Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1909-10-16
A RUNAWAY PRINCESS
Where True Love Conquered Sta.
ton and Titles.
BY cuRRAN RICHARD eREENLgx

BY cURRAN RICHARD oREENLEX
"lt is useless, your highness, to pro
test against the things that are" The
baroness smoothed down her laces With
plump little hands upon which CLEANED
innumerable rings. Marie Amalie Con
stantia Louise-"and all the rest of It,"
as she said to berself-princess of Dol.
drums, arose from her low chair with
a most unroyal Impotence. Swish.
swish, went the silken skirts over the
polished floor, and the Baroness Won
Griefenstein wisely kept silence.
Marie Amalie stood at the window
and drummed tattoo upon the pane.
Below the little fountain tossed its
laughing waters and the culrasslers'
band poured forth the national air.
Marie Amalle was tired Of fountains
that played In the sunlight. tired of the
national hymn, sick to the soul OF the
duchy of Doldrums and all 1t con-
tained-all because a few short weeks
before the baroness had taken her
young charge with her train to the
hunting schloss and then spent a glad,
ueNeT W Dt lOtSOttGh
Somehow-nobody knows. for such
things have a way of managing them
selves-the equerries and the princess
maids drifted two by two down the
forest alleys in the languorous after
noon. The baroness nodded In her
chair, and Marie Amalie found herself
alone.
When MARI Davent rode from the
gasthaus that morning he drew long
breaths of the forest freshness. For
miles beneath the arching lindens of
the dukes forest he rode at walk.
the reins hanging loose on the bays
neck. singing snatches of college glees
and thinking of the faroff country
whittier he would soon be going.
He raised his eyes and looked down
the linden reaches-looked and woke.
So near that the bay reared in sudden
fright and Davent slipped from the
saddle and stood, hat In hand, Ma
rie Amalie came toward him through
the great twilight.
She did not attempt to excuse her
self to herself, and to no one else did
that imperious young woman vouch-
safe rhyme or reason for her deeds. 1t
was temptation. pure and simple. at
time when the girl was sore imbittered
against the traditional shackles. A
prisoned thing. bound and dumb in her
Jewels and laces. she had known the
shame of the old roue's approval when
he came to view her, as one would the
points of prize mare. and pronounced
her ft to be Duchess of Grassland.
"Fit" Marie Amalie ground her white
teeth together at the remembrance OF
it. But she smiled with level brows
into the brown eyes of Davent as the
handsome head was bowed before her.
and then trouble began for the Baron
ess Griefenstein.
Two hours later they parted under
the lindens. he believing her some no.
blemaf's daughter in the train of the
young princess. she knowing all the
facts about him. Marie Amalie came
up the linden walk thinking deeply.
An American. it suited her exactly.
She thought of the yacht that. lay even
now at Havre; thought. too, Of the
doddering old Duke of Grassland. who
had buried his second wife not year
before. the pale, pretty princess out Of
the north, who had been sold to him.
as they were selling her.
Marie Amalie went softly up the
marble steps. through the portico and
down the hall. her footsteps making no
sound in the thick carpet. She drew
back the portiere that hung in straight.
heavy folds. There was a smothered
cry from within, rustic of paper, but
before, the baroness could close the
al.
upon her wrists.
what are you doing here among
the private papers of Duke FritzT'
The baroness sank down, gasping.
speechless. as Marie Amalie lowered
over her. Then the girl made hasty
examination of the drawer. The key
was in the lock. A fragment of wax
that adhered to the keyhole told the
secret Of the baroness access to the
papers of the young duke who had
killed himself in that very room years
before. when the Baroness Griefen-
stein had been a famous court beauty
and Marie Amalie but a child In the
cradle.
Only a bundle of yellowed letters,
written In the delicate Italian script
affected by the women of that genera
ton. Marie held them thoughtfully;
then. with sudden impulse, retied the
faded ribbon about them, locked the
drawer and placed the key in her
bosom. The letters she kept in her
hand. With slow smile around the
mischievous red mouth. she passed
through the portiere out into the sun
light She held the key to the situa'
ton.
The Baroness Griefenstein was a
sensible woman. She knew herself at
the mercy of the girl whom heretofore
she had ruled reentlessly. Therefore
through the weeks that followed she
temporized, telling herself that it was
only for a time. In a month the girl
would be safely married. There were
various expeditions to the forest, even
ing walks. when only the baroness
guarded the pretty princess The
young American still fingered at the
gasthaus and rode his bay through the
dukes forest.
Meanwhile the women came and
went. intent upon the preparations for
the marriage. All around the luxuri-