4 ¡J tv k , , ®*|T» ,« • • » w rà r ‘ ¿r* ^ ra k e*JJ ^ -> ^ rT^T» «T*T» »TyP» » *£S cr^ff» ^ *&? * ^ ^ r*jT * < t ^ , »5 f i * i k \ > ! ' »♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦»»'»»»■»♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦»■ » » ♦♦♦♦♦'M i■ » » » » » » » !. m »7 w ¿’ ’ Ä ♦ *& •• w t « •►«>.« • * > T’v 4 « » Vi/ < 4 TW I i> # ^ GRAUSTARK . . . By . . . GEORGE : î BARR M cCUTCHEON «*• Copyright, IMI, hy Herbert 8. Stone Ä ! I CHAPTER 1.—G re n fill L orry. a w ealthy Am erican i place?” globe trotter, atumblea into acquaintance with a charm ­ "I don’t c a re a whoop for th e place. ing foreign girl on the train from Denver to W aahlngton. The pair ia left behind when the flier itopa for repair! in You see. It’s th is w ay : I’m Just a s h ard Weat V irginia. II.—Lorry wirea ahead to hold the train. He and the unknown g irl ride twenty milea at a tearing h it as you. and it is not a princess th a t pace In a m ountain coach. T here ia no love-m aking, I h a v e to co n ten d w ith ." but a near approach to it aa the rolling atage tumblea the 1 "You m ean t h a t you a re iu love w ith paaaengera about. H I.—L orry dlnea with the foreign ; party, conaiatlng of Mlaa G uggenal >cker, Uncle Caapar th e co u n tess?" and Aunt Yvonne. T hey are nativea of G rauatark, a " E m p h a tic a lly .” country Lorry had never heard of before. IV.—Lorry “ I ’m so rry fo r you." ahowa the foreigner! the aighta of W iahington. They leave for New York to aail on the Kaiaer W ilhelm . "T h in k sh e ’ll tu rn me dow n?" Miaa G uggenalocker naively call! Lorry her "id eal "U nless you buy a title of one o f A m erican” and invitea him to come and aee her at Edel- weiaa. V. W ildly Infatuated, Lorry hurriea to New these m iserable counts o r dukes." York. The name O uggenalocker ia not on the ateamer ' “ Oh, I’m not so su re uliout th a t. Hat. He aeea the ateamer off. Miaa G. wavea him a kiaa from the deck. V I.—Lorry join! hia old friend, Harry These c o u n ts and d u k es come over and Anguiah, an American artlat, in Paria. Grauatark and ita capital, Edelwelaa, are located by a guide book. The m arry o u r A m erican girls. I don’t see Americana get no trace of the Guggenalockera there. w hy I c a n ’t ste p In an d pick out a nice VII. Lorry aeea hia charm er driving in a carriage with a beautiful companion of her own aea. He gela a glance little co u n tess If I w a n t to." of recognition, but the carriage roll! on, leaving the "She is not as av aricious a s th e m yatery unaolved. L ater he receive! a note at hia hotel aignen Sophia G uggenalocker, Inviting him to vialt her next day. V III. In the evening I-orry and Anguiah ramble about the ground! of the caatle where dwell! the court of the Princeaa of G rauatark. T hey overhear a plot to abducta the princeaa and reaolve to capture the plotter! red handed. IX.—Po lowtng the conapiratora, Lorry flnda hlm aelf in a room he heard them deaignate aa that of the princeaa. X.—Lorry tella the princeaa of the plot. Mutual recognition; ahe ia Miaa G uggen­ alocker. Dunnox, the guard, la in the abduction plot. He fell* Lorry with a terrible blow. Anguiah to the r-acue. X I.—Lorry quartered in the caatle. The p rin ­ ceaa vljlt* him , but forbida all talk of love. X !!.~ Grauatark la bankrupt and owea the neighboring prince­ dom of A xphaln $30,000,000. T h r creditor demanda caah or the ceaaion of the rlcheat dlatricta of Grauatark. X III.—The Prince of A aphain offer! to extend the loat) If the princeaa will m arry hi* aon L orenr. Prince G a­ briel of Dawabergen also bida for the princeaa’a hand with offer of a loan. Yetive tella Lorry that ahe belong* to her heople and will m arry Loren*. Then* waa n o th in g m ore to be Raid or done, ao a f te r a few m om enta th e A m ericano took th e ir d e p a rtu re . T he counteNR bade them farew ell, say in g th a t ahe m u at re tu rn to th e princess. ‘T i l aee you to m o rro w ,” Raid An- Kulah, w ith ra re aaeu ran ce a n d th e a ir o f an old a n d in d isp e n sab le friend. "A nd you, Mr. Laorry?” ahe sa id c u ri­ ously. “ I am very m uch occupied,” he m um ­ bled "You do w rong In necking to deceive m e," ahe wlilHpered iim A nguiah paaaed th ro u g h the door ah e ad o f them . "1 know w hy you do not com e." "H an ahe told y o u ?” "I h av e gucaaod. W ould th a t It could have t>een you a n d not th e o th ­ er!” "O ue c an n o t be a m an a n d a prince a t th e name tim e, I fan cy ,” he Raid b itterly . "N or can one be a princeaa