North Carolina Newspapers

9* prisoner I I i 4^* >.^W^ Pi i , j aphony Sf ICecl ii : HOPE :i Copyrighted, 1304. 1808, by Henry Holt C* Coir.ptny J " r ????????????? t I ? ? ???-? CHAPTER XIII. 1 -w ' V the morning of toe day after Jgl 1 Hint 011 which 1 swore my j. ' . ' onth ngainst the Six I gave .1 certain orders and then rested In greater contentment thnn I had known for some time. I was nt work, and work, though it cannot cure love, Is yet n narcotic to It. So that Sapt, who grew feverish, marveled to see me sprawling in an armchair in the sun shine, listening to one of my friends who sang mo amorous songs in a mel low voice and Induced in me a pleas ing melancholy. Thus was I engaged when young Rupert Hentxau, who fear ed neither man nor devil, and rode through the demesne, where every tree might hide a marksman for nil lie knew, as though it had been the park ni. Strelsau, cantered up to where I lay, bowing with burlesque deference and craving private speech with me in or der to deliver n message from tlie Duke of Strelsau. I made all with draw, and then he said, seating himself by me: "The king Is In love. It seems." "Not with life, my lord," said I, smiling. "It is well," he rejoined. "Come, we are alone. Uassendyll"? I rose to a sitting posture. "What's tlie matter?" lie asked. "I was about to call one of my gen tlemen to bring your horse, my lord. If you do not know how to address the king, my brother must find another messenger." "Why keep lip tlie farce?" he asked, negligently dusting ills boot with Ills glove. "Because it Is not finished yet, and meanwhile I II choose my ovu nnnio." "Oh, so hi' it! Yet I spoke 111 lovo for you, fur Indeed you are a man aft er my own heart." "Having my poor hone ty," said I, "uiuylie ! am. But that I keep faltb with men and honor with women, may lie I am, my lord." lie darted a glance at me, a glance ?of anger. "Is your mother deed?" said I. "Aye, she's dead." "She may thank tlod," aid I, and I heard him curse me softly. "Well, what's the message?" I continued. I had touched liliu in the raw, for all the world knew he had broken Ills mother's heart, and his airy manner was gon if the moment. "The iiuae offers you more than 1 would," he growled. "A halter for you, sire, was m.v suggestion. But ha offers you safe conduct across the fron tier and a million crowns." "I prefer your offer, my lord, If I am liound to one." "You refuse?" "Of course." "I told Michael you would." And the villain, his temper restored, gave ine the sunniest of smiles. "The fact; Is, between ourselves," he continued, "Michael doesn't understand a gentle mm." I began to laugh. "And you?" I asked "I do," he said. "Well, well, the J baiter be It." "I'm sorry you won't live to see It," . I observed. "Fins his majesty tlone me the lionot' to fasten a particular quarrel on me?" "I would you were a few years older, though." "Oh, God gives years, but the devil gives Increase," laughed he. "I can hold my own." "IIow is your prisoner?" I asked. "The k"-~ "'Your prisoner." "I forgot you.- wishes, sire. Well, he is alive." lie rose to his feet. I Imitated him. Then came the most audacious thing I have known in my life. My friends were some thirty jards away. Rupert called to u groom to bring him hit liorse and dismissed the fellow with u crown. The horse stood near. I stood still, suspecting nothing. Rupert made its though to mount. Then he suddenly turned to me. his left hand resting on his belt, his right outstretched. ?sfihake hands," he said. T 1-owed, and did as he had foreseen ?? put my hands behind me. Quicker than thought his left hand darted out at me an 1 a small dagger flashed in the air. He struck me in the left shout ?tier. Had 1 not swerved It had been ; tay heart. With u cry I staggered hack "Without touching the stirrup he leaped Vipon his horse and was off like an ar row, pursued by cries and revolver shots?the last as useless as the first? and I sank into my chair, bleeding pro fusely, us 1 watched the devil's brat disappear down the long avenue. My friends surrounded me, and then 1 fainted. 