Graustark

by George Barr McCutcheon

  VII. THE LADY IN THE CARRIAGE

  They slept rather late in the morning, first because they were very muchfatigued after their long journey, second for the reason that they hadbeen unable to woo slumber until long past midnight. Anguish stretchedhimself lazily in bed when he heard Lorry's voice from the adjoiningroom.

  "I suppose we are to consult the police in order to get a clue to yourcharmer," he yawned. "Nice friends you pickup on railway journeys. I'dbe ashamed."

  "Well, Harry, I'll confess I'm disgusted. This has been the most idioticthing I've ever done, and if you say the word we'll get out of here onthe first train--freight or passenger. The Guggenslockers--pigs!" Mr.Lorry was savage.

  "Not a bit of it, my boy, not a bit of it. We'll make a house-to-housecanvass if the police fail us. Cheer up, cheer up!"

  "You go to thunder!"

  "Hold on! Don't talk like that, or I'll go back on you in a minute. I'mhere because I choose to be, and I've more heart in the chase at thisminute than you have. I've not lost hope, We'll find the Guggenslockersif we have to hire detectives to trace 'em from the United States totheir very doorstep. We're going to see the police after breakfast."

  After breakfast they did go to see the Baron Dangloss. After someinquiry they found the gloomy, foreboding prison, and Mr. Anguish boldlypounded on the huge gates. A little shutter flew open, and a man's faceappeared. Evidently he asked what was wanted, but he might as well havedemanded their lives, so far were they from understanding his query.

  "Baron Dangloss?" asked Anguish, promptly. The man asked something else,but as the Americans shook their heads deprecatingly, he withdrew hisface and presently swung open the gates. They entered and he closed thedoors behind them, locking them in. Then he directed them across thecourt to an open door in the aged mass of gray stone. As they strodeaway from the guard Lorry created consternation by demanding:

  "How are we to talk to the Chief if he doesn't understand us or we him?We should lave brought an interpreter."

  "I forgot about the confounded language. But if he's real he can talkIrish." Lorry told him he wasn't funny.

  "Is this His Excellency, Baron Dangloss?" asked Anguish, stepping intoa small room and stopping suddenly in the presence of the short, fierceman they had seen the day before. The American spoke in French.

  "It is, gentlemen. Of what service can I be to Messieurs Lorry andAnguish?" responded the grim little Chief, politely rising from besidehis desk. The visitors looked at one another in surprise.

  "If he knows our names on such short notice, he'll certainly know theGuggenslockers," said Anguish to his friend, in English.

  "Ah, you are looking for some one named Guggenslocker?" asked theChief, smiling broadly and speaking excellent English. "You must not besurprised, gentlemen. I speak many languages. I heard last night thatyou were inquiring about one Caspar Guggenslocker, and I have rackedmy brain, searched my books, questioned my officers, and I am sorry toinform you that there is no such person in Edelweiss."

  "I was so well assured of it, Baron Dangloss," Lorry said.

  "The name is totally unknown to me, sir. May I ask why you are searchingfor him?"

  "Certainly. I met Mr. Guggenslocker, his wife and his niece last springin the United States. They invited me to come and see them if I everhappened to be in this part of the world. As my friend and I were nearhere I undertook to avail myself of their invitation."

  "And they said they lived in Edelweiss, Graustark?"

  "They did, and I'll humbly confess I did not know much of theprincipality of Graustark."

  "That is certainly complimentary, but, then, we are a little out of thebeaten path, so it is pardonable. I was at first under the impressionthat you were American detectives with extradition papers for criminalsbearing the name you mention."

  "Oh!" gasped Anguish. "We couldn't find ourselves if we should beseparated, Captain."

  The grizzly-bearded Captain laughed lightly with them, and thenasked Lorry if he would object to giving him the full story of hisacquaintanceship with the alleged Graustarkians. The bewildered anddisheartened American promptly told all he knew about them, omittingcertain tender details, of course. As he proceeded the Chief grew moreand more interested, and, when at last Lorry came to the description ofthe strange trio, he gave a sudden start, exposed a queer littlesmile for a second or so, and then was as sphynxlike as before. Theever-vigilant Anguish observed the involuntary start and smile, quick asthe Chief had been to recover himself, and felt a thrill of triumph. Tohis anger and impatience, however, the old officer calmly shook his headat the end of the narrative, and announced that he was as much in thedark as ever.

  "Well, we'll search awhile for ourselves," declared Anguish, stubbornly,not at all satisfied.

  "You will be wasting your time," said the Chief, meaningly.

  "We've plenty to waste," retorted the other.

  After a few moments they departed, Baron Dangloss accompanying them tothe gate and assuring them that he and his men always would be at theircommand. His nation admired the American people, he warmly declared.

