The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1909-12-02

to look like that before. little dash
OF red sets your cheeks Off But
Geneyra threw up her hands In de
spair and started toward the stairway
her chin tilted high Lady Agnes
laughing softly. followed. Its toe
bad she's down TO marry that horrld
little Brabetz." she said TO herself
with sudden wistful glance ut the
proud, vibrant. lovable creature ahead
"She deserves better fate than that
Genevra waited for her at the head
Of the stairway.
agnes. ia like you to promise that
you will keep your avarlcious claws
off Mrs. Brownies husband" she said
seriously.
"Tll try. my dear" said Lady Agnes
meekly.
When they reached the garden they
found Deppingham smoking furiously
and quite alone. Chase had left some
time before to give warning to the
English bank that trouble might be ex
pected. The shadow of disappoint
ment that fitted across Genevra's face
was not observed by the others. Bob
by Browne and his wife were of stroll
ing in the lower end of the park.
poor old Deppyr' cried his wife
1--WE made up my mind to be exceed
ingly nice to you for whole day"
81 suppose l ought to beat you" he
said slowly.
81 received an anonymous letter this
morning telling me Of your goings or
with Bobby Browne" said he easily
1T was stuck under my door by Brom
ley, who said that Miss Pelham gave II
to her. Miss Pelham referred me te
Mr.. Britt. and Mr.. Britt urged me to
keep the letter for future reference
l think he said 1t could be used as Elk
hibit A. Then he advised me to bea,
you only In the presence Of witnesses
THE whole household must be going
mad" cried Genevra. with laugh.
ooh. II something only would hap
penn exclaimed her ladyship. "a riot
n massacre-anything! 1t all sounds
like farce to you. Geneyra. but you
haven't been here for FIVE months, as
we have"
AS they moved away from the vine
covered nook In the garden hand
sarted the leaves In the balcony above
and the dark, saturnine face of trust.
ed servant appeared behind It, This
secret espionage had been going on for
days in the chateau. Scarcely a move
was made or word spoken by the
white people that escaped the atten-
ton of the swarthy spy. And, curious
ly enough, these spies were no longer
reporting their discoveries to Holdings
worth Chase.
The days passed. Hollingsworth
Chase now realized that he no longer
had authority over the natives Rasu.
la made the reports for the islanders
and took charge of the statements
from the bank.
Every morning Chase rode boldly
into the town, transacted what bust
ness he could, talked with the thor
oughly disturbed bankers and then de.
family made his way to the chateau
He was In love with the princess
desperately In love. He understood
perfectly-for he was man Of the
world and cosmopolitan-that nothing
could come of 1t. She was a princess
and she was not In story book; she
could not marry him.
So far as Genevra was concerned, on
her part 1t could mean no more than
a diversion. a condescension to coquet.
ry, simple filtration; 1t meant the
passing Of a few days. the killing OF
time, the pleasure of gentle conquest,
and then-forgetfulness All this he
knew.
At FIRST she reyolted against the
court he so plainly paid to her In these
last few days. 1t was bold, conscience
less. impertinent. She avoided him;
she treated him to short season OF
disdain; she did all In her power to re-
buke his effrontery-and then In the
end she decided to give him as good
as he sent In this brief battle of folly.
1t mattered little who came off with
the fewest scars, for In a fortnight or
two they would go their separate ways,
no better. no worse, for the conflict.
And, after all. 1t was very dull In these
last days, and he was very attractive
and very brave and very gallant and,
above all, very sensible.
They rode together In the park every
morning keeping we'll out of range OF
marksmen In the hills. Their conflict
was with the eyes. the tone of the
voice, the intervals Of silence; no touch
Of the hand-nothing except the strate-
giles of Eros.
What did 1t matter II few dead
impulses, n few crippled ideals, a few
blasted hopes. were left strewn upon
the battlefield at the end of the fort
night? What did anything matter so
long as Prince Karl of Brabetz was
not theref
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