1 fujipt.se that I was put to bed and -there *<?y unconscious or half conscious for many hours, for it was night when I awoke to my full miud and found Fritz beside me. I was weak and weary, but be bade me be of good cheer, saying that my wound would soon faeal and that meanwhile all had gone well, for Johann, the keeper, had iaJk-n into the snare we had laid for him and was even now in the house. ??And the queer thing Is," pursued Fritz, "that I fancy he's not altogether worry to find himself here. He seems to think that wheu Rlack Michael lias brought .iff IiIh roup, withe es of how It wn ? effected saving, of course, the t'i\ themselves?will uot be at it pre mium." Tills l.lea argued a shrewdness In our captive which led me to build hopes on his assistance. I ordered hi 111 to be brought in at once. Sapt conducted him and set him in a chair by my bedside. He was sullen and afraid, but, to say truth, after young Rupert's exploit we also hail our fears, and If he got as fur us possible from Supt's formidable six shooter Sapt kept him us fur as he could front me. Moreover, when he came in his hands were bound, but that I would not suf fer. I need not stay to recount the safe guards and rewards we promised the fellow all of which were honorably observed and pnld, so that he lives now In prosperity (though where I may not mention)?and we were the more free Inasmuch as we soon learn ed that he was rather a weak man than a wicked and had acted through out this matter more from fear of the duke and of his own brother Max than for any love of what was done. Itut he bad persuaded ull of his loyalty and, though not iu their secret coun sels, was yet, by his knowledge of their dispositions within the castle, able to lay bare before us the very heart of their devices. And here, In brief. Is his story: Itelow the level of the ground 11^ the castle, approached by a flight of stone steps which abutted on the end of the drawbridge, were situate two small rooms, i'iir out or uie rock itseir. The outer of the two had no windows, hut was always lighted with candles; the Inner had one square window, which gave upon the moat. In this Inner room there lay always, day and night, three of the Six. and the Instructions of J?uke Michael were that on any at tack being made 011 t'ae outer room the three were to defend the door of It so long as they could without risk to themselves. Hut so s ou as the door should he In danger of being forced then Uupcrt Ilentzau or Detehard (for one of these two was always there) should leave the others to hold It as long as they could and himself pass hit 1 t' e Inner room and without more ado kill the king, who lay there, well treated, indeed, hut without weapons and with his anus confined in tine steel chains, which did not allow him to move his elbow more than three Inches from his shoulder. Thus be fore the outer door were stormed the king would lie dead. And Ills body? For his body would be evidence us damning us himself. "Nay, sir," said Johauti, "his high ness has thought of that. While the two hold the outer room the one who has killed the king unlocks the bars In Hie square window (they turn on 11 hinge). The window now gives 110 light, for Its mouth Is choked by a great pipe of earthenware, and this pipe, which Is large enough to let pass through it the body of a man, passes into the moat, coming to an end im mediately ubove the surface of the water, so that there is no perceptible Interval between water and pipe. The king being dead, his murderer swiftly ttes u weight to the body and, dragging it to tlie wtmlow, raises it by a pulley (for lest the weight should prove too great I M'tchard has provided ouei till It Is level with the mouth of the pipe. He inserts the feet lu the pipe and pushes the body down. Silently, with out splash or sound, it falls into the water and theuee to the bottom of the niont, which is twenty feet deep there abouts. This done, the murderer cries loudly. "All's well!' and himself slides down the pipe; and the others, if they can and the attack is not too hot, run to the Inner room and. seeking a moment's delay, bar the door and In their turn slide down. And though the king rises not from the bottom, they rise a id swim round to the other side, where the orders are for men to wait them with ropes, to haul them out. and horses. And here, if things go ill, the duke will Join tlieni and seek safety by riding; but If all gis's well tlie.v will return to the castle and have their enemies in a trap. That, sir. is the plan of his highness for the dis]?isal of the king ill case of need. But it Is not to lie used till the last. for. as we all kuow, he is not minted to kill the king unless he can, before or soon aft er. kill you a1 a, sir. Now. sir. I have spoktn the truth, as tiod Is my wit ness, and 1 pray you to shield me from tlie vengeance of Duke Michael; for if, after he knows what I have done, 1 fall