Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-04-17

undoubtedly make an enemy Of the
useful Won Graeven. He gave In at last,
and the visit was arranged.
The Schloss lay south Of Dresden.
and having gone so far as TO submit
| to the strangers visit, the Baron be-
came almost cordial on the telephone
and suggested as It was almost q days
! journey by road, Nash should come
prepared to stay the weekend.
The sun was dropping low as Nash
came In sight Of the SchloSs, its beet
ling crag silhouetted blackly against
the dying light Of the sky. 1t would be
the easiest thing in the world he
! thought, for Won Heiltng to keep his
Baroness out OF the way Of a visitor
In that frowning fortress If there were
anything to hide. A queer presentiment
possessed him that after all he would
not meet the Baron's wife.
Nash did not often guess wrong, but
this time he did. The Baron came to
meet him as man servant was usher
ing him into the vaulted medieval hall.
"Ah. Herr Nash" he said courteously,
$50 you have arrived safely. Please
come IN here q minute before you go
upstairs"
Nash followed his host into a small
book-lined room, the dog at his heels,
and the Baron closed the door. He
went straight to the point. 1T is nee
eSSary for me to explain to you about
my wife. When you first meet her, she
will seem normal But she is not So
If she says anything peculiar to you, be
good enough to humor her and other
wise ignore it. She suffers from halluci-
nations. It is very tragic, but she Is un-
fortunately httle-strange-"
Nash felt a quickening Of his pulses.
you can depend on me, Baron" he
said. 81 understand perfectly"
A valet took the visitor upstairs. A
wood fire burned in the lofty stone
walled bedroom and a tray with a flag
on Of hot mulled claret waited on the
writing table. NaSh's bag had already |
been unpacked for him, and his dress /
clothes were laid out on the armorial |
coverings Of the bed.
The. Baroness did not appear till it
was time to sit down to dinner Nash /
waited with the Baron in the room /
in which they were to eat, handsome /
and imposing room made home-like by |
the immense logs cracking and blaz-
ing on the hearth.
Now the Baroness came in. She was
dressed in long gown of white velvet
with a girdle Of antique gold. Nash,
who could boast If he cared to, Of hav-
ing seen the flower Of feminine beauty
Va AAAAAC0t Oh 4AdJlOl1Sg Wdo 6baILtEQ DN
this woman's loneliness Her skin was
like milk, her eyes bluer than any
blue he had ever seen except the waters
Of the Aegean Sea one bright June
morning. But it was the soul in the
eyes, the hint of suffering and pride
In the curves Of the mouth, the gall
lant bearing that made her beautiful.
Introducttons over, they sat at the
table and the two servants moved deft-
ly serving the meal. Nash was fascin-
ated by Marian Won Heiling's remark
able hands. Long, slender and so white
that the veins cleaned through the
skin, the fingers ringleSS, the small
wrists weighted with heavy ruby brace
cts that matched the ruby circlet at
ler neck. at the Baron's request he had
postponed telling the Baroness the
Otherwise" said the Baron logically, !
she win be very sad again. She viii
lot eat"
Nash, as usual, difficult TO fool and
busy with his own thoughts drew his {
lWn conclusions. He saw that under
he girls serene poise she was very
surprised to see a guest and also in
aised her glass. She asked him uues- I
ions about himself, and hearing he
lad come recently from Persia, told
i'm OF her travels as a young girl with q
Ter father. Constantinople, Teheran,
'abriz. Ispahan. "And I stiu feel have S
eft part Of my soul in Persia, Herr q
lash. Oh, the miraculous antique art r
that country" &
Nash had sat down at the table, his r
unger sharpened by the bouquet of Il
be wine and the delicious aromas of b
pod, but now his hunger had gone. He
cit IN his body strange and unfa- n
liliar stirring Of the nerves. His eyes h
let the blue eyes Of the Baron's wife n
bove the rims Of their glasses as they 81
rank and he knew what was the mat 81
O. M em 90