Washington County news., July 14, 1904, Page 4, Image 4

4
\JA
GRAUSTARK
• »
. . . By . . .
GEORGE
BARR
McCUTCHEOIM
Copyright, tool, by Herbert 8. Stone
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C H A PT ER 1.—O re n fa ll L o rry , a w ealth y A m erican
globe tro tte r, itu m b le l Into a c q u a in ta n c e w ith a ch a rm ­
ing fo reig n g irl on th e tra in from D en v er to W ash in g to n .
T he p a ir is le ft behind w hen th e flier stops for re p a irs in
W est V irg in ia . I I.— L o rry w ires ah ead to hold th e tra in .
H e and the u n k n o w n g irl ride tw en ty m iles a t a te a rin g
p ace in a m o u n tain coach. T h e re is no lo v e -m a k in g ,
but a n ear ap p ro ach to it as th e ro llin g sta g e tu m b les the
passengers about. I II .— L orry d in es w ith th e fo re ig n
p arty , co n sistin g of M iss G u g g en sl te k e r, U ncle C aspar
and A unt Y vonne. T h e y are n a tiv e s o f G ra u sta rk , a
co u n try L orry had n e v e r heard of b efo re . IV .— L orry
show s th e fo re ig n e rs th e sig h ts of W a sh in g to n . T h ey
leave for N ew Y ork to sail on th e K aiser W ilh elm .
Miss G u g g en slo ck er n a iv e ly ca lls L o rry h e r “ ideal
A m erican ” and In v ites h im to com e an d se e h e r at E del­
w eiss. V. W ild ly in fa tu a te d , L o rry h u rrie s to New
York. T h e nam e G u g g en slo ck er is not on th e ste am er
list. H e sees th e ste am er off. M iss G. w aves him a kiss
from th e deck. V I.— L orry Joins h is old frie n d , H a rry
A nguish, an A m erican a rtis t, in P aris. G rau stark and
Its c a p ita l, E d rlw eiss, are located by a g u id e book. T h e
A m ericans g et no tra c e of th e G u g g e n slo c k e rs th e re .
V II. L orry sees his c h arm er d tlv in g in a c a rria g e w ith
a b eau tifu l com panion o f h e r ow n se x . H e g e ts a g lan ce
of reco g n itio n , but th e c a rria g e rolls o n , le a v in g the
m ystery unsolved. L a te r he rec e iv e s a note a t h is hotel
sig n e n Sophia G u g g en slo ck er, in v itin g him to v isit her
next day. V III. In th e e v e n in g L o rry an d A nguish
ram ble about th e g ro u n d s of th e castle w h ere d w ells the
court of the P rin c ess of G ra u sta rk . T h e y o v e rh e a r a
plot to abducts th e p rin c e ss and reso lv e to c a p tu re th e
plotters red handed. IX .—F o 'liw in g th e c o n sp ira to rs.
L orry finds h im self In a ro rm he h e a rd th em d e sig n a te
as that of th e p rin c e ss. X .— L orry te lls th e p rin c e ss of
th e plot.
M utual r c o g n l'lo n ; sh e is M iss G u g g e n ­
slocker. D annox, th e g u ard , is in th e abd u ctio n plot.
H e fells L orry w ith a te rrib le blow. A n g u ish to th e
r »cue.
i i in linn« cam e in c o n ta c t w ltn a
heavy han g in g o r ta p e s try , an d he
quickly sq u irm ed behind Its folds, find­
ing him self a g a in s t a door w hich
m oved as his body touched it. H e felt
It sw ing open slig h tly an d d rew back.
Intending to re tu rn to th e hall, u n cer­
tain and very m uch undecided a s to the
course to p u rsu e. I lls rev o lv er w as In
his hand. J u s t a s he w a s a b o u t to pull
aside th e c u rta in a m an glided p ast,
quickly follow ed by a n o th e r.
P ro v i­
dence had k ep t 1dm from ru n u ln g
sq u a re ly in to them . T hey w ere going
to w ard the left, a n d he realized th a t
they w ere now a p p ro a c h in g th e p rin ­
cess’ room. How he cam e to be ahead
of them he could not im agine. Again
he felt the door move slig h tly as he
pressed ag a in st It. T he necessity for a
p a rtia l recovery of his com posure be­
fore th e n ex t a n d m ost lm p o rta.it step
im pelled him softly to e n te r th e room
for an In s ta n t's b reath .
