The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-05-02

do with Graustart1 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
adored by the people. Count Marlanz
would not be such a fool az to-
"He 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 Tullis. that man is |
| devil-a devil incarnate"' She turned |
! her face away. A spasm of utter re- |
pugnance crossed her face.
Il am afraid of Peter Brutus. He is |
/ here to watch-everybody."
She leaned against the great carved
mantel post, a tall. slender. llssom
creature, exquisitely 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 insistence of d maiden's flush. He
gazed in rapt admiration. his heart
humping like fury in his great breast.
She was little more than a girl, this
wife Of old Marlanx, and yet how
wise, how clever. how brilliant she
was.
She was we'll named Ingomede the
Beautiful.
docs Baron Dangoss know this
man Brutus:" asked Tulis. arising to
stand beside her.
Il don't know she said thought
fully. Il have not spoken to him con-
corning Brutus. Perhaps he knows.
{ The baron is very wise. Let me tell
l you how l 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,
;. 1 have a faithful friend in one of the
4 oldest retainers at Schloss Marlanx.
His daughter is my maid. She is here
t with me now The old man came to
|. see Josepha one day last week. He
t had accompanied Count Marlanx to
u the town of Palak. which is in AK
a phain, Il mile beyond the Graustark
:. line Peter BrutuS was with my huS-
:, band in Balak for two days. They
y were clOseted together from morning
u till night in the house where Marlanz
It was stopping. At the end of two days
e Brutus went away. but he carried
e with him a vast sum of money pro-
= vided by my husband. 1t was given
< out that he was on his way to SerrOs,
L. in Dawsbergen. where he expected to
purchase a business block for his mas
5. ter N1arlanx waited another day in
/ Balak, permitting Josepha's father tic
o come on to Edelweiss with a message
e for me and to see his daughter. He
# "And Josepha's father saw Brutus il
r Edelweiss?"
D "No. But he did see him going int
20 Balak as he left for Edelweiss tina
e morning. He wore a disguise. bu
1t Jacob says he could not be mistaken
d Moreover, he was accompanied by sew
IT eraI men whom he recognized as Grau
stark mountaineers and hunters o
e rather unsavory reputation. They lief
Brutus at the gates Of Balak and wen
re off into the hills. All this happene'
g. before | knew that Peter was Living
u in Edelweiss. When l saw him her
It. l knew at once that his presence mean
er something sinister. l can put man
n things together that once puzzled me-
l the comings and goings of months. tn
he secret reports and consultations. tn
queer looking men who came to tn
o. castle. the long absences of my hu:
OF band and my-my own virtual impri:
It. onment-yes. imprisonment. l wa
~ not permitted to leave the castle fC
lie. days at time during his absences"
en- 'Surely you will not go back again
On he began holly.
k. "Sh"' She put a finger to her lip
ny A manservant was quietly crossin
as the hall just off the library. He
he new man. l do not like his appea
ly ance."
Mt The servant disappeared through
in door at the end of the hail.
er- ''Then there were the great sums {
IN. money that my husband sent off fro
IN time to time she continued. land II
nd strange boxes that came overland
We the castle and later went away aga
nd as secretly as they came. Mr.. Tulli
I am confident in my mind that tho
Dig boxes contained firearms and ANN
he milton. have thought it all out. Pc
ng haps | am wrong. but it seems to n
lay that | can almost see those firearn
dh stored away III the caves ana caDl
lrd outside of Edelweiss. ready for insta
be- use when the signal comes"
he God! An uprising. A plot so hui
it's as that"' he gasped. amazed. 1t is fo
tunate that he was not facing the doc
be- The same servant. passing once mol
er's might have seen the telltale constern
ton in his eyes. 1T cannot be pos
the bile! Why. Dangloss and his N
ISIS. would have scented it long ago.
cry II have not said that | am sure
:itv anything, remember that | leave
ore to you to analyze You have the fou
the dation on which to work. I'd advl
en- you to waste no time. Something tie
Who me that the crisis is near at hand"