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I fegjsgl ‘The Woman
By Harold Ma.cGrath V
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Copyright, i r oo, •;s^*-.<;?:?^^A
By Harold MacGrath.
“Yes. 1 was sure tiiat you would in
terest me.” She tapped the palm of
her hand with the fno she heltf. “Shall
1 tell you why 1 desired to meet you?”
1 nodded.
“I have heard it said that the Ameri
can bows down before a title, and 1
am a woman and curious.”
Said 1. laughing: "Your highness lias
been misinformed. We never bow down
to a title. It is to the wearers that we
bow.”
This time her eyes fell.
“This sort of conversation i alto
gether new to me.” siie said, opening
the fan.
“I hope that I have not offended your
highness." I said.
"Indi*t*d. no. lint It seems so strange
to Ijjivp any one talk to me with stn li
frankness and deliberation. Have you
no fear/”
“There is seldom fear where there Ir
admiration If you had used the word
awe. now”—
Soft laughter rippled over the fan.
She had the most wonderful eyes.
“Are all Americans brave like your
self?” she next asked.
“Brave? What do you call brave?"
“Your utter lack of fear in my pres
ence. in the first place. I am called
dangerous. And then your exploits in
the Balblstan, In the second place.
Are you not the M. Millars whose brav
ery not so long ago was an Interesting
topic in the newspapers? I know you.”
“This is truly remarkable.'' said 1.
“The only thing I did was to lead a
regiment out of danger."
“The danger was annihilation. If a
captain or a colonel had done it. we
should have thought nothing of it. but
an utter stranger, who had nothing in
common with either cause—ah. believe
me, it was a very gallant thing to do.”
“This Is positively the first time I
was ever glad that I did the thing l
placed my hand over my heart. “But,
after all. that is not half so brave as
what 1 am doing now.”
“1 do not understand.” said she, puz
zled.
"Why, it is simple. Here I am talk
ing to you, occupying your time ami
keeping those Hence generals at bay.
See how they are gnawing those tierce
mustaches and biting their lips and
asking one another who l am. There
are as many ns five challenges waiting
for me the moment 1 depart from your
fide.”
There was mischief In her eye.
'’Then vmi shall sinv with me, find
me mi Ice and waltz mice with me. for
If anything happened to yon I should
always have myself to blame."
J waltzed with her. ami the perfume
of her luilr got into my head, and l
grew dizzy When the dance came to
an end. I went into the smoking room.
Suddenly It went through my brain
that tlie world had changed in an In
credibly short time. I tried to smoke,
and for the tirst time In my life tobac
co was tasteless, i was falling in love
with a princess. I confess that it did
not horrify me. On the contrary. I
grew thrilled and excited. There was
a spice hen* which hitherto had t*eeu
denied me The cost- was unspelled.
1 fell as far as I could fall. The un
certainty of the affair was in itseir an
enchantment.
Well, the next day 1 strolled up the
Avenue of Legations and saw her on
horseback. She was accompanied by
an elderly man with a face like an
eagle’s. There were various decora
tions ou his breast. As the princess
saw me she bent her head. She re
membered me. That was all that was
necessary for my transportation. Lat
er I was informed that her escort was
Prince Ernst of Wortumborg, who
was destined to become her lord and
master. I did not cart* who he was.
I knew that l hated him.
For a week 1 lingered on. 1 met her
time and again, alone ou horseback, at
the various embassies and at the
opera. At these meetings 1 learned a
great deal about her. She was known
to be the most capricious woman at
court, and that she was as courageous
as she was daring, and that the prince
might consider himself lucky if he got
her, king's will or no king’s will. She
had little liking for her intended. She
treated him contemptuously and held
his desires in utter disregard. One
fine morning 1 was told that the prince
was beginning to notice my attentions,
that he was one of the most noted pis
tol shots and swordsmen on the conti
nent and that if I had any particular
regard for my epidermis I would cease
my attendance on the princess at once.
This of course made me more attentive
than ever, for 1 can hold my own with
any man when it comes to pistols, and
1 can handle the rapier with some suc
cess.
