The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-10-21
CHAPTER ~xvlH-continued.

Daisy" said the Duchess, I'VE will
go and stand at one of these windows
behind the curtain, and we will see
this woman as she comes in her roya
progress through the city"
There was such concentrated bit
terness In the usually sweet voice OF
the Duchess that Daisy started and
looked at her In wonder and alarm
Il don't quite understand" she fal
tered, though even as she spoke she
realized that she understood very well
indeed.
You don't understand, Daisy!'
the Duchess answered, and her voice
now had sunk into a deep vibrating
whisper. You don't understand! Then
let me tell you! The whom
we are going to see now, and whom |
shall see for the first time in my life,
Is the woman to whom my husband
was once engaged? She Is the woman
Woodworking nothing Of my presence
here-has stolen and kidnapped my
dear little boy from me! She is the
woman whose revenge has extended
itself beyond the grave. and whose
wicked hand has snatched my son
away. She is the woman against
whom you and helpless creatures
together with Michael and Basil, are
fighting a fight to the death! This Is
the woman. Daisy. that we shall see
stopping below our window"
Her voice had taken on a high, hys-
terical note.
f, Daisy grasped her friends arm with
soothing hands. and drew her into
the embrasure just as there was a
clack of horses feet upon the cobbles
of the old street below. and three her.
aids. in tabards of gold. green, and
blue. with fag-hung silver trumpets
at their mouths, trotted up the wind
ing path, and stopped ten yards away,
before the gateway Of the Prinzessin-
hof.
From the shops and houses opposite
people came crowding out and stood
In groups. with their faces turned
eagerly down the street.
There was a rumble of vehicles, a
murmur Of anticipation, a loud series
of eheering-"Hoch! hoch! hoch!"
from the bowling tradesmen and
burghers, and then an open landau,
surrounded by mounted officers in uni
forms of white and reen, and drawn
by four horses, galloped up to the
gateway, and stopped suddenly with
a clack OF hoofs.
On the back seat OF the landau sat
q tall. elderly woman with fine aqui-
ripa fooitrraa uynor rim a hnnnat trim
med with lilac and surmounted by a
delicate plume. of osprey.
Her face was ORR and haggard,
but there was something SO strong.
fine and determined In her features
the remains of such remarkable beau
ty lurking In the wasted contours Of
nor CONFERENCE.-The she seemed in
deed a scion OF a ruling house.
On the front seat of the barouche
sat the Baroness Won Zimmerman. a
plump old lady with a bored express
sion, grey hair, and In a most elabo-
rate mantle of jet and silver.
BY the side OF the Baroness was an
officer In a very gorgeous uniform,
who twirled his mustache and looked
at the bowling populace with bored,
Goldfish eyes.
The Duchess had clutched Daisy by
the arm, and now the younger girl
felt those slim and lovely fingers
gripping deep and hard into her flesh.
She said nothing; she stood rigid and
bore the pain as well as she might.
Then they saw little Herr Schwarz.
attended by his staff Of walters In
evening dress, come tremendously
from beneath the gateway. bearing a
great siiver-gilt tankard upon a tray.
The little hotel proprietor knelt at
the door Of the carriage. One of the
young officers dismouhted from his
horse and took the cup from him.
handing It over the door OF the ba-
rouche to the Princess.
The tall lady touched II with her
hand. bowed. and smiled to the pro-
prietor Of the hotel. waved her hand
TO her encourage. and--in a sudden re-
sumption of movement-click! the
Royal cortage swept up the street
amid renewed chorus of salutation
from the crowd.
So the Princess passed up towards
the high Schloss where. It was
known, she was TO take lunch with
her brother. the Duke, afterwards re-
turning I 0 her castle upon the oppo1-
ing height, on the other side Of the
Rhine. where she also kept up her
court and state.
The Duchess reeled into the room.
Her face was ~convuised with fury. 1t
had grown absolutely pale, with a
curious and rather horrible dead
white pallor--the sort OF unnatural
white one sees upon the under side
of q freshly-caught sole.
Her tall and willowy form shook
like q poplar tree In the wind; her
cIlnched hands rose and fell with an
automatic, faillike movement. A
Missing noise came from her curved
mouth.
The extreme beauty of this great
lady was suddenly changed into a ter
ribie. menacing aspect. 1t was a.
- - fho old GrQok furioS