The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-04-20
The Kidnapped
Princess
By DOROTHY WHITCOMB


Copyright 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
"Her Serene Highness Princess
Beatrice of Luxembourg has Joined the
fast augmenting ranks Of women ex-
plorers," said Randolph at the club.
"She has left on three years trip
through Central Arabia, and expects
to emerge from the desert near Bag
dad at the end of that period. It will
be remembered that her divorce from
the prince Of Vessel, after four years
of married life made much converse
ton at the courts of Europe last sum-
mer." -.
"That's interesting" put In Bruce.
II didn't know princesses were hu-
man enough to be granted divorces.
BY the way, what's become Of Gardi"
ner?"
"What has become Of Gardiner"
asked somebody else.
''I've seen him." said little Jim
Barnes. but either he has failing
eyesight or he is living incog. just
now. l saw him stepping out Of an
auto in front Of house In Yonkers,
where I happened to be last week.
Ordinary house, ordinary auto, but the
lady he was with-say! She was
sumner. Black, flashing eyes, and
such an air. I'd know her anywhere
In ten years. time."
speaking Of Gardiner" said Treve-
than, I'm going to tell you fellows
something. AS you know, Gardiner
and I went to Europe together some
five years ago. We stopped at a lit
tie hotel in Spa. There were some in
teresting people at our hotel. One OF
them was Belgian countess-at least
so she called herself.
II don't know how Gardiner struck
up an acquaintance with her, but be-
fore a week was out she and he were
always together, walking in the
woods, listening to the band, or SIT
ting outside the casino side by side.
"We three were sitting out In front
of the hotel. l could see the countess
big eyes, fixed on Gardeners; could
see the tremulous fluttering Of her
heart under her corsage.
II made some trivial excuse and
rose, promising to be back in half an
hour or so. I took few turns up
and down the open space in front Of
the hotel; and then big, burly man
dressed like an officer and accompa-
MED by two smaller men, also in uni
form, came out Of the hotel and
| walked straight toward Gardiner and
! the countess.
II looked round after them. At the
| sight of the big. burly man the count
ess seemed to grow pale as death.
She rose to her feet. Gardiner rose
also, but I could see he had no ink
| ling Of the situation. Then, in the
twinkling of an eye, the big man
raised her in his arms ana ran back
with her through the hotel dining
room, carrying her as though she had
been a bag Of. feathers.
! "Of course Gardiner went after her.
But the two men who had been with
the big man contrived to get in his
way and trip him, so that when at
last we reached the hotel door togeth-
! er there was no sign Of an automo-
bile or Of the countess. The maid had
vanished, and the proprietor seemed
quite indignant when questioned him
about the kidnapping, and accused me
| Of being inebriated.
"Gardlner spent the night rushing
! about the streets, in the wild hope
that the countess was being held.
ION the lowest step Of the hotel
Gardiner and l found lady's visit
ing card. 1t had evidently dropped,
or had been thrown there by intent
as the girl was being carried out OF
the hotel On it was engraved the
name Of the lady who is now, or was
till recently, Princess Beatrice Of Lux
emburg.
$50 Gardiner had the clue, but that
was all. / went with him to Luxem-
burg and we stood before the big, old
fashioned palace of the ruler, and
| watched the sentry walking up and
down with his rifle over his shout
der. Not much use trying to get past
him!
| VIC opCnt, IHASS Nc"So 49,
this sort of nonsense, and then we
read in the newspapers that the prin-
cess was living in seclusion at the
court Of Vessel, paying visit to the
mother of the young prince whom, It
I was rumored, she was to marry. Next
day the engagement was announced.
That day we left for America"
"He never got over It," Trevethan
continued. II am sure that he was
in love with her all the time. l know
that about the time Of her marriage
he went big game stalking IN the
Rockies without guide, and was
away for months, living in complete
solitude. However, il you really saw
him In Yonkers-but guess you were
mistaken, Jimmy. Gardiner isn't the
sort Of man to go to Yonkers. He
hates the suburbs. Unless. he was
making a call there. BY the
way, I'd like to see that piece about
the princess In the newspaper" \
Somebody picked it up and handed