Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1908-01-07

is your highness, Faith, it Is fine.
you may 30 at once interrupted
her highness. fler voice rising a key.
Remember, you have only "a hours
between You and prison. You waste
valuable time"
What, you wish to be rio CT ne SO
soon? Why, this is the bridal night.
One does not part with ones wife at
this rate"
Leopold, the caretaker, made warn
ing gesture.
Come, Leopold ! must have my
JEST laughed Steinbock.
within certain bounds returned
the old man nhlegmaticallv 1T is
high time you were Off You are fool
hardy to match yolr chances with
Justice. Prison stares you in the face
Bah! Do you believe it?'
ut is a positive fact added the
princess.
"But to leave like this has the pang
of DEATH" Steinbock demonstrated.
what. shall l be off without having
even kissed the bride?"
THE bargain is concluded on al
sides; you have your thousand
crowns"
'But not loves tribute. / must have
that. 1t is worth a thousand crowns.
Besides" with perceptible change in
his manner. Shall l forget the con-
tempt with which you have always
looked upon me, even in the. olds days
hot fas
ly! Opportunity is a thing that can
not be permitted to pass thus lightly"
! Then | observed his nose wrinkle; he
was shifting. "Tobacco | did not
know that you smoked. Leopold
BE gonc!" cried the old fellow, his
hands opening and shuttag.
Presently" With laugh he
sprang toward her highness, but Leo
pold was too quict fer niIn.
There was short struggle, aud I
saw the valiant old man reel, fall and
strike his head On the stone of the
hearth. He lay perfectly motionless.
So unexpected was this scene to my
eyes that for time l was without any
particular sense Of movement. / stood
like stone With an evil laugh Stein
book sprang toward her highness
again. Quick as light she snatched up
my crop, which lay on the table, and
struck the rascal full across the eyes,
again and again and again, following
him as he stepped backward Her de-
tense was magnificent. But, as fate
determined to have it, SteinboclS final
ly succeeded in wrestling the stick from
her grasp. He was wild with pain and
chagrin. 1t was then | awoke to the
fact that | was needed.
| rushed out. hot with anger. l
caught Steinbock by the collar just in
time to prevent his lips from touching
her cheek. | flung him to the floor,
and knelt upon his chest. l am
ashamed to confess it, but | recollect
slapping the fellows face as he strug-
gled under me.
You scoundrell" cried, breathing
hard.
xiii him!" whispered her highness.
She was furious; the blood OF her
lnarauding ancestors swept over her
cheeks, and If ever | saw murder in
o woman's eyes it was at that moment.
: flush, Hildegarde. hush!" The
English girl caught the princess In her
arms and drew her back. Don't let
me hear yol talk like that. 1t is all
over"
"Get up" said to Steinbock. as
set him free.
He crawled to his feet. He was very
much disordered, and there were livid
welts on his face. He shook himself,
cycling me evilly. There was murder
in his eyes, toe.
Empty your pockets OF those thou
sand crowns! "-peremptorily.
Il was certain that | smelled to-
bacco," he sneered. 1T would seem
that there are other bridegrocms than
myself"
Those crowns, or I'll break every
bone in your bodyi" | balled my fists.
Nothing would have pleased me bet
ter at that moment than to pummel
the life out of him.
Slowly he drew out the purse. 1t
was one Of those limp silk affairs so
much affected by our ancestors. He
balanced it ON his hand Its ends
bulgcd with gold and bank-notes. Be-
fore / was aware of his intentions, he
swung one end of it in so deft man
ner that it struck me squarely between
the eyes. With crash of glass he dis
appeared through the window. The
blow dazed me only for moment, and
] was hot to be on his tracks. The
Honorable Betty stopped me-
He may shoot you!" she cried.
Don't go.!"
crawled back, brushing my sleeves.
Something warm trickled down my
nose m
You have been eutn exclaimed her