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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1923)
The Princess Dehra BY JOHN REED SCOTT. Copyright, 1*08. by John Heed Scott He laid explained fully to her the complication'produced by the disappearance of the laws, re counting ii) detail the scene at the royal council, when the com promise was forced; but as to Adolph and the incidents of the king's library he said never a word. To her prompt query, as to how he accounted for the hook’s disappearance, he an swered that the American, know ing it contained no decree in his favor, had stolen and, doubtless, destroyed it— and that the prin cess royal’s story was a clever lie—“just such a lie as you, your self, would have told for me, in a similar exigency,’’ he had add ed^ and she had smiled an ac quiescence—thinking, the while, that for the American she would have'done much moie titan lie, and gladly, if he wo aid hut let her. ►Since the day when, as Colonel Spencer’s bride, she had come to the old fort on the Missouri, and had first set eyes on Captain Ar rr.and Dalberg, there was hut one man who might have stirred her cold heart 1o an honest heat; and though he had ignored her over tures, and finally had scorned them with scarring words, yet it had not entirely killed the old dc sire; ana eveu now, alter an tnat she had done against him, and was ready yet to do,a single word from him* would have brought her to his side. Yet, because she knew that word would never come, and that another woman claimed him honestly and with out fear, she would go on with her part; and all the more will ingly that, it enabled her to strike through him the woman who had won him. And now, after the two weeks quiescence, the restless fever was upon her, and the duke had caught the signs; next would come the call to Paris; and he knew the second call would win. If he were to hold her, it was time to start the campaign she had come to assist—and that very day was his visit to the summer palace, and tlm sudden determi nation of his plan. IJ it when, in the evening, lie ha 1 gone to her apartments to tell her of it, and to discuss the op :ning moves, she had sent him the message that she was indisposed and hud re tired, ami that he should break fast. with her the next day. And in the morning lie had found her in her boudoir, in the most, enticing of soft blue gowns, and no touch of dishabille nor carelessness in all her attire, from the arrangement of the ra ven hair to the shoeing of the slender feet. Madeline Spencer was much too clever to let a man see her in negligee when, to him, the hour for negligee was passed. She met him with a smile, and let. him kiss her cheek. “1 am sorry about last night, dear,” she raid, “but 1 was quite too wretched to see even you— and l wanted to see you.” lie sat on the arm of the chair, playing softly with her hair. “I wish 1 could believe that it was just I you wanted,” he said. She shot, him an upward glance of her siren eyes. 1 have been thinking about this business that we have on hand,” she continued; “and, Ferdinand, if you wish my aid, you must, get busy—I can’t en dure this stagnation longer. I’m a. wild beast that would die in jeonfinement; I need the jungle "ami the air ami sky.” He laughed, and pinched her ear. “Your jungle, little one, is the Champs Elysees and cher Max im’s; la chaleur communicative du banquet;—you air and sky, the adulation of the masculine and the stare of admiring eyes.” “Yes, it 13; and I’ve been away a long, long time; yet I want to stay with you until this work is ended—because” (taking his hand and smiling up at him) “you have been good to me, and because it promises excitement of a novel sort—only, dear, do let us be at it.” A door swung back. “Madam is served I” came the monotone. As they went in, the duke slipped his arm around her slen /Ipp wu luf “We’re going to be at it,” he said; “aend the servants away ai.d I’ll tell you my plan; it was for that. I came last evening.” “Now, tell ine!” she ex claimed, as the door closed be hind the footman. “We are going back to Lot Eenia,” he said. She paused, and the black eye brows went up. “We” she inflected. He nodded. “That is where the game will be played out.” “And why not here, in Dorn lit}:?” “Because it’s easier there— and surer.” She made to shiver. “So, for me, it’s only out of a charming mausoleum into a common grave.” He laughed. “It will be a rarely lively