!: ? The * I Princess f Virginia I ? - ( ? *" J ; By C. N. and A. N. WILLIAMSON. ; \ Authors of "The Lightning Con- ' ' fleeter.' "Keirmtry In Sernh ?f n Fnihor.' Lift. < , 1 ' Copyright, 1907. by MoChim, Phil- ' * up? a co. ;; < *???????????????????????? " " " ^OIMTLR. rOUftTEENj . tjf HON HKAI1T w rh ilreaa / Jpv ee delayed. 1 took this liberty and seized this opportu nity. "Rome men would In my place pre teud that business of their own hud brought them and that the train had tieen chosen by chance But your maj esty snows me as a blunt man when I serve him not as diplomat, but as friend I'm not one to work In the dark with those who trust me. and I want your mujesty to know the truth " (Which perhapB he did, but not tho "whole truth.) "Your rulse my curiosity," said Leo pold. "Then have I your indulgence to speak frankly not entirely as a humble subject to bis emperor, but as an old man to a young man." "I'd have you speak as a frleud," said Leopold. But u slight constraint hardened his voice as he prepared him self for something disagreeable. "I've had a letter from the crown prince of Ilungarla. It has come to his ears that there is a certain reason for your majesty's delay In following up the first o\ertures for an alliance with his family. Malicious tongues hnve whispered that your majesty's atteu tions are otherwise engaged, and the young Adalbert has addressed me in a friendly way, begging that the rumor may I* contradicted or confirmed." "I'm not sure that negotiations had gone far enough to give him the right to be Inquisitive," returned Leopold, flushing. The chancellor spread out his old veined hands iu a gesture of appeal. "I fear." he said, "that In my anxiety for your majesty's welfare nnd the good of Khaetta 1 may have exceeded my instructions. My one excuse la that I believed your mind to be defi nitely made up. I still lielleve It to he so. I would listen to no one who should try to persuade me of the con trarv, and I will write Adalbert"? "You must get yourself and me oat of the scrape as best you can, since you admit you got us Into It," broke In the etnperor, with an uneasy laugh. "If Princess Virginia of Bau men berg Drlppe Is as charming as she Is said to be, her difficulty will tie In choosing a husband, not In getting one. For once, my dear chancellor, gossip 'baa told the truth, and I wouldn't pay the princess so poor a compliment as to ask for her hand when I've no heart left to give ber In exchange for It There's some one else"? "It Is of that some one else I would venture to speak, your majesty. Gos sip has named her. May I?" "I'll save you the trouble, for I'm not ashamed that the common fate has overtaken me?common because every man loves once before be dies, and yet uncommon because no man ever loved a woman so worthy. Chan cellor. there's no woman In the world lime miss tieien Mowbray, the lady to whom I owe my life." "It's natural you should he grate ful, your majesty, but"? "It's natural I alioulit l? In love." "Natural that a young man Inex perienced tu affairs of Ibe heart should mistake warm gratitude for love. Im l*oMs!ble that the mistake should lie al lowed to continue." Iumpold's eyes grew dark. "In such a connection," he said, "U would be better not to mention the word 'mis take.' I'm glad you are here, for now you can learu from ins my lnteulloua toward that lady." "Intentions, did you say. your tnajes ty? I fear I grow hard of hearing." "At least you will never grow slow of understanding. I did speak of my Intentions toward Miss Mowbray." "You would give the lady some mag nlflceut estate, some splendid acknowl edgmeut"? "Whether splendid or not would be a matter of opinion," laughed the em peror. "I shall offer her a present of myself." The old tnan had been sitting with his chin sunk Into his short neck, peer ing out from under bis brows In u way be had. but he lifted his head sudden ly, with a look In bla eyes like that of an nnlmal who scents danger from an unexpected quarter. "Your majesty," he exclaimed, "y?u are your father's son, you are Ithae tlun, and your standard of honor"? "I hope to marry Miss Mowbray," Leopold cut him short. The chancellor's Jaw dropped, and he grew pate. "I had dreamed of nothing as bud as this," he blurted out, with no thought or wish to sugar the truth "I feared a young man's rashness. I dreaded scandal. Hut, forgive me, your majesty. Kor you a morganatic mar rluge would be madness"? "A morganatic marriage I did think of at first, but on second thoughts I saw It would lie ungrateful." "Ah, yes, to the country which ex pects so much of you." "No, to the woman who has the right to all or nothing. I will make her empress of Khaetla." With a cry the chancellor sprang up. Ilia eyes glared like the eyes of a bull who receives the death stroke. Ills working lips and the hollow sound In hla throat alarmed the emperor. 