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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 12, 1923)
(' The Princess Dehra BY JOHN EKED SOOTT. Owrrlifct, I*0«, hr Join Rood Scott =.■=-. ---i She laughed merrily. “You may—but catch me first;’’ and aa her horse had the heels of his, 6he never let him get quite on even terms, no matter what the pace. “Come, dear,’’ he said, “I’ll promise to wait until we are at the castle.’’ “As you wish—but the bend in the road yonder would have hid the others, and there I was— but until the castle, then.’’ • And when Armand promised double punishment later, she tossed her head, and told him she was always ready to pay for her crimes—and sometimes rather willing. As they turned from the valley road into the avenue, they came face to face with the Duke of Lotzen and Count Bigler, both in full uniform. The princess was passing on, with a curt return of their sa lutes, when the duke drew around in front of her. “Your royal highness and my self seem to be unfortunate in our visits to each other,” he said ; “I missed yours the other eve ning, and now you have missed mine.” iou nave Deen 10 uaiDerg castle?” she asked. He bowed. “For my call of ceremony upon the regent.” She reined aside. “You are not on the regent’s list, sir,” she said; “if you wish to save your dignity, you would best not pre sent yourself until summoned.” “I assumed it was restored by your own informal visit,” .he smiled.—'“Will you not honor Lotzen castle, also?—and you, too, cousin Armand!” But neither answered him by so uiuch as a look, and with a mocking laugh he went on, salut ing the American ambassador with easy formality, and bestow ing upon Mile, d’Essolde a leer ingly suggestive smile, that, made Moore frantic to strike him in the face. The princess’ toilet was fin ished very early that evening, and then she sent for her adju tant. “Colonel Moore,” said she, 1 motioning him to be seated, “I am resolved that the archduke shall not venture into Lotzen castte tomorrow night, and there fore, I am going myself tonight; will you go with me?” Moore’s amazement deprived him of an immediate answer. “But, your highness!—” he stammered. “It is quite useless to protest; I’m going; if you do not care to escort me. I shall get Bern heim.” “Let me go alone,” he urged. . “No.” “And the archduke, what of him?” he asked. lhe archuuke stays here, serenely ignorant of it all.” “He will never forgive me—” She cut him short. “Very well, monsieur, you are excused —be so good as to send Colonel Bernheim to me at once—and I trust to your honor not to men tion the affair to any one.” He had done all he dared; more, indeed, than he had fancied she would tolerate. A subordinate may not argue for long with the regent of a king dom, however sweet tempered she may be. “Your highness misunder stands,” he said; “if you are determined to go, there is an end of the matter; naturally, your adjutant .goes also.” She smiled. ‘ * Now, that is bet ter—and I’m glad—and wp will take l")e Coursey and Marsov, and slip away at midnight, with old Jessae fo“ guide. The secret passage opeis into the duke's library, we get the book and re tire.” “Vault and all?’ Moore asked. “You don’t remember the draft, colonel, there isn’t a vault.” “Doubtless, however, there is a safe.” She waved her hand impa tiently. “It will be time enough for that when we get there.” “And if we can’t find the book in the library?” he persisted. “Then we will seek it else where—it’s just that contin gency which sends me. If I wore sure it is in the library, I might let the archduke go.” “Yet will you not take some precaution for your own safety, in event of Lotzen overcoming ual” Moore aal.ed. “I can’t bring myself to be lieve that he would venture to harm the regent, but, if he should, these,” pushing two pa 28 - pers acrovss to him, “ought to be sufficient.” “Your highness is a strate gist,” said the colonel, when he had read them. “I have noth ing to suggest; and I’m ready now to go with a more willing spirit and slighter heart.” She held out her hand, and flashed him the smile, usually re serve for Armand, alone. “And we will save the king, Ralph—you and I; and give him the book, and speed him to his crowning. I leave the details to you, to see the others, and in struct and caution them; remem ber, for the archduke to get the slightest suspicion would ruin everything. It will be for me to see that he retires early tonight. Now, do you, yourself, seek out Bernheim and send him to me quickly.” “My good friend,” said she, acknowledging Bernheim’s stiff military salute with one equally formal, “I need your aid in a matter of peculiar importance and delicacy—and which must not, under any circumstance, be known to any one in the castle, and above all not to his highness the archduke—not a whisper of it, Colonel Bernheim.” urniueim ■ answer was anotn er salute, but he could say as much with it, in an instant, as some men in an hour of talk. “Here are two sealed orders,” she continued; “immediately af ter dinner you will ride down to Pt>rgia; there, not before, you will open the one addressed to yourself, and deliver the other to the commanding officer of the garrison. For the rest, the or ders will speak for themselves. Once more, the martinet’s hand went up. “Yes, your