Ig* prisoner J
i ANTHONY ?| 2/ C11 c! 5 j \
: HOPE ^ * :
\ ; Copyrishted. 1804. 1898, br Mtnrr Holt fc< Corapinr '
CHAPTER XX.
/? ?,|\' order to :i full understand
I !I A I '"f ?f "hut hail occurred in
II ';.. .4 tlif ca- tie of Zcndn It Is nee
I'-W; - I osvary to supplement my ac
count of what I myself saw nn.l did on
that i'. ' t by relating briefly what I
afterward ! irned from Fritz and from
Mme. do Mauban. The story told by
the lattrr explained clearly bow It hap
pen d that the cry which I had arrang
ed as a stratagem and a sham had
come In dreadful reality before Its
time and had thus, as It seemed at the
moment, ruined our hopes, while in the
end It had favored them. The unhap
py woman, fired, I believe, by a gen
uine attachi ent to the Puke of Hatred
sail, no less than by the dazzling pros
porta which a dominion over him open
ed before licr eye*, bad followed hlra
at his requo t from I'arls to Iiurltanla.
fie was a man of strong passions, hut
of stronger will, and his coo! head ruled
both. lie was content to take all and
give nothing. When she urrlved she
was not long In finding that she had a
rival in the Princess Flavla, Render
ed desperate, she stood at nothing
which might give or keep for her her
power over the duke. As I say, he
took and gave not. Simultaneously
Antoinette found herself entangled In
his audacious schemes. Unwilling to
abandon him, houuil to him by the
chains of shame and hope, she yet
would not he a decoy nor at his bid
ding lure me to death; hence the let
ters of warning she had written.
Whether the lines she sent to 1-Tavla
were inspired by good or bad feeling,
by Jealousy or by pity, I do not know,
but here nbo she served us well. When I
the duke went to Zemin she accompa
nied hi ill, u t*i I here for the first time
she learned tile full measure of his j
cruelty and was touched with compas
sion for the unfortunate kins. From i
this time Rhe was wltli us, yet from
what she told me 1 know that she still
(as women will) loved Michael and
trusted to Rain his life, if not his par
don, from the king ns the reward for
her assistance. His triumph she did
not desire, for she loathed Ills crime
and loathed yet more fiercely what
?would he the prize of It?his marriage
with his cousin, Princess Flavin.
At Zunda a new force came Into play,
the daring of young Kupert. He was
caught by her beauty, |ierhaps. Per
haps it was enough for liiui that she
Volonged to another man and that she
hated him. For many days there had
been quarrels and ill will between bltn
and the duke, and the scene which I
had witnessed In the duke's room was
but one of many. Rupert's proposals
to me, of which she hud of course been
Ignorant, In no way surprised her when
2 related tbem. She had herself warn
ed Michael against Rupert oven when
she was calling on me to deliver her
from both of them. On this night,
then, Rupert wheu she had gone to her
room, having furnished himself with a
key to It, made his entrance. Her cries
had brought the duke, and there In the
dark room while she screamed the
men had fought, and Rupert, having
wounded his master with a mortal
blow, had on the servants rushing In
escaped through the window, as I have
described. The duke's blood, spurting
?ut, had stained his opponent's shirt;
but Rupert, not knowing that ho had
dealt Michael his death, was eager to
Qnish the encounter. IIow ho meant to
deal with the other three of the band 1
know not. I dare say he did not think,
f?T the killing of Michael was not pre
meditated. Antoinette, left alone with
? K-. I.- -* a-l-J A- - * ? ? ?
>ut uunc, uau ineu lO BIHI1CD OlS
wound, and thus was she husied till he
died, and then, hearing Rupert's
taunts, she had come forth to avenga
him. Me she had not seen, nor did she
till I darted out of my ambush and
Seaped after Rupert Into the moat.
The same moment found my friends
on the scene. They had reached the
chateau In due time and waited ready
by the door. But Jobann, swept with
the rest to the rescue of the duke, did
not open It?nay, he took a part against
Rupert, putting himself forward mors
bravely than any In his anxiety to
?vert suspicion, and he had received a
wound. In the embrasure of the win
<iaw. Till nearly half past 2 Sapt wait
ed; then, following my orders, he had
aent Fritx to search the banks of the
snoat I was not there. Hastening
'hack, Fritr. told Sapt, and Sapt was
tTor following orders still and riding at
ftull speed back to Tarlenhelm, while
Trltz would not hear of abandoning
>me, let me have ordered what I would.
