Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-04-07
2 CHAPTER TWELVE q. =

| | H//U room. | NN/U A boudoir shared by l / XI the grand duchess ad- eA- joined it, and. entering there, to her dismay the girl saw her mother lying on sofa, attended by Ernestine, t,ae French maid. Virginias heart sank. She had SUD- posed the rand duchess to be in the white draw ng room with the baroness and the her guests of the house. Now there was no hope that she might be left aloi and unquestioncd. And the girl had longed to be alone.
 At lastr' exclaimed faint voice from the ia. T thought you would never come ea | The prin ess stared, half daZed, un- able to tea her mind from her private | griefs. q. re you ill, mother?" she stammered. Had you sent for meT' T came very near fainting in the drawing om," the grand duchess an swered. :. rnestine, you may leave us ! now"
 The Ere chwoman went out noise lessly.
 Still Virr mia did not speak. Could | it be that here had been another spy | besides Egg, n von Breitstein and that her mother already knew how the cas- tie of cart had fallen? Was it the news of d, feat which had prostrated her?
 Have y. u-did any one tell your" the girl f ltered.
 i've had telegram-a horrible tele- gram. Oh, Virginia, I am not young, as you are! I am too old to endure all this. think you should not have sub jected me to it.
 The grand duchess voice was plain tive and pried among the girls sick nerves like hot wire.
 What do you mean, dear? I do not understand" she said duly. "Fm so sorry you are i'll. If it's my fault in any way r. Her mother pointed toward a writing table. 'The telegram is there,' she murmured. Tt is too distressing humiliating"
 Virginia picked up crumpled tele- graph form and began to read the mes- sage, which was dated London and written in English:
 Some one making inquiries here about the Mowbrays. Beg to advise you to ex- plain all at at once or leave Kronburg to 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 it hideousT' asked the 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 yet? Oh, my dear, then you must bring matters to crisis instantly-tonight even. It's evident that some enemy, perhaps some jeal. Ous person, has been at work behind our backs. It is for you to turn the tables upon him, and there isn't an hour to waste. From the first you meant to make some dramatic revela- tion. Now the time has come"
 "Ah, meant-I meant" echoed Vir- ginia, with sob breaking the ice in her voice. Nothing has turned out as I meant. You were right, dear; was wrong. We ought never to have come to Rhaetia."
 The grand duchess grew paler than before. She had been vaguely dis tressed. Now she was sharply alarm ed. If Virginia admitted that this great adventure should never have been undertaken, then indeed the earth must be quaklng under their feet.
 ought not-to have come:" she re- peated piteously. What dreadful thing has happened;"
 The princess stood with bent head. 'It's hard to tell" she said. harder almost than anything ever had to do. But it must he done. Eyerything's at an end, dear"
 "what-you've told him, and he has refused to forgive:'
 "He knows nothing"
 For heavens sake, don't keep me in suspense-'
 yirginia's lips were dry. He ask cd me to be his wife" she said. "Oh, wait-wait! Don't look happy. You don't understand. aud I didn't at first He had to explain. and he put the thing as little offensively as he could. Oh. mother. he thinks me only good enough to be his morganatic wife-'
 The storm had burst at last, and the princess fell on her knees by the sofa. where. burying her face in her moth- CTS lap. she sobbed as if parting with her youth.
 There had always been mental and temperamental barriers between the Dresden china lady and her daughter. but they loved each other. and never had the girl been so dear to her moth CT as now. The grand duchess thought of the summer day when Virginia had knelt beside her. saying. We are 90 ing to have an adventure. you and L. Alas. the adventure was over. and l summer and hope were dead: Tears 1 trembled in the mothers eyes. POoi l little Virginia. so young. so inexperi- l enced and in spite of her self will and l recklessness. 90 sweet and loving with al.
 lTo be ContinEs.,I. r