The Princess Delira
BY JOHN REED SCOTT.
Copy rtt? lit. tS08. by John Reed'Scott
“His Grace of Lotzon scema to
have discovered a mare’s neat,”
said Armaiid. “The decree that
is required to make me eligible
to tlie (Town and to restore me
my proper place in the line
of succession was executed by
Frederick the Fourth the night
before he died.”
And once again came Lotzen’s
taunting laugh.
“The night after he died, you
mean, cousin,” he exclaimed.
The prime minister turned
upon him with a frown,
r .“Your royal highness will per
mit me lo suggest,” said he, “the
prosperity, under the circum
stances, of neither you nor the
archduke addressing each oth
er.”
And Lotzcn, discerning that
the council was of the same
mind, nodded easily.
“1 cry pardon,” he replied.
“Your excellency is quite right
—but you will understand, I
deny the existence of this suspi
ciously timely decree. As to it,
at least, there is no presumption
of execution—the laws alone can
prove it,.”
The count turned to the arch
duke. “Your highness has seen
the decree?” he asked.
“ 1 have not.”
“Did the king tell you it, was
executed?”
He did not but he told an- i
ot her. ’ ’
“ And that other -?”
“Is the princess royal,’.’ ;#iid
the archduke.
The count paused a moment to
give the situation emphasis- and
3iotz.cn, chagrin and anger con
suming him, yet smiling and un
abashed, drew out a eigaret and
carefully lit. it.
“Do you thing her highness
would honor the council with the
facts?” Kpping asked.
“I will acquaint her with your
desires,” said Arntand.
CUAPTHli V.
—f
Ths Compromise.
The princess’ suite was across
the corridor from the king's, and
in a moment the archduke was
with her.
“Your majesty!" she cried,
and curtsied.
lie raised her quickly. “Not
yet, sweetheart," he said, “not
yet- and, may l»e, never."
She stepped hack and regard
ed him in puzzled surprise.
“You are jesting, dear," she
said, "surely, you arc jesting!"
lie shook his head and went
toward her.
“lint the decree- -the decree !"
she exclaimed, again stepping
back.
“The laws have disappeared,"
lie said, “the box is empty and
the book cannot he found."
In bewildered amazement she
let him lead her to a chair, and
listened, frowning and impatient,
to his story. Only once did she
interrupt when he mentioned
the duke’s unexpected entrance
- then she struck her hand
sharply on the table at her side.
“Lotzen! Oh, Lotzen!" she
cried, and with such threatening
vehemence that Armaud looked
at her in sudd ui wonder.
At the end, she sprang up.
"Come!” she commanded.
“Chune; lake mo to the council—
1 can at least assure they won’t
make Lotzen king,” and seizing
his hand she made for the door.
He slipped his arm around her
waist and detained f>.^r.
I “Are you sure, Debra, you
OUfcU to "mix in this unfortunate
squahhlet” he asked. “Is
it-”
one turned upon linn sharply.
“Squabblet Do you call a eon
test for Valeria’s throne a
squabble t”—then suddenly she
Smiled-—that sweet, adorable
smile she ever had for him. “lie
very careful, sir, or I sliail
tumble both you and Lot/.en
aside, and take the throne my
self. . . . Now, will you escort
me 1”
lie looked at her thoughtful
ly, then smiled ami patted her
cheek.
“Come, your majesty,” lie
said, ‘‘come, and claim your
crown; it’s yours by right, and
1 shall be the first to swear al
legiance.”
“And the first, to rebel,
dear,” she Uughedv
They entered the council
chamber through the king’s cab
inet, arid as the princess halted
a moment in the doorway the
ministers sprang to their feet
and stood waiting, while Ferdi
nan of hotzen advanced and
bowed low; not offering, how
ever, to take her hand, fearing it
would not be given, and having
no notion to risk a snub in such
company.
To his astonishment, Dehra
extended her hand and let him
kiss it.
“You come on a sad errand,
cousin,’’ she said.“I
would you were still in Lot
zenia.’’ The words were so in
nocently fitting, yet the double
meaning was so deliberate.
The duke slowly straightened,
discomfiture and amusement
struggling for control, while Ar
niand smiled openly anu the
’ministers looked away.
Meanwhile, the princess
passed on serenely to the table
and took the chair at its head.
