Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-08

She leaned against the great carved
mantel post. tall. slender. lissom
creature. exquisitely Eowned 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 dush. He
gazed in rapt admiration. his heart
humping like fury in his great breast.
She was little more than 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
man Brutus?' asked Tullis. arising TO
stand beside her.
II don't know" she said thought
fully. II have not spoken to him con-
corning Brutus Perhaps he knows.
The baron is very wise. Let me tell
you how happen to know that Peter
Brutus is still serving Count Marlanx
and why think his presence signifies
a crisis Of some sort"
Her voice. always low and even.
seemed lower still. TN the 6rst place.
have faithful friend In one Of the
Oldest retainers at Schloss Marlanx.
His daughter is my maid. She Is here
with me now. The old man came to
see Josepha one day last week. He
had accompanied Count Marlanx to
the town of Balak. which Is In Az
phain, 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 Marianx
was stopping. At the end Of two days
Brutus went away. but he carried
with him 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 business block for his mas
ter. Marlanx waited another day IN
Balak. permitting Josepha's father to
come on to Edelweiss with message
Tor me and to sec his daughter. He
'And Josepha's father saw Brutus In
Edelweiss?"
.No. But he did SEQ him going into
Balak as he left for Edelweiss that
morning. He wore q disguise. but
jacob says he could not be mistaken.
Moreover, he was accompanied BY sew
sral men whom he recognized az Grau-
stark mountaineers and hunters OF
rather unsavory reputation. They left
Brutus at the gates Of Balak and went
or into the hills. All this happened
before I knew that Peter was living
In Edelweiss. When saw him here
/ knew at once that his presence meant
something sinister. can put many
things together that once puzzled me-
tho comings and goings of months. the
secret reports and consultations. the
queer looking men who came to the
castle. the long absences OF my bus
band and my-my own virtual impris-
onment-yes. imprisonment. ] was
not permitted to Leave the castle Tor
days at time during his absences"
Surely you will not 80 back again.
he began hotly.
"shv' She put q finger to her lips.
a manservant was quietly crossing
tho hail Just on the library. HE rs
q new man. I do not like his appear
ance."
i The servant disappeared through a
door at the end of the hail.
Then there were the great sums OF
money that my husband sent on from
kime to time." she Continued, Aand tho
strange boxes that came overland 70
the castle and later went sway again
as secretly a. they came. Mr.. Tullis.
/ am confident In my mind that those
boxes contained firearms and ammu-
milton. have thought It all out. Per-
haps am wrong. but It seems to me
that can almost see those firearms
stored away In the caves and cabins
outside of Edelweiss, ready for instant
use when the signal comes"
"God An uprising! A plot 20 huge
as that!' he gasped. amazed. 1t is for
tunate that he was not facing the door.
The same servant, passing once more.
might have seen the telltale consterna-
ton in his eyes. 1T cannot be posst-
BILE. Why. DangIoss and his men
would have scented it long ago"
II have not said that am sure OF
anything, remember that. leave It
to you to analyze. You have the foun-
dalton on which to work. I'd advise
you to waste no time. Something tells
me that the crisis Is near at hand"
CHAPTER VII.
AT THE wrTcH's HUT.
I'm the mea ntime our excellent
young friend. Truxton King was
having sorry time Of ii. Itall be-
gan when he went to the cathe
dral In the hope of seeing the charming
aunt OF the little prince once more.
Not only did he attend one service. but
all Of them. having been assured that
the royal family worshiped there quite
as regularly and as religiously as the
lowliest communicate. She did not
anDear