H olding to th e door, he stood inside
and d rew him self to his full height,
ta k in g a long and tre m u lo u s b rea th .
T h e re w as no light In th e m om , but
th ro u g h th e door crack to his left cam e
a dim , broad stre a k . H e now knew
w here he w as. T h is room w as n e x t to
th a t in w hich th e p rin cess slept, for
had he not seen th e light (n u n her
w indow ? P e rh a p s he w as now In th e
room of th e C ountess D ag m ar. N ext
floor! N ext door! Even now th e d a r ­
ing G eddos an d O strom w e re c ra w lin g
to w a rd th e bed o f th e ru le r o f G ra u ­
sta rk , not tw e n ty feet a w a y .
i ll s
tlrst Im pulse w as to cross and open th e
door leading to th e n e x t room, s u r ­
m ising th a t It w ould ho uulocked, but
he rem em b ered A nguish, who w a s
doubtless, by th is tim e, ste a lin g up th e
sta irs. T hey m ust not be se p a ra te d ,
for It w ould req u ire tw o ste a d y , cool
head* to deal w ith th e v illains. It w as
not one m a n 's w ork. As he tu rn e d to
leave th e room he th o u g h t how w on­
d e rfu lly well th ey had succeeded in
th e d e lic ate e n te rp rise so far.
I lls knees stru c k th e door, anil th e re
w as a dull th u m p , not loud In rea lity ,
b ut like the rep o rt of a gun to him. A
sudden ru stle in th e d a rk n e s s o f th e
room, an d th en a sleepy voice, soft and
quick, ns of a w om an a w a k e n in g w ith
a s ta r t:
"Who is itr
H is h e a rt ceased beatin g , his body
grew stiff a n d im m ovable. A gain th e
voice, a touch of a la rm in it now :
“ Is th a t you, D an n o x ?”
She spoke in G erm an , an d th e voice
cam e from so m ew h ere in fro n t and to
ills right. H e could not a n sw e r, could
not move. T h e p a ra ly sis of Indecision
w as upon him.
"H o w Is it th a t th e o u te r floor Is
open ?”
T his tim e th e r« w a s so m e th in g like
a rep rim a n d in the tones, still low
He alm o st could see th e w ide open,
se arc h in g eyes.
C H A P T E R X.
YETIVE .
f W ^ I I E H E could be no f u rth e r hesl
H
tn tlo n . S o m eth in g m ust be done.
R
an d in sta n tly . H e gen tly closed
th e door before a n sw e rin g the
th ird question. In his n erv o u sn ess li
spoke In E n g lish , a d v a n c in g to th e mid
die of th e room . Im possible to see the
w om an to w hom he hissed th is a la rm
ing th re a t, he only could sp e cu la te as
to Its effect:
" I f you u tte r a sound, m adam , I sliai^j
kill you. r e calm , an d allow me to ex
plain my p resen ce here!"
Ho e x p e cte d h e r to sh riek , fo rg e ttin g
th a t she m ight not u n d e rsta n d his
w ords. In ste a d th e re w as a d eath ly
silence. H ad she sw ooned? H is heart
w as leaping w ith hope. B ut sh e sp< ko
softly again, tre m u lo u sly , an d in Eng
lls h :
"You w ill find my Jew els on the
d ressin g table.
T a k e them and go
You wlH not h u rt m e?”
“ I am not here to do you In ju ry , but
to serv e y o u r p rin cess,” w h isp e re d the
m an. “ Kor G od's sak e, do not m ake
an o utcry! You will ruin e v e ry th in g
W ill you let me e x p la in ? ”
“ Go! (lo! T a k e a n y th in g ! I can be
culm no longer. Oh. how can I expect
m ercy a t y o u r h a n d s!” H e r to n es w ere
i 'n g to a w all o f te rro r.
"Sli! Do you w a n t to die?" he hissed
•trifling to the canopy bed, d iscernible
as Ills eyes grew accustom ed to the
darkness. "I will kill you if you u tte r
a sound, so help m e G od!"
"O h!" slu* m oaned.
"L iste n ! You m u st aid me! Do you
h e a r? ”
A n o th er h e a rt b re a k in g m oan. “ I
am here to sa v e th e princess. T h e re Is
u plot to a b d u c t h e r to n ig h t. A lready
th ere a re m en in th e castle, p e rh a p s in
her room. You m u st tell me w h e re she
sleeps. T h e re Is no tim e to lie lost. I
hui no thief, b e fo re God!
