E-text prepared by Al Haines
[Frontispiece: Princess Hildegarde (Gretchen) playing the piano.]
THE PRINCESS ELOPES
BY
HAROLD MACGRATH
Author of The Puppet Crown, The Grey Cloak, The Man on the Box
WITH ILLUSTRATION BY
HARRISON FISHER
New York
GROSSET & DUNLAP
Publishers
COPYRIGHT 1905
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY
TO MY WIFE
CONTENTS
| Chapter I | Chapter V | Chapter IX |
| Chapter II | Chapter VI | Chapter X |
| Chapter III | Chapter VII | Chapter XI |
| Chapter IV | Chapter VIII |
THE PRINCESS ELOPES
I
It is rather difficult in these days for a man who takes such scantinterest in foreign affairs—trust a whilom diplomat for that!—tofollow the continual geographical disturbances of European surfaces.Thus, I can not distinctly recall the exact location of the Grand Duchyof Barscheit or of the neighboring principality of Doppelkinn. Itmeets my needs and purposes, however, to say that Berlin and Viennawere easily accessible, and that a three hours' journey would bring youunder the shadow of the Carpathian Range, where, in my diplomatic days,I used often to hunt the "bear that walks like a man."
Barscheit was known among her sister states as "the meddler," the"maker of trouble," and the duke as "Old Grumpy"—Brummbär. To use afamiliar Yankee expression, Barscheit had a finger in every pie.Whenever there was a poli