  "That old codger knows our people, and I'll bet a thousand on it," saidHarry, angrily, when they had gone some little distance down the street.Then he told of the queer exposure Dangloss had unwittingly made. Lorry,more excited than he cared to show, agreed that there was something verysuspicious about this new discovery.

  They walked about the quaint town for an hour or two, examining thebuildings, the people and the soldiery with deep interest. From the headof the main street,--Castle Avenue,--they could plainly see the royalpalace, nearly a mile away. Its towers and turrets, gray and gaunt,ran up among the green tree-tops and were outlined plainly against theyellow hills. Countless houses studded the steep mountain slope,and many people were discerned walking and riding along the narrow,ledge-like streets which wound toward the summit, far up in the clouds.Clearly and distinctly could be seen the grim monastery, perched at thevery pinnacle of the mountain, several miles away. Up there it lookedbleak and cold and uninviting, in great contrast to the loveliness andwarmth of the valley. Down below the grass was moist and soft, treeswere approaching the stage where yellow and red tints mingle with therich green, flowers were blooming, the land was redolent of the sweetfragrance of autumn, the atmosphere warm, clear and invigorating. It wasparadise surmounted by desolation, drear and deadening.

  Wherever the tall, distinguished Americans walked they formed the centerof observation, and were the cause of comment that bore unmistakablesigns of admiration. They bowed pleasantly to many of those who passedthem, and received in return gracious and profound recognition. Militarymen saluted courteously; the women stared modestly and prettily--perhapscovetously; the merchants and citizens in general bowed and smiled awelcome that could not have been heartier. The strangers remarked theabsence of vehicles on the main streets. There were pack mules andhorses, human carriers--both male and female--but during the entiremorning they saw not more than six or eight carriages. Vehicles wereused solely by the quality and as a means of transportation for theirpersons only. Everybody, with the few exceptions mentioned, walkedor rode horseback. The two friends were delighted with the place, andAnguish advocated a sojourn of several weeks, even though they did notfind the Guggenslockers, his object being to secure photographs andsketches of the picturesque people and the strange scenery, and to idleaway some hours upon the glittering boulevards. Grenfall, since he wasin the project so deeply, was so nearly reconciled as to be exhilaratedby the plan. They decided to visit the royal grounds in the afternoon,providing there was no prohibition, reserving a ride up the hill for thenext day. A gendarme who spoke German fairly well told them that theycould enter the palace park if they obtained a signed order from thechief steward, who might be found at any time in his home near thegates.

  They were strolling leisurely toward the hotel, for the momentforgetting their quest in this strange, sunny land, when they espied acarriage, the most conspicuous of any they had seen. The wh
ite horseswere gaily caparisoned, the driver and the footman beside him wore richuniforms, the vehicle itself gleamed and glistened with gold and silvertrimmings. A short distance behind rode two young soldiers, swords totheir shoulders, scabbards clanking against their stirrups. Each wasattired in the tight red trousers, shiny boots, close-fitting blackcoat with gilt trimmings, and the red cap which the Americans had notedbefore because of its brilliancy. People along the street were bowingdeeply to the occupants, two ladies.

  "Harry! Look!" exclaimed Lorry, clutching his friend's arm like avise. "There in the carriage--on this side!" His voice was hoarse andtrembling.

  "Miss Gug--Guggenslocker?" cried Anguish.

  "Yes! Yes!" They had stopped and Lorry was grasping a garden wall withone hand.

  "Then it's funny nobody knows the name here. She seems to be someone ofconsequence. Good heaven, I don't blame you! She's the most beautiful--"

  By this time the carriage was almost opposite and within forty feet ofwhere they stood. The ladies, Miss Guggenslocker's companion as youngand almost as beautiful as herself had not observed the agitated two,but Lorry's face was beaming, his hat was off, and he was ready tospring to the carriage side at a moment's warning. Then the young girlat the side of the woman whose beauty had drawn a man half around theworld saw the tall strangers, and called her companion's attention tothem. Once more Grenfall Lorry and Miss Guggenslocker were looking intoeach other's eyes.

  The lady started violently, her eyes grew wide, her lips parted, and herbody was bent forward eagerly, a little gloved hand grasping the side ofthe open carriage. Her "ideal American" was bowing low, as was the tallfellow at his side. When he looked up again his eyes were glowing, hishandsome face was flushed, and he saw her smile, blush furiously andincline her head gravely. The carriage had swept past, but she turnedher head, and he detected an appealing glance in her eyes, a perplexedwrinkle across her brow, both of which were swept away an instant laterby the most bewitching of smiles. Again her head was inclined, this timea trifle more energetically, and then the maddening face was turned fromhim. The equipage rolled onward, and there was no effort on her part tocheck its progress. The men were left standing alone and disappointedon the streets of Edelweiss, the object of their search slipping awayas soon as she had been found. Her companion was amazed by the littlescene, it was evident, judging by the eager look on her face as sheturned with a question in her eyes.

