The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-10-09
:TheDuke'S;
Daughter
How She Met Her Fate
!, - By the
BARONESS Won HUTTEN {:
copytisht BY Frank A. Munsey Co. [:
'copytight BY Frank A. Munsey Co.
'ssesSsssssssssssssssssss,


looked out into the night.
! Wickham shuddered and drew back
into the shabby comfort of his second
class carriage.
Karlsruhe. probably" he thought as
the noise of banging doors announced
a speedy departure.
1t was too dark to read. Wrapping
his rug we'll about his legs, he leaned
back again and closed his eyes. Then
just as the train started the door Of
his compartment was opened. the light
from lantern flashed across him, and
woman, vigorously helped forward.
stumbled into the place opposite him,
and a worn bag was dumped by por-
ter directly on his foot. AS If that
were not enough, the owner paid no
attention to his discomfort, but sat i'm
movable In her place.
Wickham was annoyed. He dislik-
ed being the only other person In
compartment with n woman, and this
one, judging from the shabbiness Of
her wet brown skirt and the cotton
gloves on her Imply folded hands,
was utterly lacking in even the small
charm necessary to reconcile a cross
man to the bore Of opening and clos
ing windows and arranging another's
hand luggage.
Ignoring the small bag at his feet.
he watched the blurred lights Of the
city until they were swallowed up in
the darkness. Then. closing his eyes
again. he tried to find his way back to
the comfortable half sleep that had
soothed him since he left Mannheim.
But he could not sleep. The pres
ence of his neighbor. still as she sat.
made him nervous.
Lifting the bag. he put 1t on the
seat beside her, but still she did not
move. And then as the train rushed
round sharp curve she fell helplessly
sideways. Her hat, crushed into the
angle Of the head rest. fell back and
revealed her face in the feeble light.
Good heavensr' said Wickham. The
girl-for she was not more than four
or five and twenty-lay silent and still
II.
Wickham stared at her for q few
seconds. Then, digging his flask out
of his bag. he sat down by her, bal
anced her limp body as well as he
could in the wanton jerkiness of the
train and poured few drops of the
fluid into her mouth.
1t seemed hours before n little color
came back into the pale face and the
sunken eyes opened.
"Danke schoen,' she said presently.
drawing away from him. Forgive
me-"
Good heavens. l have nothing to
forgive" he answered with vehe-
mence that he vaguely recognized as
quite uncalled for. IF i hadn't been
a brute Id have seen at once that
you were ILL.,"
"Oh. | wasn't i'll. / wonder wheth-
er, as you have been so kind, you
would let me have little more. Most
Of what you gave me went-outside."
"Why, you are English! Wickham
exclaimed. handing her the flask.
"How strange! You'd better drink out
of the flask. the train shakes So"
Thanks. Yes. am English" she
said, while he watched wave Of bril-
liant color sweep up her thin cheeks.
Then. to his disappointment, she closed
her eyes. and he dared not speak
again.
Her hands. bare now Of the disfig
uring gloves. lay loosely as before, and
he saw that. though painfully thin.
they were white and slim.
Then she opened her eyes.
Don't be frightened" she said, try
ing to smile, but l am dreadfully
afraid ! am going toto doit again."
"Oh. for heavens sake. my dear
young lady. don't! Take some more
brandy"
She waved the flask away. mo, no!
H. Then suddenly she added. speak
ing very fast: '"The truth Is l am not
i'll; am only hungry. If you happen
to have
Catching the look in her face as she
tasted the meat in the sandwich he
thrust into her hands, he fed to the far
end Of the compartment and stood with
his face to the wet window. positively
sick with pity.
When she called he found her fold
ing the paper about the remaining
sandwiches. 81 ate two" she said.
with a little shamed laugh. land
shan't try to thank you. I suppose
you never were hungry"
mo. was never hungry" he return
ed. feeling himself an unmitigated
brute. II was never hungry in my
life"
"Your people are dead?" he went on.
The train was drawing into the Stuff
CART station. and he saw In the electric
light the half defiant expression Of her
face as she answered.
"My father Is alive" she said.
"Tben I'd like to punch your fathers
bead"
Yves? My father is the Duke Of
Tarbolton."
"The Duke
"The Duke of Tarbolton. Have you
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