Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-11
BY GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON


FIVE DAYS later l was snugy ensconced in the ducal
suite at the Bristol overlooking the Kartnerring
strasse: beref of my baronia possessions but not at
all sorry. My romance had been short lived 1t is
thing write novels about medieval castles and quite
another thing to try to write novel in of them.
pidity to think that Amercan-born citizen can
become feudal Baron by virtue of his dollars and
cents, any than American born girl can hope
to be real wool Countess Duchess be-
cause someone needs the money than she does.
1t would be quite impossible conrariwise to trans
form noble Duke into plain American citizen
My plans made. After fortnight in Vienna
expected to 60 to London for the autumn, and then
back to New York. l was homesick.
As for Schloss Rothhoefen, l had it excellent
authority mo less person than Conrad Schmck him.
self that barely had shaken the dust of the place
from myself before the master put into execution
a extraordinary and incomprehensibe plan of
construction In the first place, he gave all the
wants two weeks notice. and then began to rae the cas-
tie from the bottom upward instead of the other way
round, sensible person might have been expected
to do. He was knocking out the walls in the cellars
and digging up the stone floors with splendid disregard
for that ominous thing known as cataclysm:
The day which left for Paris still saw Tarnowsy
at work with his masons herocay batter1ng down the
walls of the grim old stronghold and chucked to my
self. 1t quite evident that he hadn't found the
hiding place up TO that time.
After few days in Paris took myself off to London
expecting letters at Claridge's, where always
take There many letters waiting there for
me- but not one from Countess Aline. had encour-
least she could do return for all had done tor her,
Notwithstanding my wretched behavior the last day
of association. While had undoubtedly offended
in the fragrant manner, still my act not
pardonable. There was tribute, not outrage in my
behavior
Poopendyke fdgeted a good deal with the scanty re-
suits of my literary labors rafting the typed pages
most insinuatng way. He oiled his machine with
cusatory frequence; but failed to respond. was in
mood for writing
Before had been in London week it became per-
fectly clear to that could not stretch my stay out
to anything like period of two months Indeed | be-
gan to think about booking my passage home inside of
weeks. / restless, dissatisfied, homesick On
the ninth day sent Poopendyke to the booking office
of the steamship company with instructions to secure
passage for the next sailing of the Mauritania and then
lived in state of positive dread for fear the tourists
might have gobbled up all the cabins
l awoke morning to find long letter from the
Countess. 1t very commonplace communica-
ton found on the third or fourth reading The sum
and substance of it's contents the information that
she going to Virginia Hot Springs with the family
for month or two, and that Lord Amberdale
join them there. 1t appeared that her father, being
greatly overworked in need of rest and the golf
links at Hot Springs specially designed to make it
easy for rich men, his doctor had ordered him to that
delightful resort. She hoped the rest would put him
his feet again. There page of drivel
about Amberdae and what he expected to do at the
New York Horse Show, a few lines concerning Rose
mary and brief almost curt intmation that glimpse
or two of me would not be altogether displeasing.
AT last took to the high seas. Poopendyke cabled
commodations
almost forgot to mention tr1ing bit of news that
came to me the day before sailing. Elsie Hazard
wrote in great perturbation and at almost unfeeling
length tell that Count Tarnowsy had unearthed
the supposedly mythical Rothhoefen treasure chests
and was reputed have found gold and precious jewels
worth at least a million dollars. The accumulated
products of centurys thievery The hoard of all the
robber Barons! Tarnowsy's!
Strange to say, did writhe snan with disap-
pontment and rage. took the news with sangfroid
that almost killed poor Poopendyke. Nor was
specially disturbed or irritated by the telegram
doence l received board ship from Tarno sy him.
self. He could not resist the temptation to gloat