into his hands 1 shall prav for one thing out of all the world- a speedy death, and that 1 shall not obtain from blm!" The fellow's story was rudely told, but our questions supplemented his narrative. What he had told us ap plied to an armed attack, but If sus picions were aroused and there came overwhelming force ?such; for In stance. as I, the king, could bring?the Idea of resistance would be abandoned. The king would be quietly murdered end slid down the pipe. And?here comes an Ingenious touch?one of the Six would take his place In the cell and on the entrance of the searchers loud ly demand release and redress, and Michael, being summoned, would eon fess to tin sty action, but lie would say the man bail angered hint by seeking the favor of a lady In the castle (this was Antoinette de Maubanl. and he | had confined him there, as he conceived I"* us I,or l of Zemin had right to do. But he was l.o-.v on receiving his apol ogy content to l"t liltn go an! so end the gossip wide' to his highness' an noyance, b 1 nr' en ? mcernlng a pris oner In '/.? i 'a i ol ha I given his vis I. ir? ttu t le of this Inquiry. The \ sitors, I allied, would re'ire. and Ml ? ' -I coo ' at !> leisure i! pose of the I I sly of the king. I- lit, I I : .1 I in my bed looked r ?! a one un ith.-r In h -rror anil be v 'Iderment at the cruelty and cunning { of the plan, Wle-tlier I went In peace or In war. openly at the head of u , e . ;.s or ?- by a stealthy assault, i the king *Id be dead before I could come n;-:?r him. If Michael were sti i a: ! overcame iu.v party there , would be un end, but If I were stronger I I sh mid have no way to punish him, no means of proving any guilt In him without proving my own guilt also. On the other li.ind. I should he left as king (ah, for a moment my pulse quick enedi. and It would be for the future to witness the final struggle between him and me, lie seemed to have made triumph possible and ruin Impossible. At the worst he would stand whore he hail Ntood before I crossed his path? with but one man between him and the throne, und that man an Impostor. At best there would be none left to stand against him. I had begun to think that Black Michael was overfond of leav ing the fighting to his friends, hut now I acknowledged that the brains, If not the arms, of the conspiracy were his. "Does the king know this?" I asked, "I und my brother," answered Jo hann, "put up the pipe under the or ilm-j nf mi' I.i ir*il lit' 11 mi ty.ii ii Hi' \v:m on guard that clay, and the king asked m.v lord what It meant. 'Faith,' he an swered, with his airy laugh, 'it's a new Improvement on the ladder of Jacob, whereby, as you have read, sire, men pass from earth to heaven. We thought it not meet that your majesty should go, In ease, sire, you must go, by the common route. S > we have made you 1 a pretty private passage, where the1 rulgar cannot stare at you or iucont- j nice e your passage. That, sire. Is the int'.'iilng of that pipe.' And he laughed and l> >wed and prayed the king's leave I to replenish the king's glass, for the king \.as at supper. And the king.; though he is a brave man, as are ull of \ bis house, grew red and then white as he looked on the pipe and at the merry j clevil wl. i mocked him. Ah. sir,"?and | the fellow shuddered "it is not easy j to si -p quiet in tiie castle of Zoudu, j for all of them would as soon cut a man's throat as play a game at cards, and my Lord ltupert would choose it sooner for a pastime than any other." 'Jhe man ceased, and 1 bade Fritz take him away and have him carefully guarded, and, turning to him, 1 added: "If any one asks you if there is a prisoner lie Zencla you may answer 'Yes.' Hut if any asks who the prison er Is, do uot answer. For all my prom ises will uot save you if any man here learns from you the truth as to the prisoner in Zenda. I'll kill you like a dog if the th.ug ice so muc h as breathed within the house!" Then when he was gone I looked at Sapt. "It is a hard nut," said I. "So hard," said he, shaking his griz zled head, "that, as 1 think, this time u -Jit year ts like to tlud you still king of lturitauia!" and he broke out iuto curses ou Michael's cunning. I lay back ou my pillows. "There seem to me," 1 observed, "to be two ways by which the king can come out of Zenchc alive. One is by treac hery in the duke's followers." "You can leave that out," said Sapt. "I hope not" 1 rejoined, "because the other I was about to uieutiou Is? by a miracle from heaven!" tUAPTKU XIV. 3 "w* T