Newspapers / The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, … / June 5, 1908, edition 1 / Page 3
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through the telephone, where forget fulness may be pardonable, but he had arranged his truths as skillfully as he arranged his pawns on a chessboard. It was said by some who pretended to know that Count von Breitateln had bad a Jesuit for a tutor; but. be this as It might. It was certain that when he had a goal to reach he did not pick his footsteps by the way. A flower here or there was apt to be trodden down, a small life broken, a reputa tion stained, but what of that when Khaetla's standard was to be planted apon the mountain top? Supposing he had said to the em peror after his promise of plain speak ing: "Your majesty's Journey today is a wild goose chase. I happen to know that those you seek are still at their hotel In Krouburg. Wheu 1 heard from my brother Egon that they were leav ing Schloss l.yndalberg suddenly and secretly I went immediately to Kron burg and called upon the ladies. My intention was to frighten them away by telling them that the fraud was found out and they had better disap pear decently of their own accord un less they wished to be assisted over the frontier. They actually dared refuse to see me, alleging as an excuse the sudden illness of their companion, which had prevented their leaving Kronburg.as they intended. While I was awaiting this answer I learned that some i>ersou was telegraphing from the railway station to the hotel man ager inquiring if the Mowbrays had gone. I guessed this person to be your majesty and ventured to use my in fluence strdngly with the manager, so successfully that 1 was permitted to dictate the reply and obtain his prom ise that the matter should be strictly confidential. 1 judged that your maj esty had meant to take the Orient ex press, but had missed it, and, as you telephoned from the station, I had no doubt that you intended to follow either by the next train or by a special. Soon 1 learned that no special had been ordered by any one. I ascertained the time of the next train and sought your majesty in it. Had my eloquence then prevailed with you I should have urged your return with me, and thus you would have been spared the useless Journey to Felgarde. As you remained obstinately faithful, however, I con sidered myself fortunate to have you out of the way, so that I could hurry back, and, unhampered by your sus picions, set about learning still more facts to Miss Mowbray's discredit or inventing a few if those which un doubtedly existed could not be unearth ed in time." Supposing that Count von Brelt stein's boasted frankness had led him to make these statements, it is proba ble that Khaetia would not long have rejoiced in a chancellor so wise and so self sacrificing. It was well enough for the old man to declare his willingness to retire if his master desired it, but he had count ed, as people who risk all for great ends do count, on not being taken at his word. He loved power because he had always had it, and without power life would not be worth the living, but it was honestly for the country's sake and for Leopold's sake rather than his own that he desired to hold and keep his high position. Without his strong hand to seize the helm should Leopold's fail for some careless instant he conscientiously believed that the ship of state would be lost He had done his best to disillusion a young man tricked into love for an adventuress. Now neither as chancel lor nor friend could he make further open protest unless favored by fate with some striking new development. There were nevertheless other ways of working, and he had but taken the first step toward interference. He meant, since worse had come to worst, to go on relentlessly, and he would hardly have considered it criminal to destroy a woman of the type to which he assigned Helen Mowbray, provided no means less stringent sufficed to snatch her from the throne of Uhaetla. There were many plans seething In the chancellor's head, and Egon's help might be necessary. He might even have to go so far as to bribe Egon to kidnap the girl and sacrifice himself by marrying her out of hand before she had a chance to learn that the emperor was ready to meet her de mands. Egon had been attentive to Miss Mowbray. It might well be be lieved even by the emperor that the young man naa ueen maaiy enougn in love to act upon his own Initiative, un influenced by his brother. The chancellor's first act on parting with Leopold was to telegraph Captain von Breitsteln to meet the train by which he would return to Kronburg, Therefore on arriving at the station he was not surprised to see Egon's