The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-05-02

o0e@ts Yield anything more sAtisfactO-
y. Nevertheless I was none the less
positive that there had been some sort
u communication bstween Madeline
opeoesr In America and the Duke Of
Ls0sn In Valssaa In response to which
- Was here.
- II seemed Courtney vas correct.
- usual. He had predicted that moth
~ would b found BY the detectives.
1Aoes seemed to Be nothing but to cul-
ovo&s patience and settle down to wait
~ some one to blunder or for the lady
- Gst tired Of her enforced residence in
Oee1lits and begin to get restless and
- something which would K1ve % Q
eaoW to work on.
oAe had retained her apartments At
ths Hotel Metzen-the management
having, however, addressed me AZ 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 AZ 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 admirin: men. who
would have been very ready, doubtless,
to start Irritation, 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 CHANGED to pass each other,
but 1t 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 tritle
uncertain for those around me.
l was a bit lonely too. The king was
In the north. and the princess was with
him, and SO. for Il time. was LOtzen.
happened to know, though ! under
stood he had now left them and was
returning to Dornlitz. l wished him
long journey and slow one.
His suave courtesy was becoming
unbearab!e. and my sOrest trial was to
receive IT calmly and to meet 1t In
kind. Truly, II he had found a bril-
liant leading woman in Madeline Spen-
csr. he had an equally brilliant leading
man in himself
I was no possible match for him,
and could feel the sneer behind his
smile. l wanted to give him 4 good
body beating. and I was sure he knew
1t and that 1t only amused him.
He must have fancied wished him
q long absence, for he returned with
astonishing promptness. saw him
the next afternoon in the officers club.
and our greeting was almost effusive.
"I'll ride over to headquarters with
you," be said
"I'm walking" l answered.
''Good. Ill walk, too." he replied.
So We set out, the orderly following
with the dukes horse.
When we reached headquarters I
suggested that he come up to my office
and smoke 4 cigar. thought he
would decline. But there erred.
Thanks" said he; III Join you as
soon as I've registered" and he turned
down the corridor toward the adjutant
generals office.
On my desk was a wire from the
princess. She and the king would
reach Dornlitz the next morning, and
was expected to lunch 1T 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 was going through
batch Of papers which had just been
brought in for my signature.
Don't let me disturb you," he said
heartily. "F1nish the miserable red
tape"
nodded.
He chose a 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.
signed the last Of the papers, push
ed them aside and arose
Mrs. Spencer is about to pass" he
said.
Il trust So" said I. I'm sure I've
no desire for her to stop"
Then suddenly he frowned and made
a short bow.
She had the impudence to speak to
me-" he said. "She must be q 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, 1t seemed
to me.
Now, II she had done 1t In Paris or
Vienna or any place outside Of Va
leria," he went on. "one could see the
temporary profit Of it. But to come to
Dornlitz and dare 1t under your very
nose" He flung up his hands. "She
is bit too much for me-"
saw his drift now. He wanted to