It was one night at the opera that
the climax was brought about, i sat
In one of the stalls diagonally across
from the royal box where she sat. She
saw me and gave me the barest nod of
recognition. Perhaps she did not wish
to attract the attention of the royal
personages who sat with her, for the
nod struck me as clandestine. Between
the first and second acts a note was
handed to me. It was not addressed,
neither was it signed. But it was for
me. The bearer spoke my name. As
near as I can remember the note con
tained these words:
“A carriage will await you two
blocks south. It will be without lights.
You will enter it exactly ten minutes
uf'.er the opera is ended/’
w That was all, but it was enough.
When 1 r<#urned to my seat. I found
, the princess gazing Intently at me. I
made an atlirmatlve gesture and was
! rewarded with a smile which set my
blood to rushing. I made little out of
the last act. I could not dream what
the anonymous note had behind it I
suspicioned an intrigue, but what use
had she for me, an American, a very
nobody? Something unusual wasalwut
to take place, and 1 was to be a wit
ness or a participant of it. That was
as far as my talent for logical deduc
tion went. Promptly at the stated
trine 1 stood at the side of the carriage.
It was the plainest sort of an affair.
Evidently it had been hired for the oc
casion. The door opened.
“Step in. monsieur.” said a low voice
in French. 1 obeyed. The horse start
ed. As we spun along the pavement a
light flashed into the window. The
princess sat before me. There was a
ringing in my ears, and I breathed
quickly. But 1 said no word. It was
lor in r to speak fir st.
“Monsieur is an American.” she be
gan. “The American is of a chivalric
race.”
"That should be the aim of all men,”
I replied.
“But it is not so. Monsieur. I have
been studying you for the past week.
Tonight I place my honor and my fame
in your hands. It is for you to prove
that you are a knight. I trust you.
When I have said what I shall say to
you. you may withdraw or give me
your aid, as you please."
“I am grateful for your confldence.
your higlcsß,” said I. “What Is It
that you wish me to do?”
“Have patience, monsieur, till the
ride is done.” she said. “Do not speak
again till 1 permit you. I must think.”
The journey was accomplished in
half an hour.
“It Is here, monsieur, that we alight."
she said as tin* carriage stopped.
I was glad that her opera cloak was
of dark material and that she wore a
veil.
The building before which we stood
was on the outskirts of the city. Far
away to my left 1 could see the tucker
ing lights of tin* palaces. A yellowish
haze hung over all. Once within the
building I noted with surprise the lux
urious appointments. Plainly it was
no common inn, a resort for the middle
and traveling classes. Whether it was
patronized by the nobility 1 could only
surmise.
"We shall continue to speak in
French.” she said as she threw back
her cloak and lifted her veil. "Mon
sieur lias probably heard that the Prin
cess Hildegarde Is a creature of ex
travagant caprices, and he expects an
escapade.”
"Your highness w r rongs me„” 1 pro
tested. “I am an obscure American.
Your highness does not |hare your—
that Is”—
1 stopped, not wishing to give the
term escapade to anything she might
do. Asa matter of fact she has caus
ed her royal guardian, the king, no end
of trouble. She went to Paris un
attended. At another time she roamed
around Heidelberg and slashed a fenc
ing master. She had donned a stu
dent’s garb. She is said to be the finest
swordswomnn on the continent. Yet
notwithstanding her caprices she is a
noble minded woman. She does all
these things called social vagaries be
cause she has a tine scorn for the in
nate hypocrisy of the social organiza
tion of this country. She loves free
dom not wisely, but too well. To go
on:
“Monsieur wrongs me also.” she said.