I am telling
you th e tru th . Do not bo a la rm e d , I
Im plore you. T ru s t me, m adam , and
you will n o t reg re t It. W h ere does the
princess sle e p ? " H e Jerked out these
pager, p lea d in g w ords quickly, b r e a th ­
lessly.
"H o w am I to tru s t y o u ? ” cam e back
a w h isp e r from the bed.
" H e re is a rev o lv er. T a k e it and
kill m e if I a tte m p t th e slig h te st iu-
Jury. W h ere an* y o u ? ” H e felt along
the tied w ith his hand.
“ K eep a w a y ! P le a se ! P le ase !” she
sobbed.
" T a k e th e pistol! Be calm , au d In
h e a v en ’s n a m e help uie to sa v e her!
Those w re tc h e s m ay h av e killed h er
alread y !"
T h e rev o lv e r d ro p p ed upon the
ciotnes. t i e w a s bending eag erly over,
holding th e c u rta in s back.
“ My frien d is in th e hall. W e have
traci*d th e m en to th e p rin c e ss’ door. I
think. lie quick! Do you w ish to see
her stolen from u n d e r y o u r eyes?”
“ You a re now in th e p rin c e ss’ room .”
a n sw e re d th e voice from th e bed. calm ­
er a n d w ith som e a la c rity . “ Is th is
tru e th a t you tell m e?”
“ As God is my w itness. And you—
you—a re you th e p rin cess?” gasped th e
m an. d ra w in g back.
“ I a m . W here is D an n o x ?” She w as
sittin g bolt u p rig h t in th e bed. th e pis­
tol in h er tre m b lin g fingers.
" H e is one of th e c o n sp irato rs. One
of th e cooks and tw o o th e r g u a rd s a re
in th e plot. C an you tru s t me enough
to leave y o u r bed and hide in a n o th e r
p a rt of th e room ? T he sco u n d rels have
m istak e n th e door, b u t th ey m ay be
here a t a n y m om ent. You m u st be
quick! 1 will p ro tect y o u —1 sw e a r it!
Come, y o u r highness! H ide!”
S o m eth in g in th e fierce, an x io u s w his­
per g a v e h er confidence. T h e m iracle
had been w ro u g h t! H e had com posed
th is w om an u n d e r th e m ost try in g c ir­
c u m sta n ce s th a t could h a v e been im ­
agined. She slipped from th e bed and
th re w a long, loose silken gow n about
her.
"W ho a re yo u ?” she asked, touching
his arm .
“ I am a fo re ig n er—an A m erican—
G re u fa ll L orry. H u rry !” he im plored.
She flitl not m ove for a m om ent, bul
he f'lstiu c tly h eard h er c atch hei
b rea th .
"A m I d re a m in g ? " she m urm ured
fain tly . H e r fingers now clu tch ed his
arm tig h tly .
"1 should sa y not! I d o n ’t like tc
o rd e r you a ro u n d , y o u r h ighness, b u t” —
"Com e—com e to tin* light!" she in­
te rru p te d ex cited ly . "O v er here!”
N oiselessly she d rew him across th e
room u ntil tin* light fell a c ro ss his face.
It w as not ¡1 b rig h t light, b u t w h a t she
saw satisfied her. H e could n o t see her
face, for she stood o u tsid e th e s trip of
tiusky yellow .
"T w o m en lie b e n e ath y o u r w indow ,
an d tw o a re com ing to tills room. W here
shall 1 go? Come, be quick, m adam !
Do you w a n t to be c a rte d off to Gun-
lock? T hen d o n ’t sta n d th e re like a —
like a —p ard o n me, I w on’t say It!"
"I tru s t you fully. Shall 1 a la rm th e
g u a rd ? ” sh e w hispered, recovering her
self possession.
"B y no m eans! I w a n t to catch th o se
d ev ils m yself.
A fte rw a rd w e cau
a la rm th e g u a rd s .”
"A n ideal A m erican!” sh e su rp rise d
him by say in g . “ Follow m e.”
She led him to th e d o o rw ay . " S ta n d
here, am i I will call th e co u n te ss—a t
th is side, w h ere it is d a rk ."
Slit* opened th e door g e n tly a n d stood
ill th e light fo r a second. H e sa w be­
fore him a g rac e fu l figure in tra ilin g
w hite, and th e n he saw h er face. She
w as Miss G uggenslocker!
“ H e a v e n s!” lie hoarsely gasped, s ta g ­
g e rin g to w a rd her. "You! You! T he
prin cess?"
