The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-24
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now pretends to be lawyer here. His
name is Brutus. | spoke with him
He said that he had left the count six
weeks ago in Vienna. determined to
set out for himself in his chosen pro-
fessiOn. He knows. of course. that
am not and never have been in the
condolences of my husband. | asked
him if it was known in Edelweiss that
he had served the count as secretary
He promptly handed me one of his
business cards on which he refers to
himself as the former trusted and con-
fdential secretary of Count Marlanx.
Now. | happen to know that he is still
in my husbands service, or was no long
er ago than last week He is here for
a purpose. as m5 husbands represent
alive hF--e EVt been asleep all these
months at SchlOsS l.arloaX have
seen and heard enough to convince me
that some great movement is on foot.
My intelligence tells me that it has to
do with GrauStark As he wishes the
prince no good. it must be for evil"
But there is nothing he can do. He
has no following here, The prince is
adoraj - the people Count Marlanx
would not lie such fool as to
lie is no fool" she interrupted
quickly That's why am afraid. If
he is plotting against the crown. you
may depend upon it he is laying his
plans well. John Tulis. that man is
deyil-a devil iucaruate.' she turned
her face away. y spasm of utter re
pugnauce crossed her face
Il am afraid of Peter Brutus. He is
here to Watch-eycrybod
She leaned against the great carved
manteI post, tail. slender lisSom
creature. eXquisitcly goWned 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 iusiSteuce of a maideu's flush. He
gazed in rapt admiration. his heart
humping like fury in his great breast.
She was little more than Il girl this
wife of Old MarlanX. and Yet how
wise, how clever. how brilliant she
was,
She was well named Iugomcde the
Beautiful
Does Baron Dangloss know this
man BrutuSE" asked Tuilis. arising to
stand beside her
Il don't know" she said thought
fully. Il have not spoken to him con
corning Bruus. Perhaps he knows.
The baron is very wise Let me trl!
you how | happen to know that Peter
Brutus is still serving Count MarlanX
and why l think his presence signifies
a crisis Of some sort"
Her voice. always low and even.
seemed lower still IN the first place,
l have faithful friend in one of the
Oldest rotaiDcrS 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 AK
phain, mile beyond the Graustark
line. Peter Rrutus was with my nus
band in Halak for two days. They
were cloSeted together from morning
till night in the house where MarlauX
was stopping At the end of two days
Brutus went away. but he carried
with him a vast sum of money pro
vidcd by my husband. 1t was given
out that he was on his way To Serros.
in Dawsbcrgeu. where he expected to
purchase a business block for his mas
ter. Marlanx waited another day in
Balak. permitting Josepba's father to
come on to Edelweiss with a message
for me and to see his daughter. He
And .Iosepha's father saw Rrutus in
Edelweiss?'
mo But he did see him going into
Balak as be 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 uusavory 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 saw him here
L klitW 1T OLCt tudil MS litSCh't meant
something sinister. can put many
things together that once puzzled me
the comings and goings Of months. he
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. was
not permitted to leave the castle for
days at a time during his absences
Surely you will not 90 back again.
he began hotly.
Ssh" She put a finger to her lips.
A manservant was quietly crossing
the hall just off the library. He is
a new man | do not like his appear
ance."
The servant disappeared through a
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. and the
strange boxes that came overland to
the castle and later went away again
as secretly as they came. Mr.. Tulis.
l am confident in my mind that those
, boxes contained firearms and ammu-