“In what are termed my escapades 1
am alone. You appealed to me.” with
a directness which amazed me. "be
cause of your handsome face, your ele
gant form, your bright eyes. You are a
man who loves adventure which has
the spice of danger in it. My country
men”— She crooked one of her bare
shoulders, which shone like yellow ivo
ry In the subdued light. This rank flat
tery cooled me. A woman who has any
regard for a man Is not likely to flatter
him in respect to his looks on so short,
and slight an acquaintance. "Mon
siepr.” she proceeded, "this is to be no
escapade, no caprice. 1 ask your aid
| as a desperate woman. At court I can
find no one to succor me save at the
peril of that which is dearer to me
than my life. Among the commoners
who would dare? An Englishman? It
is too much trouble. A Frenchman? I
would trust him not quite so far as tb’*
door. You are the first American not
connected with the legation I have ev
er met. Will you help me?”
“If w hat you ask me to do is within
my capabilities, I am yours to com
mand.”
“The reward will be small." As If to
try’ me.
I laughed. 1 was so insanely happy,
I suppose.
“There will be danger.” she persist
ed; “sectet danger. There will be scan
dal.” .
“The more danger the merrier,” 1
cried.
“Ah. yes,” smiling; “It Is the man of
Balktstan.”
I leaned over the table and Inhaled
j the Ineffable perfumes which emanat
ied from her person. Tell me from
i what must I succor the princess? Is
j she a prisoner In a castle over which
some ogre rules? Well. then. I’ll be
Sir Galahad.” My Jesting tone jarred
on her nerves. She straightened in her
j chair.
“Monsieur Is amused," she said cold
| - -- - _
: ly.
"And be asks a thousand pardons!” f
cried contritely. “Command me." and
I grew chilled and serious.
“You have heard that I am to wed
Prince Ernst of Wortumborg?"
“Yes.” I gnawed the ends of my
mustache.
“Monsieur. It Is against my will, my
whole l>eing. 1 have no desire to con
tribute a principality and a wife to a
man who is not worthy of one or the
other. I refuse to become the king’s
puppet notwithstanding bis power to
take away my principality and leave
me comparatively without resources. 1
detest this man so thoroughly that 1
cannot hate him. I abhor him. It is
you who yiust save me from him. It is
you who must also save me my princl
pallty. jOh, they envy me. these poor
people. Ireesuse I am a princess, be
cause I dwell In the tinsel glitter of the
court. Could they but know how I en
vy their lives, their homes, their hum
ble ambitious! Believe me. monsieur,
as yet I love no man. But that is no
reason wb.v I should link my life to
that of a man to whom virtue in a wo
man means nothing. He caused my
mother great sorrow. He came be
tween her and my father. He spoiled
her life. Now he wisoes to spoil mine.
• : ?
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4A Iv'Vil 'i T PI $}
“The prince will he in Briuwels. You are
to come in hi stead.” <■
But 1 will not have it so. I will give
up my principality rather. But flrst let
me try to see if 1 cannot retain tire one
and rid myself of the other. Listen.
Tomorrow night there will be a dinner
here. The king and the inner court
will hold forth. But they will cast
aside their pomp and become for the
time being ordinary people. The prince
will be in Brussels and therefore una
ble to attend. You are to come In his
stead.”
“I?” in astonishment.
“Even so.” site smiled. “While the
festivities are at their height you and
I will secretly leave and return to the
city. We shall go immediately to the
station, thence to France.”
1 looked at her as one in a dream. “1—
You! Thence to France?”
CHAPTER V.
Hillars went to the sideboard and
emptied half a glass of brandy. Com
ing hack to his chair, he remained in a
reverie for a short time. Then lie re
sumed iris narrative:
The princess looked up into my face
and smiled.
“Yes; thence to France. Ah. I could
go alone. But listen, monsieur. Above
all things there must be a scandal. A
princess elopes with an American ad
venturer. The priuce will withdraw
his suit. The king may or may not for
give me, hut 1 will risk It. He is still
somewhat fond of me notwithstanding
the worry 1 have caused him. This
\>ay is the only method by which I
may convince him how detestable this
engagement is to me. Yet my freedom
Is more to me than my principality.
