f . ' The Princess Dehra BY JOHN REED SCOTT. Copyright, 1908, by John R*ed Scott S-_ 0 Mile. d’Essolde looked at him in contemptuous scorn—though, in truth, she was more inclined to laugh; she never could he an gry with her Irishman, for long. “You savage,” she said, “you brutal savage; don’t ever speak to ine again.” P’ Jjfe stepped forward and of fered #hin arm, with all the suav ity he knevfsft well. ** “Never again after dinner, mademoiselle,” he said sadly; “meanwhile, the pleasure is mine.” * And to his surprise she took his arm; and when the others’ backs were turned, she looked up and smiled, the impudently provoking smile he hod suffered under so long, and had at last punished. “My compliments, Monsieur Ralph, on your adroit profici ency, —and the tone and man ner were as provoking as the smile—“it is quite unnecessary to refer to what it proves.” “As much so, as to refer to what enables one to recognize proficiency,” he agreed. “And if all the men I know are like you, sir—” He bent down. “Now that is an inference I’m curious to hear.” “Do you want them to be like you?” she asked, eyes half closed and glances sidelong—“ because, if you do, it would be rather easy to oblige you—and may be not unpleasant—and I can begin with his highness of Lotzen— truly it’s a pity, now, I ruined my frock so needlessly this morn ing, in the iaponiea walk;” and giving him no time for reply, she dropped his arm and glided quickly into the chair the be Avigged and poAvdered footman was holding for her. No mention of the Twisted Pines was made until the coffee Avas being served; then the prin cess motioned for the liquor also to he put on the table, and dis missed the servants. Drawing out her'case, and lighting a Nestor, she smiled at the archduke, and at his nod passed the cigaret across;—and when Colonel Moore looked in quiringly at Mile. (l’Essokle, she shrugged her pretty shoulders and gave him hers. “You knoAv what it implies, Klise,’’ Debra remarked.—“No? —then ask Colonel Moore to toll you sometime—now, Avo’re to hear the explanation that ex plains—the Tale of the Veiled Lady of the Inn,” and she looked at, Armand. .... When he had finished, the princess offered no comment, but frowned and played with her cig aret, ; and the archduke, ever glad for any excuse to look at her, and very ready to be silent the better to look, Avatched her in undisguised devotion. ‘‘What’s the plot behind it?” she demanded, suddenly; “I can’t make it out—it’s absurd to fancy that woman honest, though 1 m perfectly sure Lotzen has the book. Hut why—Avhy should he want, to show it to us ? Not out of love nor friendship, surely; nor bravado, either; our dear cousin isn’t given to any such Avcakness. So it must be simply a rather clumsy attempt to lure you to the Ferida for slaughter —and that, again, seems unlike ly; for Ferdinand isn’t clumsy, nor would he want you murdered in his palace; and as to the pro vision that you need not go—or that you may take a dozen Avith you if you wish—ami if you don’t go, that she preferred Col- | onel Moore, or sb.no one Avith brains and a sword—all that, l say, is too amazingly inconsist- ! out with anything except entire honesty for my poor brain to i solve.” ^ “Don’t try, my dear,” the arc.fitlpke laugher. “We will give you the solution tomorrow.” She laid aside her eigaret, and, folding her arms on the table, surveyed him in displeased sur prise. “Surety, Armand, you don’t ineau that you are going?” she asked. lie nodded, smilingly. “Why not?” he asked—“the Colonel and I, with a few good blade®, and the veiled lady’s promise to protect us.” “But it’s absurd, perfectly ab surd, for you to take such risk. At the best, you are obligated only to look, to make no attempt tonight to recover the book; and at the' worst you can only fight your way out of the trap. In the one case, Colonel Moore can do the looking as well as you—in the other, their plot to kill you TT will have failed and your sub stitutes will be given some excuse by Spencer and let go in peace —oh, it’s worse than absurd for you to go, Armand,”—she saw from his expression that her argument was futile—“and you know it, too; and you’re going only because you like the excite ment, and to show Lotzen, like a big boy, you’re not to be dared.” The archduke laughed at her indulgently. “May be I am, little gird,” he said; “blit I’ve made up my mind to fight this business out myself, and that sends me to the Ferida tonight. I’ll take every precaution-” “Except the proper one of staying away,” she interrupted. “You re struggling for a crown, man, and mad rashness has no place in the game. Play it like Lotzen, in the modern way, not like the middle ages—he uses its methods, true enough, but lets others execute his plans and face the perils.”—She put out her hand to him.