?On this they disputed some few min
utes; then Sapt, persuaded by Fritx,
?detached a pnrty under Bernenateln to
;gallop back to Tarlenhelm and bring I
>JIP 4he marshal, while the rest fell to
Un Vhe jrreat door of the chateau. For
near fifteen minutes It resisted them;
then, just as Antoinette de Mauban
fired at Rupert Hentzau on the bridge,
they broke In, eight of them in all, and
the first door they came to waa ths
door of Michael's room, and Michael
lay dead across the threshold, with a
aword thrust through his breast. Bspt
cried out at his death, as I had heard,
and they rushed on the servants, but
these In fear dropped their weapons,
and Antoinette flung herself weeping
?t Sapt's feet. And all she cried was
I that 1 had been at the end of the
bridge and had leaped off. "What ot
the prisoner'/" asked Sapt, but she
shook her head. Then Sapt and Fritz,
with the gentlemen behind them, cross
ed the bridge, slowly, warily and with
out noise, nud Frits stumbled over the
body of lie (lautet in the way of the
door. Tltey felt hint and found hint
dead.
Then they consulted, listening onger
ly for any s mud from the cells below,
hut there came none, and tltey were
greatly afraid that the king's guards
had killed him and, having pushed his
hotly through the great pipe, had es
cuped tin" s e way themselves. Yet
because 1 bad h?? n seen here they bad
still some It p - (tli .s, Indeed, Fritz In
his friendsh p told me), and, going back
to Michael's body, pushing aside An
toinette, who f rayed by It, they found
a key t.< the door which 1 hud locked
and opened the door. The staircase
was dark, and they would not use a
torch at llrst lest they ahould be the
more exposed to tire, but soon Fritz
cried: "The door down there Is open!
See, there Is light!" So they went on
boldly and found none to oppose them
And when they came to the outer room
and saw the Jiclgian, Uersouin, lying
dead they thanked (iod, Supt saying,
"Aye, he has been here." Then, rush
ing into the king's cell, they found
Itetcbard lying dead across the dead
physician and the king on his back,
u ifh M? chair liv hint Am? FVitv r?rhwl
"Ill' s dead!" and Kupt drove all out of
the rooiu except Fritz and knelt down
by the king, anil, having learned more
of wounds uuti the signs of death than
1, he soon knew that the kinjf was not
dead nor if properly attended would
die. And they covered his face uud
carried him to Duke Michael's room
and laid him there, auil Antoinette
rose front praying by the bo y of the
duke and went to bathe the king's head
and dress his wounds till a doctor
came. And Sapt, seeing I had been
there and having heard Antoinette's
story, sent Fritz to search the moat
and then the forest, lie dared send no
one else. And Fritz found my horse
and feared the worst. Then, us I have
told, he found tne, guided by the
shout with which 1 had called on Ru
pert to stop and face me. And I think
a man has uever been more glud to
lint! his own brother alive than was
Fritz to come on me, so that in love
and anxiety for me he thought nothing
of a thing so great as would have been
the death of Itupert Hentzau. Yet had
Fritz killed III in 1 should have grudged
It.
The enterprise of the king's rescue
being thus prosperously concluded, it
lay on Colonel Sapt to secure secrecy
as to the king ever having been In need
of rescue. Antoinette de Man ban and
Johunn, the keeper (who, indeed, was
too much hurt to be wagging his
tongue just tlowi. were sworn to reveal
nothing, and Fritz went forth to find
not the king, but the unnamed friend
of the king, who had lain in Zcnda and
Hashed for a moment before the dazed
eyes of Duke Michael's servants on the
drawbridge. The metamorphosis had
happened, ami the king, wounded al
most to death by the attacks of the
jailers who guarded his friend, had at
last overcome them anil rested now,
wounded, but alive. In Black Michael's
own room In the cnstle. There he had
I been carried, his face covered with a
eloak, from the cell, anil thence orders
Issued that If his friend were found he
should be btought directly and prt
i vately to the king and thnt meanwhile
I messengers should ride at full speed to
i Tarlenheim to tell Marshal Strakenci
| to assure the princess of the king's
1 uafale oii.l ... I 1I, <% 11
I ouiuij nuu i / v uuic uiuinni niiu an
! speed to greet the klug. The princess
; wn? enjoined to remain at T&rleubeiiu
and there await her cousin's coming er
his further injunctions Thus the king
would come to his own again, having
wrought brave deeds and escaped al
most by a miracle the treacherous as
sault of his unnatural brother.