highness,” he said; “but how am I to go without getting leave from the archduke. i will get it for you—you need not say anything to him— just go-Ah! there he is now —Armand,” said she, when he had greeted her, “I want to bor row Colonel Bernheim for a lit tle while after dinner, may I have himf” “Take him,” said the arch duke, with a smile at his aide; and when Bemheira had gone: “but why don’t you borrow me instead f ” “Because, sweetheart, one doesn’t need to borrow what one has,” she answered, and gave him both her hands. CHAPTER XXI. In the Duke’s Library. The princess managed so well that by a little after 11 o’clock the card games were over, and Rhe, laughingly, had escorted Ar mand to his own door and re ceived his promise to retire at once. Then she went to her apart ment and dismissed all the at tendants except her maid. To night she must ride as a man, so she donned a close-fitting divid ed skirt, high boots, and her Blue Guard’s jacket, and topped it with a long military overcoat that came aVmost to her spurs. Colonel Moore met her at a side entrance, and they hurried across the courtyard and over the bridge to where, a little way down the avenue, were waiting Pe Coursey and Marsov, with Jessac and the horses. They had thought to send the old man in a carriage, but he would have none of it; so they let him have his way, when he assured them he could ride twice the distance without fatigue—and he proved it that night. In calm persistence of purpose Dehra was a typical Palberg; she had determined that the arch duke should not expose his life in Lotzen's castle, and so she was assuming the risk, without the least hesitation; just as the same Dahlberg spirit sent the archduke to recover the book, heedless of the peril entailed. Ami so now. after a word of in quiry as to the general arrange ments and the time required to reach the postern gate, she made no further reference to the busi ness in hand. Instead, she chat ted with Moore as unconcernedly as though she rode for her pleas ure, and not upon a desperate mission where death was likely waiting for them all. There was no moon, but the stars burned with double bril liancy in the wonderful mountain heavens; the road lay fair before them; and far off to the front the lights of Lotzen castle beckoned. And as they crossed the valley, the lights gradually grew fswer, until presently there was bat one remaining, which Jessac said was the big lamp on the bridge in front of the gate-arch, and which always burnt until sunrise. A little way from the Lotzen road they met Colonel Bernheira, alone. He bent forward in sharp scrutiny. “Thank God, Moore, you per suaded her not to come!” he ex claimed, as they drew up. The princess’ light laugh an swered him, and he actually cried out in distressed disappointment, and forgot the eternal salute. “I wasn’t to be persuaded, colonel,” said she. “Is every thing arranged?” This time the salute came. “The dispositions are made as your Highness ordered,” be an swered. She thanked him, and he rode beside her to the cross-roads. “I must leave you here.— Heaven keep you safe this night” he ended, with broken voice. She reined over close to him and held out her hand. “My good Bernheim, nothing is going to happen to me,” she said; “but if there should, it will be for you and Epping to seat the archduke where he belongs, and to confound Lotzen and his satel lites—promise me.” The colonel’s faoe twitched, and his eyes glistened, and for a moment he bowed his head on his breast; then he leaned over and kissed her gauntlet. as ttoa reigns, it snail be done, my mistress,” he said; ‘ ‘ and though I have to kill Lot zen with my own hand.” Instead of taking the road to the castle they continued up the valley a little way, to where a narrow brook tumbled noisily across the track, eager to reach the foaming Dreer. Here Jessac dismounted, and, leading his horse, turned up stream. There was no path, and the starlight availed nothing in the heavy um ber, yet the old man never hesi tated, winding his way among the trees and around the rocks as readily as though it were day. After half a mile, they began to ascend sharply; almost immedi ately he halted, and at his direc tion they turned the horses over to the orderlies, and followed him on foot. “The postern path, such as it is, is yonder, ’ ’ he said, and a few steps brought them to it, just where it ended its plunge down the bald side of the hill from the castle that now towered almost straight above them, a w«m of black forbiddingneas respoussed against the sky line by the reflec tion of the gate-way lamp. Colonel Moore made a last ap peal to the Princess to abandon her purpose to accompany them, and was good-naturedly over ruled, and peremptorily ordered to lead on. “Would have a Dalberg retire with the enemy in sight!” she ended. The postern path was new no. path—only a narrow, water washed gully; even so, it was the only means of access to the sum mit from that side,—or indeed, from any aide save in front— els where the tangle of brambles and the rocks, with the almost per pendicular elevation, made as cent practically impossible by daylight, and absolutely impos sible by night. In fact, this way had long be*** abandoned, an<f the present course lay close un der the wall, and over the