The Goose Girl

agaries and weariness of sleep from the mind and body. Hans Grumbach shook himself gratefully. He was standing on the curb in front of the Grand Hotel, his back to the sun. It was nine

est of them, but it never got so far as his nose save from the outside. His suit was tight-fitting, but the checks were ample, and the watch-chain a little too he

Grumbach turned with a sigh and followed them. Doubtless they had

er unfolded the

éed by your consul

t. I shall see him this m

not born i

came from

what

s twe

America with

was a

your permit to

never thought in those days I sho

th gold soothed the susp

ur business

umber, now

r busine

y plea

d the officer, refer

es

young to retir

America,

er sighed as he refolded the documents. "As soon as these are approved by his excellency the American consul, kindly

of the Rhine. It was not done with pomposity, but rather with the exuberance

you and your co

ed the passports, put a hand to his cap respectfully

effect. From the top of his forehead to the cowlick on the back of his head ran a broad white scar. At one time or another Grumbac

steel and silver. A waiter, cleaning off the little iron tables on the sidewalk, paused. The riders passed, all but tw

are t

and some of hi

was the gentleman i

ncy, Herr Carmichael,

. And the

hness, the Prin

surged against his lips, but he kept them shut with all the stolidity of his native blood

himself lives here at the Grand Hotel. A

S

rywhere, a fine shot and a great fencer, and rides a horse as if he wer

Grumbach a man who danced was a lady'

lady's man, if you mean he

say he

e to some tune or other?" cri

ent music, different j

The waiter con

een enough of men to know if he could trust the consul. He glared at the amber-gold in the glass, t

een to the earlier maneuvers, and aside from coffee and bacon he had had no breakfast. The ride a

good English, "but you are Mr.

a

ook over my papers

I shall be very glad to see you in the Adlergasse at half after ten. It is one flight up, next door to the Black Eagle. Any o

The inherent respect for caste had not been beaten out of Grumbach's blood; he had come from a brood in a peasant's hovel

ck there in America. They hadn't the time there; everybody was in the market, speculating in bubbles. He admired the snowy fountains, too, and the doves that darted in and out of the wind-blown spray. There was n

eplaced by smooth blocks of wood. At times he sent swift but uncertain glances toward the palaces. He longed to peer through the great iron fence, but he smothered this desire. He would find out what he wanted to know when he met Carmichael at the consulate. Here the bell in the cathedral

d you will have no trouble

obli

ign had been painted anew, though the oak board was a trifle paler and there was a little more rust on the hinges. Many a time he had fought with the various pot-bo

ow sat Carmichael, deep in a volume of Dumas. No one ever hurried here; no o

l?" said Grumb

rumbach had assimilated some Americanisms. He went boldly over and seated himself in the ch

u this morning about my passports

h laid his derby on his knees. The consul went over th

with those," Carmichael said listlessl

," said Grumba

ything I can

h, "but you may object, and I shall not bla

wish?" more

ary ball at the palace, aft

had not expected so

mpossible for me to obtain," he replied

t is very important th

pla

o not care to meet the grand duke or any one else. Put me in the

ed my curiosity. Your request is out o

one," said Grumbach,

the scar. Grumbach acknowledged the star

e volunteered. "Everybody looks at it when I take off my

did you

ettys

lively facial change.

throu

longer indifferent

scars myself.

cavalry,

" with growi

tro

alk it over down-stairs in the Black Eagle. You're a godsend. C troop! Hanged if the world doesn't move things about oddly

er, sundry tankards interpolating. It was "Do you remember this?" and

thing, my boy,"

t's

our side, or we'

evils were always hungry w

rom this side

as twenty-two." Grumbach

art of

s so written i

nic

place till late in the afternoon. Grumbach touched the scar tenderly. Could he trust this man? Coul

this very stree

er

I wouldn't be worth that!"-with a snap of the fingers. "My passpor

ack here openly?" Here was a mystery. This man with the kindly face an

one can

e back? You were saf

Some day perhaps I shall tell you why. When I went away I was thin and pale and had yellow

your

ow; we have shed our blood on the same field. There is no tie stronger than that. When I le

the past history of Ehrenstein which would offer a nic

alive," h

S

e mad to

body, unless it was in battle"-na?vely. "Ask no more, my friend. I promise to tell you when t

soldier, as a comrade in arms, that you have

ish to do. Now, what has happened since I went

ich was the amazing restoration of the Princess Hildegarde. When

her serene hi

Carmichael, and if he embroidered this description here and there, Grumbach was too

one of those Italian nightingales. I recall her when I was a boy. I would gladly have died at a word from her. All loved her. The king of Jugendhei

e score, "if any trouble rises, send for me. You don't look like

irmly, and there was

h. They were both thinking of the same thing, but from avenues diametrically opposed. G

the vigilance of a dozen frontiers, he took out a small bundle. This he opened carefully, his eyes blurring. Mad fool that he had been! How many times had he ga

palm as lightly as two butterflies; a little cloak tr