Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-04
CHAPTER VII.-Continued.

could not see anything except the girl
face, the fresh. exquisite turn of her pro-
file. Once his eye wandered rather guilt
lily. Her figure was in keeping with her
face. Then he saw the little wooden
shoes. All. we'll. as long as kings sur
rounded themselves with armies and with
pomp, there would always be wooden
shoes The hand was playing Les HUI
guenots" and the girl hummed the air.
DO not go there tonight, Gretchen,
said the vintner.
1T is a crown"
Il will give you two II you will not
CO." the vintner urged
Foolish boy. what good would that
do? We need every crown we nave or
can get, If we are to be married soon.
And you have not gone to work yet. And
every day costs YOU crown TO live. and
more. for all 1 know. You spend a
crown as carelessly as If all you had to
do was to pick them off the vines.
Crowns are hard to get.
When one is happy. one does not stop
10 bother about crowns, he said I'M
patiently.
But will such happiness last? Shall
We not be happier as our crowns &C
cumulate to ward off sickness and nun
ger? Must 7 teach you economy
II shall apply for work tomorrow and
waste no more crowns. my heart. The
Sintner's hand again sought hers. and
he sent Grumbach look which sara:
Smile if YOU dare,
But Grumhach did not smile. He was
too sad He fell into dream. and the
music faded in his ear and the lights of
the pavilion grew dim. He was boy
again. and he was carrying posies TO
the pretty little fraulein in the Alder
sssse. Dreams never last. and some
times they are rudely interrupted.
\ hand was put upon his shoulder au,
thoritatively. The police officer who had
examined his passports that morning
stood at Grumbachs elbow
Herr -Grumbach." he said quietly. mis-
exceliency the chancellor has directed
me to bring YOU at once to the palace.
To the palace" Grumbach's face was
expressive of great establishment The
this expression. Any foreigner would
have been seized with confusion under
like circumstances. ITO the palace!
Grunbach repeated. My passports were
wrong in some respect?
oh no, herr; they were correct
C;rumbach reused his mind energet-
ically. He forced down the fast beating
of his heart banished the establishment
from his face. and even brought smile
to- his lips.
But whatever can the chancellor want
of me?'
That is not my business. I was sim
ply sent TO find you. His excellency Is
ALWAYS interested In German-Americans
II may be that he wishes to ask what
the future is there in America We have
more in Dreiberg than we can reasonably
take care of.
In the PRISONS?
The officer laughed. There and else
where
is that right" asked Grumbach, now
thoroughly on guard.
1t may not be right to ship our Grim
inals over there, but ii is considered
very good politics.
Shall We go at once? l never ex-
pected to enter the palace OF the Grand
Duke of Ehrenstein,' Grumbach added
1T will be something TO tell OF when
go back to America"
The only thing that treasured him was
the presence of one on1cer- When they
came for man on serious charge, In
Ehrenstein they came in pairs or fours.
So then, there could be pending nothing
vital to his liberty or his incognito. Be
sides. his papers were all right, and now
there would be Carmichael to fall back
on
The palace is lighted up was Grum-
bach.s comment as the two passed the
sentry outside the gates
THE duke gives the dinner to the dip
lomatic corps tonight
A fine thing to be diplomat.
II myself prefer fighting in the open
Diplomatso Their very precious hides
are never anywhere near the wars they
bring about No, no; this way. We go
in at the side
you'll have to guide me. Yes, these
diplomats. Men like you and me do all
the work. I was in the civil war in
America
That was a great fight" remarked
there
-Four years: pretty long Do you
know Herr Carmichael?'
The American consul? oh. yes.
He and I fought in the same regi-
ment.'
Then you saw some pretty battles
Grumbach took off his hat. See that?''
Colt, That must have been an ugly
one"
ALMOST crossed over when 1 got it.
Is this the door,?
Yes. III put you in snugly. You will
probably have to wait for his excellency
Rut you'll have me for company till he
appears.
Grumbach entered the palace with q
brave heart and steady mind
The grand duke had a warm place In his
heart for the diplomatic corps. He liked
10 see them gathered round his table.
their uniforms glittering with orders and
decorations. 1t was always night Oh
wits: and he sprang hundred traps 1oI
comedy's sake, but these astonishing lin
GUSTS seldom if ever blundered into one
az them. They were etefnally vigilant
IT was no trifiing matter TO swing the
thought from German into French or
Italian or hungarian: but they were
seasoned veterans in the game. all save
Carmichael. who spoke only French and
German fuently. The duke, however
never tried needlessly to embarrass him
lie admired Carnichaei's mental agility
Never ne thrust so keenly that the Amer
lean was found lacking In an effective
though simple parry
Your highness must recollect that
am not familiar with that tongue"
Pardon me. Herr Captain.
But there was always twinkle I'm the
ducal eye and an answering smile In the
consufs.
ing dress stood out conspicuously among
the blue and green and red uniforms
Etiquette compelled him to wear SIN
stockings but that was the single con-
eession on his part. He wore no orders
An order of the third OF fourth class
held no allurement- Nothing less than
the Golden Fleece would have interested
him. and the grand duke himself could
not boast OF this rare and distinguished
order In truth. Carmichael coveted
nothing but a medal for valor and his
own country had not vet come TO rec
ognize the usefulness of such distinc-
ton.
All round him sat ministers or am
hassadors: he alone represented a con-
suIate. So his place at the table was
honorary rather than diplomatic. Ii was
his lively humorous personality the grand
duke admired. not his representations.
The duke sat at the head of the table
II was by the force OF his brilliant wit
that the princess did not hold In per-
petuity the court at her end of the table
For a German princess of that time she
was highly accomplished; she was ar
dent. whimsical. with a flashing men
tally which rounded out and perfected
her physical loneliness. Above and be-
,cpa oil this he had suffered she had