Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20

the deuce We're you looking at the other
night with those opera glasses?''
AT the ball?' Grumbach pressed
down the ASH in his pipe and brushed his
thumb on his sleeve. II was looking
into the past"
With a pair of opera glasses"
Yes. Grumbach was perfectly serious.
.Oh. psllaw. You were following her
highness with them. / want to know
why
''She is beautiful
You made a promise to me not long
Il did?' non-committally.
yes. Soon l shall be shaking the dust
of Dreiberg, and l want to know before
hand what this Chinese puzzle is. What
did you do that compelled your flight
from Ehrenstein?"
Grumbachs pipe hung pendulent i'm his
hand He swung it to and fro absently.
Il am waiting. Remember, you are an
American citizen. for all that you were
born here. If anything should happen to
you, l must know the whole story in
order to help you. You know that you
may trust me-
1T isn't that, captain 1 have grown
to like you in these few days.
What has that to do with it?' i'm
patiently.
Nothing, perhaps. Only. if tell you,
you will not be my friend.
Nonsense. What you did sixteen years
for me that YOU fought In my regiment
and that you We're q brave soldier
Those opera glasses; it was idea.
Well, since you will know. l was
gardeners boy. j worked under my
brother Hermann. / used to ask the
nurse. who had charge of her serene
hishness. where she would go each day.
Then I'd cut flowers and meet them on
the road somewhere and give the bouquet
to the child. There was never any escort:
q footman and driver. The little one
MAS always greatly pleased. and she
would call me Hans. | was in love those
Jays" Grumbach laughed with bitter
ness. Yes. even !. Her name was
Tekla. and she was jade. | wanted to
run away. but had no money. ] had
already secured a passport; TO matter
Row. 1t was the first affair, and | was
desperately hurt. One day a gypsy came
to me- I shall always know him by the
yellow spot in one of his black eyes. j
was given thousand crowns TO tell him
which road her highness was to be driven
over the next day. AS ] said, ] was mad
with love. Why gypsy should want to
know where her highness was going to
ride was of no consequence to me. l told
him. / was TO get the money the same
night. 1t was thus that her highness was
stolen: it was thus that | became &C
cessory before the fact. as the lawyers
say. Flight with a band of Magyar
gypsics: weary days in the mountains,
with detachments of troops securing the
WDClc FllidlN eStdpeu - loi
tune was offered for the immediate
turn of tho child. At the time l believed
that it was an abduction for ransom
But no one ever came forward for the re-
ward. There was price ON my head
when it was known that I had fed.
Grumbach stared into his pipe without
seeing anything.
And no one ever came forward for the
rewsrd: That is strange Was immu
ssIt was inferred. Int literally prom
issd''
Fear kept them away.
Perhaps. And there is Arns5ers-
Was he guilty."
Il never saw his hand anywhere
$50 this is the story, Well, when a
mans in love he is. more or less, in the
clutch OF temporary insanity. Carmi-
chacrs tone wasn't exactly CHEEKY.
Insanity. Then YOU do not judge me
harshly?"
mo, Hans. I've a wild streak in me
also. But what l cant understand is
why you return and put your head in the
lions mouth. The police will stumble on
something / tell you frankly that if you
are arrested / could do little or nothing
for you. The United States protects only
harmless political outcaSts. Yours is
crime such as nullitieS your citizenship,
and any government would be compelled
according to the terms of treaty. to send
you back here. if the demand was made
for your exuadition.
Il know all that Grumbach replied. |
dumping the ash into his palm and cast
Ing it into the paper basket.
~ suppose that when conscience drives
we must go on. But the princess has
been found. The best thing you can do
is TO put your passports into immediate
use and return to the states. You can
do no good here.
Maybe" Grumbach refilled his pipe. |
lighted ii. and without saying more went
out and down into the street.
Carmichael watched him through the
window. Cloud after cloud of smoke ran
wayering behind the exile. He was
smoking like one deeply perturbed.
lTo be continued tomorrow