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About Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921 | View Entire Issue (March 10, 1910)
- ! pST r \ \ -r 1 \ , ± . v MxtfTTTu COPYRIGHT BY [ T SYNOPSIS. Barak n , a Tartar girl , became enamored of a golden bearded slimmer who wns prospecting and studying herbs In the vicinity of her home tn central Asia , and revealed to him the location of a mine of rubles hoping that the stranger would love her In return for her disclosure. They were followed to the cnvo by the Girl's relatives , who blocked up the en trance , and drew off the water Hupply. leaving the couple to die. Baraka'H cousin Baud , her betrothed , attempted to climb flown a cliff overlooking the mine ; but the traveler shot him. The stranger was revived from a water gourd Sand car ried , dug his way out of the tunnel , and departed , deserting the girl nnd carrying 11 bug of rubles. Baraka gathered all the cema Bho could carry , and started In pur suit. Margaret Donno ( Margarita da Cordova ) , a famous prlma donna , became engaged In London to Konstantln I.o- Kothetl , a wealthy Greek financier. Her Intimate- friend was Countess Loven , known as Lady Maud , whoso husband had been killed by a. bomb In St. Peters burg ; and Lady Maud's most Intimate friend was Hutus Van Torp , an Ameri can , who had become ono of the richest men In the world. Van Torp was In love with Margaret , and rushed to London as eon as ho heard of her betrothal. Ho offered Lady Maud J5.000.000 for her pot charity If nho would aid him In winning the singer from Logotheti. Baraka approached preached Logotheti at Versailles with rubles to Bell. Ho presented n , ruby to Margaret. Van Torp bought a ya'oht and Bent It to Venice. He was visited by Baraka In male attire. She gave him a ruby after the American had told her of having seen in the United States a man answering the description of the ono she loved. The American followed Margaret to the Dayrouth "Parsifal" festival. Mar- Karat took a liking to Van Torp , who pre sented her with the ruby Buraka had given him. Count Krallnsky. a Russian , arrived at Bayreuth. Van Torp believed him to bo the one Baraka was pursuing. Baraka was arrested In London on the charge of stealing from PInney , a Jew eler , the ruby ho had sold to Logothctl. Two strangers were the thieves. Lady Maud believed that Logothetl's associa tions with Baraka were open to su.tpl- olon , and BO Informed Margaret. Van Ton * believed that Krollnsky was the cowboy ho had known In his young man hood. Logotheti secured Baraka's re- leasf , and then , with her as his guest , went to sea on his yacht Erlnna. Baraka explains her plans for revenge on the man who had deserted her and left her to die. Logothctl succeeds In moderating her rage. Lady Maud arrived In Bay- routh. Margaret and Van Torp entered Into an agreement to build a tremendous opera house In New York. The thief who Btolo the ruby from Mr. PInney was ar rested tn New York and the stone re covered. Lady Maud confided to Van Torp that ehe believed Krallnsky to bo the husband she had believed dead. Van Torp promised hia help to unravel the mystery. CHAPTER XIII. Continued. Neither Margaret nor Mrs. Rushmore moro had over seen Leven , and they had not the least idea of what was really going on under their eyes. They K only saw that Lady Maud was making a dead set at the count , and if Margaret r Xv. garet wondered whether she had mis judged her friend's character , the ol der lady had no doubt as to what was happening. "My dear child , " she said to Mar garet , "your friend is going to console herself. Widows of that ago general ly do , my dear. I myself could never understand how one could marry again. I should always feel that dear Mr. Rushmore was in the room. It quite makes me blush to think of It ! Yet It Is an undeniable fact that many young widows marry again. Mark my words , Margaret , your friend is going to console herself before long If it Is not this one , it will bo an other. My dear , I am qulto positive about It. " When the sun went down that even Ing the yacht had passed Otranto and the cape , and her course had been changed to head her for Cape Spartl vento and the Straits of Messina having done In 24 hours as much as the little Italian mall steamers do in 48 , and nearly half as much again as the Erlnna could have done at her highest speed. As Mr. Van Torp had predicted , his engines had "warmed up. " and were beatlnc their own record. The gale made by the vessel's way was stronger than a woman could stand In with any regard to her ap pearance , but as the weather contin ued to be calm It was from dead ahead , , and there was plenty of shel ter on the promenade deck abaft the wheelhouse , on condition of not going too near the rail. After dinner Krallnsky and Mrs. Rushmore walked a little , as on the previous evening , and Lady Maud sat with Margaret and Van Torp. But before the two walkers went oft to sit down In the quiet corner they had found yesterday , Lady Maud rose , went half way aft , and deliberately placed herself where they were obliged to pass close to her at each turn , standing and leaning against the