The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-31

 afraid of them"
 "Do not go today" persisted Selim doggedly. Suddenly he started, look ing intently to the left along the line of the hill. Chase followed the direc- ton of his gaze and uttered a sharp exclamation of surprise. Several hundred yards away, out lined against the blue sky beyond the knob, stood the motionless figure of a horse and its rider-a woman in a green habit. Chase turned his horses head and rode rapidly toward her. She had left the road to ride out upon the crest of the green knob. Chase was in the mood to curse her temerity. As he came up over the slope she turned in the saddle to watch his ap- proach. He had time to see that two grooms from the stables were in tke road below her. She smiled as he drew up beside her, not noticing his uncon- scious frown.
 '.So those are the fabulous mines Of Japat?' she said gayly, without other greeting. Where is the red glow from the rubies?'
 "Who gave you permission to ride so far from the chateau?' he demanded, dlIuOSt 0dISAlys SAc 1OOASA 0b A4LA III amazement.
 "Am trespasser?" ?" she asked coldly "I beg your pardon" he said quickly. "I did not mean to offend. Don't you know that it is not safe for you to- "Nonsensew she exclaimed. 'T am not afraid of your shadows. Why should they disturb me"
 "Lookw He pointed to the distant sxrTI They are men, and they are making ready to transform themselves into beasts. Before long they will strike. Won Blit4 and Rasula have sunk my warships. You must understand that it is dangerous to leave the chateau on such rides as this. Come! We will start back tegether-at once." 'T protest, MT. Chase, that you have no right to say what shall do or"- "It isn't a question of right. You are nearly ten miles from the chateau, in the most unfrequented part of the island. Some day you will not return to your friends. It will be too late to hunt for you then" How very thrilling!' she said, with | a laugh.
 q beg of you, do not treat it so lightly" he said, so sharply that she flushed. He was looking intently in the direction of the men. She was not slow to see that their position had been discovered by the miners. "Win you come with me nowr "It seems so absurd! But I will come, of course. have no desire to cause you any Juneasiness." As they rode swiftly back to the tree lined road a faint chorus of yells came to them across the valley. For some distance they rode without speaking a word to each other. They had trav- ersed two miles of the soft dirt road before Chase discovered that Selim was the only man following them. The two men who had come out with the princess were not in sight. "The dogs! So, you see, princess, | your escort was not to be trusted" said Chase grimly.
 But they have stolen the horses" she murmured irrelevantly. 'They be- long to the chateau stables"
 (Which direction did they take, Se- 1m?' 2s
 "They rode off by the Carter's high way, exceIlency, toward Arafat"
 .1t may 1ot appeal to your vanity, your highDess, but 1t is my duty to in form you that they have gone to re- port our clandestine meeting" "Clandestine! What do you mean, sir?"
 "The islanders are watching me like hawks. Every time I am seen with | any one from the chateau they add a fresh nail to the coffin they are prepar- ing for me. It's really more serious than you imagine. I must therefore forbid you to ride outside of the park" |"
 "1 dare say you are right, MT. Chase" she said at last, quite frankly. ''I thank you.''
 'T am glad that you understand" he said simply. His gaze was set straight before him, keen, alert, anxious.
 "I begin to fear, MT. Chase" she said, with a faint smile, that Lady Deppingham deceived me in suggest ing Japat as a rest cure. It may in terest you to know that the court at Rapp-Thorberg has been very gay this winter. My brother, Christobal, has been with us after two years, absence. He came with bis wife fromVthe ends of the earth, and my father forgave him in good earnest. Christobal was
 
 refused to marry the gfAl my father chose for him. Was it not foolish of him?"
 Not if it has turned out we'll in the end"
 T dare say it has-or will. She is delightful. My father loves her. And my father--the grand duke, I should say-does not love those who cross him. One Is very fortunate to have been born 8 prince." He thought he detected a note of bitterness in this rai1lery.
 'T can conceive of no greater for tune than to have been born Prince Karl of Brabetx," he said lightly. She flashed quick glance at his tce, her eyes narrowing in the effort to divine his humor.
 "As was saying" she resumed aft CT moment. "Laoy DeppIngham has