a n d a w om an.” Irry a fte r d in n er th a t evening. T hey w ere s tro ll­ ing a b o u t th e tow n. O ne w as d e te r ­ m ined to leave tlie city, th e o th e r firm In his resolve to stay . T he la tte r won th e day w h en la* shrew dly If explosive­ ly rem inded th e fo rm e r th a t It w as th e ir d u ty ns m en to sta y «and pro tect th e princes« from th e m ac h in atio n s of G abriel, th a t k n av e o f p u rg a to ry . lA>r- ry. a t last recognizing th e hopelessness of his suit, w as ready to th ro w dow n Ids a rm s anal ab andon th e Held to su p e ­ rio r odds. H is p resu m p tio n In a sp irin g fo r the h an d of a princess began to touch h is sens«' o f hum or, an d he laughisl, n ot very m errily. It Is tru e, but long a n d loudly, a t his folly. A t first he cursed th e w orld an d every one In it. giving up In d esp air, b u t la te r he cursed only him self. Y et as he de­ sp aired am i scoffed he fe lt w ith in him ­ self an e v e r p rese n t hope th a t luck m ig h t tu rn th e tide of b attle. •T his p u n y ray grew perceptibly w hen A n n ilsh h m u v h t him to feel th a t she needed his p ro tectio n from th e m an will teach you to in te rfe re ” - “ I'll In su lt you m ore decidedly ju s t w ho had once so ught to despoil and w ho m ight reaso n ab ly be expected to to avoid m isap p reh en sio n ,” sn a rle d persevere. H e agreed to linger In E del­ Lorry, sw inging hls big fist sq u arely w eiss. kno w in g th a t each d a y w ould upon th e m outh of th e prince. H is add pain to th e to rtu re he w a s alread y royal highness lan d ed u n d e r a ta b le suffering, his sole ob ject being, he con­ ten feet aw ay. In sta n tly th e cafe w as in an u p ro ar. vinced him self, to f ru s tra te G ab riel’s T he stupefied A x p h ain lan s reg ain ed evil plans. R e tu rn in g lore In th e e v en in g from th eir senses, and a g en eral a s sa u lt w as th e ir stroll, they en tered a c a fe cele­ m ade upon the h o theaded A m erican. b rate d In E delw eiss. In all his life H e knocked a n o th e r dow n. H a rry A n­ Lorry had n ev er know n th e loneliness guish com ing to his a ssista n c e w ith several sav ag e blows. a f te r w hich th e th a t m akes d e a th welcome. T he c a fe w as crow ded w ith m en a n d G ra u sta rk sp ectato rs an d th e w’n ite rs w om en. In a f a r c o m e r s a t a p a rty of Interfered. I t w as all o v er in a n in ­ A xphaln nobles, th e ir prince, n m ost sta n t, y e t a sensation th a t w ould live d e m o c ratic fellow , a t th e head of a in th e gossip of g en eratio n s had been long tab le . T h e re w ere songs. Jests and created. A prince of th e realm had b o isterous lau g h te r. T he celebration been b ru ta lly a ssau lted ! H olding hls grew w ilder, a n d L orry a n d A nguish Jaw , L orenz picked him self from th e crossed th e room and. ta k in g se a ts a t a floor, several of hls frie n d s ru n n in g to table, o rd ered w ine a n d cigars, both his aid. T h ere w as blood on his lips e a g e r for a closer view o f th e prince. an d chin; it trickled to hls s h irt fro n t. F o r som e m om ents he stood p a n tin g , IIow L orry lo ath ed him ! Lorenr. w as a good looking young fel­ g larin g a t L o rry ’s m ocking face. "I am Lorenz of A xphaln, sir,” , he low. little m ore th a n a boy. H is sm ooth face w as flushed, an d th e re w as about Raid a t last, his voice q u iv erin g w ith him an a ir of d issip atio n th a t su g g est­ suppressed anger. “ I t sh all be a p leasu re to kill you, ed d e p ra v ity In its adv an ced stag e. The face th a t m ig h t h av e been handsom e L orenz," observed hls a d v e rsa ry , d is­ w as th e reflection of a roue, dashing, playing his Ignorance of leze m aje sty . devilish. H e w as fa ir h a ire d and tall, A nguish, pale a n d very m uch con­ ta lle r th a n his com panions by h alf a cerned, drag g ed him aw a y , th e prince head. W ith reckless ab an d o n he d ran k leaving th e cafe a h ead of them , fol­ and sung a n d jeste d , a rro g a n t in bis lowed by bis c h a tterin g , c u rsin g com ­ flighty m errim en t. H is coh o rts w ere panions. P rince G abriel w as sta n d in g near th e door as they passed out. H e not f a r behind him in riotouSfw it. At length one of the rev elers, sp eak ­ looked a t th e A m ericans shnrply. a n d ing In G erm an, called on L orenz for a A nguish d etected so m eth in g like triu m ­ tonst to th e F rln c e ss Yetive, his prom ­ p h a n t joy in his