The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-13


erick himself. Almost at the same in.
slant he saw them, started toward
them.
"Ah. Mrs. DRAGON: again! Permit
me to salute you"
He took the tips Of her fingers, bent
forward from the hips without fexing
his knees.
"Ah. Miss Elizabeth"
He repeated the salute. But his
ridiculously short hair was now con-
cealed by a helmet which hadn't been
displaced.
Il regret" he said, as he straight
ened up, that you have been made
to suffer. But while you are in Ho-
henstaufen you will. at least, be my
guests"
I'VE want to get to Belgium-to Lon.
don," said Elizabeth, by now on the
verge Of tears.
We've lost our baggage-every.
thing" said Mrs. DRAGON.
They were speaking softly. % q.
villains and military passed and re.
passed. The offlcers who had sur.
rounded the prince had turned their
backs. pretending not to notice.
Il am master here" said the prince
quietly; but not beyond the limits OF
the principality." He turned to Eliza
beth. Have you forgotten that love
your"
What then!"
Marry me"
Elizabeth looked at him with UNI
hinching eyes.
you have 10 In your power-tc
compromise Us. disgrace 10, II you
wish" I'll
A change Of expression in the
princes face made her pause.
Il spoke to you once of shooting my
SELF" he said; hut my life was MOI
my own. stin have it-0ott set
dank-to give for my country. Al my
wife, or even AZ my fiancee, you could
have" He made gesture Of de-
SPAR. MRS. DRAGON" he resumed
farewell. A military motor will be
here In a few minutes. In charge Of
one Of my orderlies, who will see that
you and Miss DRAGON are conducted IN
safety to the Belgian frontier. Eliza
beth, il / never see you again"
kiss me good-by," she whispered
In panic.
A gray-painted motor. with two meI
In uniform on the front seat, slid of
with them into the night. Prince Fred
erick Won Hohenstaufen had not beer
there to see them 60; but every now
and then. as they stopped at garrison
towns and scattered posts where al
was wakefulness and feverish activity
one Of the men on the front seat
showed q paper he carried, whereupon
there would be rmurmured "Recht!'
and a salute.
What Is on that paper" asked
Elizabeth after one of these haits.
The orderly looked surprised.
That the high-born young lady" he
said. lis the promised bride of his
highness. Prince Frederick"
They came into a sleepy Belgian
frontier post at dawn In an hour a
train would be carrying them to
Dieppe. with London and New York,
II seemed TO them, thoroughly ex.
hausted though they were, Just be.
yond.
Elizabeth demanded the paper that
had brought them thus far IN safety,
and then, while her mother and the
men who were there looked on, she
wrote something on It with borrowed
pencil.
Take this back to his highness,
she said, with our love and graft.
tude."
The orderly saluted. The gray car
snorted and was OF again on its return
into Germany. Not until 1t was at q
safe distance did the orderly dare look
at what the fair American had written.
At first he saw nothing, as the paper
nuttered in his hand. He came to the
words. "promised BRIDE" and then he
saw.
There had been written here the one
word "Recht!"-and this had been
signed with the name Of Elizabeth
DRAGON.