grave, my dear Madeline, and, I promise you, exciting enough for even your starved nerves.” “When do wre start?” “Soon, I trust—there is w’ork to be done here first.” “And I may help?” “Yes, you may help—the plan reeds you.” “And the plan?” she asked eagerly. “The very simplest I could devise,” said he; “to lure the American to Lotzenia and-” She smiled comprehendingly. “Why take all that trouble— why not kill him in Dornlitz?” He flung up a caution in hand. “Softly, my dear, softly—and not so blunt in the words—and as I said, it’s easie there and * surer.” “But it would be so much pret tier to play the game out here,” she half objected; “and more ac cordant with your taste, I fancy.” “Very true,” said her. “It’s always more artistic to run a man through with a rapier than to kill him with a club; hut in this business it’s the end alone that concerns me. Yet the pri mary essential, in either method, is opportunity and freedom of movement; neither is here; both will be plentiful in the north.” “And, of course, at your friendly invitation, the Ameri can will gladly accompany you to Lotzenia and permit himself to bo—offered up.” “Practically that.” An impatient smile shone in he^ eyes. * I do not understand, Ferdi nand, why you persist in under raiing your enemy; it’s the cli max of bad generalship. The American may he reckless and a hit hears!rung, but assuredly he is not a fopl.” The duke shrugged his slioul decs. “He can fight, I grant you —hut he can’t scheme nor plot— nor detect one, though it’s as evi dent as the sun.” “ And yet— ’ she waived her hand toward the Epsau—“it is he you’re fighting for the crown.” “Luck!” he seoffed—“a dot ard king, a damn huzzar uni form, and a silly girl.” “Is his luck any the less now, with the girl regent of Valeria?” she asked. “Possibly not,” he said; “and hence another reason for the mountains—she won’t be with him there.” . She gave it up—she had tried repeatedly, but it was impossi ble, it seemed, to arouse him to Armand s real ability—when hate rides judgment, reason lies hound and gagged. ‘Why should the governor of Dornlitz go to fur off Lotzenia?” she asked. He glanced around the room suspiciously; then scribbled a line in pencil on his cuff and held it over to her. She read it^and looked at him in puzzled interrogation. “I don’t understand,” she said; ‘‘you told me that he-” lie had anticipated her cpies tion. ‘‘So I did,” he interrupted quickly, “but I have no proof; and lately I have come to doubt it. At any rate, this will dis close the truth. If my scheme works, he will follow into hell itself.” “A strikingly appropriate name for your castle, dear,” she laughed. He nodded and smiled. “And what if the scheme doesn’t work?” she asked. ‘‘In that event, the laugh is on me, aud we must devise another means to draw him there.” ‘‘Which will be quite fruitless, I can assure you.” ‘‘Then we will fight it out here,” he said, ‘‘and I shall doubly need you.” ‘‘And you’ll get me, doubly welcome.” . . . She lit a eig aret ami passed it to him; aud lit another ior herself. ‘‘Now, how are we to contrive to set the trap?” A footman entered and braided I the duke a visiting card, with I something penciled on it. . . . “It's Bigler,’’ he said, “and he asks to be admitted immedi ately—he’s always in a rush. Tell Count Bigler I'll see him pres ently.’’ She stayed the servant with a motion ; she did not intend to lose Lotzen until he had told her the whole plot. “Why not have him here?’’ she asked; “and then let him go.” “By all means, if you will per mit,’’ arid he nodded to the foot man. Most women would have called Count Bigler handsome; and not a few men, as well. He was red headed and ruddy, with clean cut features, square chin, and a laughing mouth, that contrary to V alerian fashion was not topped by a moustache; Since boyhood, he had been Lotzen’s particular companion and intimate; and, as is usual iu such instances, he was almost his antipode iu tempera ment and manner. He saluted the duke* with easy Off-handedness, and bent with deferential courtesy over Mrs. Spencer’s hand; but pressing it altogether more tightly than the attitude justified. She answered with the faintest finger tap and a quick smile, and waved him to a chair. “If I’m de trop,’’ she said, “I’ll vacate.’’ \ Madame is never de trop, to me,” he answered, taking the cigaret she offered and smiling down at her, through the smoke, as he lit it. When he turned to sif down, the left side of his face was, for the first time, toward the duke, showing* the ear bound with strips of surgeon’s plaster. “In the name of heaven, man,” said he, “what have yom been doing with yourself?” The count laughed. “Trading the top of my ear for a day or two more of life.” “Duel?” Lolzen asked. “Yes, after a fashion, but not exactly under the code.” rl he primeval woman stirred in Mrs. Spencer. “The story, count, the story!” she demanded coiling her little arms behind her head, and lean ing far back in languorous grace fulness. “It’s the story that brings me he -* so early,” lie replied. The duke was frowning. Duel ling was a serious crime in Val eria, even in the army, and it was a particularly unfortunate mom ent for Bigler to pffend; and especially as only the governor of Dornlitz, or the regent could save him from punishment. “How did you manage to get into such a mess just at this time?” he asked sharply. “Was any one killed?” The count nodded. “Four, I think; I didn’t stay to examine them.” “Four! four! God, man, was it a massacre?” “Almost—I in the. sole surviv or on your side.” Lot ben’s frown grew. “On my side!” he echoed. i was assuming to act for you,” Bigler explained. “For me!—who was on the other side?” “The American—the Ameri can and Bernheim.” For a space the duke smoked in silence; then he gave a faint chuckle. “They came rather close to making it five, didn’t they?” He touched his ear—“Bernheim, I suppose? ... Of course, the American would have made it five. Wliat a fool you are, Big ler, to go into such a tiling with out telling 'me.” “I’m telling you now,” the count grinned. “And I’m exceedingly grate ful to my dear cousin for leaving you to tell it. It’s the only ser vice he has ever done me. 1 as sume it isn’t necessary to ask if you got him—or even wounded him?” “Quite unnecessary.” Madeline Spencer had been chafing at the delay; now she arose, and, going over to a divau, sank sinuously among the pil lows, one trim, blue silk ankle shimmering far below her skirts. “If you were as slow in the fight, count, as you are in get ting at the story,” she remarked, “ it’s a wonder to me how Bern heim missed you.” Both men laughed, and Big ler's glance lingered a moment in open admiration. The duke swung his hand to ward her. “Madame grows impatient,” he said. “Proceed, Monsieur Ed mund.” The count took a fresh cig aret. “It w'as this way,” he began, pivoting his chair around on one back leg, so that V "’mild have ✓ both his auditors within his di rect vision. “The two wfceks we wore bound to idleness mourn ing for old Frederick, I spent in watching the American. I soon discovered that it was his cus tom, every few' days, to visit* very late at jnight, his friend, the American ambassador, and that he invariably not only w’alked the entire distance from the Ep sau and back, but also went un» * attended. It soemer to me very simple to waylay him, some night on his return; the streets were usually deserted then, and ha should be an easy victim, if set upon by enough men to assure success. And I hail about ar ranged the matter, when I chanced to remember that tha De Saures wrere still in the coun try and their house closed. It stands far back from the avenue, you know', and a saf«r and surer plan occurred to me:—I would lure him into this house, and leave him there for burial. In the dark, my four rogues coidd put enough steel through him, from behind, to insura his quick demise. I proposed to'take no chances with such a swordsman by giving him a light; and-be sides, it was just as well that the men should not know tnelir vic tim. Nor did they ever see me unmasked. For dec’oy, one of the rogues procured a woman—” ‘‘What!” exclaimed the duke —“one of their women!” It was voice, not beauty, I wanted—the cry of a female for help. >' — Lotzen nodded and smiled. “Rather clever.” “For a week we met at the house at 11 o’clock every night, but the American didn’t go to the embassy. Then, last night, at 12, he went, and old Bemheiin with him. That didn’t bother me much, however, and we waited for their return. . They came about 2, through driving rain and wind; and the woman played her part perfectly. Such pite ous cries 1 never heard. ‘Don’t strike me again—don’t strike me again—help — help; ’ reiterated in tones that would have moved even your heart, n\y dear duke. I was concealed near the gate and they moved me—and they caught the American instantly, though Bernheitn scented danger and protested vigorously. ‘It may be a trap of Lotzen’s,’ he warned. ‘Damn Lotzen!’ was the prompt answer, as the girl wailed again—I tell you she was an artist at it; she, herself, must be used to beatings. They ran up the path to The house, I fol lowing; and here the whole scheme was almost upset by some fool having left the front door open. Bernheim protested that it proved the trap; and even the American was hesitating, when again the woman v/ailed. That settled it; and I dashed around the house to the rear entrance. “My purpose was to draw them upstairs and finish the job there. They searched the first floor—wre were on the second— then, leaving all the electric lights burning, they ascended— and we went down the back way, turned off the lights and closed and locked the doors. They promptly extinguished the lights they had set going above, and the house was in the densest darkness I have ever known. We could hear them whispering in the upper hall; and I sent two of my rogues up the front stairs and led the others up the rear, in tending to snap an electric torch for the instant it would require to do our work; and whieh seemed all the easier because I had observed, at the gate, that the American was without his sword. When we were half way up, I heard a crash from the front, followed by the Ameri can’s laugh. I paused an instant, then hurried on, and fell over a chair that had been placed at the head of the stairs. Every thing remained quiet, however, and we went forward into the hall. My finger was on the key of the torch when there came a shrill whistle, and the lights went on. I saw Bernheim in front of us, pistol in hand; it flashed, and the man on ray left went down. At the same moment, the American sprang at us from be hind and felled the other fellow with the hilt of a sword—where he got it the devil only knows. As for me, I admit I was dazed with surprise; I heard the Amer ican offer me the choice: pistol or sword—I took the pistol. I had retained enough sense to know I hadn’t the faintest chance with him. The front steps were near; I made the leap of my life, and plunged down them. Bernheim fired three times—this (indicating his ear) was the last, the first two missed.”__ - (To be Continued Tteit W«ok > Mrs. Martha Strayer ARE YOU A SUFFERING WOMAN! Health is Most Important ttf Too Iincoln, Nebr.—“At one time I 1 became very miserable with weakness from which women suffer. I suffered all the time. One of my neighbors urged me to take Dr. Pierce’s Favor ite Prescription because it had cured her of similar symptoms, so I decided to try it. The iirst bottle made me feel s» much better, I took four more, and feel certain that in that one experience ‘Favorite Prescription’ saved me from the operating table and the sur geon’s knife. Two years afterwards when the turn of life commenced, I took the ‘Prescription’ again with the result that I came through strong and healthy and am still maintaining wonder fulhealth.”—Mrs. Martha Straver, 218 S<l 19th St. Sena 10c to Dr. Pierce’s, Buffalo, N. Y., for trial pkg. Prescription tablets. COUGH? DI COX njwi SttcsSJ: ant—doc* not up —- set stomach — bo m opiates. 35c and ■ -- 60c everywhere. K9 Roadside Tragedy. A, curious and Informative accident was observed on Randolph street yes terday evening. A girl in short skirts and high Russian boots, wide-flaring at the top, was strolling down the side walk. A young man, passing her, cas ually throw away his lighted cigarette. The girl took five steps and then start ed kicking the left leg. In another moment she was danoing in a hysteri cal circle. The volunteer fire department helped hw off with the left boot and re moved tliQ. cigarette, with what was left of a charred silk stocking.—Chi cago Post. If one likes a inan, it is no effort &t all to share his happiness. FROM 94 POUNDS SHE COES T0132 Mrs. Gross Praises Tanlac for Overcoming Stomach Trouble —Says Results Are Priceless. “Before I took Tanlac I only weighed ninety-four pounds and scarcely had strength £o sweep the floor; but now I weigh one hundred and thirty-two and am healthy and happy as can be.” This remarkable statement was made, recently, by Mrs. Mabel Gross, 1137 Aldrich St., N., Min neapolis, Minn. “For nearly two years I had been In a seriously weakened condition and suffered nearly all the time from headache and backache. 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