eyes. ised bride. W ith o u t a m o m en t's h esita­ “Good Lord. L orry, th is m eans a tion th e prince s p ra n g to his feet, held duel! D on't you know th a t? ” cried he his g lass a lo ft a n d cried: ns th ey s ta rte d u p stairs. " H e re 's to th e fa ire s t o f th e fair, “O f course I do. an d I ’m going to kill sw eet Y etive. so h ard to w in. too good th a t villain too!" exclaim ed L orry loud to lose. She loves me, God bless her | enough to be heard from oue end o f th e h e a rt! And I love her, God bless my room to th e other. h e a rt too! F o r each kiss from h er w on­ "T h is Is horrible, horrible! L e t me drous lips I sh a ll cred it m y se lf w ith sq u a re It up som e w ay if ”— began th e 1,000 guvvos. T h a t Is th e price of a a larm ed A nguish. kiss.” " S q u a re it up! Look here, H a rry A n­ " I ’ll give 2.000!” roared one of th e guish. I am th e one w ho will do th e nobles, a n d th e re w as a lau g h in w hich sq u arin g , i f he w a n ts a duel, he can the prince joined. have it a t any old tim e a n d in any “ N ay! I ’ll not sell them now. In sty le he d esires.” a fte r y e a rs, w hen she h as grow n old "H e m ay kill you!" and h e r lips ure parch ed a n d dry from “ Not w hile a Ju st God ru le s o v er o u r the slppings 1 h av e luul, I ’ll sell them destinies. I’ll ta k e my ch an ces w ith all a t a b a rg a in . Alas, she hus not pistols, and now let m e tell you one y et kissed m e!” thing, my boy: H e'll nev er live to touch L o rry 's h e a rt bounded w ith Joy, his lips to hers, nor will th e re be a roy­ though Ills h a n d s w ere clinched In rage. al w edding. She c an n o t m nrry a d ead "S he w ill k iss me tom orrow . To­ m an.” H e w as beside h im self w ith e x ­ m orrow I sh all ta s te w h a t no o th er citem ent, a n d it w as fully h a lf a n h our m an h a s touched, w h a t all m en have before A nguish could b rin g him to a coveted. And I’ll be generous, g en tle­ souslble discussion o f th e affair. G ra d ­ m en. She Is so fa ir th a t y o u r foul ually he becam e cool, and. th e fev e r m ouths w ould b lig h t w ith b u t one once gone, he did not lose his head c a re ss upon h e r te n d e r lips, and y e t again. you sh all not be d ep riv ed of bliss. 1 “Choose pistols a t ten paces an d a t 8 sh all kiss h er th ric e fo r each of you. tom orrow .” he said n o n ch alan tly , ns a Let m e count. T h ric e eleven Is th irty rap a t th e door of th e ir a p a rtm e n t a n ­ three. Aye, th irty -th re e of my kisser nounced th e a rriv a l o f th e p rin c e ’s shall be w u sted fo r th e suke of my friend. friends. L ucky dogs! D rink to my A nguish ad m itted tw o w ell dressed, princess!” black beard ed m en. both of w hom had "B rav o !” cried th e o th ers. A nd th e s a t a t the prince’s ta b le in th e cafe. glasses w ere raise d to Up. They Introduced th em se lv e s a s th e A c h a ir w as o v e rtu rn ed . T h e form D uke of M lzrox and Colonel A tto b aw n . of a m an lan d ed su ddenly a t th e side T h e ir visit w as brief, form al a n d con­ of the prince, a n d a rough h an d dashed clusive. the g lass from bis fingers, the co n ten ts “ W e u n d e rsta n d th a t you a re persons flying o v er his Im m aculate E nglish o f ran k In y o u r ow n A m erica?” snid ev en in g d ress. th e D uke o f Mlzrox a f te r a few m o­ "D o n ’t you d a re to d rin k th a t to ast!” m ents. cried a voice In his a sto n ish ed ear, a "W e a re sons o f business m en.” re­ voice sp e ak in g In ex cited G erm an. H e sponded Mr. A nguish. w hirled and saw a scow ling face be­ "Oh. w ell. I hardly know . B u t hls side hls ow n. a p a ir o f g ray eyes th a t highness Is very w illing to w a iv e his flashed fire. ran k and to g ra n t you a m eetin g ." “ W h a t do you m ean ?” he dem anded, "I'm delighted by his h ig h n ess’ con­ m iger rep lacin g am axem ent. T he o th ­ descension. w hich I p erfectly u n d e r­ er m em bers o f hls p a rty stood a s If s ta n d .” observed Mr. A nguish. "N ow , spellbound. w h a t have w e to settle, g en tlem en ?" "I m ean th a t you »peak of th e P rio ­ “T h e d etail of w eanons.” ress of G ra u a ta rk . Ik» you u n d e rsta n d (Continued) th at, you m iserab le c u r? ” "O h!" scream ed th e prince, convulsed Ducthess Trousers— 10 cents a but­ w ith rage, s ta r tin g back a n d Instinc­ ton and $1.00 a rip. Bailey’s Big tively rea c h in g fo r th e sw ord be did not c a rry . “ You sh all pay fo r this! I Store.