“ Yes. I aui P rin cess Y etive.” she
w hispered, sm ilin g as she glid«*tl from
Ills side. H is eyes w ent round in his
head, his legs seem ed to be a n y w h e re
but b e n e ath him. he felt as though he
w ere ru sh in g to w a rd th e ceiling. F o r
the m om ent he w as a c tu a lly uncon­
scious; then Ids senses rushed back, re ­
callin g his m ission and his danger.
"Sin* is s h a p in g so soundly t h a t I
fe a r to a w a k e n h er.” w h ispered a so ft
voice a t his b ack , anil he tu rn e d . T he
p rin cess w as sta n d in g in tin* d o orw ay.
“T h en p ra y sta n d back w h e re you
will be out of d a n g e r. T hey will be
lien* in a m om ent u n less they have
been frig h te n e d a w a y ."
"Y ou sh a ll not expose y o u rse lf.” she
said positively. “ W hy should you risk
y our life now ? You h av e accom plished
y o u r object. You h a v e saved th e p rin ­
cess!”
"A h. yes. th e princess!” he said. “ And
l am so rry you a re th e p rin cess," he
auueu in u er ear.
“ Sh!" she w hispered softly.
T he door th ro u g h w hich he had first
come w as softly opened, and they w ere
conscious th a t som e one w as entering.-*
Lorry and th e p rin cess stood in the
d a rk shadow of a c u rta in , she close be­
hind his s ta lw a r t figure,
l ie could
h e a r his ow n h e a rt an d hers b eating,
could feel th e w arm th of her body, a l­
though it did not touch his. Ills h e a rt
b eat w ith th e pride of possession, of
pow er, w ith th e know ledge th a t he had
b ut to s tre tc h out his bund a n d touch
th e one w om an in all th e w orld.
A cross th e dim belt of light from the
open doo rw ay in w hich th ey stood
craw led th e d a rk figure o f a m an. H er
hand unconsciously touched his back
us if seek in g rea ssu ra n c e . He shivered
beneath its gentle w eight.
A nother
f"rm follow ed th e first, p a u sin g In *
light to .look to w a rd th e ir doorw ay.
The a b d u c to r w as d o u b tle ss rem e m b e r­
ing th e in stru c tio n s to chloroform th e
countess. T hen cam e th e odor of
chloroform . Oh, if A nguish w ere only
there!
T he second figure w as lost in th e
d a rk n e ss a n d a f a in t glow of light
cam e from th e canopied bed in th e cor­
ner. T he ch lo ro fo rm er holding the c u r­
tain s had tu rn e d his screen la n te rn to­
wn rd th e pillow in o rd er to apply the
dam pened cloth. Now* w a s th e tim e to
net!
P u sh in g th e p rin cess behind th e c u r­
tain a n d in th e s h e lte r of th e doorpost.
L orry leaped to w ard th e c e n te r of the
room, a pistol in each hand. Before
him crouched th e a sto n ish e d d e sp e ra ­
does.
“ If you m ove, you a re d ead m en!”
said he in slow , decided tones. "H e re .
H a rry !” he shouted. “ S coundrels, you
are tra p p e d ! T h ro w up y o u r h a n d s!”
Suddenly th e room w a s a blaze of
light: flash in g candles, lam ps, sp ru n g
into life from th e w alls, w hile a g re a t
c h a n d elie r above his h ead dazzled him
w ith its unexpected glare.
“T h u n d e r!” he shouted, h a lf th ro w ­
ing his h a n d s to his eyes.
S om ething rushed upon him from be­
hind: th e re w a s a scream and th en a
" D annnx!
L)o not utrike o g n in !”
stin g in g blow across th e head and
neck. As he sank helplessly, ang rily ,
to his' knees he h e a rd th e p rin cess w a il:
“ D annox! Do not s trik e ag a in ! You
have killed him !”
As he rolled to th e floor he sa w th e
tw o form s near th e bed m oving ab o u t
like shadow s. T w o m l o b jects th a t re­
sem bled d a n c in g tele g ra p h poles leaped
p ast him from he knew not w here, an d
then th e re w as a shout, th e rep o rt of a
pistol, a horrid yell. S om ething heavy
c rash ed dow n beside hi liq u id w rith ed .
Ills eyes w ere closing: his senses w ere
going: he w as num b an d sleepy. A w ay
off in th e d ista n c e he h e a rd H a rry A n­
guish crying:
(C o n tin u ed )