Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-11-06
have It here. In SIX minutes, znd your
aid-de-camp. Will you


60 alone"
Seven minutes later the big white
motor car was at the door which was
the private entrance to the emperor's
suit. and the emperor was waiting for
1t. having forgotten all about the sable
lined coat which had been q present
from the car II 1t had been midwin.
ter he would have forgotten, just the
same, nor would he have known that
It was cold.
There was plenty Of time now to car
~ out his plan, which was to catch
the Orient express at the Kronburg
station and present himself to the
Mowbrays in the train later. As to
what would happen afterward, It was
beyond planning, but Leopold knew
that the girl had loved him, and he
hoped that he would have Lady Now
bray on his side.
The only way of reaching Kronburg
from Schloss Lyndalberg was by road.
There was no railway connection be.
tween the two places. But the town
and the castle were separated by q
short eight miles. and until checked by
traffic In the suburbs the sixty horse.
power car could cover q mile in less
than two minutes.
Unfortunately, however, police regu-
lations We're strict, and of this Leo
pold could not complain. as he had ap.
proved them himself. Once he was
stopped and would certainly not have,
been allowed to proceed had he not re-
vealed himself as the emperor, the
owner Of the one unnumbered car In
Rhaetia. AS 1t was. he had suffered
a delay Of five minutes, and just as
he was congra tulating himself on the
goodness Of his tires, which had made
him no trouble for many weeks, a loud
report as Of a pistol shot gave warn
Ing of puncture.
But there was not moment to waste
on repairs. Leopold drove on on the
rims, ONLY to acknowledge presently
the truth Of an old proverb, 1.-THE more
haste the less speed"
Delayed by a torn and tapping tire,
the car arrived at the big central sta
ton of kronburg only five minutes be-
fore IL. Leopold dashed in, careless
whether he were recognized or not,
and was surprised at the absence OF
the crowd which usually throngs the
platform before the departure Of the
most important train Of the day.
els the Orient express late?" he ask
ed of an inspector to whom he was
but a man among other men.
"No. sir. Just on time. Went out
five minutes ago"
"But it isn't due to start till To-"
Summer time table, sir. Autumn
time table takes effect today, the LIST
of October. Orient express departure
changed to $780,"
An unreasoning rage against fate
boiled in the emperor's breast. He
ruled this country, yet everything in 1t
seemed to conspire in plot to wreck
his dearest desires.
For few seconds he stood speech.
less, feeling as If he had been dashed
against Il blank wall and there were
no way of getting around it. Yet the
seconds were but few, for Leopold was
not man Of slow decisions.
His first step was to inquire the
name Of the town at which the Orient
express stopped soonest. In three
hours, he learned, it would reach Eel
garde, the last station Oh the Rhaetian
side of the frontier.
His first thought on hearing this was
to engage special and follow, But
even in these days there Is much red
tape entangled with railway regula.
tons in Rhaetia. 1t soon appeared
that it would be quicker to take the
next train to Felgarde, which was due
to leave in half an hour and would ar.
rive only an hour later than the Orient
express.
Leopold's heart was chilled, but he
shook off dependency and would not
be discouraged. Telephoning to the
hotel where the Mowbrays had been
stopping, he learned that they bad
gone. Then he wrote out telegram:
Miss Helen Mowbray. Travelling From
Kronburg to Paris by Orient Express.
. Care of Station Master at Felgarde:
innplore you leave the train at Fe!-
garde and wait for me. Am following in
all haste. Will arrive Felgarde one hour
after you and hope to find you at Leo
poldhof. -
So far the wording was simple. He
had signi6ed his intention and express.
ed his wish, which would have been
g.: 9,
&c, MAWAN YEN +NL