hand some fnce prominent among others less attractive on the crowded platform. "Well?" questioned the young man as the old man descended. "I'm sorry to say It Is very far from well. But between us we shall, I hope, Improve matters. You have kept your self au eourant with everything that has happened In the camp of the en emy?" "Yes." "Is anything stirring?" "Say 'any one.' and I can answer yon more easily. Who do you think has ar rived at the hotel?" "The devil, probably, to complicate matters." "I've heard him called so, but a good looking devil and devilishly pleasant. I met him in his motor. In which he'd driven into town from his new toy, the hunting lodge in"? "What! You mean the Prince"? "Of Darkness, you've just named him." Egon gave a laugh at his own repartee, but the chancellor heard nei ther. His hard face brightened. "That's well." said he grimly. "Here we have Just the young man to see us through this bad pass If he's as goo-.t looking as ever and in his usual mood for mis :hlef. If we can Interest him In this affair, he may save me a great ileal of trouble and you a misalliance." "But your wedding present to me"? began Egon blankly. "Don't distress yourself. Do what you can to assist me. and, whatevei the end. you shall lie my heir, I prom ise you. Is the priuce at the bote now ?' "Yes. He had been to call on you at your town house, he stopped his auto mobile to tell me. and, bearing from me that you would tie back this even ing. be decided to stay all night at the hotel, so that he could have a chat with you after your return, no matter at what hour It might be. I believe he has left a note at your house." "1 will go to him, and we can then discuss Its contents together," said Count von Breltsteln, and the chauf feur who drove his electric carriage was told to go to the Ilohenlangenwald hotel. The prince, who would, the chancel lor hoped, become the deus ex machina, was engaged in selecting the wines for Ills dinner when Count von Rreitstein's card was sent in. He was pleased to say that he would receive bis visitor, and. Egon having been sent about his business, the chancellor was shown Into the purple drawing room of the suit reserved for royalty. As he entered a young man jumped up from an easy chair, scattering sheaves of illustrated papers, and held out both his hands, with a "Welcome, my dear old friend!" It would have been vain to scour the world in quest of a handsomer young man than this one. Even Egon von Breltsteln would have seemed a mere good looking puppet beside him. and the chancellor rejoiced in the physical perfection of a priuce who might prove a dangerous rival for an absent em peror. "This is the best of good fortune!" exclaimed Count von ISreitstein. "Egou told me you were here, and without waiting to get the note he said you had left for me I came to you straight from the railway station." "Splendid! And now you must dine with me. It was that I asked of you in my note. Dinner early, a serious talk and an antidote for solemnity In a visit to the Eeopoldhalle to see Mile. Felice from the Folies liergere do her famous tire and fountain dance. A box, curtains half drawn, no one need know that the chancellor helps his youug friend amuse himself." "1 thank your royal highness for the honor you suggest, and nothing could give me greater pleasure if I had not a suggestion to venture, in place of yours, which I believe may suit yon better. I think I know of what you wish to talk with me, and I desire the same, while the business I have most at heart"? "Ah, your business is my business, then?" "I hope you may so consider it In any case It is business which must be carried through now or never and is of life and death importance to those whom it concerns. How it's to be done or whether done at all may de pend on you, if you consent to Interest yourself, and it could not be in more competent hands, if I'd been given my choice of an assistant out of the whole world I should have chosen your royal highness." "This sounds like an adventure." "It may be an adventure and at the <ame time an act of justice." "Hood. Although it was not in search of au adventure ttiat I came to you, any more than it was the hope of game which brought me on a sudden impulse to my little hunting lodge, still I trust I have always the instinct of a sports man." "I am su/e of that, and I have the loss hesitation in enlisting your good will because it happens that your bird aud mine can be killed with one shot." "< 'haneellor, you excite my curios ity." The old man smiled genially, but un der the bristling brows glowed a flame as of the last embers in a dying fire. "T'pstairs," said he, "is a pretty wom an. a beauty. She claims the name