bright white side of the engine sky light , which was as high as the wheelhouse - house itself , and broke In aft , where the big ventilating fans were situated , making a square corner inward. She stood there , and as It was not very dark In the clear starlight , Kra llnsky saw In passing that she fol lowed his face with her eyes , turning her head to look at him when ho was coming towards her , and turning It very slowly back again ns ho came near and went by. It was impossible to convoy moro clearly an invitation to get rid of his companion and join her , and he was the last man in the world to misunderstand It. But Mrs. Rushmore saw it too , and as she considered him a lion , and therefore entitled to Imvo his own way , she made it easy for him. ' 'My ' dear count , " she said blandly aftjur passing Lady Maud twice , "I htivo really had enough now , and If you will promise to finish your walk alone , I think I will go and sit with the others. " Ho loft her with Margaret and Van Torp and went back to Lady Maud , who moved ns ho came up to her , made two stops besldo him , and then suddenly slipped into the recess whore the fanhouso joined the engine skylight. She stood still , and ho in stantly ranged himself beside her. They were unite out of sight of the others , and of the bridge , nnd oven if it had been daylight they could not mvo been seen except by some ono coming from aft. "I want to speak to you , " she said , In a low , steady voice. "Please listen quite quietly , for some of them may begin to walk again. " Kralinsky bent his Head twice , and then inclined it towards her , to hear better what she was going to suy. "It has pleased you to keep up this comedy for 24 hours , " she began. lie made a slight movement , which was natural under Uio circumstances. "I do not understand , ' " ho said , In Ills oily voice. "What comedy ? I real ly have no " "Don't go on , " she answered , Inter rupting him sharply. "Listen to what I am going to tell you , nnd then de cide what you will do. I don't think your decision will make very much difference to me , but it will make a difference to the world and to your self. I saw you from a window when you brought Mr. Van Torp to the hotel in Bayreuth , and I recognized you at once. Since this afternoon I have no doubt left. " "I never saw you till last night , " said Krallnsky , with some little sur prise In his tone , and with perfect as surance. "Do you really think you can do- celvo mo any longer ? " she asked. "I told you this afternoon that if you could come back from the dead , and know the truth , we should probably forgive each other , though we had many differences. Shall we ? " She paused a moment , and by his quick change of position she saw that ho was much movedi "I don't mean that we should ever go back to the old life , for we were not suited to each other from the first , you and I. You wanted to marry me because I was pretty and smart , and I married you because I wanted to bo married , and you were better looking than most men , and seemed to have what I thought was necessary fortune and a decent position. No , don't Interrupt me. Wo soon found out that we did not care for each other. You went your way , and I went mine. I don't mean to reproach you , for when I say you were beginning to bo tired of me I did nothing to keep you. I my self was tired of it already. But what ever you may have thought , I was a faithful wife. Mr. Van Torp had given mo a great deal of money for my charity , and does still. I can ac count for it. I never used a penny of it for myself , and never shall ; and ho never was , and never will be , any more than a trusted friend. I don't know why you chose to disappear when the man who had your pocketbook - book was killed and you were said to be dead. It's not my business , and If you choose to go on living under an other name , now that you are rich again , I shall not betray you , and few people will recognize you , at least in England , so long as you wear that beard. But you had it when wo were married , and I knew you at once , and when I heard you were to bo of the party here , I made up my mind nt once that I would accept the invita tion and como too , and speak to you as I'm speaking now. When I be lieved you were dead I forgave you everything , though I was glad you were gone ; frankly , I did not wish you alive again , but since yon are , God forbid that I should wish you dead. You owe mo two things In ex change for my forgiveness : First , yours , , if I tr.eated you ungenerously or unkindly ; and , secondly , you ought to take back every word you ever said to mo about Mr. Van Torp , for there was not a shadow of truth In what you thought. Will you do that ? I ask nothing else. " "Indeed I will , my dear Maud , " said Count Krallnsky , in a volco full of emotion. , Lady Maud drew a long breath , that trembled a little as it left her heated lips again. She had done what she believed most firmly to bo right , and it had not been easy. She had not boon surprised by his patient silence while she had been talking ; for she had felt that it was hers to speak and his to listen. "Thank you , " she Bald now. "I