The Marshall republican., 1908-07-10

.ucnce ~ their own country or they
couldn't have rot the letters Of intro.
dnction they have and that the girl IL
the pretticst on earth"
"Mechtilde talked To me. emem.
''rr. u GOOD deal about those letters OF
introduction" the chancellor reflected
aloud. "Rut Rhaetia IL n long cry
from England. and letters might he
forged. I've known such things to he
done. Fetch me big red volume
you'll find on the third shelf from the
door nj the left Of the south window.
You can't miss II. It's Burke's Peer.
Vage."
Egon o with alacrity to obey. He
was rather thoughtful. for his brother
had put al entirely new and exciting
Idea Into his head.
Presently the red volume was dis.
covered and laid on the desk before
the chancellor. who turned the leaves
over until hc found the page desired.
~ his eye fell upon thp long line Of
Mowbrnys his face changed. aud the
brIstllng brows came together In n
gTiSzlcd line. Apparently the women
wetc not ndventurcsscs. nj least IN
the ordinary ncccptation Of the term.
There they were. Ills square tipped
finger pressed down upon the printed
names with n dig that might have sig.
nifcd his disposition toward their rep.
re' entatives.
The girls mother n the widow Of
Reginald, sixth Baron Mowbray." the
old man muttered half aloud: ''son.
Reginald Edward. fifteen years OF age
dnughter. Helen Augusta. twenty.cipht.
Aha! she's no chicken. this young
lady. She ought to be a woman Of
the world
Twenty .eight!' replied Egon. "IIl
eat my hat n she's twenty eight"
Doesn't she look II by daylightf"
Not an hour over nineteen: might
be younger. love. ! was never so sur.
priscd TO learn n woman's age! ny
the bye. ] heard her telling Baron Won
Lyndal last night. apropos Of u great
Rhaetian victory. that she was elcvcp
years old on the day It took place.
That would make her about twenty
now. when she spoke I remember she
CAV a look nj her mother across the
room o. though she were frightened.
I SUI pose she was hoping there was
no copy OF this big red book ut Lyndal.
berg"
That thought might have been In
her mind" assentcd the chancellor, "or
else She He left his sentence un.
finished and sat with unseeing eyes
fxed In an owllsh stare on the open
page OF Burke.
IL should like to know II you really
meant what you said about my mar
Rage a little while ago"-Egon ven
tured to attract his brothers attention
-"becnuse II you did
III did
II might try very hard to please you
In my choice Of u wife"
BE a little more explicit. You mean
you would try to prove to Miss Now.
bray that a captain OF cavalry IN the
hand Is worth an emperor In the bush
"A bramble bush at that, eh?''
Yes; ! would do my best. And. a.
you say, I'm not without advantages"
you are not. I was on the point OF
suggesting that you made the most Of
them In Miss Mowbray's eyes until
you brought me this red book"
The large foreinger tapped the page
Of Mowbrays. while two lines which
might have meant amusement or q
sheer scored themselves on either side
OF the chancellor's mouth.
And nov you've changed your
mindf" There was disappointment in
Egon's voice.
II don't say that. I say only walt.
Make yourself as agreeable TO the lady
as you like. But don't pledge yourself.
and don't count upon my promise or
my money until you hear again. BY
that time-well, We shall see what We
shall see. Keep your hand in. But
wait-wait."
How long am I to wait3 II the
things to be done at all II must be
done soon, for meanwhile the emperor
makes all the running"
The chancellor looked up again from
the red book, his fst still covering the
Mowbrsys - II they were to be OF.
tinguished. you are to wait" he
said, until I've had answers to q cou-
pie Of kilograms I shall send tonight"