of Helen Mowbray, though her right to it is more than disputable. Her love af fairs threaten a public scandal." "Ah, you are not the first one who has spoken of this pretty lady since 1 crossed the frontier this morning," ex claimed the young man, flushing. He paused and bit his lip before going on, as if he wished to think or regain self control, but at last he laughed not al together lightly. "So the lady moot talked about for the moment in all Ithaetia is under the same roof with me." "Fortunately she Is close at hand." said the chancellor. "To you more than to any other I can open my heart In speaking of our great peril. This girl has drawn the emperor Into a fit of moon madness. It Is no more seri ous than that, and were she out of the way he would wake as from a dream. But this Is the moment of the crisis. He must be saved now or he Is lost forever and all our hopes with him Blessed would be the man who brought my poor master to his senses. I have tried and failed. But you could do it." r "The sword of justice is ready for your hand." "That sentence has a solemn ring. I don't see what you want me to do. But what sort of woman Is this who has bewitched your grave Leopold?" "Beautiful and clever ns women are clever, but not clever enough to fight her battle out against you and pe." The prince laughed again. "It Isn't my metier to fight with women. I pre fer to make love to them." "Ah, you have said It! That Is what I beg your royal highness to do." "How am I to get at her when Leo pold stands guard?" "He will not be on guard for sodm hoars." "Ha, ha! You menu me to under stand that there's uo time to waste." "Not a moment." "What Is the ttlrl like?" "Tall aud slender, pink and white as a flower, dark lashed and yellow hair- j ed. like an Austrian heauty; eyes' gray or violet. It would be heard to say w hich for a man of my years, but even I can assure you that when the lady looks down, then suddenly up attain under those dark lashes. It's something to quickeu the pulso of auy j uiau under sixty." "It would quicken mine only to hear your description if you hadn't just put a maggot in my head that tickles mo to laughter Instead of raptures," said the prince. "Tell me this?has this girl a tiny black mole Just over the left eye brow, very fetching, aud when she smiles does ber mouth point upward a bit on the right side, like a fairy sign- | post showing the way to a small round i scar almost us good as a dimple?" The chancellor reflected for a few secouds aud then replied that unless his >yesight and his memory had de ceived him both these marks were to be met with on Miss Mowbray's face. He did not add that he had seen her but once and at the time hnd not taken Interest enough to note details, for it was plain that the prince had a theory as to the lady's real identity and to es tablish It as a fact might be valuable. "Is it possible that you've already met this dangerous young person?" he asked eagerly. "Well, I begin to believe It may be bo. I'll explain why later. Thereby hangs a confession. At all evenls, a certain lady exactly answering the de scription you've given Is very likely in this neighborhood. I've heard thai she was shortly due In Kronburg, and It was In my mind when deciding nd denly to spend a few days In the v ? r is for the sake of seeing you that I might see her also before I went lu>me again. As a matter of fact, the lady and I have had a misunderstand ig at a rather unfortunate moment, as I'd just imprudently taken her Into iy confidence concerning?er?some fa ?? ily affairs, if It is she who Is masque id lng in Hhaetia as Miss Mowbra< .mil turning your emperor's head. It m.i1 lie that she's trying to revenge hen-el' 01 me. She's pretty enough to beguile St. Anthony, let alone a St Leopold, and she's clever enough to have thought out such a scheme. Our small quarrel happened about four weeks ago, and I've lost sight of the lady since. She disappeared, expecting probably to be followed, but she wasn't. The only question Is, If she's playing Miss Mow bray, where did she get the mother? I've heard there is a Mowbray mother." "There's a faded Dresden china shep herdess that nnswers to the name," said the chancellor dryly. "But these mantelpiece ornaments are easily man ufactured." The prince was amused. "No; she wouldn't stick at a mother If she wanted one," he chuckled. "And, while she was about it. she has appareutly annexed a whole family tree. The black mole and the scar dimple?you're sure of them, chancellor? Because, if you are"? "Oh, I am practically certain!" "Then the more pieces in the puzzle which I fit together the more likely does It seem that your Leopold's Miss Helen Mowbray and my Miss Jenny Brett are