Then, led by Count Epping, the
council came forward and made
obeisance. She received them
with just that touch of digni
fied sadness which the circum
stances demanded, and which,
with men, a woman must meas
ure with the exactness of fine
gold. And with it there was
the low, sweet voice, the win
ning graciousness, and the daz
sling smile—now softened just a
trifle—that never yet had failed
to conquer, and that had made
her the toast of the army and
the pride of the nation. And
Armand had watched her, with
glistening eyes, as one after an
other she sent the ministers back
to their places, bound to her
chariot wheels; captive and con
tent.
And Ferdinand of Lotzen,
seeing, understood; and for the
first time lie realized fully what
her aid meant to his rival, and
how little chance In* had to win,
save with the laws. And
straightway the last faint
scruple perished, and be set bis
cold heart against her, as well.
Henceforth, for him, there was
but one object in life—the
crown of his ancestors, and for
all who interfered there would
be neither consideration nor
mercy.
And the princess’ eye, resting
for an instant on his face, read
something of his mind, and with
a lift of the chin and a careless
smile she turned to the council.
“My lords,” she said, “his
royal highness has acquainted
me with your desires, and 1 am
glad indeed if 1 can serve you.
Hi; majesty, the night before he
died, executed the decree neces
sary to make the Archduke Ar
mand his successor.”
“You saw the decree?” Count
Epping asked.
“No, l did not, but what 1
know is this. Late that night
I went into the king’s library;
be was sitting at bis desk, with
the book of laws open before,
him and a pen in bis hand. He
was blotting a page as 1 entered.
‘You have made Armand’s~ de
cree?’ 1 cried, and went to his
side to read it; bat he laughed
and closed the .book, saying;
‘You may see it tomorrow, child,
after 1 have told Armand’.”
“And he did not tell you the
words of the decree,” the count
asked, after a pause, “neither
then nor the following day?”
The princess closed her eyes
and lowered her head.
“No,” she said; “no—I nev
er saw inv father again—alive.”
There was a distressing sil
lence then Armand spoke:
“The council will mj^lerstaud
that his majesty had no oppor
tunity to tell me of the decree.
I was with him yesterday only
at the review; naturally he
would not speak of it then.”
“And that was, I suppose, the
last time you saw the book of
laws?” Epping asked address
ing the princess, who had re
covered her composure.
“Yes—it was lying pn the ta
ble when 1 left.”
“May I ask your highness,’’
said Steuben, “why, when you
saw that his majesty had been
writing in the book of laws, you
assumed, instantly, that it was
‘Armand’s decree,’ as you put
it?’’
“You must know, my lords,’’
she responded, “that it is rare,
indeed, that a new law is made
for the Dalbergs, there have been
hut five in the last 100 years,
and the making is ever due to
some extraordinary circum
stance, which is known, of
course, to all the family. We
had been anticipating the de
cree, restoring Armarnl to his
rightful p’acc in the line of suc
cession as Hugo’s heir, and hence
it was very natural to assume it
mbs that which*his majesty had
written.’’ She paused, and, for
an instant, her glance strayed 10
the Duka of Lotzen. * * lint it
whs particularly natural,” she
went on, ‘‘inasmuch as the king
had mentioned the matter to me
twice within the week, the la-it,
line that very morning, am! re
ferring to it as ‘Armand's de
cree’.”
Stengen nodded. ‘‘I am satis
fied,” he said—-and Duval and
Marqnarul nodded.
The Prime minister turned to
F erdinand.
‘‘We would be glad to hear
jour rojal highness,” he said.
The duke laughed softly in
sneering amusement. He was
still standing behind his chair,
and now he tilted it forward*and
leaned across it, his arms folded
of the rail.
' Small chance have 1 against,
such a portia,” he answered.
“Yet 1 would remind the council
that, where kingdoms are con
cerned, a pretty woman is a dan
gerous advocate to follow—and
thrice dangerous when against
her is the written law and with
her only—conjecture.”
“Our cousin of Lotzen does
not mean to question my verac
ity?” the princess asked quickly.
“Your veracity?—never, I as
sure you—only your inferences.”
“And yet, sir, what other in
ferences can he drawn?”
He shrugged his shoulders and
turned to the prime minister.