  "Turned down!" exclaimed the irrepressible Anguish, dolefully. "That'spretty shabby treatment, old man. But she's quite worth the journey."

  "I'll not go back to America without her. Do you hear that, HarryAnguish?" He was excited and trembling. "But why didn't she stop?" hewent on, dismally.

  "Oh, you dear old fool!" said Anguish.

  The two stood looking after the carriage until it turned into a sidestreet, half way down the shady stretch toward the castle. They saw hercompanion glance back, but could not tell whether she did or not. Lorrylooked uneasily at Anguish, and the latter read his thought.

  "You are wondering about the Guggenslocker name, eh? I'll tell youwhat I've worked out during the past two minutes. Her name is no moreGuggenslocker than mine is. She and the uncle used that name as a blind.Mark my words, she's quality over here; that's all there is about it.Now, we must find out just who she really is. Here comes a smart-lookingsoldier chap. Let's ask him, providing we can make him understand."

  A young soldier approached, leisurely twirling a cane, for he waswithout his side arms. Anguish accosted him in French and then inGerman. He understood the latter and was very polite.

  "Who was the young lady in the carriage that just passed?" asked Lorry,eagerly.

  The face of the soldier flushed and then grew pale with anger.

  "Hold on! I beg pardon, but we are strangers and don't quite understandyour ways. I can't see anything improper in asking such a question,"said Anguish, attempting to detain him. The young man struck his handfrom his arm and his eyes fairly blazed.

  "You must learn our ways. We never pass comment on a lady. If you do soin your land, I am sorry for your ladies. I refuse to be questioned byyou. Stand aside, fellow!"

  Anguish stood aside in astonishment, and they watched the wrathfulgallant strut down the street, his back as stiff as a board.

  "Damned touchy!" growled Anguish.

  "You remember what Sitzky said about their respect for the weaker sex.I guess we'd better keep off that tack or we'll hatch up a duel or two.They seem to be fire-eaters. We must content ourselves witch searchingout her home and without assistance, too. I've cooled off a bit, Harry,and, now that I've seen her, I'm willing to go slowly and deliberately.Let's take our time and be perfectly cool. I am beginning to agree withyour incog. proposition. It's all clearing up in my mind now. We'll goback to the hotel and get ready for the visit to the palace grounds."

  "Don't you intend to hunt her up? 'Gad, I wouldn't miss a minute ifI had a chance to be with a girl like that! And the other was noscarecrow. She is rather a beauty, too. Greatest town for pretty women Iever struck. Vienna is out of it entirely."

  They strolled on to the hotel, discussing the encounter in all itsexhilarating details. Scarcely had they seated themselves on the piazza,after partaking of a light luncheon, when a man came galloping up tothe walk in front of the hotel. Throwing his bridle rein to a guard,he hastened to the piazza. His attire was that of a groom and somethingabout him reminded them of the footman who sat beside the driver of thecarriage they had seen a short time before. He came straight to wherethe Americans sat smoking and, bowing low, held before them an envelope.The address was "Grenfall Lorry Esq.," but the man was in doubt as towhich was he.

  Lorry grasped the envelope, tore it open, and drew forth a daintilywritten note. It read:

  "My Dear Mr. Lorry:

  "I was very much surprised to see you this morning--I may add that I wasdelighted. If you will accompany this messenger when he calls for you atthree o'clock tomorrow afternoon, he will conduct you to my home, whereI shall truly be charmed to see you again. Will you bring your friend?

  "SOPHIA GUGGENSLOCKER."

  Lorry could have embraced the messenger. There was a suspicion ofbreathlessness in his voice when he tried to say calmly to Harry:

  "An invitation for to-morrow."

  "I knew it would come that way."

  "Also wants you to come."

  "Sha'n't I be in the way?"

  "Not at all, my boy. I'll accept for you. After this fellow goes, I'lllet you read the note. Wait until I write an answer."

  Motioning for the man to remain, he hastened to his room, pulled outsome stationery, and feverishly wrote:

  "My Dear Miss Guggenslocker:

  "I shall be delighted to accompany your messenger to-morrow, and myfriend, Mr. Harry Anguish, will be with me. I have come half way acrossthe continent to see you, and I shall be repaid if I am with you butfor a moment. You will pardon me if I say that your name has caused medespair. No one seems to have heard it here, and I was beginning to losehope. You may expect me at three, and I thank you for the pleasure youbestow.

  "Yours sincerely,

  "GRENFALL LORRY."

  This note, part of which had been written with misgiving, he gave to themessenger, who rode away quickly.

  "She didn't wait long to write to you, I notice. Is it possible she issuffering from the effects of those three days on the other side ofthe Atlantic? Come to think of it, she blushed when she saw you thismorning," said Anguish. Lorry handed him her note, which he read andthen solemnly shook hands with its recipient. "Congratulations. I am avery farsighted young man, having lived in Paris."