one and the same." "Miss Jenny Brett?" "Did you never hear the name?" "If I have I've forgotten it." "Chancellor, you wouldn't forget if you were a few years younger. Jenny Brett is the prettiest If not the most talented singer ever sent out from Australia, the fashionable home of singers. She is billed to sing at the Court theater of Kronburg in a fort night, her first engagement in Uhae tia." "You are right. It may well be that she's been having a game with us?a game that we can prevent now, thank heaven, from ending in earnest." "Oh, yes; we can prevent that." "Your royal highness met the lady in your own country?" "N-o. It was in Paris at first, but I'm afraid I Induced her to accept an engagement at home. We were great friends for awhile, and really she's a charming creature. I can't blame my self. Who would have guessed that she'd turn out so ambitious? By Jove, I can sympathize with Leopold. The girl tried to twist me round her finger and, I verily believe, fancied at one time that I would offer her marriage." "It must be the same girl. And the emperor has offered her marriage." "What? Impossible! But?with the left haiid, of course, though even that would be unheard of for a man in his"? "I swear to your royal highness that If he Isn't stopped he will force her on the Rhaetian people as empress." "Gad?little Jenny Brett! I didn't half appreciate her brilliant qualities." "Yet I would wager that she appre clsted yours." The prince shrugged his shoulders. "I believe she really cared something for me?a mouth ago." "Then she still cares. You are not a man whom a woman can forget, though pique or ambition may lead her to try. I tell you frankly I believe that Prov idence seat your royal highness here at this moment, and my best hopes are now pinned on you. You?and no one as well as you?can save the em peror for n nobler fate. Even when 1 supposed you a stranger to this lady who calls herself Helen Mowbray 1 thought that If you would consent to meet her and exercise your fascina tions there might be hope of averting the danger from my master. Now I hope everything. I beg, I entreat, that your royal highness will send up your name and ask the lady to see you with out delay. 8be will certainly receive you, and when the emperor learns that ?be has done so It may go far to dlail | Inslon him, for, pardon me, your royal highness hits n great reputation as a lady killer. Still more valuable would be, however?indeed, be would tie cured of bis Infatuation forever?If?if'? "If what?" Inquired the young man, ' tired of the chancellor's long wluded ness aud lieating about the bush. "If you could persuade her to go out to your huutlng lodge Then Leopold and Ithaettn would tie saved by you. What could !>e tietter? What could lie more suitable?" "What. Indeed," echoed the prince, "for every one concerned except for Jenny Brett?" "Considering ttie havoc she has work ed among us all, need she lie consid ered before the Interests of a great country aud. perhaps I may bint, au Innocent aud lovely royal lady whom this girl Is doing her best to humili ate?" "I'm hanged if she need tie so con sidered! Anyhow I'll do what you ask. I'll send up my card, and then we'll see what happens." The prince took from his pocket a small gold case sparkling with jewels, a tritie which advertised itself as the gift of a woman. Out of this came a card, with a crown over the name lu the fashion of his country and some others An equerry waiting In an ad joining room was summoned, the card given to him, passed on to a hotel serv ant. aud theu for live minutes, ten min utes, the old man and the young oue waited, talking of a subject very near to tsith their hearts. At last, when they had no more to say. word came that Lady Mowbray and Miss Mowbray would see his royal highness. "The value of a well regulated moth er!" laughed the young man, who had not troubled to inquire for Lady Mow bray. "Well, whatever oomes of tills interview, chancellor, i shall presently have something to tell you." "The suspense will be hard to bear," said Count von Breitsteln, "but I have perfect faith in you. We understand each other completely now, but I'm growing old, and the past few days have tired me sorely. Remember. 