The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-07-03

I
with The point where he and Sprouse
entered the meadow at the beginning
of their advance upon Green Fancy.
That being the case, they were now
quite close 10 the stake and rider fence
separating the Curtis land from that
| of the farmer on the north.
"Good," he said, more to himself
! than TO her. 81 begin to see light. Are
YOU afraid to remain here while l go
! down there for look around? L
| sha'n't be gone more than couple Of
minutes"
"The way 1 feel at present" she
| said, jerkily, 81 shall never, never from
! this instant till the hour In which
| die. let go Of your coat-tails, Mr..
Barnes" Suiting the action to the
word, her fingers reSolutely fastened,
not upon the tail Of his coat but upon
his sturdy arm. II wouldn't stay here
alone for anything in the world"
''Heaven bless you," he exclaimed,
suddenly exalted. "And, since you put
IL that way, shall always contrive to
be within arms length
And so, together, they ventured
along the edge OF the pit until they
reached the wagon road ut the bottom.
As he had expected, there was a ram
shackle shed hard by. 1t was not
much of Il place, but it was deserted
and safe shelter for tie moment.
A workman's bench lay on its side in
the middle of the earthen floor. He
righted it and drew it over to the
boarding. She laid her head
against his shoulder and sighed deeply.
He kept his eyes glued on the
door and listened for the first ominous
sound outside. A long time afterward
she stirred.
"Are you cold? You are wet"
"It was the excitement, the nervous
ness, Mr.. Barnes" she said, drawing
slightly away from him. isn't it near
ly daybreak?"
He looked at his watch. "Three
O'clock" he said.
There ensued another period OF ST.
lence. She remained slightly aloof.
"You'd better lean against me-" he
said at last. II am softer than the
beastly boards, you know, and quite as
harmless"
'Thank you," she said, and promptly
settled herself against his shoulder.
"It is better" she sighed.
would you mind telling me some
thing about yourself, Miss Cameron? !
should like to know whether l am to
address you as princess, duchess, Or
| just plain Miss"
81 am more accustomed to plain
Miss, Mr.. Barnes, than to either of
the titles you would give me-"
Don't you feel that l am deserving
! Of little enlightenment? he asked. II
| am working literally as well as fig.
uratively in the dark. Who are yOui
Why were you prisoner at Green
Fancy? Where and what is your ma.
| tive landT
"Mr. Barnes, / cannot answer any
one of your questions without jeopar
diZing Il cause that is dearer to me
than anything else in all the world. }
am sorry. pray God q day may sOOE
come when can reveal everything to
| yOu-and to the world. | am Of q
stricken country; am trying to serve
the unhappy house that has ruled it
| for centuries and Is now in the direst
peril. The man you know as Loeb is
a prince Of that house. / may say this
to you, and 1t will serve to explain my
position at Green Fancy: he is not the
prince / was led to believe awaited me
there. He is the cousin of the man I
expected to meet, and he is the enemy
of the branch of the house that I
would serve. Do not ask me to say
more"
"Your sympathies are with the en-
tente allies, the princes are opposed?
Is that part Of Sprouse's story true?"
"Yes"
"And O'Dowd?"
"ODowd is anti-Engllsh, Mr.. Barnes,
IT that conveys anything to you. He
is not pro-German."
"Wasn't it pretty risky for you to
carry the crown jewels around in u
trav cling bag, Miss Cameron?"
| SupDOSe 81. II uOW-
ever, that 1t was the safest, surest
way. had them in my possession for
three days before coming to Green
Fancy. No one suspected. / was to
deliver them to one of their rightful
owners, MI. Barnes-a loyal prince of
the blood"
"But why here?" ne insisted.
"He was to take them into Canada,
and thence. in good time, to the palace
of his ancestors"
II am to understand. then, that not
only you but the committee you speak
of, fell into carefully prepared trap.
The treachery, therefore, had Its In
ception In the loyal nest. You were be-
trayed by friend"
81 am sure of It," she said bitterly.
eff this man Sprouse does not sue
ceed in restoring the-oh, I believe
shall kill myself, Mr.. Barnes"
The wall Of anguish In her voice
went straight to his heart.
"He has succeeded. take my word
| for It. They will be In your hands be-