The Marshall republican., 1908-05-22

OF the MINUS.
The grand duchess grew pale. for the
|apple checked lady suddenly exhibited
these alarming signs Of emotion while
passing a window Of the private dining
room. Evidently some scene Of horror
was being enacted outside. and vir-
glnIa and Miss rortman had been
AWAY for many hours.
1t was the time for tea in England,
for coffee in Rhaetia. Frau Yorvan
had Just brought In coffee for one,
with heart shaped sugared cakes
which would have appealed more
%poignantly TO the grand duchess nppe-
lite II the absent ones had been with
her to share them. Naturally ut the
good woman's outburst her imagina-
ton instantly pictured disaster to the
n she loved.
"what. oh. what 10 II you seer" she
implored. her heart leaping. then fall
Ing. But for once the courtesy due
10 an bonored guest was forgotten. and
the distracted Frau Yorvan 1ed from
the room without giving an answer
Half paralyzed with dread OF what
she might have TO see. the grand duch-
ess tottered to the window. Was there.
yes. there was q procession coming
down the billy street that led to town
from the mountain. Oh, horror upon
horror! They were perhaps bringing
Virginia down. injured or dead. her
beautiful face crushed out Of recognl.
ton! Yet. no: there was Virginia her.
self. the central figure In the process
sion. Thank heaveni II could be moth.
Ing worse than an accident to poor,
dear Miss Portman. But there waS
Miss Portman, too. and q very tall.
bronzed peasant man. loaded with
cloaks and rucksacks, beaded the band.
while the girl and her e~x.governess
followed after.
Unspeakably relieved. yet still puz-
xled and vaguely alarmed. the grand
duchess threw up the window over
looking the little village square. But
as she strove to attract the truants'
attention by waving her hand and
crying out a welcome or a question.
whichever should come frst. the words
were arrested on her lips. What could
be the matter with Frau Yorvan7
The stout old landlady popped ont
through the door like a Jack out of his
box on a very stiff spring. new 10 the
elbowing Miss Portman aside. began
distractedly bobbing up and down.
tearing ut the bundle OF r~ucksacks and
cloaks. Her in%articulate cries ascend.
ed like incense to the grand duchess Al
the open window. adding much to the
lady's intense bewilderment
"What has that man besn dolngr'
demanded the grand duchess In &
ioid. firm voice. but nobody answered,
for the very good reason that nobody
heard. The attention Of all those be-
low was entirely taken up with theiI
own concerns.
Pray. mein frau. let him carry ouI
things Indoors" Virginia was insist
ing. while the tall man stood amonl
the three women, motionless. but ap
rarcntly u prey to conflicting emo
tons. II the grand duchess had no
been obsessed with q certain idet
which was growing In her mind sh'
must have seen that his dark face b
trayed q mingllng OF Amusement, i'm
patience. annoyance and boyish mis-
chief. He looked like a man who hat
somehow stumbled into q false POSI-
tlon from which 1t would be dinicult b
e'cnpe with dignity. yet which he hal
enjOyed. Torn between q desire b
laugh and ny into q rage with tn
DELICIOUS landlady, he frowned warn
ingly at Frau Yorvan, smiled at tn
princess aud divided bis energies b>
tween quick, secret gestures Intends
for the eyes Of the Rhaetian womal
aud endeavors TO upburden himself I
his own time and way Of the load b
cirried.
With each instant the perturbatio
Of the grand duchess grew. Why di
the man not speak out what he had I
say? Why did the landlady hrst strfv
10 seize the things from bis back, the
suddenly shrink 40 II In fear, leavin
the tall fellow to bis own devicesf Al
but that was q terrible look be CAV
her at last-the poor. good woman
PERHAPS he was q brigandi And II
- grand duchess remembered tales Oh
lad read-tales Of fearful deeds. eve
IN these modern days, done In wi
mountain Businesses and remote VI
lagos such as Alleheiligen-not
Rhaetia perhaps, hut then Q w
no reason why they should not ha
pen In Rhaetia at Q place like thi
And If there were not something ev
something to be dreaded, about II
big, DARK browed fellow. why had FRI
Yorvan uttered that exclamation
frantic dismay At sight OF him a
rushed like Z mad woman out q q
housef
II OCCURRED to the grand duchess u
the q must 10 some notorious y
perado gof the mountaips who bad Z
tnined her danghters confidence or {
hvr LII ALA Portpaan4nta ~ 20