moat by a narrow foot bridge, and then along it to the road just below the main gate. Jessac had not ventured to use it, however, because it was exposed to the light of the lamp, and bo was in full view of thq porter on duty in ths tower. It was rough climbing, and half way up Moore called a halt, to give the princess a short rest; then they went on, stumbling, slipping, scrambling, trying to go quietly, and yet, it seemed, making noise sufficient to waks every one in Lotzen castle. But at last they reached the top, and the Princess leaned against the wall, breathless and trembling from the unaccus tomed exertion. Moore raised his hand for si lence. In the intense calm of the night, the lightest noise would have echoed trebly loud, yet the only sound they heard was the splashing of the Dreer among its rocks, in the fog strewn valley far below. He drew out his watch, and after much looking made out the time. “It’s after 1 o’clock,” he whispered; ‘ ‘ when your highness is ready-" “I’m ready now,” Baid she, and turned at once to the gats. “Quiet, man, quiet!” Moors cautioned, as Jeasac’s key scraped into the lock, and sud denly turned it with a loud snap. Tbs eld man pushed the dear w J back slowly ■, the arch was 24 feet through, and the darkness impenetrable; but he entered un hesitatingly, and the others with him, Moore’s hand on the re gent 's arm. “Can you find the stone with | out a light” he asked. “Easily, sir! . . . . here it is—stand back, my lord, or it may hi* you .... there!” There was a slight creak, and Moore wa« sensible of something swinging up by his face. “It’s open, sir,” said Jessaot “but best not show a light until we are inside, it might be seen in the courtyard—I ’ll go in first I—bend low or you’ll strike your ' head.” The adjutant took Dchra’s hand and having located the stone and the opening, he guided her through. Jessac closed the stone into place and then, by the light of Moore’s electric torch, he showed them how it was so bal anced that by pressure at the top (from without) or at the bottom (from within) it would swing around parallel with the floor. T*he passage was large enough for two of them to walk abreast and without stooping, and ex tended through the heart of the wall, about 100 feet, until oppo site the keep, as Jessac informed them; here it narrowed to half, and by a dosen stone steps de scended below the level of the bailey, and thence under it to another set of steps leading up inside the wall of the keep. m* a . • * «■ mm i lius iar tney nau come rapiu ly and without incident. Sud denly a drove of rats, blinded by the light and squeaking in ter ror, ran among their feet, and the princess instinctively caught up the skirts of her long coat, and, with a little shriek of fright, tried to climb up the side of the passage. The cry, slight as it was, let loose all the echoes of the vault with appalling resonance; in stantly Moore extinguished the torch and laid his hand on her | arm. "What a fool I am!” she ex claimed in a whisper; "now, I've spoiled everything.” "Not likely,” he assured her; "the castle is asleep and the walls are thick, but we best wait a bit.” Presently the rats commenced to squeak again, and to scurry about, and the princess begin ning to tremble, he switched on the torch and motioned Jessac to proceed. Treading as lightly as one of his own mountain cats, the old fellow went swiftly up the stairs, and when the others reached the top he was not to be seen. Moore shot the light down the passage; SO feet away, if the draft were correct, were the stairs that end ed at the library; when they reached them, Jessac was on the landing signaling to come on. He drew the colonel over to the big stone. '‘There used to be a crack along the edge here,” he said, very low, "where I ctmld listen, and also see a very little, but it seems to have been closed. Shall I swing the stone, sir?” Moore hesitated. What lay behind the stone T His last look at the library windows, from far down the hillside, had shown no light within; yet was it really so, or was it only that the curtains were drawn? If the princess would lut consent to remain here, at least until he had gone in and inspected. He glaneed at her uncertainly, and she read his mind, and shook her head. "I follow you,” she said. With a ugh, he adjusted his mask; she and De Coursey and Maraov did the same. “Does the atone move easily!” ho asked. “It did when I uesd it, sir,” said Jessac. “Can you open it only a trifle at first!” “No, my lord, onoe started it must make its swing.” “And if there be something in the way!” “There never used to be, sir; it was always kept clear.” “Then pray heaven it is so still.” He loosed his sword and shut off the torch. “Open!” he ordered. “It seems to hold, sir,” said Jessac presently; “I can’t move it—may I have the light a mo ment! . . Now, I’ll try again.” They heard him pushing; gent ly, then harder, finally with all his strength. “I can’t do it, my lord,” he said; “ it’s either out of balance or has been closed on the inside.” The princess gave an exclama tion of alarm. (To Be Continued Next Wa«k.) ” ChansliMr a toft-handed child Into a rtfht-h*nd«d *M la tpi to hava a bad •(fact act tba ohOd'a araatafrt. aara Dr Chartaa Sbaard. af Barton. Ha aaU dH afeUtm an—a By "toft i>rad," tow