would have surprised the 1 K'Hxl people of Rurltaula to know of the foregoing talk, ? for, according to the official reports, I had suffered a grievous and dangerous hurt from an accidental spear thrust received in the course of my sport. I caused the bulletins to be I of a very serious character and created I great public excitement, whereby three things occurred?first, I gravely offend ed the medical faculty of Ptrels.au by refusing to summon to my bedside any of them save a young man, a friend of 1'rlti's, whom we could trust: second ly, I received word from Marshal Stra kencz that my orders seemed to have no more weight than his and that the Princess l lavlu was leaving for Tar Jenhi <in under his unwilling escort (news whereat I strove not be glad and proud), and. thirdly, my brother, the Duke of Strelsau, although too well Informed to believe the aeeount i of t' ? origin of my siekness, was yet j persuaded by the reports and by my j seeming Inactivity that I was In truth Incapable of action and that toy life was In s into danger. This I learned from the man Johanu. v. bom I was1 compelled to trust ami send hack to Zenda. where, by the way, Rupert llentzau had ldui soundly flogged for daring to smirch the morals of Zenda by staying out all night. This, from Rupert, Johann deeply resented, and the duke's approval of It did more to bind the keeper to my side than all niy promises. On Klavia's arrival I cannot dwell. Her Joy at finding me up and well In stead of on my hack and fighting with ; death makes a picture that even now dances before my eyes till they grow too dim to see It, and her repronehes that I had not trusted even her must txcuse the means I took to quiet them. In truth, to have her with me once more was like a taste of heaven to a damned soul, the sweeter for the inev itable doom that was to follow, and I rejoiced In being able to waste two whole days with her. Ami when I hail wasted two day i the 1 Mike of Strelsau am need a bunting party. The stroke was n ?ar now. for Sapt a:: I I nf.er anxious consultations bad r"s '* e l that we t.:st risk a blow, our r TM!on icing cl iche! ty Johaim's n ? ? s t1 t the bin" ? ponlced. pale . 'ai l<| an l that his health was break do 4 ?' Vr I r ?'orous contiue i. cat. ','inr. n 101 m. be hi' kins or no ' . ti y i]! " ell die swiftly and as I -s ?' ? itl- .nan from bullet or i as i 't bis I '- out In n cellar, dot tire t made prompt action ild la tie t' of til* king. I ;? a lay o vu )? oit of view It srew i and :ore acres- ;ry, for Stra k tinted on me the need of a s" V rinrrle to, and tuy own lnollna II i s - rrotnled him with such terrible Ins fence that I feared for my resolu tl in. I ile net believe that I should lia\" done the deed I dreamed of, hut I mi.rlit have come to flight, and my Right would have ruined the cause. It is perhaps as strange a thing as has ever been III tbe history of a coun try that the king's brother and the king's personator in a time of profound outward peace near a placid tudis turbed country town, under semblance of amity, should wage a desperate war for the person and life of the king. Yet such was the struggle that begun now between Z.enda and Tarlenheim When I look hack on the time I seem to myself to have been half mad. Sapt lias told me that I suffered no Interfer ence and listened to no remonstrances, and if ever a king of Iiuritania ruled like a despot I was In those days the num. jjOok wuere 1 would. I saw notn ing tluit made life sweet to me, and I took my life In my band and carried It carelessly, as a man dangles an old glove. At first they strove to guard me, t > keep me sale, to persuade me not to expose myself, but when they saw how I was set there grew up among them, whether they knew the truth or not, a feeling that fate ruled the issue and that I must he left to play my game with Michael my own way. l.ate ni xt night I rose from table, where Flavla ha I sat by me, and con ducted her to the door of her apart ments. There I kissed her hand and hade her sleep s mail and wake to hap py days. Then I changed my clothes ao 1 went out. Sapt and Fritz were waiting for me with three men and the horses. Over his saddle Sapt carried a long coil of rope, and both were heavily armed. 