shall never go back to what I have said , and neither of us need ever allude tq old times again during this trip. It will not last long , for I shall probably go homo by land from the first port we touch , and It is not likely that wo shall over meet again. If wo do , I shall behave as If you were Count Kralinsky , whom I have mot abroad , neither more nor less. I suppose you will have conscience enough not to marry. Perhaps , If I thought another woman's happiness depended on it , I would consent to divorce you , but you shall never divorce me. " "No power could make mo wish to , " Krallnsky answered , still deeply moved. "I was mad In those days , Maud ; I was beside myself , between my debts and my entanglements with women not fit to touch your shoos. I've seen it all since. That is the chief reason why I choao to disappear from society when I had the chance , and become some ono else ! I swear to you , on my mother's soul In heaven , that I thought of nothing but that to Bet you free nnd begin llfo over again as another man. No thought of marrying has ever crossed my mind ! Do you think I could bo as bad as that ? But I'm not defending myself how could I ? All the right Is on your side , and all the wrong on mine. And now I would give heaven and earth to undo It all and to come back to you ! " Lady Maud drew ns far as she could into the corner where the fanhouso joined the engine skylight. She had not expected this ; it was too much re pentance ; it was too like a real at tempt to win her again. IIo had not seen her for moro than three months ; she know she was very beautiful ; his Hooting passion had como to life again , as hohad. , But her old repul sion for him was ton times stronger than when they had parted , and she shrank back as far as she could , with out speaking. From far below the noiseless engines sent a quick vibra tion up to the Ironwork of the sky light. She felt It , but could hardly tell It from the beatings of her own heart. IIo saw her shrinking from him and was wise. N Then Suddenly Slipped Into the Recess. "Don't be afraid of me ! " he cried , in n low and pleading tone. "Not that ! Oh , please not that ! I will not como nearer ; I will not put out my hand to touch yours , I swear It to you ! But I love you ns I never loved you be fore ; I never knew how beautiful you were till I had lost you , and now that I have found you again you are a thousand times moro beautiful than in my dreams ! No , I ask nothing ! I have no right to ask for what I have thrown away ! You do not even pity mo , I think ! Why should yon ? You were free when you thought mo dead , and I have como back to be a burden and a weight on your life. Forgive mo , forgive mo , my lost darling , for tlio sake of all that might have been , but don't fear me ! Pity mo , If you can , but don't bo afraid of me ! Say that you pity mo a little , and I shall bo sat isfied , and grateful , too ! " Lady Maud was silent for a few seconds ends , while he stood turned towards her , his hands clasped in a dramatic gesture , as If still imploring her com miseration. "I do pity you , " she said at last , quite steadily , for just then she did not fear that ho would try to touch oven her hand. "I pity you , If you are really in lore with me again. I pity you still moro if this is a passing thing that has taken hold of you merely because you still think me handsome. But I will never take you back to bo my husband again. Never. That is finished , for good and all. " "Ah , Maud , listen to mo " But she had already slipped out of the corner nnd was walking slowly away from him , not towards the oth ers , but aft , BO that ho might join her qulcUy before going back to them. IIo was a man of the world and under stood her , und did what was expected of him. Almost as noon ns he wns lie- side her , Bho turned to go forward with her leisurely , careless grace. "We've been standing a long time , " she Raid , as If the conversation had been about the weather. " 1 want to sit down. " "I am In earnest , " ho said , very low. low."So "So am 1 , " answered Lady Maud. They went on towards the wheelhouse - house side by side , without haste , and not very near together , llko two or dinary acquaintances. CHAPTER XIV. While the Lancashire Lass was ra cing down to the Straits of Messina the Erluna was heading for the same point from the opposite direction , no longer dawdling along at half-speed , but going her full 1C knots , after coalIng - Ing at Naples , and any navigator who knew the positions and respective speeds of the two yachts could have calculated with approximate precision the point at which they would prob ably sight each other. Logotheti had given up the Idea of taking Baraka to Paris , if he had ever really entertained it at all. Ho as sured her that Naples won a great city , too , and that there was a first- class French dress-making establish ment there , and that the Vlllo do Lyon would turn her out almost as smartly as the Una de la Palx itself. He Sent Another Man to Walt Till Midnight at the Office. Ho took Baraka ashore and placed her for half a day In the hands of Mmo. Anna , who undertook to do all that money could do In about a fort night. Ho had the effrontery to say that Baraka was a niece of his from Constantinople , whoso mother was on board the yacht , but had unfortunate ly sprained her ankle in falling down the companion during a gale , nnd could therefore not accompany her daughter on shore. The young lady , ho said , spoke only Turkish. Mmo. Anna , grave nnd magnificently calm under all circumstances , had a vague recollection of having seen the hand some oriental gentleman cJready with . Nv'.JJ.