'So, your majesty, no!" he panted. "But I say yea," Leopold answered, "and let no man give me nay. I've thought it all out. I will make her a countess first. Then she shall be made my empress." "Your majesty. It la not possible." "Take care, chancellor." "She has been deceiving you. Khe has neither the birth, the position nor the nnme she claims to have, and I can prove It." "You are mud, Von Breltateln," the emperor flung at him. "That can be your only excuse for such words." "I am not mad. but I am old and wise, your majesty. Today you have made me feel that I am very old. Punish me as you will for my frank ness My work for you and yours Is nearly done. Cheerfully will I sub mit to my dismissal If only this last effort In your service may save the ship of state from wreck. I would not make an accusation which I could not prove. And I can prove that the two Kngilr.h ladles who have been staying at Schloss Lyndalherg are not the persons they pretend to be." "Who has been lying to you?" cried Leopold, who held between cllDched hands the temper he vowed not to lose with this old man. "To me, no one. To your majesty, to roclety In Kronburg, two adventuress es have lied." The emperor caught his breath. "If you were a young man I would kill you for that," he said. "1 know you would. As It Is, my life Is yours. But Iwfore you take It for (iod's sake, for your father's sake, hear ine out!" Leopold did not spenk for a moment, but stared at the vanishing landscape, which he saw through a red haze. "Very well," he said at last; "I will bear you, l>ecause I fear nothing you cau say." "When I heard of your majesty's ad miration for a certain lady," the chan cellor began quickly lest the emperor should change his mind, "I looked for her name and her mother's In Burke's Peerage. There I fouud Ijvdy Mow bray. widow of a dead baron of that | ilk. mother of a sou still a child and [ of one daughter, a young woman with I many names and twenty-eight years. "This surprised me, as the Miss j Mowbray 1 had seen at the birthday ball looked no more than eighteen and, 1 was told, confessed to twenty. The Mowbrays, I learned by a little further research In Burke, were dls tuutly connected by marriage with the family of Baumenburg-Drtppe. This seemed an odd coincidence In the cir cumstances. But, acting us duty bade me act, 1 wired to two persons?Baron von Sark, your majesty's ambassador to Great Britain, and the crown prince of IIuuJ?rl?. the brother of Princess Virginia " "What did you telegraph?" asked the emperor Icily. "Nothing compromising to your maj esty, you may well believe. I Inquired of Adalbert If be had English rela tions, a Lady Mowbray and daughter, Helen, traveling in Uhaetla, and 1 beg ged that If so he would describe their appearance by telegram. To Von Bark I said that particulars by wire concern ing the widow of Lord Mowbray and daughter, Helen, would put me under |>ernonnl obligation. Both these mes- | sages 1 sent off night before last. Yes terday I received Adalbert's answer, this morning Von Sack's. They are here." And the chancellor tapped the breast of his gray coat "Will your majesty read them?" "If you wish," replied Leopold at his haughtiest and coldest. The old man unbuttoned his coat and produced a coroneted poeketlKsik, a souvenir of friendship on bis lust birth clay from the em|>eror. I-eopold ?aw It and remembered, as tbe chancellor hoped he would. "Here are the telegrams, your maj esty," be aald. "The first one la from the crown prince of Hungurla." "Hare no idea where Lady Mowbray and daughter are traveling: may he Rhaetla or north pole." Adalbert lead written, with characteristic flippancy. "Hare seen neither for eight years and scarcely know them But Lady M. tali, brown old party, with nose like hobby borne; Helen dark, nose like mother's, wears glasses " With no betrayal of feeling, Leopold laid the telegram on the red plush seat and unfolded tbe other. "Pardon delay," the Khaetlan am bassador's message began "Have I wen making Inquiries. lady Mow bray has Icon widow for ten year*. Not rich. During son's minority has let her town and country houaas. Lives much abroad. Very high church. Intellectual, at present In Calcutta, where daughter Helen, twenty-eight, j not pretty, Is lstely engaged to marry middle aged Judge of some