1 had with me a short stout cudgel and a long knife. Making a circuit, we avoided the town and in an hour found ourselves slowly mounting t ie hill that led to the cas tie of Zeuda. The night was dark and very stormy, gusts of wind aud spits of rain caught us us we breasted the incline, and the great trees moaned aud sighed. When we came to a thick clump about a quarter of a mile from j the castle we bade our three friends 1 hide there with the horses. Sapt had a whistle, and they could rejoin us In a few moments if danger came, hut up till now we had mot no one. I hoped that Michael was still off his guard, believing me to he safe in bed. How ever that might he, we gained the top of the hill without accident and found ourselves on the edge of the moat where it sweeps under the road, sep arating the old castle from it. A tree stood on the edge of the hank, aud Sapt silently aud diligently set to make fast the rope. I stripped off my bovits, took a pull at a flask of brandy, loosened the knife in its sheath and took the cudgel between my teeth. Then 1 shook hands with my friends, not heeding a last look of entreaty from Fritz, and laid hold of the rope. I was going to have a look at Jacob's ladder. flently I lowered myself into the wa ter. Though the night were wild, the day hod Wen warm and bright and the water was not cold. 1 struck out and began to swim round the great wall3 which frowned above me. I coultl see only three yards ahead. I had then good hopes of not being seen as I crept along close under the damp, moss grown masonry. There were lights from the new part of the castle on the other side, and now and again I heard laughter and merry shouts. I fancied I recognized young Itupert lleutzau's ringing tones and pictured him flushed with wine. Recalling my thoughts to the busi ness In hand, I rested a moment. If Johann's description were right, 1 must be near the window now. Very slowly I moved, and out of the darkness ahead loomed a shape. It was the | ipe, curv ing from the window to the water. Miout two leet of its surface was dis played. It was as big round as two men. 1 was about to approach it when 1 saw something else, and my heart stood still. Ti ? nose of a boat protrud ed beyond the pipe ou the other side, and. listening intently, I heard a slight shuttle, as of a man shifting his posi tion. Who was the man who guarded Ma duel's invention? Was he awake or was in- asleep? I felt if my knife were ready and trod water. As I did so I found bottom under my feet. The foun dations of the castle extended some fifteen inches, making a ledge, and I stood on it. out of water from my arm pits upward. Then 1 crouched aud 1 peered through the darkness under the pipe, where, curving, it left a space. There was a man in the boat. A rifle lay by him I saw the gleam of the barrel. Here was the sentinel! Ho sat very still. I listened. He breathed heavily, regularly, monotonously. By heaven, he si it! Kneeling on the shelf, 1 drew forward under the pipe J till my face was within two feet of his. [ He was a big man. 1 saw. It was Max Holf. the brother of Johaun. My band stole to my belt, an.l 1 drew out my knife. Of all the deeds of my life I I love tlie least to think of this, and whether it was the act of a rnaj or a traitor I will not ask. I said to myself, "It Is war, and tlie kiug's life Is at stake." And I raised myself from be neath tb 1 pipe and stool up by the taint, which lay moored by the ledge. Holding my breath, 1 marked the spot and raised my arm. The great fellow stirred. lie op ued his eyes?wide, wider. He gasped in terror at my face and clutched at his rifle, l struck home. i d I beard ' ;c < ao: is of a love song from the op;. lie hank. Leaving hi a vi re l>e lay, a hud tiled ma ? , I tnruc.1 to "J. rub's I.ad tier." My ti was siiort. This fel low's turn ' watching might be over directly, and relief would come. Lean lug over the i ipo, I examined It from the point it lit the water to the top- | most extr< :.dty, where It passed, or 1 seemed to pass, through the masonry of the wall. There was no break In it, no chink. Iaroj ing on m.v knees, I tested the under side. And my breath went i]iiick and fast, for 011 this lower side, where the pipe should have clung dose to the masonry, there was a gleam of light. That light must coma from the cell of the king! I set my shoulder against the pipe and ex erted my strength. The chink widen ed a very, very little, and hastily I desisted. 