave 10
now"
The Frenchwoman went out noise.
lessly.
Still Virginia did not speak. Could
It be that there had been another spy
besides Egon Won Breitstein and that
her mother already knew how the cas-.
tle Of cards had TALENT Was It the
news Of defeat which had prostrated
herr
"Have you-did any enc tell you r.
the girl faltered.
1--WE had telegram-a horrible tele.
gram. oh, Virginia, I am not young.
as you are! am too old to endure Ill
this. think you should not have sub
jected me to It"
The grand duchess voice was plain
i've and pried among the girls sick
nerves like hot wire.
what do you mean. dear1 ! do not
understand" she said duly. I'm %
sorry you are III. IL it's my fault IN
any way r.
Her mother pointed toward q writing
table. 'The telegram 10 there" she
murmured. 1T 10 too distresstng-to
humiliating.''
Virginia picked up . crumpled tels.
graph form and began to read the mes.
sage. which was dated London and
written In English:
Some one making Inquiries here about
the Aowbrays. Beg TO advise you to az.
~ a ~ AvANA o~A~ A.
avoid almost certain complications.
LAMBERT.
Lady Lambert was the wife Of the
ex-ambassador to the court Of Rhaetia
from Great Britain.
The princess finished in silence.
isn't 1t hideous7' asked tho grand
duchess. ITO think that you and I
should have deliberately placed our.
selves in such position! We are to
run away, like detected adventuresses,
unless-unless you are now ready to
tell the emperor all"
"No." said Virginia hopelessly.
what! Not YETI oh. my dear, then
you must bring matters to q crisis
instantly-tonight even. It's evident
that some enemy. perhaps some jeal
GUS person, has been at work behind
our backs. It 10 for you to turn the
tables upon him, and there isn't IN
Z hour to waste. From the drst you
meant to make some dramatic revela.
ton. Now the time has come"
"Ah. meant-I meantT' echoed Viz.
Einia. with Z sob breaking tho ics In
her voice. Nothing has turned Out
a. I meant. You were right, dear; !
was wrong. We ought never to have
come to Rhaetia."'
The grand duchess grew paler thar
before. She had been vaguely dis
tressed. Now she was sharply alarm
ed. II Virginia admitted that THU
great adventure should never have
been undertaken. then indeed the eartl
must DO quaking under their feet.
fought MOTTO have Gomez she -
peated piteously. "What dreadful
thing has happened?'
The princess stood with bent head
Its hard to tell" she said. "hardel
almost than anything ever had to do
But Il must b done. Everything's .