The Washington times., 1909-10-31
STORY OF GRAUSTARK
GEORGE BARR MCCUTCHEON
Copyright. 1909 by Dodd Mead q Co.

try 10 get at the bottom of it, That
confoundcd eye worries me. She's laugh
ing up her sleeve at US, too, you know.
Il should advise you to keep away
from her. my friend. Granted she has
Licked US, why nOt2 1t is her trade.
She does no harm-eXccpt that she's
most extensively impudent And / rather
imagine she'll resent your investigation,
II you attempt IT. I can't say that Id
blame her The baron laughed.
Baron, it struck me a bit shivery
at the time, but / want to say 10 you
now mat the eye that / saw at the
crack was not that Of an idle pepper,
nor was it ii mere takers substitute It
was as malevolent as the 0evil and ii
Siared-do lk'u understand? GIared! It
didn't peep
Truxton King for. reasons best known
TO hImSelf. soon reiapSeJ into a Thought
Iul, cOntemplative silence. Between us,
ne was sorely veXed and disappointed
/ w hen the gallant start was made from
the glen of dead mems bones" he
found that he was TO be cast utterly
aside, quite completely ignored by the
talrf Lorraine. She rode of with young
Count Vos EngO without so much as a
friendly wave Of the hand to him. He
said II over 10 himself several times:
Not even a friendly wave Of her hand 8"
It was as If she had forgotten his ex-
lstence or-merciful powers. What was
WOrse-as II size took this way Of show
ing him his p lace OF course. that be-
! ing her attitude, he glumly found his
place-which turned out rather ironicaI-
ly TO be under the eye of a police Of
( would stay there.
Vos Engo. being an officer in the
( royal guard, rode ahead by order Of
Colonel Quinnox. Truxton, therefore.
/ had her back in view-at rather a vex-
ing distance, tOO-for mile after mile
of the ride to the city. Not so far
ahead, however, that he could not OBJ
serve every movement or her 1.-the
I gFaEHfuf = * IL. D.
I kings highway She was q perfect
horseWoman, firm, jaunty, free. Some
[ how he knew, without seeing, that a
stray brown Wisp of hair caressed her
face with insistent alteration; he could
see her hand go up from time TO time
to brush il back-just as If Il were not
a happy Place for a wisp of hair. Per
hapS-he shivered with the thought OF
lit-perhaps it even caressed. her lips. An
who would not be a wisp of brown HART
lie galloped along beside the baron,
a prey TO gloomy considerations. What
was the uSe2 He had no chance TO win
! her That was for story books and
plays. She belonged 20 another world
tar above his. And even beyond that
she was not likely to be attracted BY
such a rude. unE inly, sunburred Iout
as he, with such chaps about as Vos
| Engo, or that whaTs-his-name fellow.
! or dozen others whom he had not
seen Confound 1t all, she was meant
Tor prince or an archduke. What
chance had he?
But she was the loveliest creature
ne had ever seen Yes; she was the
golden girl Of his dreams. Within his
grasp, 50 to speak. and yet ne could
not hope to seize her, after all Was
she meant for that popinjay youth
with the Detulant eve and the suIIPB
Jaw Was he to be the lucky man.
this Vos Engo2
The baron's dry, insInuating voice
broke in upon the young mans
/ thoughts. Ct think it's Uretty well un-
derstood that she's going to marry
him The little old minister had been
reading Kings thoughts: he had the
satisfaction OF seeing hts victim start
guilty.. It was on the tin Of Truxtons
tongue 10 blurt out. How the devil
did you know what 7 was thinking
abOut2 But he managed 10 control
himself. asking instead, with bland in
Indeed? Is it a good match. Daron?"
The baron smiled. Il think so. He
has been a trifie wild. but I believe he
has settled down. Splendid family. He
IS desperately in love as YOU may have
noted"
7 hadn't thought much about If. Is
she in love with him2"
she sees great deal of him" was
the diplomatic answer.
TruxtOn considered we'll for a minute
or two. and then bluntly asked;
Would you mind telling me lust who
she is. bar0n2 What is her name?'
DanglOss was truly startled. He gave
the young man a quick, penetrating
BtaflGe1 tNeH d SET ndlu expression
came into his eyes.
DO you mean. sir. that you don't
know herr" be asked, almost harshly.
II don't know her name
''Anu you had the effrOutery tony
excellent friend. YOU amaze me I can't
believe it Of you. Why, sir, how dare
YOU say this to me2 / know that
Americans are bold, but, by CAD, sir,
I've always looked upon them as gem
tlemen. You"
Hold on Baron DanEIoss." inter
rupted TruNton, very red In the face.
Don't say it, please. You'd better
hear ny side of the story first, She
went TO school with my sister. She
knows me. but. confound f., sir, she re-
fuses to tell me who she is Do YOU
think that is fair2 Now, I'll tell you
how it came about" He related the
story of the goldfish and the pinhook.
The baron smiled comfortably to him
self. a sphtnX-lilse expression coming
into his bea5y eyes as he stared steadily
on ahead: her trim gray back seemed
to encourage his admiring smile
"Well, my boy, if she elects TO keep
you in the dark concerning her name.
It is not for me to betTay her" he said
at the end OF the recital ladies I'm