“I reiterate my claim to the
crown,” he said; “and the only
law of the Dalbergs that is be
fore you confirms it. I cannot
conceive that the royal council of
Valeria will arrogate to itself
the right to annul a decree of
Henry the Third.”
“ His highness of Lotzen misses
the point,” said Armand. “I do
not ask the council to annul that
decree, but only to assume j’rom
her royal highness’ story that it
was duly and legally annulled
by Frederick the Fourth.”
“Exactly, my lords, exactly,”
the duke retorted; “inference
against fact—guesses against an
admitted law.”
Then Armand made the play
he had had in mind since it was
certain that the hook of laws was
lost, lie was standing behind
the princess’ chair—now he
stepped forward and addressed
the duke.
“Cousin,” he said, “we are
putting a grievous burden on the
ministers in obliging them to
choose - between us, with the
proofs seemingly so strong on
either side. It is not fair to them
to drive them to the embarrass
ment nor to the misfortune that
would attend a mistake. There
ought to be no doubt in the mind
of the nation as to the title of the
king; he who occupies the throne
should have his tenure unques
tioned; and such cannot, be if the
one of us who is today made king
is liable to be displaced tomorrow
by the other. Besides, as I un
derstand Henry the Third’s de
cree, the council has no jurisdic
tion except by our agreement.
You assert the decree of eligi
bility was not made by Frederick.
If that be true, then, there being
'a vacancy in the royal dignity
without such decree being made,’
it is for the house of nobles to
enact my eligibility and so give
m'e the crown, or to refuse and so
give it to you. Therefore, l pro
pose that for the space of a year,
or pending the recovery mean
while of the book of laws, we let
the question of succession re
main in abeyance. If, at the end
of the year, the book has not been
found, then the house of nobles
shall choose between us. And as
in the interval there must be
some one in supreme authority,
let her royal highness be pro
claimed regent of Valeria.”
Never before bad there been
su6h instant, open and cordial
unanimity among the ministers
of the royal council. Here was a
complete solution of the vexing
problem, and one, moreover, that
would relieve them of a most un
desirable duty. Baron Reitz's
smile was positively gleeful, and
the others nodded cnthsiastic&lly
and turned to the duke expec
tantly.
And Lotzen saw that he was
losing—and with rage and
hatred in his heart, but with calm
face and voice softer even than
usual, he made his last play,
knowing well that though it
might not win, it would at least
work a sweet revenge upon his
rival.
“An admirable compromise for
you, cousin mine,” he laughed;
“uiul clever, very clever—you
and Dehra are to he married on
the 27th. What difference, think
you, will there be between you as
king and you as consort of the
princess regent” Then he faced
the council and flung his last
card: “Otherwise, my lords,” ho
said with suave frankness, “I
would willingly accept his high
ness’ proposition—or l will ac
cept it, if it is engaged that the
w
wedding shall abide the termina
i lion of the regency . . . how
say you, cousin ? ”
Once again lad the duk®
turned the situation by his devil
ish cleverness, and Armand's lin
gers itched to take him by,the
throat and choke the life out of
him; and Lotzen, reading some
thing of this in his eyes, grinned
malevolently.
“Ilow say you, cousin?” he re
peated, “how say you?”
The archduke deliberately
gave him his back. ‘‘My lords,”
he said, “it seems the Duke of
Lotzen would force you to the
choice.”
But the old count did not in
tend to forego the compromise.
He wanted Arinad for king be
cause Armand was, de facto, the
head of the house, because he
was convinced the decree had
been executed, because it would
make Dehra the queen, and be
cause he despised Lotzen. With
the pringess as regent, there
would be ample means to swing
the nobles to the archduke, and
to prepare the public for his ac
cession. Of course, it would also
give Lotzen time to campaign,
yet he who fights the govern
ment has a rough road to travel,
and usually fallj by the way.
Leastwise, the count was very
ready to adventure it. But he
needed aid now; and aid that
could come from but one quarter
and which he could seek only by
indirection—Dehra alone con
trolled the situation.
“The compromise suggested
is admirable,” Ke said, “and
though there is force in the ob
jection made to it, yet, my lord,”
(addressing Lot/.en) “you can
not expect the archduke to ac
cept your amendment, ltds not
for tiie man to change the wed
ding day-”
The princess sat up sharply*
When Armand had suggested
her as regent she had leaned for
ward to decline, but catching Ep
ping’s eye she had read an almost
imperious order to wait; and
having full faith in him, she had
obeyed. Now she saw what he
wanted; and though it was
against her heart’s desire and a
cheerless business, yet her own
judgment told her he was right.