distinction." "80"?and the emperor threw aside the second hit of paper?"It la on such slight grounds as these that a man of the world ran label two ladles 'ad venturesses.' " The chancellor was bitterly disap pointed. lie bud counted on the Im pression which these telegrams must make, and unless I lupoid were act ing It was now certain that love bad driven him out of his Benses. But If the emperor were mad he must be treated accordingly, and tbe old stutesman condescended to "bluff." "There Is still more to tell." be aald, "If your majesty bus not beard enough, but I think when you have reflected you will not wish for more. It Is clear that tbe women calling themselves Mowbraya have had tbe audacity to present themselves here under false colors. They have either deceived Lady I Jim be rt, who Introduced them to Rhaetian society, or, still more like ly, they have cleverly forged their let (era of iutroductlon." "Why didn't you telegraph to Lady Lambert while your hand was In?" sneered Leopold. "I did, your majesty, or, rather, not knowing ber present address, I wired u friend of mine, an acquaintance of hers, begging him to make inquiries without using my name, but 1 have not yet received an answer to that tele gram." "Until you do I should think that even a eynic like yourself might give two defenseless. Inoffensive ladles the benefit of the doubt." "Inoffensive," echoed Von Brelt ?teln?"inoffensive when they came to this country to ensnare your majesty through the girl's beauty! But, great heaven, it is true that I am growing old! I have forgotten to ask your maj esty whether you have gone so far as to mention the word marriage to Miss Mowbray?" "I'll answer that question by another. Do you really believe that Miss Mow bray came to Ithactla to 'entrap' me?" "I do. though I scarcely think that even her ambition (lew as high as you are encouraging it to soar." "In cuse you're right she would have been overjoyed with un offer of mor ganatic marriage." "Overjoyed Is a poor word. Over whelmed might be nearer." "Yet I tell you she refused me last night and is leaving Rbaetia today rather than listen to further eutrea tlea." Leopold bent forward to launch this thunderbolt, his brown hands on his knees, his eyes eager. The memories, half bitter, half sweet, called up by his own words caused Virginia to ap pear more lieautiful, more desirable ever than before. He was delighted with the expres slon of the chancellor's face. "Now, what arguments have you left?' b? broke out In the brief silence. "All I had before and many new ones, for what your majesty has said shows the lady more ambitious, more astute, therefore more dangerous, than I had guessed. She staked everything on the power of her charms, and she might have won had you not an old servant who wouldn't be fooled by the witcheries of a fair Helen." "She has won," said Leopold, then' quickly: "God forgive me for chiming in with your bitter humor, as if she'd played a game. By simply being her self she has won me, such as I am. She's proved that if she cares at all It's for the man and not the emperor, since she called the offer you think so lun^uiiivrui nil 1113UIL. ICS, 111 11 IH't11 lor, that was the word she used, and It was almost the last she said to me, which is the reason I'm traveling to day. And none of your boasted "proofs' can hold me back." "By heaven, your majesty must look upon yourself from th4 point of view you credit to the glrll You forget the emperor In the man." "The two need not be separated." "Love Indeed makes men blind and spares not the eye# of emperors." "I've pledged myself to bear with you, chancellor." "And 1 know you'll keep your word. I must speak for Ithaetla and your better self. You are following this? lady to give her your empire for a toy." "8he must first accept the emperor as her husband." "A lady who has so poor a name of her own that she steals one which doesn't belong to her?the nation won't bear It." "You speak for yourself, not for Ithaetla," said Leopold. "Though I'm not so old as you by half your years, I believe I can Judge my people better than you do. The law which bids an emperor of Rhaetla match with royal ty Is an unwritten law, a law solely of customs landed down throng!