-x ! npother niece , who npoko only French ; but Unit was none of her business. When would tlio young lady try on tlio things ? On any ilny Mmo. Anim chosn to nmuo ; but In tlio moan- tluio lier undo would tnho her down to Slrlly , as the weather wns BO wonderfully - dorfully line iinil It was Btlll BO hot Mmo. Anna therefore named a day , and iiromlsed , moreover , to aeo tlio best linen-drapers and seamstresses herself , and to provide the young laily with as complete an outlH as if she were going to bo married. She should have all things visible and Invisible in the shortest possible time. Ix > go- thoti , wiio considered himself a stran ger , insisted on putting down a thou sand franc note merely as a guarantee of good faith. Tlio dressmaker pro tested almost furiously and took the money , still protesting. So that was settled , and Burnka was to bo out wardly changed Into a beautiful For- inghi lady without delay. To toll the truth , the establishment Is really a smart one , and she was favorably im pressed by the many pretty frocks and gowns that wcro tried on several pretty young woman in order that she might make her choice. llaraka would have liked a blue satin skirt with a yellow train and a bright green silk body , but in her travels nho had noticed that the taste of Fcrlnghl ladles was for very sober or gentle colors , compared with the fashionable standards of Samarkand , Tiflis , and Constantinople , and she meekly acquiesced to every thing that Logothotl and Mine. Anna proposed , after putting their heads to gether. Logothotl scorned to know a great deal about It. It. was nearly dark when the naph tha launch took thorn out to the yacht , which lay under the mole where the big English and German passenger steamers and the men-of-war are moored. Logothctl had at last received Mar garet's telegram asking him to meet her at once. It had failed to reach him In Gibraltar , and had been tele graphed on thence to Naples , and when ho read it ho was considerably disturbed. He wrote a long message of explanations and excuses , and sent it tu the prlum dounii at Dayreuth , tripling the number of words she had prepaid for hia answer. But no reply came , for Margaret was herself at sea and nothing could reach hor. Ho sent one of hlu own men from tiio yacht to spend the day at the telegraph - graph office , with instructions for ( hiding him if any message came. The man found him three times , and brought three telegrams ; and each tlmo as ho tore open the little folded brown paper ho felt more uncomfor table , but ho was relieved to find each time that the message was only a business ono from London or Paris , giving him the latest confidential news about a government lean in which ho wan largely interested. When ho reached the yacht ho sent another man to wait till midnight at the ofllco. The diva was angry , ho thought ; that was clear , and perhaps she had some right to bo. The tone of her telegram had been peremptory In the extreme , and now that ho had an swered it after a delay of several days , she refused to take any notice of him. It was not possible that such a personage as she was should have left Bayreuth without leaving clear in structions for Bonding on any tele grams that might como after she left. At this time of year , as ho know , she was beset witli offers of engagements to sing , and they had to bo answered. From eight o'clock in the morning to midnight there were 1C hours , ample tlmo for a retransmitted message to reach her anywhere in Europe and to bo answered. Logotheti felt a sensa tion of deep relief when the man came aboard at a quarter-past midnight and reported himself empty handed ; but ho resolved to wait till the following evening before definitely leaving Naples for the ten days which must elapse before llaraka could try on her beautiful Fcrlnghl clothes. Ho told her anything ho liked , and she believed him , or was indifferent ; for the Idea that nho must bo as well dressed as any European woman when she met the man she was seek ing had appealed strongly to her , and the sight of the pretty things at Mmo. Anna's had made her ashamed of her simple little rcady-mado serges and blouses. Logotheti assured her that Krallusky was within easy reach , and showed no inclination to travel far. There was news of him In the tele- grama received that day , the Greek said. Spies wcro about him and were watching him for her , and BO far ho had shown no inclination to admire any Ferlnghl beauty. Baraka accepted all these Inven tions without doubting tholr veracity. In her eyes Logothctl was a great man , something like a king , and vast ly more than a Tartar chieftain. Ho could send