“It is not for the man,” the
count repeated, looking-at her
hard, “to change the wedding
day, and least of all-”
“Wait, monsieur,” she broke
in. “It seems that unwittingly I
have been drawn into the situa
tion, and put in a position where
I am obliged to speak. Does the
royal council approve this com
promise, and desire me to become
regent of Valeria?”
The count smiled in supreme
satisfaction.
“I can ^ssure your highness
we are of one mind that, in this
exigency, it is your duty to as
sume the office.”
The princess arose. “Then, my
lords,” she said gravely, “I ac
cept, hereby engaging that my
wedding shall abide the termina
tion of the regency.”
The archduke made a gesture
of protest, but Dehra flashed him
her subduing smile and shook her
head, and there was naught for
him to do but to smile back—
and add one more to the score
that, some day, Ferdinand of Lot
zen would have to settle.
The prime minister looked^at
the duke with a bland smile of
triumph, and then at Armand.
“Is it your joint wish,” he
asked, “that we ratify the stipu
lation and proclaim the re
gency ¥ ’ ’
“It is,” said the archduke ; but
Lotzen only bowed.
Count Epping drew his sword.
“Valeria hails the Princess
Dehra as regent,” he cried. It
was the ancient formula changed
to fit the occasion.
And this time Armand’3 blade
rang with the others across the
table, and his voice joined exult
antly in the answer that echoed
through the room.
“We hail the princess re
gent !’’
As the sound died Ferdinand
of Lotzcn stepped forward and
bent knee.
“God save your royal high
ness!” lie said, and again Debra
gave him her hand.
“And grant me streugth,”
she answered.
“Amen,” said the count grave
ly. “Amen.”®
It was Lotzen who broke the
stillness.
“With your highness’ permis
sion 1 will withdraw,” he said;
“there are pressing personal af
fairs which demand my presence
elsewhere.” He turned to go.
“One moment, cousin,M said
she—then to Hie prime minister:
“Will the council need his high
ness!” ____
(To Re Continuedi Next Week)
Raymond Collins of Brooklyn, con
victed of n murder charge on Staten
Island. has become the champion checker
player In the Sin* Sing death house.
DECREE FOR
DIVORCE WON
BY TIERNAN
Judge’s Decision Final Chapter
in Professor’s Domestic
Tragedy—Baby Billy Goes to
Mother, Others to Father.
MY GENE FLACK,
Universal Service Correspondent.
South Bend, Ind., Nov. 23.—The
Inst chapter in the Tiernan domestic
tragedy was written into the records
of the St. Joseph county court today,
when Superior Judge Chester R.
Montgomery granted Prof. John P.
Tiernan a complete divorce.
For the second time in the first
hectic year in the life of “Baby Billy”
Tiernan, a court of law intervened
as official guardian to provide for
the welfare of the helpless young
ster, whose parentage was made a
moot question in one of the most
celebrated paternity hearings of
record.
"But what about the third child?”
interposed Judge Montgomery, after
the case had been formally closed
and all reference to provision for
thqf helples infant had been sedu
lously evaded. “That child was born
in wedlock and the question of his
paternity is not in contest here. He
tunnot be ignored and it is the duty
*{ this court to see that adequate
provision is made for him.”
Mother Takes “Baby Billy.”
Attorney Samuel Feiwell, repre
senting Mrs. Tiernan, who was pros
trated at home and unable to attend
the proceedings, then declared that
the principals had agreed that the
mother would care for the fatherless
babe, and (he custody of the older
children, Irene, 5, and Mary, 4, might
be granted to the professor. The
court* acquiesced.
Although Professor Tiernan had
based his petition for divorce upon
the charge of “cruelty,” to avoid ex
huming the scandal of his wife’s con
fessed amours, as he said, the name
of Harry Poulin was several times
hissed into the record by the cross
complainant, reiterating the charge
that the debonair campus haber
dasher was the father of his wife’s
third child, and the direct cause for
the dissolution of his home.
Professor Nervous.
Pale and emaciated, it was with
trembling lips and a quivering voice
that ttie usually composed university
profe!?sor narrated his grievances
from the witness stand.