}ask erations. ni not spoil my me ny suo mlttlug to Its yoke, since by breaking It the nation gains, as 1 do. I could go to tbe world's end and riot find a woman as worthy to be my wife and empress of Khaetla as Helen Mow bray." "You bave never seen Princess Vir ginia." "I've ao wish to see her. There's but one woman for me, and I awear to you If 1 lose her I'll go to my grave un married. Let tbe crown fall to my uncle's son. I'll not perjure myself even for Khaetla." The chancellor bowed his head and held up his hands, for by that gesture alone could he expreae his despair. "If my people lova me they'll love my wife and rejoice In my happiness," Leopold went on sharply. "If they complain, why, we shall see who's master?whether or not the emperor of khaetla la a mere figurehead. In some countries royalty Is but an ornamental survival of a picturesque past; a king or queen Is a mere puppet which the nation loads with luxury to do Itself honor. That's not true of Rhaetla. though, as I'm ready to prove, If prove It I must. But I believe I shall be spared the trouble. We Rhaetlans love romance?you are perhaps tbe one ex ception?while, aa for the story you've told me. I would not give that for It!" And tbe emperor snapped his lingers. "You still believe tbe ladles bave a right to the name of Mowbray?" "I believe that they are of stainless reputation and that any seeming mys tery can be explained. Miss Mowbray Is herself. That's enough for me. Per haps, chancellor, there are two Lady Mowbrays." ? "Only one Is mentioned In Burke." "Burke Isn't gospel." "Pardon me. It's tbe gospel of the British peerage. It can no more be guilty of error than Euclid." "Nor can Miss Mowbray be guilty of wrong I should still stake my life on that even bad your conclusions not been lame ones." The old man accepted this rebuff In silence. But It was not the silence of absolute hopelessness; It was only such a pause as a prize fighter makes be tween rounds. "Your majesty will not be In too great haste, at all events. I trust," he said at last?"at least a little reflec tion. a little patience, to cool the blood. I have not laid down all my cards yet." "It's often bad policy not to lead trumps." replleu Leopold. "Often, but not always. Time and the end of the play will show. Is your majesty's indulgence for the old man quite exhausted?" "Not quite, though rattier strained, I confess." I^eopold tempered his words with a faint smile. "Then I have one more important question to ask, venturing to remind you first that I have acted solely in your Interest. If such a step as you contemplate should be my deathblow it Is because of my love for you and Rhaetia. Tell me, your majesty, this one thing. If It were proved to you that the lady you know as Miss Mow bray was not only not the person she pretends to be. but In all other respects unworthy of your love, what would you do?" "You speak of impossibilities." "But if they were not Impossibili ties?" "In such a case I should do as other men do?spend the rest of my life In trying to forget a lost ideal." "I tliank your majesty. That is all I ask. I suppose you will continue your Journey?" "Yes. as far as Felgarde, where I hope to find T.ady Mowbray and her daughter." "Then, your majesty, when I've ex pressed my gratitude for your for bearance, even though I've failed to tie convincing, I'll trouble you no long er." The chancellor rose painfully, with a reminiscence of gout, and Leopold stared at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Only that, as I can do no further good here, with your permission I will get out at the station we are coming to aud go back home again." The emperor realized what he had not noticed until this moment?that the train was slackening speed as it ap proached the suburbs of a town. His conversation with the chancellor had lasted for an hour, and heffcvas far from regretting the prospect of being left in peace. More than once he had come perilously near to losing his tem per, forgetting his gratitude and the old man's years. How much longer he could have held out under a continued strain of provocation he did not know. So he spoke no word of dissuasion when Count von Breitsteln picked up his soft hat and buttoned his gray coat for de parturc. "I've passed pleasanter hours In your society. I admit," said Leopold when the train stopped. "But I can thank you for your motives, if not your max ims, and here's my hand." "It would be most kind of your maj esty to telephone me from Felgarde," the chancellor exclaimed, as If on a sudden thought, while they shook hands, "merely to say whether you re main there or whether you go farther or whether you return at once. I am too fatigued to travel back Immediate ly to Schloss Hreltsteln and shall rest for some hours at least In my house at Kronburg, so a call will find me there." "I will do as you ask." said the em peror. Again be pressed the chancel lor's hand, and It was very