L.P.M. : The End of The Great War Part 28

"I am perfectly willing to take a chance," cried Edestone in an angry tone, "if you choose to call it that, because I have absolute confidence in her."

"Say, Jack, I think you are beginning to get a little bit soft on the Princess. You may be all right when it comes to straight electricity, but I think you will admit that I have had more experience in this kind of animal magnetism than you. She is certainly a snappy little induction coil."

"Lawrence, please don't," said Edestone.

"Well, you don't know perfectly well, Jack, that General von Lichtenstein would not have delivered that note from a Princess of the house of Windthorst to you, a low-born American plebeian, unless it was part of their scheme. Why it's as much as his life is worth, if it is as you believe it to be," and he gave Edestone a knowing look.

"Now, cut that out, Lawrence," said Edestone in a decided tone. "Do not think for one moment that I have any illusions as far as that young lady is concerned. She is evidently in trouble of some kind, and the fact that she is so young offsets that of her being a Princess."

Lawrence shrugged his shoulders, and occupied himself smoking while Edestone continued:

"I think that General von Lichtenstein thinks she is working for them, but I am just fool enough to think that she is not. In fact, I know she is not, but even if she were, I would like to show those people that I will not allow them to sacrifice her dignity and compromise herself in her own eyes even for them, so I am going, if for no other reason than to keep her from doing something which she may some day deeply regret. I'm off. If you want some excitement, why you might drop into some of the clubs and feel out the officers."

"Ah," said Lawrence, "that is a good idea. I will be just about as popular as a baby rabbit in a litter of foxes."

"And you can enjoy watching them as they sit around, licking their chops," interjected Edestone, "as they think of the dainty morsel you will make when they eat you alive tomorrow. Be careful. We want no false steps, and there are some pretty skittish ponies in the Emperor's stable. He can hold in check his plough horses, but these young thoroughbreds are getting nervous at the post."

"Well," said Lawrence, "I never was very strong for these Prussians, but they made a hit with me tonight in the way in which they started for you. They were a pretty fine looking lot of handsome young chaps," and curling an imaginary moustache, he continued: "Almost as good as our eleven of 1903," and they both stood and toasted grand old Harvard, and he was leaving the room singing, "Here's to dear old Harvard, drink her down!" when Edestone called him back and said:

"Lawrence, get one of the Emba.s.sy automobiles and I will drop you on the way."

Edestone, whereas he knew that his movements were being watched and that this meeting had been arranged, if not by the German General Staff, by some of its female lieutenants, was determined to show them that he did not intend to compromise this little Princess by calling upon her at that hour of the night in a secretive manner.

All was perfectly quiet in the streets, and the automobile was allowed to pa.s.s without interruption. When he arrived at the Palace he imagined that the coast had been cleared for him, for on entering he discovered that there was some sort of an entertainment going on, which would have necessitated the presence of waiting automobiles on the outside, which were conspicuous by their absence.

He was evidently expected, and was immediately conducted to a small room. He could hear music and laughter in another part of the Palace, but saw no one except the flunkeys in the hall.

The room into which he was shown was evidently one of those used by the family in their home life, as was shown by the papers, books, and fancy work lying about.

The situation would ordinarily have been most amusing to him, and had he not been so occupied with such serious matters, and had there been less of a difference in their ages and social positions, he would have enjoyed the excitement of a mysterious rendezvous with this extremely charming and attractive young woman.

He was thoroughly conscious of her attractions, and though he might have denied the necessity of this, in thinking of her he always kept before his mind the fable of the fox and the sour grapes.

He was kept waiting for about fifteen minutes, and he began to wonder if the whole thing had not been arranged, and would not have been surprised if when the door quietly opened he had seen von Lichtenstein or even the Emperor himself instead of a very much frightened little woman.

She was apparently supported by sheer will power and the pride of the Princess, which she had inherited from her long line of ancestors, extending back into the unwritten pages of history.

She was dressed so simply that the lines of her most graceful little figure were perfectly revealed, but with such modesty that though she followed the dictates of the modern fas.h.i.+ons, which leave little to the imagination, the effect upon Edestone was that of reverence in the presence of such youth and innocence.

To him she seemed to be draped in some soft silky material, and though her neck and arms were bare, they were enveloped in a s.h.i.+mmer of tulle, which she held about her as if for protection. Her hair, parted in the middle, was flatly dressed, and held close to her small head by a little band of jewels which encircled it and crossed her low white brow.

She was perfectly calm, dignified, and had herself well in hand. There was an expression upon her face of resolution, and as if to help, she a.s.sumed a more royal and dignified bearing than he had ever supposed she was capable of.

