The daily Alaskan., 1913-11-26
AnOpportur1iity
 Lost
 By MARGARET BARR
By MARGARET BARR

strom, a. neighbOr, who, learning of his enemy's illness, designed; as soon as
 he, the latter, died, to step in and take possession of the castle and estate.
 The counts son and heir, Herman,
 was at the time of his fathers Illness returning from the university where
 he had been studying and had been re-
 called to his home.
 The messenger who summoned him also informed him that Baron Half fstrom was watching for him to wayIay and make him a prisoner, that at his fa- l ther's death there would be no head to the uaIIenstein vassals to offer resist
 ance and that he might hold the heir
 to do with him as he chose. Herman set out on horseback with the mes- 1 senger, Ludwig Ritter, to return to his dying father. In order that he might putwit those lying in wait for him, he l concluded that Ritter should persOnate
 a knight, and he, Herman, would act
 as his servant So they changed gar
 ments and proceeded in this fashion,
 Herman riding behind Ludwig. .a 1 One evening when they were, not far distant from Hallenstein castle they stopped at the house in the center of a large vineyard, whose owner, August Bauer, entertained them hospitably, according to the custom of the coun- ! try. Gretchen, Bauer's daughter, was
 a comely girl eighteen years old, an | age at which young girls are especially
 interested in the opposite sex. She
 could not but notice the difference be- 1 tween the two strangers, the master being III at ease in playing a role that
 was novel to him, and the cOurtly man. ners of his servant
 Herman before setting out had in- structed Ludwig not to defer to him l in any way-indeed. to treat him rath-
 CT harshly. the better to carry out the deception. Bauer told Ludwig that Baron Hafstrom's men had been to the | vineyard that day looking for Herman | HalleDstein, and Herman, fearing that
 he might be taken for the master in- stead of the man, instructed Ludwig
 to redoube his harsh treatment,
 whereupon Ludwig. while Herman
 was waiting on him, feigning to be dis pleased with his servant, rated him
 soundly, indulging his pretended ire so l far as to strike him. ! Herman bore his treatment meekly, but Gretchen's eyes flashed fire. She said nothing at the time, but when alone with Herman Symputhized with him and offered. if he wished to leave | his masters service. to ask her father
 to give him employment in the grape culture. It occurred to Herman that ! 1t might be well to accept the offer
 and send Ludwig ahead to find a pas sage through Baron uafstrom's men. | So Gretchen went to her father with
 the request. which was granted, and i Herman was set to trimming vines, whiIe Ludwig, after abusing his man l for leaving his service, went on.
 Gretchen, who was infatuated with
 Herman. went out to where he-was at
 work and spent a great deal of her i time chatting with him. This angered | her father. who was a wealthy man and had no idea of permitting his daughter to become involved with a
 servant. He. reprimanded her, but It
 was too late. Young hearts need but a spark to start an unquenchable fame Since Gretchen could not meet l Herman openly she met him in secret.
 On the second day after Ludwigs
 departure he returned. He had found
 an unguarded avenue to the castle.
 The count had died while he was
 there, but he had instructed the count ess to keep his death a secret till Her man had arrived. Ludwig now REe
 posed that Herman should obtain
 clothing from Gretchen and proceed as
 girl. So Herman told Gretchen
 that he was a political fugitive and
 asked her~ to let him have her clothes
 by which to make his escape. She
 readily consented and brought him what he needed. Arraying himself In
 her belongings, painting his cheeks
 and poWdering his face, he started,
 Gretchen accompanying him till he had traversed the more frequented part of the distance and passed seF- eral bands of men watching for him. The two journeying together so aided
 the deception that Herman asked her i to go on with him till hIs safety had 1 been assured
 Leaving the main road, they entered
 a defiIe in the high hills that bOrdered
 on the Rhine, which Ludwig had found
 unguarded. A band had since occu- 1 pied it, but the travellers climbed a hill and passed on above them. In this
 way they avoided several parties and
 at last entered the e.rastle.
 2 Gretchen was much astonished to l'see- her companion, when he had
 thrown off his feminine apparel, re-
 ceIye the homage of his vassals. After
 an interview with his mother and the funeral cf his father he placed him
 self at the head of bis retainers, sal
 lied forth and scattered the bands that had been looking for him.
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