1 pray you, all that's at stake and do not hesitate for an instant Have no false scruple with such a person as this. The emperor will soon arrive in Kronburg. He'll lose no time in trying to liud the girl, and once they've had "I'll send up tnp card." another meeting all our plans, all our precautions, may be in vain. He searches for her to offer his crown." The prince listened and did not smile as he went out. lie had hidden the chancellor await his return in the salon of the royal suit which was always kept at his disposal when he appeared in the neighborhood, as he often did since purchasing the hunting lodge a few miles out of Kronhurg iu the forest. Other foreign royalties or lesser princes from the provinces occasional ly occupied the apartments also, and this handsome royal highness of today was not the only one whom the chan cellor of Uhaetia had visited there. He knew by heart the rich purple hang ings in the salon, with the double wolf hend of Uhaetia stamped In gold at regular intervals on the velvet, and he sickened of their splendor now as the moments dragged and he remained alone. wnen hair an Ijour had passed he could no longer sit still on the purple velvet sofa, but began walking up and down, his hands behind blm, scowling nt tbe full length oil painted portraits of lthaetia's dead rulers, glaring a question into his own eyes In the long, gold framed mirrors?a question he would have given bis life to bear an swered in the way he wished. Three-quarters of an hour had gone at last, nnd still the chancellor paced the purple drawing room, and still tbe prince did not come back to tell tbe news. . Had the young man failed? Had that siren upstairs beguiled him, as she had beguiled one stronger and greater than he? Was it possible that she had lured the whole secret of their scheme from the prince and then Induced him to leave the hotel while her arch ene my fumed iu the salon, awaiting his return? But, no; thee were quick footsteps j outside the door. The handle was turned. At least his royal highness was not a traitor. As the chancellor had confessed, he was growing old. He felt suddenly very weak. His lips fell apart, trem bling, yet be would not utter the words that bung upon them. Fortunately the P'ince read the ap peal in the glittering eyes and did not wait to be questioned. "Well. I've seeu the lady and had a talk with her." he said in a voice which was, the old man felt, somehow different In tone from what it had been an honr ago. "And Is she the person you have known?" "Ym, she's a person I have known. < It's?It's all right about that plan of f ronrs, chancellor. She's going with me J to the lodge." jj "Heaven ho praised! It seems al 1 most too good to lie true. When does f she go_ fi "At onee?that Is. as soon as she f ran got ready She will dine with me, J and my equerry will stop tiebind and j* eat the dinner I had ordered here." ''' "Magiil!ioent! Then she will go with yon alone? Nothing could lie better The |i-eetee of the a I leged mother as chaperon would lie a drawbnck." "Oh. no chaperon Is needed for us two The er mother remains at the hotel with a la?a companion they have, who Is III It was er somewhat difficult to arrange this matter, but I don't think the plot I have in mind now will fail, provided you curry through your part as smartly as I have carried mine." "You may depend upon me. Y'our royal highness Is marvelous. Am 1 to understand that the lady goes with j you quite of her own free will?" "Quite I flatter myself that she's, rather pleased with the Invitation. In a few minutes I and the fair damsel will l>e spinning away for a drive In | uiy red motor ?you know, the one which 1 always leave at the lodge, to s be ready for use whenever I choose to 1 pay n flying visit. I shall keep her out ) until It's dark to give yon plenty of j time, but before starting I'll telephone J to my chef that, after all. 1 shan't be 1 away and he must prepare dinner for - two." "1 also will send a telephone mes sage." said the chancellor. "To Leopold?" "Yes, your royal highness. This (line there will he no uncertainty In my words to him. They will strike home, , and even if he should not he intend ing to come to Kronhurg tonight they will bring him." "You are sure you know where to catch the empo'or?" "He'll telephone me from Felgarde when he has fie nd those he sought are not there as he will, and I must tie at mv house to receive and answer his message It wi'l soon he time now." "Very well: all that seems to arrange Itself satisfactorily." said the prince "Our motoi i. ive can he stretched out for an hour and a half. The lady will then iie<"' t > dress Pinner can lie kept hack (III half past 8, If It would suit your hook to break in upon us at the table. My dining room isn't very grand, hilt It has plenty of light and color and wouldn't make n had hack ground for the last act of this little ' drama. What do you say. chancellor? t've always thought that your success as a stage manager of the theater of nations was partially due to your eye for dramatic effects." , "Such effects are not to lie despised, I considering the audience we cater for j In that theater." j "Well, I promise you that for our