cold. CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. The Kind You Have Always Bought ? w.ryn CHAPTER FIFTtLN5 Sffertu 1 W TAKS Leopold arrived nt JB/ Kelgarde be went lin " mediately to the hotel ^ which he had deslgnat ~?. ed aa a place of meet lug. But no ladles an swerlug to the description he gave had l?en seen there. He returued at once to the railway i ntatlou The telegram was atlll In the bauds of tbe station master, to whose care It had been addressed. This diligent per sou professed to have seat a mau through the Orieut express from end to end calling for Mlsa Helen Mow bray, but calllug lu vain. He had no theory more plausible to offer than that the lady had not started from Krouburg or else that she had left the train at Kelgarde before her name had been cried. But certainly she would not have had time to go far If she were a through passenger, for the Orient express stopped but ten min utes at Kelgarde. It was evident throughout the short conversation that the excellent official was ou pins and needles. Struck by the emperor's features, which he had so often seen In painting and photo graph. It still seemed Impossible that tbe greatest man in Ithaetta could be traveling thus about the country in or dinary morning dress and unattended. 8ure at one Instant that he must be talking with the emperor, sure the next that he had been deceived by a like ness. the poor fellow struggled against his confusion In a way that would have amused Leopold In a different mood. \\ ith a manner that essayed the dif ferent mean between reverence due to royalty and common everyday polite ness, good enough for an ordinary gen tleman. the station master volunteered to ascertain whether the ladies de scribed had gone out and given up their tickets. A few minutes of sus pense dragged on. Then came the news that no such persons had passed. Here was a stumbling block. Since Helen Mowbray and her mother had nppnrently not traveled by the Orient express, where had they gone on leav ing the hotel at Kronburg? Had they, after all, misled Baroness von Lyndal as to their intentions for the purpose of blinding the emperor, or had they simply changed their minds at the last minute, as women may? Could it be possible that they had changed them so completely as to return to Schloss Lynda I berg, or had they chosen to van ish mysteriously through some back door out of Rhaetla, leaving no trace which even a lover could find? Leopold could not help recalling the chancellor's revelations, but dismissed them as soon as they had crept into his brain. No matter where the clew to the tangle might lie. he told himself that it was not In any act of which Helen Mowbray need be ashamed. He could think of nothing more to do but to go dismally back to Kronburg and await developments or. rather, to stir them up by every means in his power. This was the course he Anally chose, and Just as be was about to act upon his decision he remembered his carelessly given promise to Count von Breitstein. There was a telephone In the railway station at Felgarde, and Leopold him self called up the chancellor at Kron burg. "My friends are not here. I'm start ing for Kronburg as soon as possible, either by the next train or by special," he announced after a faraway squeak had signlAed Count von Breltstein's presence at the other end. "I don't see why you wish to know, but I would not break my promise: that's all. Goodby. Eh? What was that you said?" "I have a?curious?piece of?news for you." came over the wire in the chancellor's voice. "It's?about the ladies." "What is It?" asked Leopold. "I hinted that I had more informa tion which I could not give you then. But I am In a different position now. You did not And your friends In the Orient express." "No," said the emperor. "They gave out that they were leav ing Iihaetia, but they haven't crossed the frontier." "Thanks. That's exactly what I want ed to know." "You remember a certain person whose name can't be mentioned over the telephone buying a bunting lodge near the village of Inseleden, In the Buchenwald, last year?" "Yes; I remember very well. But what has that to do with my friends?" "The younger lady has gone there without her mother, who remains In Kronburg with the companion. It seems that the present owner of the hunting lodge has been acquainted with them for some time, tlvapgh he was Ig norant of their masquerade. You see, he knows them only under their real name. The young lady Is a singer In comic operas, a Miss Jenny Brett, whose dossier can be given you on de mand. The owner of the hunting lodge arrived at his place