Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-08-14

She took II, examined IL well and
then, with an artificial laugh. declared
1T certainly is not mine. 1 once
had bag very similar. but mine was
not of such good quality"
"Are you really quite certain, count
ess?" demanded.
"Qulte," she declared. "But why
trouble about that bag while there is a
point much more impOrtant-the safety
and whereabouts of his imperial high
nessT she went on in a great state Of
agitation. "Tell me, count, exactly
what occurred-as far as you know"
recounted TO her the facts Just as
they have already been written down,
and as l did so watched her face, no.
ticing upon 1t an expression full of sus-
picion Of myself. She was, 1t seemed
to me, undecided as to the exact extent
of my knowledge.
How did you know that the young
mans name w07 Krahl?" she asked,
eagerly. "You had perhaps met him
befOre-eh?
The Search.
To this leading question maintained
a sphinxlike silence. That the little
old woman who had so Unexpectedly
become lady-in-walting was playing
some desperate double game 1 felt
sure, but its exact import was still an
enigma.
SIN any case" she said, "would II
not be as well to return to the Neue
Schenke and make searchT'
l smiled. Then, In order to let her
know that l was acquainted with TIA
Han, the language she had spoken on
that well-remembered night in her own
conservatory, exclaimed:
"Ahel allie vote con gil occhI aperti
81 far del sogni." sometimes one can
dream with ones eyes open.)
Her thin eyebrows narrowed, and
with a shrug Of her shoulders the
old woman replied:
"Dal false bene viene IL verO male"
(From an affected good feeling comes
n real. evll.)
realized at that moment that there
was more mystery in the affair than
had yet conceived. His imperial high
ness was certainly missing though the
female element of the affair had be-
come eliminated by my recognition of
her own handbag. She, too, had been
In secret to the forester's house-but
with what object?
Half an hour later we were back at
the little house in the forest.
The guests had all returned to the
castle, and only Eckhardt, the police
commissioner, remained, with a for
ester and his underlings. Already
search had been made In the surround
ing Woods, but without result. OF his
imperial highness there was no trace.
In the long room, with It's pltch-pine
walls, and lit by oil lamps, the old
countess closely questioned Eckhardt
as to the result of his inquiries. But
the police official, who had become full
OF nervous fear, declared that he had
been sent off by his highness, and
had not since found any trace of him.
He spoke of the little silk bag, of
course, and attached great Importance
to ii.
Within half an hour we had reOr-
ganized the beaters from the nekghbor-
hood and, with lanterns, set out again
to examine some woods to the east
which had not been searched. About
ten o'clock we set forth, the countess
accompanying us and walking well,
Notwithstanding her age, though 1
could see that it was fearful anxiety
hat kept her active. To the men with
rs every inch of the mountain side
vas familiar, and for hours we
searched.
A Startling Discovery.
Suddenly, not far away, a horn was
'lown, followed by loud shouts. Quick ,
y we approached the spot, and Eek
lardt and myself, as we came I'D,
ooked upon a strange scene. Close to :
he trunk Of great beech tree lay the
orm Of the crown prince. hatless, out ,
tretched upon his face.
Instantly bent, tore open his
hooting jacket, and to my great relief :
Ound that his heart was still beating. :
lie was, however, quite unconscious,
hough there seemed no sign Of q :
truggle. AS he had left his hat and :
un In the house, 1t seemed that he =
ad gone forth only for a moment. !.
nd yet we were quite a mile from the :
)rester's housed
The countess had thrown herself up =
n her knees and stroked his brow ten -
erly when 1 announced that he was :
Ill living. By her actions saw that :
10 was filled by some bitter self-re- =
roach. -
With the lanterns shining around =
m-surely weird and remarkable :
'ene which would. II described by Ne ("
have caused great sea- "
Ition In Europe-the crown prince =
as brought slowly back to conscious :. J,
'ss. until at last he sat up. dazed and J,
ordering. -