—“Come, dear, be reasonable,” she begged; “be kind; even the wildest idem of leadership does not obligate you to go.” He took her hand and held it, with the firm, soft pressure of abiding affection, looking tbe while into her fair face, flushed now with the impetuous earnest ness of her fear for him. “I thing it does, Dehra,” he said gravely. “It is our duty to the country to find the laws and settle the succession at the quick ets possible moment-” “Yes, it is, but-” And there are but three in the kingdom who have ever seen the book, you and Lotzen and myself; and there must be no question as to its absolute identi fication, before you as regent re sort to force to recover it—force that may necessitate the taking of the Ferida by assault. There fore, dear, 1 must go, for 1 must see tin* book. Assume, just for illustration, that Colonel Moore brings a description that seems to correspond to the laws; you, as regent, formally accuse the Duke of Lotzen of having the book and demand its instant surrender; and upon his indignant denial that he has it, and his offered readiness to have his palace searched, you order me, as gov ernor of Dornlitz, to have my rival’s residence invaded and subjected to the- ignominy of a mandat de perquisition; or, again, he may deny the book without demanding a search, and submit to it only under protest; or he may refuse to permit the search and oppose it by force. And whichever the case may be, the book will not be found—he will take very careful precau tion, as to that, you may be sure. And what will my position be then, with the house of nobles?—when our only explana tion, for such fruitless insult, is that some one saw a book, which he described to us,, and which we thought was the taws. Indeed, though it hadn’t <-‘curred to me before, it may be just such a condition that fie is playing for-” “But, my dear Armand,” the Princess interrupted, “would it be any advantage even if we could say that you saw it?” “An incalculable advantage, Dehra; I know the book—there could not be any chance for mis take; and it would then be my word against Lotzen's, an even break, as it were ; whereas, other wise, it will be his word against our guess. Yet, indeed, in this aspect, it’s very doubtful if we ought to resort to open measures against him, even if I saw the book. It wonItl be a question tor careful consideration and coun sel with all our friends—and it is but right that I should be able to avsure them that I, myself, saw it, and recognized it beyond a doubt. It’s wwrth all the danger it may involve; though I don’t anticipate any—the more I think, the more l believe we have solved thq riddle. Lotzen wants some one to see the book—he much prefers it shouldn’t be I; he fancies 1 will gladly send a sub stitute; and he takes me for a hot-headed fool, who then will promptly play out for him the rest of his game, landing him on the throne and myself beyond the border.” The princess had listened with growing conviction that he was right; now she turned to Moore. “And what is your best judg ment ?” she asked. “That his highness has the argument,” was the prompt re- ' ply; “and I confess I was hither to of yoiir mind, and urged him, all I might, to let me go in his stead. Now, J am convinced not only that we should verify Mrs. Spencer’s story, but that the archduke must do it.” “And because he has seen the book, and can identify it beyond doubt?" “Exactly that, your highness; such identification is vital." Dehra nodded and sipped her cordial mediatively; while Ar rnand watched her in sudden dis quiet; he had seen that look on her face a few times only, and it always presaged some amazing decision that was immutable— and not always to his approval. When she raised her eyes, it was with the conquering smile that he had never yet stood out against for long. “Armand," said she, “you and Colonel Moore have per suaded me; it is right for you to go, and I’ll go with you-" “What! You !’’ the archduke cried—“are you crazy, child?" “Not in the least, dear; only very sensible to your cogent logic —who can identify the book, so well as I, who have known it all my life; you have seen it but once, you know." “But the danger!" “There isn’t any danger, you said—and if there were, the re gent of Valeria will be the best sort of protector for you.” “But you will have to—go into Madeline Spencerj apartments —may be remain there half the night," he protested. “And much more seemly for me then for you, my dear, and imfch less—tempting." He joined in her laugh, but shook his head and turned to Moore. “Colonel, will you oblige me by telephoning Mrs. Spencer we shall not be there tonight; word it any way you wish." “Colonel Moore," said the princess sharply, “you will do nothing ot the sort. 1 lie regent of Valeria requires the attend ance of the governor of Dorn litz and yourself to the Ferida palace this night—and in the in terval, you both will hold your selves here in readiness.” Armand would have protested again, but she cut him short with a peremptory gesture. “It is settled,” she said; then added, almost vehemently: “surely, you can’t think 1 want to see that awful woman!