The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-03-31
A Story of
Crausfark
GEORGE BARR
M'CUTChEON

weeks ago IN vienna, determined 10
set out for himself in his chosen pro-
fession. He knows. Of course. that
am not and never have been in the
condolences Of my husband. asked
him II 1t was known in Edelweiss that
he had served the count as secretary.
He promptly handed me one Of his
business cards on which he refers to
himself as the former trusted and con-
6dential secretary Of Count Marlanx.
Now, ! happen to know that he is still
In my husbands service. or was no long
| er ago than last week. He is here for
a purpose. as my husbands represent.
alive. I have not been asleep all these
months at Schloss Marlanx. l have
seen and heard enough to convince me
that some great movement Is on foot.
My intelligence tells me that 1t has to
do with Graustark. AS he wishes the
prince no good. 1t must be for evil"
But there is nothing he can do. He
has no following here. The prince IL
adored by the people. Count Marlanx
would not be such a fool as to-
"He is no fool" she interrupted
quickly. That's why l am afraid. II
he is plotting against the crown. you
may depend upon 1t he is laying his
plans well. John Tullis. that man is
a devil-a devil incarnate!" She turned
her face away. A spasm of utter re-
pugnance crossed her face.
II am afraid Of Peter Brutus. He is
here To watch-pypryhOdvv
She leaned against the great carved
mantel post, a tall. slender. lissom
creature, exquisitely gowned In rarest
Irish lace. her bare neck and shoulders
cleaning white against the dull tim
bers beyond. the faint glow from the
embers creeping up to her face with
the insistence of a maiden's flush. He
gazed in rapt admiration, his heart
humping like fury in his great breast.
She was little more than a girl. this
wife Of old Marlanx, and yet how
wise, how clever, how brilliant she
was.
She was we'll named Ingomede the
Beautiful.
Does Baron Dangloss know this
udu bTuluS dSheu 1ulilS, dllSluS W
stand beside her.
Il don't know" she said thought
fully. II have lot spoken to him con-
corning Brutus. Perhaps he knows.
The baron is very wise. Let me tell
you how l happen to know that Peter
Brutus is still serving Count Marlanx
and why l think his presence signifies
a crisis Of some sort"
Her voice. always low and eve
seemed lower still. I'm the first place,
l have a faithful friend in n Of the
oldest retainers at Schloss Marlanx.
His daughter is my maid. She is here
with me now. The old man came to
see Joscpha one day last week. He
had accompanied Count Marlanx to
the town of Balak. which is In Ak
phain. a mile beyond the Graustark
line. Peter Brutus was with my hus-
band in Balak for two days. They
were closeted together from morning
till night in the house where Marlanx
was stopping. At the end Of two days
Brutus went away. but he carried
with him a vast sum Of money pro-
vided by my husband. 1t was given
out that he was on his way to Serros.
in ~Dawsbergen. where he expected to
purchase a business block for his mas
ter. Marlanx waited another day in
Balak. permitting J~osepha's father TO
come on to Edelweiss with a message
for me and to see his daughter. He
"And ~Josepha's father saw Brutus In
Edelweiss?"
"No. But he did see him going into
Balak as he left for Edelweiss that
morning. He wore a disguise. but
Jacob say he could not be mistaken.
Moreover. he was accompanied by sew
eral men whom he recognized as Grau-
stark mountaineers and hunters or
rather unsavOry reputation. They left
Brutus at the gates Of Balak and went
of into the hills. All this happened
before | knew that Peter was living
in Edelweiss. When | saw him here
I knew at once that his presence meant
something sinister. / a put many
things together that once puzzled me
the comings and goings Of months. the
secret reports and consultations. the
queer looking men who came to the
castle. the long absences Of my hus'
band and my-my W virtual impris-
onment-yes. Imprisonment. was
not permitted to leave the castle for
days at n time during his absences"
Surely you will not go back again.
he began holly.
ssh She put a finger to her lips.
A manservant was quietly crossing
the hall just OF the library. He Is
a new man. do not like his appear
ance."
The servant disappeared through .
door at the end Of the hall.
'Then there were the great sums OF
money that my husband sent Of from
time to time." she continued. land the
strange boxes thar came overland to
the castle and later went away again
as secretly as they came. MIR. Tullis.
am confident In my mind that those
hes contained firearms and aT.nu-