This ingenious arrangement of my
long heHded old friend prospered in
every way save where it encountered
s force that often defeats the roost
running schemes. 1 mean nothing else
than the pleasure of a woman, for, let
her cousin and sovereign send what
command he chose (or Colonel Sapt
chose for him), and let Marshal Stra
kencz insist as he would, the Princess
Flavin was in no way minded to rest at
Tarlenheim while her lover lay wound
ed at Zenda, and when the marshal,
with a small suit, rode forth from Tar
lenheim on the way to Zendu the prin
cess' carriage followed Immediately be
hind, and in this order they passed
through the town, where the report
was already rife that the king, going
the night before to remonstrate with
bis brother in all friendliness for that
he held one of the king's friends In
confinement In the castle, had been
most traitorously 6et upon, that there
had been a desperate conflict, that the
duke was slain, with several of his
gentlemen, and that the king, wounded
as he was, had seized and held the cas
tle of Zenda. All of which talk made,
as may be supposed, a mighty excite
ment, and the wires were set In mo
tion, and the tidings came to Strelsau
only Just after orders had been sent
? timber to parade the troops and over
| awe the dissatisfied quarters of the
town with a display of force.
Thus the Princess Flavla came to
Zetida. And as she drove up the hill,
with the marshal rldiug by the wheel
and still Imploring her to return In
obedience to the king's orders, Fritz
von Tarlenhelm, with the prisoner of
Zenda. came to the edge of the forest.
I had revived from my swoon and
walked, resting on Fritz's arm, and,
looking out from the cover of the trees.
I saw the princes Suddenly under
standing from a glance at my compan
ion's face that we must not meet her,
I sunk on my knees behind a clump of
bushes. Put there was one whom we
had forgotten, hut who followed us
and was net disposed to let slip the
clinice of ?? ling a smile and maybe a
i crown or two. and while we lay hidden
I the little farm girl came by us and ran
; to the prince-s, courtesylug und cry
ing:
"Madame, the king Is here?In the
' hi -he-. May I gu:de you to him,
mm lame?"
"Nonsense, child!" said old Stra
kenez. "The king lies wounded In the
castle."
"Yes, sir, he's wounded, I know, but
j he's there, with Count Fritz, and uot
I at the castle." she persisted.
"Is lie In two places, or are there two
kings'/" asked Flavin, bewildered.
"And bow should be be here?"
"He pursued 11 gentleman, madnme,
and they fought till Count Fritz came,
and the other gentleman took my fa
ther's horse from me and rode away.
Put the king is here with Count Fritz.
Why, mnduine. Is there another man
In lturitania like the king'/"
"No, my child," said Flavla softly (I
was told It afterward), and she smiled
and gave the girl money. "I will go
nnd see this gentleman," and she rose
to ulight from the carriage.
1 tut at this moment Sapt came riding
froi , the castle and, seeing the prin
cess, made the best of a bad Job and
cried to Her that the king was well
tended and In 110 danger
"In the castle?" she asked.
"Where else, madame?" said he,
bowing.
"But this girl says he Is yonder?
with Count Fritz."
Snpt turned bis eyes on the child
with an lncreduloui smile.
"l'.very flue gentleman Is a king to
such." said be.
"Why. he's as like the king as one
pea to another, madame!" erleil the
girl, a little shaken, hut still obstinate.
1 ?^ ^ -s?I
"It i? not the kltnj. Don't kins him "
Sapt started round. The old mar
shal's face naked unspoken questions.