BERLUITS NIGHT ' LIFE RUNS HIGH Notorious Revelries Mark Capital of Germany—Tip Top Prices Paid for Bev erages — Like Dream. BY KARL H. VON WIEGAND, Universal Service Correspondent. Berlin—Every visitor to Berlin deems it his duty to have a fling at the city's notorious night life, be it as a "devil of a fellow” in the midst of the rush or as a thoughtful observer in the side lines. These two categories, however, do not rush into print, whereas those whose bwsiness it is to dig up color, and dish it,up on heaping platters to their insatiable readers, are wont to paint this picture in glaring crimsons and purples, to the music of a jazz band, peals of hysterical laughter, everything going to the "demnition bow-wows.” Now comes a writer, one Max Durto who in his recent book on "City Life” gives a twirl to the kaleidoscope by putting into the mouth of a head waiter in a popular night cafe a Ho garth-like satire on conditions as they really are. The waiter solilo quizes thus: “I am head waiter in one of the city’s swellest wine restaurants. It is called the Grand Mogul. "We haven’t much work to do. But our earnings are tip-top. The first guests arrive at 10 o’clock In the eve ning. The last ones leave In the morn ing at 4 o’clock. "Wo only serve wine. Also coffee— but at wine prices! “Our guests are always highly en tertained, for we dance naked. By ‘we’ I mean—our concern. “Who are the young girls who dance here naked for money? nuasietj. They come as though In a trance— and go as In a trance. They act and dance as if in a dream—but It is a dream that provides them with a liv ing. The entire family would face starvation without the nude dances Of their daughters. Th.e oldest broth- < er, in fact, owes his university edu- , cation to the nude dances of his beau tiful sisters. “What Is wrong with this? Is not the noble nude an art? I might add; to be sure it is. But to be truthful, I must also add; it is not the art of Lilly’s or Milly’s nude dancing that interests our guests. “Our guests remind me of snails— round, sleep and slimy. "And the many women who come here every evening? Why do they come? Wrhy do they not go where the men dance naked? "The answer to this is very sim ple. They come in order that they may revel in this commercial ex pose of chaste womanhood. “There is a lot of filth here—but the thing pays brilliantly. And my only ambition is to get along. Te grow rich and independent. Some times I spit, but furtively. “With whom am I disgusted? With myself! But this feeling never lasts long. Wrhen a man is laying by a tidy sum, as I am, his moral sense soon becomes blunted. "At our place wine is what water is to the poor. The poor man needs water to refresh his nerves, and the rich man needs wine for the same purpose. “The nerves of the habitues of the Grand Mogul are sadly in need of a bracer. It is no small matter to sit at the telephone for hours at a time attending to business "It is business which keeps our concern going. When a man has spent the entire day in profiteering, cheat ing and lying, he likes to drown his conscience in champagne when night comes. “I fee! it keenly; all these men and women carousing here nightly are un | happy. Unhappy when they come to themselves "And that is Just what they fear most—to come to themselves. They fear to meet the eye of their own con science. And for this reason they carefully avoid turning their look in ward. All day long they are feverish ly at work making money by illegal means. They dread the night and flee from it Into the light and reveling of the wine room.” JAPAN WAITS FOR IMPROVED PLANES Island Empire Drills Pilots But Postpones Building of Machines. International News Service. San Francisco.—Japan is not build ing airplanes. G. R. Volkert, of the royal air force of Great Britain, re vealed upon his arrival here recently from Yokohoma, where he has been attached to the Japanese navy in company with 30 other Englishmen instructing them in flying. Volkert declared Japan, being an imitative nation, waiting for the latest improvements in airplanes be fore engaging on a comprehensive 1 program of expansion of this wing of the navy, not desiring to have obso lete equipment on her hands. Hundreds of Japanese are being trained as pilots at the present time. The French are training the army men in flying, while we are in charge of their navy pilots,” he said. “Although they are apt pupils and make good fliers, they will never be able to compete with Europeans or Americans because of their tempera ment,” he said. That book is good for me which develops me.—Georg Brandee. With the government's part of sup pressing the Piute Indian uprising about completed it now only remains to get the names of the redskin lead ers on a movie contract to close up the whole affair. -—-- . — -- . a t ^ After Every Meal WRIGLEYS In work or play, it gives the poise and steadiness that mean success. It helps digestion, allays thirst, keep ing the month cool an<^ moist, the throat, mascles relaxed and pliant and the 8a*etb, Vnsm | STERLING CHICKS White Leghorn* and Ancona*. Our stock Is scientifically culled by experts and headed by large, vigorous males, thus assuring you strong, healthy, bred-to-lay chicks that will live and grow. 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