this morning, mo tored Into Kronburg. where the young lady had waited, evidently Informed of his coming. She Invited him to pay her a visit at her hotel. He accepted and returned the invitation, which she accepted." "You are misinformed. The lady was never an opera singer, and I'm certain she would neither receive the person you mention nor go to visit him." "Will you drive out to the lodge to night when you reach Kronburg and honor the gentleman with an unex peeted call?" "I will, d?n you. but not for the rea son you think T* cried the emperor. It was the first time In his life that he had ever used strong language to the chancellor. He dropped the receiver, flung dowa a goiu roin vvitn nis own neaa upon u (at the moment he could have wished that he had no other) and, waving away an offer of change, rushed out of the office. Under his breath he swore again, the strongest oaths which the rich lan guage of his fatherland provided, anathematizing not the beloved worn an. maligned, but the man who ma ligned her. There would be death in the thought that she could be false to herself and her confession of love for him. But then. It was unthinkable. Let the wholt world reek with foulnees. his love must still shine above it white and remote as the young moon. This old man, whose life would scarce have been safe if in his emper W WILL >-jONfc5? A w "I will, d?n you, but not for the reason you think!" or"s present mood the two had been together?this old man had a grudge against the one perfect girl on earth There was no black rag of scandal he would not stoop to pick out of the mud and fly as a dag of battle, soothing his conscience?If he had one?by say ing it was for "Rhaetla's good." Telling himself that these things were truths, Leopold hurried away to Inquire for the next train back to Kronburg. There would not be anoth er for three hours, he found, and as nothing could hare Induced him to wait three hours, or even two, he or dered a special. There was a raging tiger In his breast which would nol cease to tear him until he had seen Helen Mowbray, laid his empire at her feet, received her answer and, through it, punished the chancellor. The special, he was told, could b? ready In less than an hour. The Jour ney to Kronburg would occupy nearly three more, and it would be close upon 9 before he could start with Count von Breitstein for tue hunting lodge which he had promised to visit. Bui the chancellor would doubtless have his electric carriage ready for the de sired expedition, and they could reach their destination iu twenty minutes This was not too long a time to give up to proving the old man wrong, fot to do this, not to find Helen Mowbray was Leopold's motive in consenting She would not be there, and the em peror was going because she would not. He wanted to witness Von Brelt stein's confusion, for humiliation was the bitterest punishment which could possibly be inflicted on the proud and opinionated old man. ?CHAPTm 51XTLEN" fe.i, 44 * H "* ELI. the truth when de sired, spice with prevari cation when necessary and never part with the jk whole truth at one time, since waste is sinful," was one of the maxims by which the chancellor guided his own actions, though he did not give it away for the benefit of others, and he had made the most of that prudent policy today. He had told his emperor no lies, even CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE. In an Emergency Where many people dwell 'together, as in a family, scarcely a day or a week passes that tome member of the family does not become consipated or has indigestion, sick headache, heart burn, flatulency, etc. It is then that you need a remedy like Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin, which cures these dis eases. Every family should have a bottle always at hand. It is absolutely guaranteed to do what is claimed and if you want to try it before buying, send your address for a free sample bottle to Pepsin Syrup Co., 119 Cald well Bldg., Monticello, 111. It is sold by Hood Bros, at 50c and II a bottle. FOR THE PIANO OR ORGAN With the Sweet Tone See C. B. PAYLOR . And get the K I M B A L L Smith field, N. C. NOTICE. The undersigned having qualified as Admr. on the estate of John K. Creech deceased, hereby notifies all persons having claims against said estate to pre sent the same to us duly verified on or before the 15 day of May, 1909 or this notice will be pleaded in liar of their re covery; and all persons Indebted to said estate will make payment by Novem ber 1st, 1908. This 14 day of May, 1908. W. 8. Creech i . . A. S. Cr-.ech f Admr?