Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-05-11

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 girl, this
wife of old Marlanx, and yet how
wise, how clever, how brilliant she
was!
She was well 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. 81 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 I think his presence signifies
a crisis of some Sort
Her voice, always low and even,
seemed lower still. SIN the first place,
I 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 Ralak, which is 10 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
MO in no
was stopping. At the end of two days
Brutus went away, but be 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 a business block for his mas
ter Marlanx waited another day in
| Balak, permitting Josepha's father to
come on to Edelweiss with 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 says he could not be mistaken.
Moreover, he was accompanied by sew.
eral men whom he recognized as Grau-
stark mountaineers and hunters OF
rather unsavory reputation. They left
Brutus at the gates of Balak and went
off into the hills. All this happened
before | knew that Peter was living
in EdelweisS. When l saw him here
1 knew at once that his presence meant
something sinister. | can 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 own virtual impris-
onment-yes, Imprisonment. l was
not permitted to leave the castle fol-
days at a time during his absences"
''Surely you will not go back again!
he began hotly.
'Shv' She put a finger to her lips
A manservant was quietly crossing
the hall just off the library. He is
new man. I do not like his appear
ance."
The servant disappeared through 6
door at the end Of the hall.
''Then there were the great sums Of
money that my husband sent off from
time to time," she continued, land thu
strange boxes that came overland tt
the castle and later went away AGAR
as secretly as they came. Mr.. Tullis
l am confident in my mind that thos'
boxes contained firearms and ammu
milton. I have thought it all out. Per
haps / am wrong, but it seems to NJ
that I can almost see those firearm
stored away in the caves and cabin
, outside of Edelweiss. ready for instan
use when the signal comes
God. An uprising! A plot so hug
!, as thatr' he gasped, amazed 1t is fol-
| 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 poss
BILE! Why, Dangloss and his me-
: would have scented it long ago."
5 81 have not said that l am sure o
anything, remember that. l leave
e to you to analyze. You have the four
!. dalton on which to work. I'd advis
: you to waste no time. Something tell
' me that the crisis is near at hand"
CHAPTER VII.