j little amateur play tonight in my pri vate theater the footlights shall be lit. the stage set and two of the principal puppets dressed and painted for the show before 1) I suppose you can in troduce the leading man by that time or a little later?" The bristling brows drew together Involuntarily. Count von Brelsteln was working without scruple against the emperor for the emperor's good, yet he winced at his accomplice's light j jest, and It was by an effort that he kept a note of disapproval out of his voice "Unless r much mistake, bis majesty will order a special train as soon as he has had my message." said he. "That and everything else falling as 1 con fidently expoct. I shall lie able to bring him out to your royal highness' hunt ing lodge a little after 0." "You'll tied us at the third course," prophesied the prince. "Naturally the emperor's appearance will startle your visitor." went on the j chancellor, keenly watching the young ' man's extraordinarily handsome face. "She would not dare take the risk and drive out with you. great as the temp tation would no doubt he. did she dream that he would learn of the es capade and follow. Indeed, your roy al highness must have found subtle I weapons ready to your hand that yoi , so goon broke through the armor of ( her prudence. I expected much from your magnetism nnd resourceful wit. yet I hardly dared hope for such speedy, such unqualified success as this which now seems assured to us." "My weapons were sharpened on my past acquaintance with the pretty - lady," explained the prince; "otherwise the result might have been postponed for as many days as I have delayed moments, though at last the end might have been the same." "Not for Rhaetla. Every Instant counts. Thanks to you, we shall win, for, actress as this girl is, she'll tlnd it a task beyond her powers to Justify to a Jealous man this evening's tete-a tete with you." "If she tests those powers in our presence, we can !>e audience and ad mire her histrionic talents." said.the prince pleasantly, though with some faint, growing sign of constratul or perhaps Impatience. "There's nodoulit in my mind, whatever may be the lady's conception of her part, about the final tableau And. after all. It's with that alone you concern yourself, eh. chancellor ?" "It's that alone," echoed the old man. "Then you would like to go and await the message. There's nothing more for us to arrange An revolr. chancellor, till #" "Till 9." "When the curtain for the last act will ring up." The prince held out his band. Count von Breitsteln grasped It and then hur ried to his electric cnrrlagc, which had been waiting outside the hotel. A few minutes later he was talking over the wire to the emperor in the railway sta tion at F el garde. Grass, Flower, Field | and Garden Seed 8 For allclassesof customers, S the large as well as the ft small buyer. We solicit 5 orders especially for large Q amounts of Grass, Field & ? Garden Seeds on very small 0 margin of profit. ft Summer Flowering Bulbs f\ Tuberose Dialias > Cannas Q Gladiolas ft In large and varied assortments, ? the latest varieties and colors. Jj Flower Pots and Jardiniers ft Always kept in stock at reason- 2 able prices. Call and examine ft our stock. '*> Clayton Drug | Company g Ready For You Having bought the planing mills until recently run by Mr. J. E. Page, I am pre pared to serve the public in my line. Give me your orders for ttooring, ceiling, mould ing, weather-boarding, man tels, window and door frames. :: School Desks a Specialty. John I. Barnes Clayton. N. C. I Sewing I Machines 1 I am agent in Johnston $ County for the a & New Home Sewing ? Machines | This is my nineteenth year 3 selling them. If there are ? it other machines as good I ff g do not know it. S K i ' If you want a machine g | write or let me know it. I J. M. Beaty, * I Smithfield, N. C. DR. G. A. HOOD, Treasitkkhof Johnrton County, Will be In bis office at The Bank of ?Imithtield, every Saturday until 1:80 j'clock and every flret Monday and Sourt Week. I'artleg having buninesg with him can get It attended to at )ther timea at The Bank of Smlthfleld. Screen Windows made to fit at Cotter Stevens Co. Cotter Underwood Co. have three fine young mules for sale. Blacksmith Wood Shops Let me remind you that I am conductiLg Blacksmith and Wood Shops at Pour Oaks and am ready to do General Repairs on Carts, Wagons, Buggies, Etc. Horseshoeing Correctly Done Am fully prepared for repairing Buggies and such things. Call to see me. J. E. BOOKER, Fomr Oaks, N. C.
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
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June 5, 1908, edition 1
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