Let the king bestow It upou whom he
will. 1 shall become a teacher of lan
guages or something of that sort. 1
shall be free and happy. Oh. you will
have a merry tale to tell, a merry ad
venture. You will return to your coun
try. You will lie the envy of your com
patriots. You will recount at ydur
clubs a story such as men read, but
never hear told.” She was growing a
bit hysterical. As she looked at me she
saw that my face was grave.
“Is there no other way?” 1 asked.
“Can it not be accomplished without
scandal?”
“No. There must be scandal. Other
wise I should be brought back and for
given. and no* one would know. In a
certain sense I am valuable. The llo
henphalinns love me. '1 am something
of an idol to them. The king appreci
ates my rule. It gives him a knowl
edge that there will be no internal
troubles in Hohenpbalia so long as
matters stand as they now do. Still,
there are limits to the king’s patience,
and 1 am about to try them severely.
But monsieur hesitates. He will with
draw his promise."
“No, your highness,” said 1. “1 bars
given my word. As for the scandal, it
is not for myself that I oare. It will be
a Jolly adventure for me, and then I
shall have such a clever story to tell
my friends at the clubs.”
She saw that I was offended. “For
give me. monsieur. I know that you
would do no Buch thing. But let me
explain to you. At the station we will
be Intercepted by two trusted and high
officials at court.”
“What!* I exclaimed. "Do they
know ?”
“No, but I shall write to them anony
mously, the note to be placed in their
bands Immediately we leave the prem
ises.”
I looked at the woman In wonder.
“But this is madness!” I cried.
"Directly you will see the method In
the madness. Without their knowing
there could be no scandal. They will
try to stop us. You will overpower and
bind them. There will also be several
other witnesses who will not be par
ticipants. Through them It will be
come known that I have eloped with
an American. Oh, It Is a well laid
plan.”
“But supposing I am overpowered
myself, thrown into jail and I know
Cot what?” All this was more than I
had bargained for.
“Nothing nf the kind will happen.
Monsieur will hold a pistol In each
hand when the carriage door Is open
ed. You will say: *1 am a desperate
man. One of you bind the other or I
fire!' It will be done. You will spring
upon the remaining one. and 1 will help
you to bind him likewise. Oh. you will
accomplish It well. You are a strong
man. Moreover, you are rapid.”
1 sat la my chair, speechless. Here
was a woman of details. I bad never
met one before.
“Well, does monsieur accept the ad
venture or does he politely decline?”
There was a subtle taunt In her tones.
That decided me.
“Your highness. 1 should be happy to
meet a thousand uhlans to do you serv-
Ice. What you ask me to do Is quite
simple.” I knew that I should lose
my head in case of failure. I rose and
bowed as unconcernedly as though she
bad hut asked me to Join her with a
cup of tea.
“Ah. monsieur, you are a man!” And
she laughed softly as she saw me
throw back my shoulders. There* was
unmistakable admiration in her eye3.
“And yet.” with a sudden frown,
“there will be danger. Y’ou may slip.
You may become iujured. Y'es, there
Is danger.”
“Your highness." said I lowly, com
pelling her eyes to meet mine, “it is not
the danger of the adventure or'its re
sults that I most fear.” I was honest
enough to make my meaning clear.
She blushed. “I said that I trusted
monsieur’s honor,” was her rejoinder.
“Come.” with a return of her imperi
ousness, “it is time that we were gone."
She drew on her cloak and dropped the
veil. “I might add.” she said, “that
we will remain in France one hour.
From there you may go your way, and
I shall go secretly to my palace.”
And the glamour fell away like the
last leaves of the year.
1 had to wake up the driver, who had
fallen asleep.
“Where shall 1 say?” I asked.
“To your hot A 1 shall give the driv
er the remaining instructions.”
“But you haven't told me.” said 1, as
I took my place in the carriage, “how 1
am to become a guest at the dinner to
morrow evening.”
“1 spoke to the king this morning. I
said that 1 had a caprice. He replied
that if 1 would promise it to be my last
he would grant ft. I promised. I said
that it was my desire to bring to the
dinner a person who though without
rank was a gentleman, one who would
grace any gathering, kingly or other
wise. My word was sufficient. 1 knew
before I asked you that you would
come. Twenty-four hours from now
we—that is, you and I—will be on the
way to the French frontier. 1 shtfll be
ever hi your debt.”
