Evening star., 1920-03-05

/ hS Hioi lliI5 was VI lSIlt dllST tHe iiih'
though an early mist hung over the
Iancient city. The crests Of the hills
had mystic pearly tint. while the tree
branches and the asphalt streets SHIN
mered and cleaned with moisture.
Notra Dame dc Sion. the church from
In front Of when we took our departure,
Is in the heart of Iassy. In front of it
Is large square, at the opposite end
lof which is the National Theater. No
more public spot could have been found
i'll that temporary capital of the king
loom from which to begin our secret
tourney, but at this early hour of the
morning we were almost as safe from
Idetectfun as though 1t lad been dark
tesr midnight. Not Il pedestrian was in
the square at the hour, for early mass
was over. Even the blinds of the win
dows were still UP. for the most part.
| And in our nnspcct,cular garb we were
i!hconspicuoua enough. The prince, as
laS been noted. wore n rainCoat over
ms uniform, and no epaulets. while his
| plain blue military cap had the Insignia
of his mountain regiment. but nothing
to Indicate his rank. Mile. Jeanne wore
q fur coat and Il blue veil.
| she was very nervous plucky woman,
| though she was, the actual beginning
OF the journey found her excited To a
point wn.'e she could scarcely speak or
hear, The prince, on the other hand.
|
spanked with animation, with the zest
OF an action untrammeled by tradition
ana nearest to his hearts desire.
I AS 1or mysef. | sat with my limbs
disposed the best way possible on the
pile or luggage and ruefuly regarded
TINS impeachment, which was about as
| follows:
| For the prince-One military trunk.
| regulation size; one large parcel pipe
| ,ooacco, one packet of books, one
' n
| For Mile. Jeanne-One trunk. one
basket containing food and numerous
| small packages whose usefulness was
not then apparent but developed
| later
| For myself-One travelling bag and
| a small toilet case.
| On top of this heap of luggage I sat,
| reviewing our calculations intended to
reduce it, and thinking of the perspi-
fration | shoald shel in Transporting
1t all through the blessed republic of
| the soviets. And besides, how main-
! tain, in the face of strangers we
| might meet on the road that this
| drive?
But there were other troubles that
made the worry of the baggage seem
| trivial.
| We came soon to a dilapidated
bridge. which caused us to make
| detour, then crossed another bridge
and entered the village of Ungheni.
| But to leave it was another thing; In
fact, at this point our journey in the
| automobile came to an end. The road
| was utterly impracticable. The chauf-
feur and ! got out and pushed from
! behind, while. the prince labored at
| the wheel 1t was no use. The car
made more retrogression than head
way. We then engaged peasants to
| harness horses to the car-they were
| stupid peasants, and probably never
| will know at what an event they as
| sisf ed~--thus contriving to advance
| few hundred meters more. Then we
| gave UP that method. AS genera iof the
| expedition ! decided there was moth
+ ing to DO ..dene-but to- return to the
! village, lunch there and then try our
| luck with the railroad, which knew
| from the map ran not far away.
SO ] returned alone. as scout found
a place where there was Il ROOM
| quite clean-too clean. in fact. since
| it almost entirely lacked furniture
| and having found 1t. guided Prince
luggage. brought: l. ,sept a messen-
ger to flnd two trucks, one for our
selves and another for the confound-
ed baggage.
the chauffeur, handed him 500 francs
and said:
You will Join us in eight days in
Ackerman. Meanwhile look for tires;
| we shall need them eventually: Dur
Ing the eight days you will live on
the 500 francs.".
And he added. with sternness not
to be mistaken. ),
You Wall not mention to? a soul
how you left me, no rthat- you are
| to what for me: nor VIII you tell
| any one you have been with. me-"
The poor chauffeur. much Inystified
| no doubt, but too well trained even
| to suggest a question. ft-us What
became OF him afterward l do not
know.
Well. we had our picnic meal, as
gay as larks. there in. tho little room.
and presently the trucks arrived We
installed ourselves as comfortably as
possible and took up our interrupted
journey. We passed through two
| miserable villages and an hour later
| reached Parliti, where there was
! railroad station. and whore at II that
| night would stop the train that
would take US to Bender. on the Ru-
Observation-Disclosures frontier,
About 500 meters from the village |
! descended and went ahead to examine
| 1t for "suspicioua characters" Find
Ing nothing alarming. ! returned and
gave the signal that the road was
the village, and-after. u brief search
We found an inn where an ancient
jew offered US a room. fairly large,
and which We ordered swept and dust
ed. 1t was well situated, this inn,
being very near the railroad station
and in it we passed pleasant after
noon and evening, while the prince
and MIL, Lambrino rested and read.
and | smoked
| At about 1890 we went to the rail-
road station, where i took three tick
cts for Bender. We had to wait about
| half an hour on the station platform,
! but in the darkness and in view of
our modest appearance there was no
danger Of detection. Indeed. if any
one had told those other passengers
| that this young gentleman viii the
| blue eyes was the crown prince and
| this young brunette who, clung to
his arm was his intended bride, the
response would have been astonisf-
ment and ineredulity, At all events;
| when the train came in we climbed
! into .compar rtfnent as unconcernediy
| as you please, and even got tha pag
| gage in without attracting too much
| attention;
a nights journey lay before us, on
slow train but we ga not ,ravaI- in,.I
The PRINCE proved a splendid travei
| ing companion and accepted ha!u
ships like a sportsman. Mile: Lam
brino slept some what. And we were
all young. The hours passed luiekls
until 6 am. when we hao to'cnaaso
cars.
This was bit risky, as the slauen
! was filled with officers and II was
| again broad daylight. l lockeo tho
| compartm door, went over "a tna
other train and found an empty place
despite crowds Of people. The con n,
ductor, with little money IN ms
palm, helpat me. Then l went path
| for my companions, caused tnei'' W
get down from the tTaln on
the wrong side, and thus we
| reached our new -cQnlpar 'heht
without inconvenience. AS we
were making this change my great