Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1908-04-23

that II would be well If his chancellor's
readiness could be confined to those
occasions when It was needed, but he
shut hts lips upon the words and walk
ed by the old mans side in frozen ST.
lence.
The carriage was waiting just out
side the station, and the moment the
two men were seated the chauffeur
started noiselessly and swiftly.
Both windows were closed to keep
out the chill Of the night air, but soon
Leopold impatiently lowered one, for
getting the chancellor's old fashioned
hatred of drafts, and stared into the
night Already they were approach
ing the outskirts Of the great town,
and, flying past the dark warehouses
and factories of the neighborhood, they
sped toward the open country.
The weather, still warm the evening
before-that evening Of moonlight not
to be forgotten-had turned cold with
morning and tonight there was a
pungent scent Of dying leaves In the
air. 1t smote Leopold in the face with
the wind Of motion, and it seemed to
him the essential perfume Of sadness
Never again would he inhale that fra
GRANGE Of the falling year without re-
calling this hour.
He was half mad with impotence to
reach the end of the journey and con-
found the chancellor once for all, yet
as the swift electric carriage spun
smoothly along the white road and
landmark after landmark vanished be-
hind tree branches laced with stars
something within him would at last
have stayed the flying moments had
that been possible. He burned to ask
questions of Won Breitstein, yet would
have died rather than utter them.
1t was a relief to the emperor when
after a long silence his companion
spoke, though a relief which carried
with it a prick of resentment. Even
the chancellor had no right to speak
first without permission from his SOW
ereign.
Forgive me, your majesty" the old
man said Your anger is hard to bear,
yet / bear it uncomplainingly because |
Of my confidence that the reward is |
not far off. / look for it no further in
the future than tonight"
81, too, believe that you won't miss
your reward" returned the emperor
sharply.
Il shall have it, am sure, not only
in your majesty's forgiv eness, but in
your thanks"
I'll forgive you when you've asked |
my pardon for your suspicious and
when you've found Miss Mowbray for
me-"
Il have already found her and am
taking you TO her now"
Then yOT actually believe in your
own story? You believe that this sweet
and beautiful young girl Is a fast ac-
tress, schemer, a friend of your no
toriously gallant friend and willing. to
risk her reputation by paying a late
visit unchaperoned to him at his hunt
Ing lodge In the woods? You are, after
all, a very poor judge of character if
you dream that we shall see her there"
81 shall see her, your majesty, and
you will see her unless the madness
you call love has blinded the eyes of |
your body as well as the eyes Of your
mind. That she is now at the lodge |
know, for the prince assured me with |
his own lips that she had promised to |
motor out a.one with him and dine"
You mean he told you that his
friend the actress had promised, I'll |
stake my life even he didn't dare to !
say Miss MoWbray."
"He said 1iss Brett, the actress, it's |
true, but when be called upon her at
her hotel, where he and met to dis |
cuss matter which is no secret to |
your majesty, he asked for Miss Now
bray. And the message that came |
down | heard. 1t was that Miss Now
bray would be delighted to see his |
royal highness. This left no doubt in |
my mind that after giving out that she |
would leave today the lady had re-
manned in Kronburg for the express
purpose Of meeting her dear friend the
prince, the handsomest and best dress |
ed young man in Europe-after your
majesty Of course. And it was quite
natural for her to hope that, as she was
supposed 90 lie gene and -. we're &c.
lowing her, this { ening's escapade
would never be discovered"
please spare me your deductions,
chancellor" said the emperor curly,
land pray understand now, If you
have not understood before, that am
with you in this expedition not to
prove you right, but wrong, and moth
ing you can say viii convince me that
the princes actress and Miss Mowbray
are one. If we find woman at the
hunting lodge II will not be the lady
we setk unless she has been kidnapped,