Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-05-02

conducted for me by Courtney's secret
agents yield anything more satisfacto-
ry. Nevertheless was none the less
positive that there had been some sort
of communication between Madeline
Spencer In America and the Duke of
Lot2eD in Valeria in response to which
she was here.
So 1t seemed Courtney was correct.
as usual. He had predicted that moth
Ing would be found by the detectives.
There seemed to be nothing but to cul-
tivate patience and settle down to wait
for some one to blunder or for the lady
to get tired of her enforced residence in
Dornlltz and begin to get restless ana
do something which would give us
cleW to work on.
She had retained her apartments at
the Hotel Metzen-the management
having. however, addressed me as to
my pleasure in the matter-and at least
once every day she had sought TO pass
some one of the city gates, and when
refused would then demand exit as the
wife OF the Grand Duke Armand.
She drove and rode and walked about
the town the cynosure of all eyes, and
some OF them of admiring men. who
would have been very ready, doubtless,
to start tiirtatio9, both for their own
pleasure and in the hope Of gaining my
good will by discrediting her. But she
would have none of them and Went her
way with the serene blindness of an
honest woman.
OF course l pointedly ignored her
when we Glanced to pass each other,
but it had no effect, for the next time
her greeting was only the more effu-
sively intimate. Naturally the people
stared. The whole situation was in
tensely Irritating and growing more
SO every day, and my patience, never
long at best, must have been tritie
uncertain for those around me.
was bit lonely too. The king was
in the north, and the princess was with
him, and so, for time, was Lotzen,
l happened to know, though l under
stood he had now left them and was
returning to DornlitZ. wished him
long journey and slow one
His suaye courtesy was becoming
unbearable, and my sorest trial was to
receive it calmly and to meet it in
kind. Truly, if he had found brill
liant leading woman in Madeline Spen-
Ger, he had an equally brilliant leading
man in himself
| was no possible match for him,
and l could feel the sheer behind his
smile. l wanted to give him a good
body beating, and l was sure he knew
it and that it only amused him.
He must have fancied wished him
a long absence, for he returned with
astonishing promptness | saw him
the next afternoon in the officers club,
and our greeting was almost ELUSIVE
III ride over to headquarters with
you" he said.
Pm walking l answered
Good. I'll walk. too,' he replied
So We set out, the orderly following
with the dukes horse.
When we reached headquarters /
suggested that he come up to my office
and smoke cigar. l thought he
would decline But there / erred
Thanks said he; "Ill join you as
soon as I've registered" and he turned
down the corridor toward the adiutant
generals office.
On my desk was wire from the
princess. She and the king would
reach Dornlitz the next morning. and
l was expected to lunch cat the pal
ace. / dispatched an answer that
would meet the royal train en- route
and thought of Lotzen with indiffer-
ence almost
When he came l was going through
batch of papers which had just been
brought in for my signature
Don't let me disturb you," he said
heartily. 'Finish the miserable red
tape"
nodded.
He chose cigar and, having lighted
1t with the careful attention he seem
ed to give to the smallest matters, he
sauntered to the window that over
looked the avenue.
Presently he glanced around at me.
l signed the last Of the papers, push
ed them aside and arose
Mrs. Spencer is about to pass he
said.
81 trust so,' said 1. "Im sure I've
no desire for her to STOP
Then suddenly he frowned and made
short bow
She had the impudence to speak to
me-" he said. "She must be u most
extraordinary woman"
l shrugged my shoulders
Yet, what l can't understand is
what she hopes to gain by masquerad-
ing here as your wife,
looked at him and waited. He was
steering into strange waters, it seemed
to me.
Now. if she had done it in Paris or
Vienna or any place outside of Va
leria," he went on, lone could see the
temporary profit of it. But to come to
Dornlitz and dare it under your very