men to the ends of the earth If ho chose , Now that ho was sure of where Krallnsky was , ho could no doubt have him seized secretly and brought to her , If she desired it earn estly of him. But she did not wish to see the man , free or a prisoner , till she had her beautiful now clothes. Then ho should look upon her , and Judge whether ho had done well to dcsplso her love , and to leave licr to bo done to death by her own people * and her body loft to the vulture that had waited so long on n jutting point of rock over her head three ycara ago. It was n dreamy and sense-compell- lug llfo that nho led on the yacht , mir- roundcd with every luxury oho had over heard of , and constantly waited on by the only clover rnnn she had over really talked with , excepting the old Persian merchant In Stamboul. The vision of the golden-bearded giant who had loft her to her fate niter treating her with ntoiry Indifference wus still before her , but the reality was nearer in the shape of n vislblo "greatnwn , " who could do anything ho chose , who caused her to bo treated llko a queen , and who was un deniably handsome. She wondered whottior ho had a wife. Judging marrlago from her point of view , there probably had been ono put away In that beautiful house In Paris. Ho was an oriental , she told herself , and ho would not parndo his wife ns the Forlnglria did. llut slio was ono , too , and uho consid ered that it would bo nn Insult to ask him about such thlnga. Splro know , no doubt , but aho could not demean herself to Inquire of n servant. Per haps Gula had found out already , for the girl had a way of finding outi whatever she wanted to know , ap parently by explaining things to the second mnto. Possibly Gula could bo made to toll what oho hnd learned without being directly questioned. , But after nil , Barnka decided that it did not matter , olnco she meant to marry the fair-board aa Boon aa she < had her pretty clothoa. Yet oho be came conscious that if ho had not ex isted , aho would think It very satis factory to marry the great man ( who could do anything ho liked , tlmnirll If tin linil n wlfrv nlr > r > r > itv no ho probably had , oho would roftiso to bo the second in lila house. The Koran allowed a man four , It was said , but the idea was hateful tn her , and moreover the Persian merchant's wlfo had told her that It was old fash ioned to have moro than ono , mainly because living had grown BO expen sive. Logothotl sat bosldo her for hours under the awnings , talking or not , aa she chose , and always rending when slio was silent , though ho often looked' ' up to BOO if Bho wanted anything. Ho told her when they loft Naples that ho would ahow her beautiful Islands and other sights , and the great flre- mountains of the Bouth , Etna and Stromboll , which she had heard of on her voyage to Marseilles , but had not seen because the steamer hnd passed them at night. The flro-mountaln at Naples had boon quiet , only oendlng out thin wreaths of amoke , which Da raka insisted came from fires made by shepherds. "Moreover , " she said , an they watched Vesuvius receding when they left Naples , -your mountains are not mountains , but ant-hills , and I do not care for them. But your sea has the colors of many sherbets , rose-loaf an'd violet , and lemon and orange , und sometimes oven of palo yellow peach- sherbet , which Is good. Lot mo al ways BOO the sea till the fine dreesea are ready to be tried on. " "This sen , " answered Logothctl , "Is always most beautiful near land and amongst islands , and the big flro- mountain of Sicily looks as tall aa Kasbek , because It rises from the wa ter's edge to tlio sky. " "Then take me to it , nnd I will tell you , for my eyes have looked on tin Altai , and I wish to see a real moun tain again. After that wo will go back and got the flno dresses. Will Gnla know how to faoton the flno dresses at the back , do you think ? " "You shall have n woman who does , and who can talk with Gula , and the two will fasten the flno dresses for you. " Logothotl spoko'wlth becoming gravity. "Yes , " ttaraka answered. "Spend money for me , that I may bo good to seo. Also , I wish to have many serv ants. My father has a hundred , per haps a thousand , but now I have only two , Gula nnd Splro. The man I seek will think I am poor , and that will bo a shame. Whllo I was searching for him , It was different ; and besides , you are teaching mo how the rich Franks live in their world. It is not like ours. You know , for you are moro llko us , though you are a king here. " She apoko slowly and lazfly , paus ing between her phrases , nnd turning her eyes to him now nnd then without moving her head ; and her talk amused him much moro than that of European women , though It was so very simple , like that of a glfteq child brought suddenly to a now country , or to see a fairy pantomime. "Tell mo , " ho Bald after a tfme , "if It were the portion of Krallnsky to bo gathered to his fathers before you saw him , what would you do ? " Baraka now turned not only her eyes to him but her face. "Why do you ask mo this ? Is it because - cause ho IB dead , and you are afraid to tell mo ? " ( TO BE CONTINUED. )