The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-10-29

= must see the prince" he cried, and
Immediately"
He rested and leaned on his mop to
watch the head which rose over the
hill the body that followed, the farm
horse numbering along in slow. clum
sy, unwilling gallop The man was
using stick aud spur He was riding
mcrcilessy Peter ran down to the
road and waited. A groom came across
from the stables and joined him. 4
Hes got no call TO treat the horse
like that whoever he is" the groom ob
served
Not unless he's on urgent business"
said Peter, twiring the water from his
mop.
Zerkovitch was up to them. He
leaped from his horse 81 must see the
prince" he cried, land immediately
"The prince Is at Volseni, sir. He
rode over to see Captain Lukovitch."
"When will he be backf"
I'VE don't expect him till ~ O'clock"
Zerkovitch snatched out his watch.
There's nobody here but Nine Ter.
kovitch, sir. She's still in bed, not very
well, sir"
Twelve o'clock!" muttered Zerko-
witch, paying no heed to the news about
his wife.
"The baroness and Baron Won Holl-
brandt are out riding
"Can you give me a fresh horse?
must ride on and find the prince at Vol
semi"
"Oh, yes, sirr' He signed to the
groom. "And hurry upp he added.
"The guards here of course?"
mo, sir; they've gone with the
prince"
Zerkovitcb twisted his head irrltably
and again looked at his watch. "There
must be time" he said. "They can't
be here at soonest for an hour and a
half"
Peter vasslp did not understand him,
but neither did he venture to ask ques-
tions.
"YOur horse II be here In minute sir.
| think you'll find the prince in his Of
fee over the city gate. He went to do
business, not to drill, this morning"
Zerkovitch looked at him for a mo-
ment, wondering perhaps whether he
would be wise TO tell his news. But
what was the use OF telling Peter Vas
sip? Or his own wife? What could
she do? II was for the prince to say
who should be told The one thing was
TO find the prince. There was time-at
the very least an hour and a half.
The groom brought the fresh horse,
and Herkoyitch began TO mount
"A glass of wine. siri" Peter Vassip
suggested He had marked Zerko.
vitch's pale face and strained air. He
had wondered to see his clothes sprin-
kled with Whitley brown fbers, traces
of the sack under whose cover he had
Slid out Of Slavna.
Zerkovitch was in the saddle. mo"
he answered but a bumper Peter,
when I've found the prince" He sci
spurs to his horse and was off at a gal
lop for Voseni. The road though high
on the hills, was nearly level now.
Peter scratched his head as he looked
after him for moment Then he re-
turned to his mop
He was just finishing his task some
twenty minutes later when he heard
Sophy's laugh She and Hollbrandt
came from "A lane which led up from
the lake and joined the main road
hundred yards along toward VQlseni
Peter ran and took their horses, and
they mounted the causeway I'm leisure
ly. pleasant chat Sophy was in her
sheepskin uniform Her cheeks were
pale, but the star glowed The world
seemed good to her that morning.
And that is roughly the story Of my
life.' she said, with laugh, as she
reached the top OF the causeway and
leaned against the rude balustrade
which ran up the side OF 1t.
"A very interesting one, even very
remarkable he said returning her
laugh but much more remains to be
written, don't doubt baroness"
Something perhaps" said Sophy,
"a good deaf ! lmaglneT
She shot a mischievous glance at him
She knew that he was trying to lure
from her an ayowal Of her secret "Who
can tel2 II all seems like dream
sometimes, and dreams end in sudden
awakenings. you know"
"If It's a dream. you make an excel
lent dream lady. baroness"
Peter VassiD put his mon and pail