—but it’s the only sure way to block Lotzen’s game. The nobles will take my word as to the book— and so will the army, and the people, too. No, I must go.” CHAPTER XVII. Into the Tiger’s Cage. They had gone into the library for a rubber of bridge, until it was time to start for the Ferida. Now there came a chime from the mantel, and Delira glanced at the old French clock that her Bourbon ancestors had brought with her—among wagon loads of clothes and furniture—when she came to be wife to Henry the Third. “Well, Armand,” she said, “if we are to be at our dear cousin's rear gate at 11, I suppose it’s the last moment for me to change my gown, this one isn’t especially appropriate—have you anything in particular to suggest?” “Nothing,” he smiled, “noth ing; except that you don’t make yourself any more attractive than is absolutely unavoidable. ” “And that I conceal my iden tity as much as possible, I sup pose ? ’ ’ * “Undoubtedly—and the more effective the concealment, the better.” She laid aside the cards she was shuffling and arose. “Will you come with me, Elise?” she asked. “You can help me with the disguise.” Moore closed the door behind them, and going ov>er to a side table poured out a very stiff drink. } don t like it! he said, turn ing around, the glass half emp tied. and tossing off the remain der; “I don’t lika it, a little bit! ’ “Then it’s appalling to think what you would take if you did like it,” the archduke comment ed. The colonel laughed and poured out a trifle more. “The liquor is all right,” he laughed; “it’s this notion of her highness I don't like.” Armand had begun to deal soli ; taire, but he stopped and tossed the cards together. “I wonder if Mademoiselle d’Essolde could persuade her to ! give it up?” he said. J “She wouldn’t try—*‘-she, too, wanted to go. I blocked that, j however; I told her that one fool i ish virgin was as much as we [ could look after in this mess, and [that she would best stay home ami trim the lamps. It wasn't a happy remark, I fear, but it did the business—you will have to give me another message for her tomorrow. Meanwhile, I must go over and do a bit of dre& changing myself—shall I need a mask f” "I don’t know; better take one.” The archduke was in the uni form of a general officer, dark green evening coat and trousers, with buff waistcoat; and un adorned save for the narrow gold cord on the shoulder, the insignia on the sleeves, and the braid on the leg seam. Because Dehra liked him best in the Red Huz zar dress, he always wore it when he dined with her; for tonight, however, it was entirely too showy and hampering, and he had chosen the one quietest in tone and best suited for quick action. Left alone, he tried the soli taire again; but it got on his nerves, and after a minute of list less playing, he sprang up, with an exclamation of disgust, and began to pace the floor. Pres ently Moore returned, in the fa tigue uniform of the general staff, with its easy-fitting packet, and was immediately sent back to telephone the secret police to spread a loose cordon around the Ferida, with a dozen men loit ering in close vicinity to every gate. There was no anticipating what they were about to encoun ter, so it was well to provide for tne worst, it was ms duty to protect the regent whether she wished it or not; and though he might not take them inside with her, yet if the occasion arose, a pistol shot would bring them very quickly. ..SEf' ‘ “It’s growing late,” he re marked, as the adjutant came back; “if we are to be there on time we must start.” He was going toward the bell when voices in the next room told him the princess was coming; and she entered—a slender offi cer in a long military coat, and a soft felt service hat. The two men mechanically raised their hands in salute, and she acknowledged it with formal motion and a merry langh. “Will I pass?” she asked.— “See, the hat covers my hair, and its wide brim shadows my face; the coat reaches almost to my feet, and its big collar quite hides the back of my head; and, as for what’s under the coat, see again”—and loosing the frogs, she swung it back, disclosing the tunic of her blue guards, and, be low it, the close fitting knee skirts, and high spiral putees of a shooting suit. “And is that as unattractive as you could make yourself?” the archduke asked, with affect ed seriousness, as he fastened her coat and adjusted her sword. “It’s as unobstrusive as I could make myself—some day, if you wish, sir, I’ll show you just how unattractive I can be.” But he only laughed, and, tak ing her hand, hurried her to the carriage. On the drive, lie told her brief ly how they were to reach Mrs. Bpencer’s apartments, and cau tioned her, as tactfully as he could, against doing anything which might serve to disclose her identity. Don t worry, dear, she said, “I’m going simply to see the book; I shall not even speak without permission—you are in command, not I;” and she found his hand, and held it; rather sorry now that she had ordered her adjutant inside with them, when he was about to mount his horse to follow. “Will there be others with us?” she asked, presently. “Yes, Captain De Coursey and Lieutentant Marsov, of the Cuirassiers; both guaranteed by Colonel Moore to be skillful swordsmen, and friendly to me as against Lotzen.” “And besides,” the adjutant added, “devoted tu an adven ture, and in diseietion unsur passed.” “Will you tell them who I am?” she asked. 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