1 had done euough to show that the pipe was not fixed in the masonry at the lower side. Then I heard a voice?a harsh, grat ing voice: "Well, sire, If you have had enough of my society I will leave you to re pose, but I must fasten the little orna ments first." It was Detchard. I eauglit the Eng lish accent In u moment. u,o., fore wo part?" The king's voice followed. It was his. though it was faint and hollow, different from the merry tones I had heard in the glades of the forest. "Pray my brother," said the king, "to ] kill me. I am dying by inches here." I "The duke does not desire your | death, sire?yet," sneered Detchard. "When he does, behold your patli to heaven!" The king answered: ? j "So be it. And now, if your orders ] allow It. prav leave me." "May yon dream of paradise," said i the rulBan The light disappeared. T heard the bolts of tin door run home. And then 1 heard th ? sobs of the king. He was alone, as lie thought. Who dares mock | at him? I did not venture to sneak to him. Th" risk of some exclamation escaping him In surprise was too great. T dared t do nothing that night, and my task j now was to get myself away in safety j and to earvv off the eareass of the I dead man. To leave him tV re would | tell too much. Casting loose the boat, j I got In. The wind was blowing a gale now. and there was little danger j of oars being heard. I rowed swiftly round to where my friends waited. I had just reached the spot when a loud whistle sounded over the moat be- ! hind me. "Hello. Max!" I heard shouted. I hailed isapt In a low tone. The rope came down. I tied it round the corpse and then went up it myself. "Whistle you. too." I whispered, "for onr men and haul in the line. No talk j now." They hauled up the body. Just as it reached the road three men on horse- j back swept round from the front of the eastle. We saw them; but. being on foot, we escaped their notice. But we heard our men coming up with a shout. "The devil, but it's dark!" cried a ringing voice. It was young Rupert. A moment later shots rang out. Our people had met them. I started forward at a run, Sapt and Fritz following me. "Thrust, thrust!" cried Rupert again, and a loud groan following told that be himself was not behindhand. "I'm done. Rupert!" cried a voice. "They're three to oue. Save yourself!" I ran on. holding my cudgel in my j hand. Suddenly a horse came toward me. A mau was on it, leaning over the shoulder. "Are you cooked, too, Krafstein?" he ! cried. There was no answer. I sprang to the horse's head. It was /!upert Hentznu. "At last!" I cried. For we seemed to have him. He had only his sword In his band. My men were hot upon him. Sapt and Fritz were running up. I had outstripped them, but if they got close enough to Are he must die or surrender. "At last!" I cried. "It's the play actor!" cried he. slash ing at my cudgel. He cut it clean in two. and. judging discretion better than death. I ducked my head and (I blush to telll scampered for my life. The devil was in Rupert Hent zau. for he put spurs to his horse, and I, turning to look, saw him ride full gallop to the edge of the moat and j ieap in. while the shots cf i".r party fell thick round him like bail. With one gleam of moonlight we should 0 have riddled i im alls, hut In the darkness he v n to i ? corner of tho castle and -. i.. i fr .a our sight. "The dev;( ? t. ; . him!" grinned Sapt. "It's a p t I. "that he's a vil lain. Whom 1 we got?" We had I aueugrain and Krafstein. They lay stiff and dead, and, conceal ; ment being no longer possible, we | flung them, with Max. into the moat and. drawing together in a compact | body, rode off down the hill. And In our midst went the bodies of four gal ! lant gentlemen. Thus we traveled home, heavy at heart for the death of our frieuds, sore uneasy concerning j the king and cut to the quick that ; young Rupert had played yet another I winning hand with us. For my own part I was vexed and angry that I had killed no man in ' open light, but only stabbed a knave In , his sleep. And 1 did not love to hear uupert can me a play actor. CHAPTER XV. 1 JrniTAMA Is not In England I j or the quarrel between Duke fjktjI Michael urnl myself could not 1 ^yd?'j pave gone on. with the re i.i.irkahle lucltlents which marked It. without more public notice being di re -tc 1 t > it. Duels w re frequent among all the upper classes, and pri vate q in'rels between great men kept the old 1. .! of spreading to their fr.en - .. ;.i dependents. Nevertheless, after t :'t.- whi h I have just re late ? - , its 1 ?_nn to circulate that I ! -it It neve - ,u-y to be ou my guartV Tile dentil of the gentlemen Involved eouhl not he hidden from their rela tives. T Issued a stern order declaring that dueling had attained unprecedent ed li. c >e ithe chancellor drew up the document for me. and very well he did it . and firbidiing it save in the gravest cases. 