Mrs. Tiernan’s open protestation of
nn ardent love for the dapper cloth
ing salesman as her “ideal” and ter
lolerrja ieclaraticj' that some day she
would marry ntm, after oft repeated
promises to ban him from her
thoughts, i rompted the professor to
finally separate and institute divorce
action on October 7 last, he testified.
"We were sitting together in the
parlor of our home that night,” re
cited the professor. “We had been
discussing our turbulent marital ca
faar. After a pause, I asked her:
Hus, do you really love me?’ She
waited for a moment and then re
plied: ’Daddy, I respect you as a pro
vider,* but I could never—no, never
love you as a husband, for I’m in love
with Harry. He’s my Ideal. He is
the father of my child, and some day
I’m going to marry him and legitimize
my baby. No, we can never be happy
together again. We must part event
ually. Perhaps best now.
"I argued with her for a bit, but she
was adamant. So I went upstairs to
my room on the second floor, and
from that day to this I have scarcely
spoken a word to her.”
Next Tuesday will mark Baby
Billy’s first birthday. It will be cele
brated by the exodus of both the pro
fessor and his wife—each going
their separate ways. The professor
will leave for New York with the two
older children, and there enter the
indeptndent practice of law. Mrs.
Tiernan will go to Chicago to find
work to care for herself and her for
saken babe.
STATES WANT RAIL
POWERS RESTORED
Committee Ask3 Harding to
Recommend Transporta
tion Act Changes.
Washington, Nov. 23 (U. P.).—
President Harding was asked today
to recommend in his annual message
to congress amendments to the
transportation act restoring to state
railroad commissions the powers
they enjoyed prior to the war in
control over Intrastate rates and dis
tribution of cars.
The request was presented by a
committee of the National Associa
tion of State Railroad Commis
sioners, headed by Dwight H. Lewis,
president.
It asked:
1. Restoration of authority to
state commissions to control intra
state rates.
2. Authorization of state commis
sions to control distribution of cars
of shippers between their respective
states regardless of the destination of
freight.
3. Congressional support by prop
er appropriations for the valuation
of railroads now being undertaken
by the Interstate Commerce com
mission.
“EGG STRIKE" IS WON.
Chicago, Nov. 23 (IT. P.)—Chicago
fresh egg eaters won their strike to
day.
Prices on the local market dropped
5 cents after a steady rise to a high
level of 54 cents yesterday.
Consumers were buying packed
an storage eggs instead o£ fvesh ones,
local dealers declare^
i
Business Woman
Feared She Had
Heart Trouble
“Since Tanlac Jwis overcome a bad
case of indigestion und nervousness
of three or four years' standing for
me, my work here in the store is a
pleasure, and I am certainly grateful
for Hie good health it has given me,’’
said Mrs. J. W. Plckins, of 516 E. 15th
St., Los Angeles, who owns and oper
ates the book store at 219 Mercantile
Place.
“I wus so run down that I felt miser
able all the time. My sleep was broken
and restless, I had no appetite, and
the gas from undigested food caused
my heart to palpitate so I thought 1
bad heart trouble. For u time I had
a swelling in my legs, too, and it wns
an effort for me to get about.
"It Is wonderful how Tanlac has
given me such perfect relief from these
troubles. I eat heartily now, sleep
like a child at night, and just feel fine
all the time.”
Tanlac is sold by all good druggists.
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Progress in Sahara.
The limits of the great arid wastes
of the Sahara desert are slowly being
narrowed by the invasion of windmills
and motorcars. The oases are being
linked together by good motor high
ways and the sinking of wells is great
ly Increasing the tillable area. The
soil Is fertile and, wherever water can
be obtained, tropical fruits, millet and
other cereals may be raised.
A trans-Snbnrlan railroad has been
proposed by the French government,
bdt there are many technical problems
to be solved In the construction of such
a line. The desirability and value of a
rail connection across the desert be
tween southern Algeria on the north
nnd western French Afiica on the
soutli Is obvious.
Too Much.
“Is It possible that after your
ffither had deeded the old farm to you
In return for your promise of a good
home for the rest of his life, you
'turned him out?"
“Certainly! I tt'ld him I wasn’t
running an asylum for fools."—Kan
sas City Star.
No funny story should he over three
minutes long In telling.
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