Silence fell upon us. 1 knew that 1
loved her with a love that was burning
me up. consuming me. Ami the adven
ture was aLI so> unheard of tor these
prosaic times! And so full of the
charm of mystery was she that 1 had
not been a man not to have fallen a
victim. What possibilities suggested
themselves to rne as on we rode! Ouee
across the frontier i should be free to
confess my love for ber. A princess?
What of that? She would be only a
woman—the woman I loved. I trem
bled. Something might happeu so that
she would have to turn to me. If the
king refused to forgive her. she was
mine! Ah, that plain carriage held a
wonderful dream that night. At length
—too shortly for me—the vehicle drew
up In front of my hotel. As I was
about to alight ber band stretched to
ward me. But instead of kissing it I
pressed my lips on ber round white
urin. As though my lips burned, she
drew-back.
“Have a care, monsieur; have a
care.” sbe said Icily. “Such a kiss has
to be won.”
I stammered an apology and stepped
out. Then 1 heard a low laugh. “Good
night. Mr. Hillars. You are a brave
gentleman!”
The door closed, and the vehicle sped
away Into the darkness. 1 stood look
ing after it. bewildered. Her last
words were spoken in pure English.
With the following evening came the
dinner, and 1 as a guest—a nervous,
self conscious guest who stAted at ev
ery footstep. I was presented to the
king, who eyed me euriously. Seeing
that 1 wore a medal such as his chan
cellor gives to men who sometimes do
his country service, he spoke to me and
inquired how 1 had obtained it. It was
an affair similar to the Balkistan, only
there was not an army, but a mob. The
princess was enchanting. I grew reck
less and let her read my eyos more
than once, but she pretended not to see
what was in then). At dinner a toast
was given to his majesty. It was made
with those steins 1 showed you, Jack.
The princess said softly to me, kiss
ing the rim of the stein she held, “My
toast is not to the king, but to the gen
tleman!” I had both steins bundled up
and left with the host together with
Biy address.
It was not long after that the event
ful moment for our flight arrived. 1
knew that I was basely to abuse the
hospitality of the king. But what is a
king to a man In love? Presently we
two were alone In the garden, the prin
cess and niyrelf. She was whispering
Instructions, telling me that I was a
man of courage.
“It is not too late to back out;” she
said.
“I would face a thousand kings rath
er,” I replied.
We could see at the gate the carriage
which was to take us to the station.
Now came the moment when I was
tried by the crucible and found to be
dross. I committed the most foolish
blunder of my life. My love suddenly
overleaped Its bounds. In a moment
my arms were around her lithe body;
my lips met hers squarely. After It
was done she stood very still, as if in
capable of understanding my offense.
But I understood. I was overwhelmed
with remorse, love and regret. I had
made impossible what might have
V [*© BS CONTtNUKD.]
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Citation for Dismission. ,
t
GEORGIA, Bartow County.
Whereas, H. H, Milam represents w
the Court in bis petition, duly filed
entered on record, that he has
ministered Kilev Milam’s estate.
is therefore, to cite ali persons conce w
ed, kindred and creditors, to *"
cause, if any they can, why said
torslinuld not he dischargeand
Administration, and receive ltte
dismission on the first Monday
March, 1901 This Dec ft. 1900.
G W. HENDRICKS, Ordinary.
Twelve Month's Snpport
GEORGIA. Bartow County . rt
The Appraisers appointed to set
a twelve months' support ,or *s Having
ot Lewis Richardson. deeeaMd.h ,
filed their return, all persons coineri
are hereby cited and requiredl t 0 * i(J
cmsein the Court of Ordinary
County, within four weeas iro'ii
publication of this notice, nvtn L
plication for said twelve months
pwt should not he granted.
This Dec, ft. 1900. - - it ~-r.
G. W. HENDRICKS,