1 sent a public uml stately apology to Michael, and he re turned a deferential and courteous re ply to me, for our one point of union was?and it underlay all our differ ences and induced an unwilling har mony between our actions?that we could neither of us afford to throw our cards on the table. He, as well as I, was a "play actor," and, hating one another, we combined to dupe public opinion. Unfortunately, however, the necessity for concealment involved the necessity of delay. The king might die in his prisou or even be spirited off somewhere else. It could not be helped. For a little while I was com pelled to observe a truce, and my only consolation was that Flavia most warmly approved of my edict against dueling, and when 1 expressed delight at having won her favor prayed me, if her favor were any motive to me, to prohibit the practice altogether. "Wait till we are married," said I, smiling. Not the least peculiar result of the truce and of the secrecy which dictated it was that the town of Zenda became in the daytime?I would not have trust ed far to its protection by night?a sort of neutral zone, where both parties could safely go, and I, riding down one day with Flavia and Sapt, had an en counter with an acquaintance which presented a ludicrous side, but was at the same time embarrassing. As I rode along I met a dignified looking person driving in a two horsed carriage. He stopped his horses, got out and ap proached me, bowing low. 1 recognized the head of the Strelsau police. "Your majesty's ordinance as to du eling is receiving our best attention," he assured me. If the best attention involved his presence in Zenda, I resolved at once to dispense with it. "Is that what brings you to Zenda. prefect?" I asked. "Why, no, sire. I am here because 1 desired to oblige the British ambassa dor." "What's the British ambassador do ing dans cette galere?" said I care lessly. "A young countryman of his, sire?a man of some position?is missing. His friends have not heard from him for two months, and there ft reason to be lieve that he was last seen in Zenda." Flavia was paying little attention. I dared not look at Sapt. "What reason?" "A friend of his in Paris, a certain M. Featlierly, has given us information which makes it possible that he came here, and the officials of the railway recollect his name on some luggage." "What was his name?" "Rassendyll, sire," he answered, and I saw that the name meant nothing to him. But, glancing at Flavia, he low ered his voice as he went on: "It Is thought that he may have followed a lady here. Has your majesty beard of a certain Mute, de Mauban?" "Why. yes," said I, my eye tnvolun tartly traveling toward the castle. "She arrived in Ruritania about the same time as this Rassendvll." I caught the prefect's glance. He was regarding me with inquiry writ large on his face. "Sapt," said I, "I must speak a word to the prefect. Will you ride on a few paces with the princess?" And I add ed to the prefect. "Come, sir, what do you mean?" He drew close to me, and I bent lu the saddle. "If lie were In love with the lady?" he whispered. "Nothing has been beard of him for two months." And this time it was the eye of the prefect which traveled toward the castle. "Yes, the lady is there," I said quiet ly. "But I don't suppose Mr. Rassen iyll?is that the name??is." "The duke," he whispered, "does not like rivals, sire." "You're right there." said I. with all sincerity. "But surely you hint at a very grave charge." He spread his hands out in apology. I whispered in his ear: "Tins is a grave matter. Go back to Strelsau"? "But. sire, if I have a clew here?" "Go back to Strelsau." I repeated. "Tell the ambassador that you have a clew, but that you must be left alono for a week or two. Meanwhile I'll charge myself with looking into the matter." "The ambassador is very pressing. ?ire." "You must quiet him. Come, sir; you see that If your suspicions are cor rect it is an affair in which we must move with caution. We can have no scandal. Mind you return tonight." ne promised to obey me, and I rode on to rejoin my companions, a little easier in my mind. Inquiries after me must be stopped at all hazards for a week or two. and this clever official had come surprisingly near the truth. His Impression might be useful some day. but if be acted on it now it might mean the worst to the king. Heartily did I curse George Keatheriy for not holdiug his tongue.