The Marshall republican., 1908-08-28

o. ed asa place OF meet
ing. But no ladies' an
swering to the description he gave ha1
been seer there.
He returned at once to the railway
station.
The telegram was still In the hands
Of the station master, to whose care q
Ind been addressed. This diligent per
son professed TO have sent n man
through the Orient express from END
to end caling for Miss Helen Now
bray. but calling I'm vain. lie Ind ~
theory more plausible to offer thas
Kronlurg or else that she had left the
train ut Fclgardc before her name bad
been cried. But certainly she would
not have had time to go far II she
were q through passenger. for the
Orient express stopped but ten min
utes at Felgarde.
IL was evident throughout the short
conversation that the excellent official
was on pins and needles. Struck by
the c.npcror's features. which he had
30 often seen I'm painting and photo.
graph. u still seemed impossible that
the greatest man In Rhaetia could b
trr yelling thus about the country In or
binary morning dress and unattended.
Sure nj n Instant that he must be
talking with the emperor. sure the next
that lie had been deceived by n like
ness. the poor fellow struggled against
his confusion In n way that woulA
have amused Leopold In n different
mood.
With n manner that essayed the DIFF
fercnt meal between reverence due to
royalty aud common everyday polite
ness. good enough for an ordinary gem
tlemnn. the station master volunteered
10 ascertain whether the ladies' de-
scribed had gone out and given up
their tickets. A few minutes Of sus-
pense dragged on. Then came the
news that no such persons had passed.
Here was n stumbling block. Since
Helen Mowbray and her mother had
apparently not Travelled by the Orient
express, where had they gone on leav-
after NIL, mlsled Baroness Won Lyndai
AS TO their intentions for the purpose
OF binding the emperor. or had they
simply changed their minds at the last
minute. as women may? Could II be
possible that they had changed them
30 completely nv TO return 10 Schloss
Lyndalberg. or had they chosen 10 van
ish mysteriously through some back
door out OF Rhaetia. leaving no trace
x.Al.l, a.,.. . l,. could a..Ig
Leopold could not help recalling the
chancellor's revelations. but dismissed
them as soon rs they had crept into his
brain. No matter where the clew 10
the tangle might lie. he told himself
that II was not In any act OF which
Helen Mowbray need be ashamed.
Tie could think Of nothing more TO dc
and await developments or. rather, to
stir them up by every means In his
power. This was the course he finally
chose. and Just rs he vas about t.
act upon his decision he remembered
his carelessly given promise to Count
ron Breitstein.
There was q telephone In the railway
station at Felgarde. and Leopold him
self called up the chancellor at Kron
burg.
my friends are not here. I'm start
Ing for Eronburg as soon rs possible
either by the next train or by special
he announced after a faraway sQuea1
had signiied Count Won Breitsteinl
presence ut the other end. ~ don't ses
why you wish to know. hut ! would no
break my promise: that's oil. GoodtV
Eh? What was that you saidT"
~ have a-curious-piece of-newt
for you" came ove the wire In IL
ch~ancellor's voice. 'Tts-abOut the
ladies'"
"What is it?" asked Leopold.
81 limited that ] had more informa
tion which I could no give you then
But I am In a different position now
You did o find your friends In thu
Orient express"
'No,' said the emperor.
.'They gave out that they were leav
ing Rhaetia, but they haven't crosse'
the frontier"
"Thanks. That's exactly what ! want
Gu " huOW.
"You remember a certain persol
whose name can't be mentioned owe
the telephone buying a hunting lodg
near the village Of I%nseleden, In tn
Buchenwald. last yearT"
"Yes; remember very well. Blu
what has that to do with my friends?
'"The younger lady has gone Their
y without her mother. who remains
Kronburg with the companion.
seems that the present owner OF th
hunting lodge has been acquainted wit
them for some time, though he was Il
norant Of their masquerade. You sex
he knows them only under their rel
name. The young lady II a singer !
comic operas. a Miss Jenny Bret
whose dossier can be given You on d
mand. The owner Of the hunting lodi