The Princess Dehra

f strange happenings in Dornlitz, in which the Duke had been too intimately concerned to please the King, and as punishment had been banished to his mountain esta

of the mountain overhanging the foaming Dreer. They knew it meant the Duke himself was in presence; but to them there was but one over-lord: the D

eir loyalty, but lately there had come from across the Sea a new Dalberg, of the blood of the great Hen

gh Heaven the while, that she might not reign over them, when Frederick the King

rossing its boundary, but after a time he came at intervals, with a companion or two, into the low-lands, choosing th

and when the wind was from the North it strewed the valley with whisps of music and strands of laughter. And the country-side shook its head, and marveled at the turning of night int

any would come plunging down the mountain, and, with the great dogs baying before them, go racing throug

r touch on rein, a careless grace in saddle. And as they rode the Duke watched her with glowing eyes; and his cold face warmed with his tho

, she had ref

sounding of the horn he had sought

leaned on the b

f what?"

ng-of myself

body?" smilin

y tires of

t to leave m

. "No, not you, Fe

them away?" he

lonely place mo

miserable place

to Paris to-ni

answered, gravely, "fo

up at him and touching,

rs. "You forget, there

Frederick never be the wise

, ma belle,-well, believe me, I w

from the court-yard; the

ently;" and with a clatter and a shout,

going over and drawing h

tters," he laughed, "since we are h

red, caressingly; "to the boulevards a

at you ask, little one-once I might h

would the penalty now be s

Why should he be so careful not to transgress even the spirit of the royal order?-he who had not hesitated to play a false wife against the Archduke Armand, to try assassination, and to arrange deliberately to kill him in a duel. She remembered well that evening in her reception room, at the Hotel Metzen in Dornlitz, when Lotzen's whole scheme had suddenly collapsed like a house of cards. She recalled the King's very words of

at Henry, when he had gone to America and taken service under Washington) had tangled matters, for Armand was senior in line to Lotzen. It was known that Henry, shortly before his death, had revoked the former decree and restored Hugo and his children to their rank and estates; and Frederick had proclaimed this decree to the Nation and had executed it

to the Castle. But every time she had led up to it, he had led away, and with evident deliberation. Plainly there was something in t

r with him; he was then too small game for her bow; and there would be a very chill welcome for her in Dornlitz from Queen Deh

shoulders and let a whisp of per

he said, "why won'

cheek. "Because I'm surer of you

all to come her

you would

r hand stole into his. "Tell me, sweetheart, why you will not

e steadily into the distance, with eyebrows slightly

making Armand king!" she exclaimed, as th

arm appreciation in his eyes. The answer she had

and kissed

g," he said, and swung her to the floor. "Come, let us walk on the wall,

flash of angry disappointment, t

t is it? The infatuation of the

his eagernes

lord, to prolong our moment; to extend ou

re they ended?"

"No-not yet." He slowly closed

f being the Archduke Armand's wife. Love may be what you style it: 'the infatuation of the moment; the pleasure of an hour.' If so, for you, my moment and my hour still linger. But with you, I know, there is a different motive; you may like me pas

ough the window; now sh

e as well,

to know if I am still the Heir Presumptive. You shall have your answer: I do not

hendingly. It was

al is betrothed to Ar

. "Just so," he said. "Do you

arm of a chair rested her slender feet on the fende

n was restored to Hugo's rank, he did not, by that very fact

he chair arm for an

himself restored Hugo and his heirs to rank and estate; but i

s he ma

head. "I do

would be promul

required is a line in the big book which for ce

er shoe, tapping it the

arriage be solemn

her curtly. "N

ardon; I did not mean to be unkind. I was only thinking that, if t

t and drew her over until the

to me now-nothing but the King's daughter and the American's chief adv

ce, watching him the while through

prevent the marriage," she rem

sing to the table,

d, his back toward her, the matc

erest, but she did not answer, and when he glanced

igarette?

it to her and held the

u could suggest a

he ceiling. "Yes, go back to D

o with me?"

nt smile; "I have quite too vivid

hall I do it by pr

hough one's best servant

ing, but now he leaned

not mean it," he

ied both ways-and failed; but that is no assurance o

And meanwhile, of course, the Americ

hat steel vests do not protect the head; and that seve

d, "surely, you must

s aside with a w

ce at that, as you know. You have yourself considered it already sco

not go over to my enemies. Yo

uite as well as I, though possibly he may no

im

of nerve at first, when the American c

ll lose, y

arette among the r

smile touched her lips-"so far as I have observed, you

d drew her back to t

nce," said he; "some day I

duke Armand crow

er ear. "I trust so-with th

f the apathetic. Why don't you, at least, deal

e is another little game for you and me to play in D

ophet," she said; "I told yo

need you,

to Paris, or any place outside Valeri

d. "Will nothin

othing, my lord, nothing, s

and and tapped it sof

n," he said; then frowned, as

ur le Duc,"

rd from the salver

"have him shown to my private cabin

have hi

esit

; I thought yo

d. Then when the maid had gone: "There, Madeline, that

nd leaning over his should

e said, "but a woman likes to hav

atch her; but

-go and sit down."-She tried to reach her boudoir, but with

he said; "I'l

lack silk stockings and white lace, and she was across a huge sofa

d so, Count Bigl

d, hurrying over to greet him; "you are surely Heaven

that Bigler tried to hide by bowi

t to for amusement we were reduced to playing tag around the room-don

he answered, joining in her laugh

first, tell us the gossip of the Capital; we have heard nothing

ors handy, with a doting King to shower th

, cold at best,

date been annou

erstand it has been fixe

dly, shaking off the irritation, "tell us all you know-everything-from the newest dance at the opera to the tattle of th

I'm not here; I'm in Par

this Paris fever is the very devil; ar

glance at Mrs. Spe

t all," he said, "u

laughed; and Lotzen, who had quite missed the hi

r budget-out with it.

d began his tale. And it took time in the telling, for the Duke was constant in his ques

hts seemingly far away. And while he talked, Count Bigler watched her curiously, but discreetly. This was the first time he had seen the famous "Woman in Black" so closely, and her striking beauty fairly stu

d her heavy lashes, she flashed a smile upon him-half challenge, half rebuke-then turne

y as a broken bottle-and as dry," and he poured hims

ou have most carefully avoided the one matter that in

y ask?" he said. "You know quite w

r me to be sensitive. Come, o

:-they have the notion that you are no longer the Hei

"And on what is t

come accepted that the King not only has the power

-does he encou

"No, except by his open

kill the American," Lotzen remarked, wi

aid Bigler instantly, "t

an't, it's the end o

, even now. And candidly, my lord, to my mind, it's your only chance, if you wish the Crown; for, believe me, the Ar

the far end of the

t advice-to go to D

ir; and not mine alone, but Gimels' and Rosen's and Whip

ou any plan

then looked the Duke steadily in

arer, my dear," he said, "we may need y

and came and took the chair he offered

, "am I to go to Dornlitz openly or i

elf on Frederick's mercy. We think he will receive you and permit you to remain-but, at least, it

ike your plot; let us have it-and in it, I trust you have not overlooke

ut, if so, it won't be alone. We hav

servant entered, with the bright pink envelop

e Duke, and drawing out the mess

ve; and he sat silent, staring at the floor, creasing and recreasing the sheet with nervous fingers, and q

n voices, as the returning cavalcade dashed into the courtyard, w

He waited until the door closed; then held up the telegr

prang half out

he cried-"then, in God's name, wh

about to find out," he said, very qui