She had evidently been crying, but her voice was steady and rather haughty in its tone as she said, giving him her hand:

"I am glad that you have come."

Edestone took it gently in his own, and bowing, scarcely touched it with his lips, but when he felt its icy touch, and caught the faint perfume, he felt a thrill, and for a moment he forgot that he was in the presence of a Royal Princess, who looked upon him as something a little bit better than a servant, and not as good as the most miserable Count that ever wore a paper collar or pa.s.sed a fraudulent check at the Newport Reading Room.

Recovering himself quickly, however, he dropped her hand and stood in an att.i.tude of deep respect, but not until she had caught the look that he had given her.

Not daring to look up at her for fear of her indignation at his presumption, he busied himself arranging the cus.h.i.+ons in a seat for her.

Raising her hand to her throat, which had moved convulsively, she watched him with a quiet little smile, as if waiting to finish the deadly work which she, young as she was, knew that she had started. Like a great ring general, she did not intend to allow her adversary time to recover before she administered the _coup de grace_.

When he recovered sufficiently to allow himself to look at her, although he resolved to keep strictly to the object of their meeting, he was so struck with her great charm that he could not resist saying:

"I sincerely hope, Princess, that you will pardon me if I take the great liberty of saying to you that you are looking extremely beautiful tonight."

She answered with a smile.

And then in a light and frivolous tone, and looking at her in a manner which she could not misunderstand, with the deepest respect he added:

"If I were a Prince and a few years younger, I would humbly kneel and wors.h.i.+p at your shrine, Princess."

A cloud pa.s.sed over her face, but recovering, with a look which if Edestone had been younger and less sensible would have finished him:

"Well, Mr. Edestone," she smiled coquettishly, "I understand that you were tonight a match for an Emperor; and I am feeling very old myself."

With a smile acknowledging her condescension in allowing this slight exchange of repartee, he a.s.sumed a fatherly air, and said, having recovered himself entirely:

"Now, my dear and very sweet little Princess, your very old and most humble servant awaits your orders. The only reward that he expects is that he be allowed to see you one or two times before he dies of old age, or you are seated on a throne."

With an impatient gesture, and an almost imperceptible stamp of her little foot, she said:

"Please don't talk that way. I hate being a Princess, and the way you say it makes me hate myself," and with a quick glance and a tone of great seriousness: "I don't think you are so old as all that.

"I have sent for you," changing her voice, "to warn you again. It was absolutely necessary in order to arrange this meeting to lead them to believe that I was willing to do that which you must hate me for--use my power as a woman to persuade you to give up the position which you have taken, and though I hate them all for it, in order to save you from certain death I have compromised myself in my own eyes, and have done that which will cause you to hate me."

"That I could never do," said Edestone, which brought a faint smile to her lips. "Princess, I appreciate more deeply than I can say your great kindness, and if there is anything that I can do which will save you from these people when they find that you have failed in your undertaking, you can command me. Your warning, however, comes as no surprise to me; but I appreciate it none the less."

"Could I not hold out to them," she antic.i.p.ated, "that you had agreed to reveal this secret to me, and in that way gain time, and you might be able to get out of Berlin?"

"But what would become of you when they discovered that you had played them false?" asked Edestone. And then, as if hesitating to refer to the delicacy of her position, an English Princess in Berlin, he added: "They are relentless, and they might suspect you of playing into the hands of England. No, Princess, there is but one thing for you to do, and that is to say that I declined absolutely and entirely to consider any proposition of any kind.

"If you were in any way a.s.sociated with me in what I have already done and what I propose to do, I should not be willing to leave you in Berlin, and though I know you are absolutely sincere in your intentions to a.s.sist me in my work, there is no possible way for me to protect you other than by taking you with me, which is absolutely out of the question. You would not be safe even in the American Emba.s.sy."

She thought for a while, and then, as if an idea had struck her, she said blus.h.i.+ngly:

"My mother, like myself, is perfectly loyal to England, and if as I understand it is the intention of the American Government to come out on the side of the Allies, would there be any impropriety in my going with her to the Emba.s.sy and taking my chances with the Secretary's family?"

"That would be impossible," said Edestone. "They have taken you into their confidence, and would not allow you to leave the country. I think mine is the only plan. Say to them that I would listen to no proposition, and allow me to go and take my chances."

He could not trust himself, and he knew his only hope of keeping her esteem was in getting out before she discovered his real secret, and rising in a most dignified manner he kissed her hand, and then allowing himself to press it gently to his cheek for a moment, left the room abruptly, while she sank into a seat and covered her face with her hands.