Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-23

other mems eyes: she knew. A faint
color grew under her tan and waned. but
her eyes wavered not the breadth of a
hair. 1t was the colonel who finally was
forced to turn his gaze elsewhere, chag-
rined. His face was not unfamiliar TO
her. -
Beauty is a tickle goddess" remarked
Ducwitz. tritely settling himself firmly
in the saddle. I'm giving she is as blind
as a bat. | know a duchess now-but
never mind"
LET us be going forward" interrupted
the duke. There were more vital mat
tiers under hand than the beauty of a
strolling goose girl.
So the troop proceeded with dust and
small thunder and shortly passed the
never closed. 1t traversed the lumpy cob
bles of the narrow streets, under hang
ing gables. past dim little shops and
markets, often unintentionally crowding
pedestrians into doorways or against the
walls. One among those SO Inconvenience
was a youth dressed as vintner. He
was tall, pliantly built. blond as Vik-
ing. possessing a singular beauty of the
masculine order. He was forced to fiat
ten himself against the wall of a house.
his arms extended on either side, in
kind OF temporary crucifixion. Even then
the stirrup of the American touched him
slightly. But it was not the touch of the
stirrup that startled him; it was the dark,
were by the youth darted into door
way.
HE? What can he be doing here?
No, 1t is utterly impossible; 1T is merely
likeness"
He ventured forth presently none of
the perturba ton, however. gone from his
face. He ran his hand across his chin;
yes. he would let his beard grow.
The duke and his escort turned into the
broad and restful sweep of the KONG
rry,fI 60 11fA hi
shops, cafes and hotels At the end Of
the strasse was the Ehrenstein Platz. the
great square round which ran the palaces
and the royal and public gardens. On
the way many times the duke raised his
hand in salutations, for, while not ex-
actly loved, he was liked for his rare
clean living. his sound sense Of justice
and his honest efforts to do what was
right. Opera singers came and went, but
none had ever penetrated into the private
suites of the palace. The halt was made
In the courtyard and all dismounted
The American thanked the duke CRATE
fully for the use Of the horse.
You are welcome to mount at all
times. Mr.. Carmichael" replied the duke,
pleasantly. "A man who rides as well
as yourself may be trusted anywhere with
any kind Of a horse"
The group looked admiringly at the OBJ
ject of this marked attention. Here was
one who had seen two years of constant
and terrible warfare, who had ridden
horses under fire and who bore on his
body many honorable scars. For the
great civil strife in America had come to
it's close but two years before, and Eu-
rope was still captive to her amazement
at the military prowess of the erstwhile
incOnsiderable American.
AS Carmichael saluted and turned to
leave the courtyard he threw swift
searching glance at one of the palace
windows. Did the curtain stir? He could
not say. He continued on. crossing the
platZ toward the Grand Hotel. He was
bachelor. SO he might easily have had
usual with American consulates-even to
the present time-it was situated in an
undesirable part of the town, over
bierhalle frequented by farmers and the
middle class. Having moderately com
Portable income of his own. he naturally
preferred living at the Grand Hotel.
Where had he seen that young vintner
before?
Meanwhile, the goose girl set resolutely
about the task of demonstrating her awk-
ward squad. With soft. clucking sound
she moved hither and thither. A feather
or two drifted lazily about in the air. At
last she gathered them in. all but one
foolish, blank-eyed gander. which, pois-
ing on a large bowlder, threatened to dive
headforemost into the torrent: She coaxed
him gently, then severely, but without
success. The old man In patches came
up.
Let me get him for you, kindchen,"
he volunteered.
The good-fellowship in his voice i'm
pressed her far more than the humble
state of his dress. But she smiled and
shook her head.
1T is dangerous she affirmed. 1t
will be wiser to wait. In little while
he will come down of his own accord"
BAH" cried the old man. 1T is moth
ing: I am mountaineer.'
In spite of his WEAKNESS he proved HIM
self to be a dexterous climber. Foot by
foot he crawled up the side of the huge
stone. A slip and his life would not have
been worth one of the floating feathers.
The gander saw him coming and stirred
uneasily Nearer and nearer came this
human spider. The gander Mapped its