Evening star., 1928-04-29


49, and down his room to study the
picture of the late Duke OF Droon
that hung on the wsll--a proud, arro-
giant face ii vas, despite all the havoc
that time and ill-uSe had played with
The canvas on which * was painted
and. at such times, he drew a ghaStly
picture of his own; the head of this
ancestor of Gerane's lying I'm the bloody
sand at the base of the eNecutioner'S
block
The room was cold A high wind
whiStle0 around the corner Of the cabin,
ratified the door, and hurried dead leaves
against the window-pane Bed was the
place for him-he could bs warm and
comfortable there-but he knew there
was no such thing as rcpoSe for him
tonight He was in a state of torment,
Over and over again. he demanded of
himself,
Am I In love with herp Can 1t be
possible that / am in love with this
robbers daughter? Has she cast spell
over me? Can I throw it off? And
will she bring me to neel and then
laugh at me?"
Or he would cry inwardly: She Is
as good as gold She's clean-minded,
she's clean hearted How proud she
Is! How she fights TO keep me from
seeing that she is the warneSt-hearted,
gentlest--whv, there isn't mean drop
OF blood IN her dear body"
At length: Nov. suppose I am in love
with her--I hope I'm not. I hope I've
only lost my head for a little while, as
any other fool might debut suppose
I am actually in love with her, what
then? Have any reason 10 believe that
she Will ever care for me? And yet.
sometimes l fancy She" and so on
through the long. cold night
He was at the kitchen door the next
morning when Matilde emerged from
the main house and called to him.
Not the kitchen this morning, Col,
Starcourt she said as he came up.
''Jonifer told Ellie that you are to have
breakfast in the big room" She closed
the door behind them and continued:
''You and l will eat alone. Jonifer was
OF before daybreak TO see Heber Dykas.
who was injured in the night when
tree was blown down upon his house.
! have not heard the details"
Starcourt expressed concern for Dykas
and then asked:
isn't Miss Gerane--er-feeling we,lF"
''Oh. yes But she never gets up 10
breakfast as early as this, Isn't ii Won
6ertul to have nothing on your mind
and be able to sleep like tllat?"
He said 1t was wonderful to have
nothing on ones mind The light from
the window fell on his face SIS he sat
opposite her at the table.
You do not look as though YOU slept
we'll last night. Col. Starcourr." she said.
II slept badly" he said. You would
hardly expect me TO sleep well under
the circumstances. Miss Matilde." he
made haste to explain. Il am afraid 1t
will tax a long time for me TO get used
to captivity"
she leaned forward. col. Starcourt." ("
abe said. lowering her voice. Il have
been a prisoner in this valley for nearly
q quarter Of a century and. even now.
] am not used to what you call cap
ttvity"
@T-but / thought you loved it here
Ypu--you seem contented and cheerful,
he stammered.
her. should have made my escape long.
Icng ago"
Your escape? Good heavens. II you
know Of a way To get out OF this
place"
There is no way to get out Of this
valley" said she calmly. But there
Il way to escape. my friend"
You mean"
"Yes-lt is the only way. The reason
] have not killed myself, Col. Star
court. is-Gerane."
Such love and devotion as yours"
be began. but she cut him short.
You may have to stay in this valley
for the rest Of your life-who can tell?
And the reason YOU will not kill YOUR
self is the same as mine-Gerane"
Upon my word, Matiide" he ex-
claimed. Why. If the slightest chance
OF escape offered itself, would fight
nv way out tomorrow. next day-neN
year--any time YOU
My friend, merely told you the
reason why you will not escape by
killing yourself"
q would not kin myself under any
circumstances.
Rosa came into the room with platters
ef meat and cakes. Matilde did not
speak until the woman had retired.
"FOr more than % years. Col. Star
court, have not put a foot outside Of
this valley Somewhere. In the world
beyond those hills, are people who loved
Y1e. They do not know whether / am
dead or alive I speak Of my father. my
sisters and my brother MY mother died
when / was q child Perhaps my father
laas gone 70 Join her Now try. II YOU
can, 10 picture yourself as existing here
for 20 years, knowing nothing Of what
has befzIlen YOUR loved Ones--your
mother. your sisters. II you have any.
vnaar fraends--yes, perhaps your sweet
heart II may seem incredible TO YOU,
sif-3ut / had a sweetheart, long ago.
Would you go on living a. have lived.
unless there was something more for
ynsl 70 think about than yourself? ]
fancy net. my friend For the past is
years CeFane has stood between me and
escape And 50, my friend, she VIII
keep you from escaping by the simplest
wsY open 10 the hopeless"
"Eerane" he nuFmilre0 huskiIy, Ills
gaze went % the curtained doorway,
"TelI me about Gerane's mother" he
urged
Would you be interested" after a
moments hesitation.
II cant tell you how much, Matiloe. .
said be earnestly, leaning forward.
50 Mztilde related the story of Louise
ard not for aal instant did Gayan Star
court suspect that she TOOK deep~-aye,
fierce interest IN letting him know
who anG what the mother Of Gerane
was in the golden days before she fell
into the hands u the robbers u Doom.
Louise was the eldest daughter 0f q
Fici and influential baron whose vast
belongings included a castle IN the
TyF0a a mansion isa the city of Vienna
end far~Teaehlng farm lands IN the
SCUM u SNsEa, AffSE mao CpffE Gown
% him ia his generation from the feglda'
bsgong VINO b9iH and tnfoye before bis
birth and who mad wGil and .0zt and
Mon again ia the wars of conquest and
defeat that made the land q bloody
battle-ground for years upon years oi
gFeeC and misery.
Her father was Baron johann Hszen-
etana: her mother was the daughter oi
d titled vienuese surgeon u great re-
aoBn She had an elder brother and
fwo sisters younger than herself The
99rn4er must have oeep the head VI
tie family ny tbls time, ss Baron
.gobann Vas veil sioHg sD years when
kis daughter was klcna ped.
Il knaw nothing 0f what hes hap
xened aE HSzenstahI ~ Ia Vienna since
lie day Louise and left EdeIweiSE oF