The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-04-29
a Story Of
Graustark
GEORGE BARR
M'CUTCHEON

| L
moaned. 'Oh, let me go! What have
7 done that you should bring me here?
| Let me 20, MIR. King! You are not 90
| wicked as
IL bring you herep he interrupt
ed, aghast. Then he understood. Ut
ter dismay filled his eyes, ''You think
that I have done this thing to you?
God above Us! Look! 7, too. am a
prisoner here. They are going to kill
me after tomorrow"
"Oh, Mr.. King, what does It all
mean? Forgive me! I see now. You
are bound; you are suffering; you are
years older. What have you done?
What have doner'
Don't shrink from me-" he urged.
''Try to calm yourself"
Then, with the utmost gentleness, he
persuaded her to rise and walk about
the little room with him.
1T will give you courage" he urged.
Poor little girlT'
She looked up into his face, new
light coming into her eyes.
Don't talk now" he said softly.
'aTake your time. Hold to my arm,
please. Therev'
For five or ten minutes he led her
back and forth across the room very
tender1y. At first she was faint and
uncertain; then, as her strength and
wits came back to her, courage took
the place of despair. Shesmiled wanly
and asked him to sit down withfher.
where are we? What 1S 1t all
about2" she asked.
'FNot SO loud" he cautioned. "rll be
perfectly candid with you. You'll have
to be very, very brave. But wait.
Perhaps it will be easier for you to
tell me what has happened to You, so
far as you know. T can throw light
on the whole situation, r Think
She became more excited. Her eyes
flashed; she spoke rapidly. On the
morning of the 23d she had gone for
her gallop in the famous Ganlook road,
attended by two faithful grooms from
the royal stables.
"I was In for longer ride than usu-
al" she said, with sudden constraint.
She looked away from her eager listen
er. st was nervous and had not slept
the night before. A girl never does,
suppose"
He looked askance. "Yes?' he que
ried.
She was 5lushing, he was sure Of
it. 81 mean a girl is always nervous
and distract after-after she has prom
ised, don't you see"
"No; don't see."
I3n
night before that L Oh, but 1t really
has nothing to do with the story. r.
Truxton was actually glaring at her.
"You mean that you had promised to
marry Count Vos Engow he stammer-
ed.
How very strangely you talk! Are
you sure-I mean, do you think 1t Is
fever? One suffers so''-
He sighed deeply. "Wel, that's
over! Whew! 1t was a dream. by
Jover'
She waited moment and then, look
ing down, said very gently, "Tm SO
sorry for YOU
Then she resumed her story.
She had gone six or eight miles down
the Ganlook road when she came up
with Eve troopers Of the royal guard.
One of the troopers came forward and
respectfully requested her to turn OH
into another road until q detachment
passed, in charge Of a gang Of despera-
does taken at the inn Of the Hawk
and Raven the night before. Unsus-
pecting, she rode off into the forest
lane for several hundred yards.
Tt was q trap. The men were not
troopers, but brigands got up In the
uniform of the guard. Once away
from the main highway, they made
prisoners of her and the two grooms.
Then followed a long ride through
roads new to her.
When night came they were high
i'm the mountains back of the monas-
tery. many hours ahead Of any pur-
suit. They became stupidity careless,
and the two grooms made dash for
freedom. One Of them was killed. but
one had escaped.
Some time during the slow, tortur-
ing ride through the forest she sWoon-
ed. When she came to her senses sne
was in Il dimly lighted room, surround
ed by men, The gag had been re-
moved from her mouth. She would
have shrieked out In her terror had
not her gaze rested upon the figure OF
a man who sat opposite, his elbows
on the back of the chair which ne
straddJed, his chin on his arms. He
was staring ut her steadily, his black
eyes catching her gaze and holdElg ~
ms q snake holds the bird 1t mas
charmed
She recognized the hard, hawkffke
face. There could be no mistake. she
was looking into the face that MADE
THE portrait or the Iron Count % ab-
horrent To her-the leathery hA"d *
cadaver with eyes that lived. She
4 broke down and cried herself into the
sleep of exhaustion.
ALI the next day she sat limp and
helpless in the chair they had brought
\ to her She could neither eat nor
drink. Late in the afternoon Marlanx
came again. She knew not from
whence he came; he stood before her
suddenly as if produced by the magic
of some tabled genie, smiling blandly,
his hands clasped behind his back, his
attitude one Of designing calculation.
HE laughed when n demanded that
he should restore me to my friends.
He chided me when pleaded and beg
ged for mercy. My questions were