He
saw the young Austrian's eyes flame more than once when Julie appeared
in her favorite place on the terrace. And yet John neither hated nor
feared him.
Kratzek was well enough to go back to the battle front, but he lingered.
John did not know what excuses he gave, but he was there, and his eyes,
too, burned when Julie passed.
Often in the evening he watched for the grim Suzanne and the word that
she would bring, but she did not come. Day by day he saw her, the long
black shadow behind her mistress, but she never looked toward him,
however intensely he wished it.
The prince went forth occasionally, but he always used an automobile and
he was never gone longer than a day. John wondered why he remained so
long at Zillenstein, knowing that he was a general in the German army
and a man of weight at the battle front. He concluded at last that he
must be waiting there for a conference of some kind between important
men of Germany and Austria. He had heard through the gossip in the
castle that Italy was threatening war on Austria, and the Teutonic
powers must now face also toward the southwest. Much might be decided at
Zillenstein.
Ilse and Olga were still his best sources of information. Very little
that passed in the castle missed their shrewd inquiring minds, and they
had found in the handsome young peasant from Lorraine one with whom they
liked to talk.
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