Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-02-13
good" ventured the excellent Mfr.


 You make 'em?" in surprise.
 The old man strengthened his bent figure with sudden pride. q am a. morer to the crown, sir. My blades are used by the nobility-not by the army, l am happy to say"
 "I say, Herr Spantz, or monsieur, I'd like to have good long chat with you. What do you say to mug of that ex- cellent beer over in the cafe garden? Business seems to be a little dull. Can't you-er-lock up?"
 Spantz looked at him keenly.
 May I ask what brings you to Edel- weiss T' he asked abruptly.
 'I don't mind telling you, Mir. Spantz, that I'm here because I'm somewhat of fool. False hopes led me astray. I came here looking for romance-for adventure"
 "I sec" cackled Spantz, his eyes twinkling with mirth. You thought you could capture wild and beautiful princesses here just as you pleased, eh? Let me tell you, young man, only one American-only one foreigner, in fact-has accomplished that miracle. MT. Lorry came here ten years ago and won the fairest flower Graustark ever produced-the beautiful Yetve- but he was the only one"
 No. I'm not looking for princesses. I've seen hundreds of 'em in all parts of the world"
 nl,n TD..fr al n p on the armorer.
 "Ive heard of nothing but him, my good Mir. Spantz. He's seven years old, and he looks like his mother, and he's got jeweled sword and all that sort of thing. daresay he's nice little chap. Got American blood in him, you see"
 The old man retired to the rear of the shop and called out to some one upstairs. A woman's voice answered.
 My niece will keep shop, sir, while am out" Spantz explained.
 They paused near the door until the old mans niece appeared at the back of the shop. Kings glance became more or less in the nature of stare of amaZement.
 A young woman of the most astound- ing beauty, attired in the black and red of the Graustark middle classes, was slowly approaching from the shad- owy recesses at the end of the shop. His heart enjoyed a lively thump. Truxton King, you may be sure, did not precede the old man into the street. He deliberately removed his hat and waited most politely for age to go be- fore youth. in the meantime blandly gazing upon the face of this amazing niece.
 Across the square, at one of the ta- bles, the old man. over his huge mug of beer, became properly grateful. He was willing 10 repay King for his lit- tie attention by giving him careful history of Graustark, past, present and | future.
 The old man was rambling on. "The young prince has lived most of his life in Washington and London and Paris, sir. He's only seven, sir. Of course you remember the dreadful ac- cident that made him an orphan and l put him on the throne with the three wise men of the east as regents or | governors-the train wreck near Brus- | sells. sir. His mother. the glorious | Princess Yetive, was killed and his father. Mir. Lorry, died the next day 1 from his injuries. That, sir, was a most appalling blow to the people of Graustark. There never will be an- other pair like them. sir. God alone preserved the little prince. The col lision was from the rear, broken rail throwing locomotive into the prin. cess coach. This providential escape of the young prince preserved the un- broken line of the present royal fam ily."
 T say, MT. SpantZ, don't believe I've told you that your niece is a most remarkably beau"-
 "As l was saying, sir" interrupted Spantz so pointedly that Truxton flushed. 'the little prince is the idol of all the people. Under the present regency he is obliged to reside in the principality until his fifteenth year, after which he may be permitted to travel abroad"
 Spantz was eying him narrowly. You do not appear interested in our royal family" he ventured coldly.
 Truxton hastened to assure him that he was keenly interested. Especially so now that I appreciate that the lit. tie prince is the last of his race.''
 "TheEe are three regents. sir, in | charge of the affairs of state-Count Halfont, the Duke of Perse and Baron Jasto Dangloss, who is minister of DO. lice. Count Halfont is a granduncle of the prince by marriage. The Duke of Perse is the father of the unhappy Countess Ingomede. the young and beautiful wife of the exiled Iron Count Marlanx. No doubt you've heard of him."
 "I remember that he was banished from the priuc;nsiiTT::
 Quite true, sir. He was banished in 1901 and now resides on his estates | u in Austria. Three AZ years ago in Buda-