Flavla'a (fiance was no less eloquent.
Suspicion spreads quick.
"I'll ride myself and see tills man,"
?ald Sapt hastily.
"Nay. I'll come uiyself," said the
princess.
"Then come alone," he whispered.
And she. obedient to the strange
hinting in his face, prayed the marshal
and the rest to wait, and she and
Sapt came on foot toward where we
lay, 8apt waving to the farm girl to
keep at a distance. And when I saw
them coming I sat In a sad heap on
the ground and burled my face In my
hands. I could not look at her. Frits
knelt by me, laying his hand on my
shoulder.
"Speak low, whatever you say," I
hfcard Sapt whisper as thsy came np,
and the next thing I heard was a low
cry?half of Joy, half of fear?from the
princess:
"It Is he! Are you hurt?"
And she fell on the ground by me and
gently pulled my hands away, but I
kept my eyes to the ground.
"It Is the king!" she said. "Pray,
Colonel Sapt. tell me where lay the wit
?f the Joke you played on me?"
We answered none of us. We three
were silent before her. liegardless of
them, she threw her arms round my
neck and kissed me. Then Sapt spoke
In a low. hoarse whisper:
"It Is not the king. Don't kiss him.
He's not the king."
She drew back for a moment; then,
with an arm still round my neck, she
asked in superb lndiguatlou:
"Do I not know my love? Rudolf, my
love!"
"It is not the king," said old Sapt
again, and a sudden sob broke from
tender hearted Fritz.
It was the sob that told her no come
dy was afoot.
"He is the king!" she cried. "It Is the
king's face?the king's ring?my ring!
It Is my love!"
"Your love, madame," said old Sapt,
"but not the king. The king Is there In
the castle. This gentleman"?
"Look at me. Rudolf, look at me!"
she cried, taking my face between her
hands. "Why do you let them torment
me? Tell me what It means!"
Then I spoke, gazing tutolier eyes.
"God forgive me, tnadume," I said.
"I am not the king!"
I felt her hands clutch my cheeks.
She gazed at me as never man's face
was scanned yet. And I, silent again,
I
Raw wonder l>orn, and doubt grow. anJ
1 terror spring to life an she looked.
And very gradually the grasp of her
hands slacken.al; she turned to Sapt,
to I'riti and hack to me, then sudden
ly she reeled forward and fell In nay
arms, and with a great cry of paiu I
gathered her to me and kissed her lips. 1
Sup; laid his hand o.i my arm. I look
j ed tip In his fat*. And I laid her soft-1
; ly on the ground and stood up, looking
on her, cursing heaven that young IIu
perl's sword had spared we for this
sharper pang.
criAPTEU XXI.
?f ' n ]T was night, and I was In the
I 1J cell wherein the king bad
7%'-. pi lain in tli - ei-dle of Zenda. !
, . The great pipe that Itupert of
1 Ueutzau hud ucknamed "Jacob's lad
dor" was gone, and the lights In the
i r i a across the moat twinkled In the:
darkness. All was still; the d!u and
' el: li of strife were gone. I had spent?
the day hidden in the forest from the
I ti: e v, ii o Fr'tz had led me off. leav
: in 8a.it with the princess. Under
cover of dusk, mttlfled up, 1 had been ;
>u. ht to the cisiie and lodged where
I now lay. Though three men ha Idled
th e?two of them by my ban ?1 was
not troubled by ghosts. I had thrown
myself on a pallet by the window and
was 1 ioklng out on the black water, i
Johanti, the keeper, still pale from his
wound, but not much hurt besides, had
brought me supper. lie told me that
the king was doing well, that he hud
seen tl ? princess; that she and he,
Sapt and Fritz had been long together.
Marshal Strakencz was gone to Strel
sau; Black Michael lay In his coffin,
and Antoinette de Muubnn watched by
him. Had I not heard from ^he chapel'
prle is singing mass for him?
Outside there were strange rumors,
alio t. Some said that the prisoner of
| Zen'a was dead; some, that he had!
vanished yet alive: some, that he was
a friend who had served the king well I
In Rome adventure in England; others.!
that be had discovered the duke's
plot- and hail therefore been kidnaped
by him. One or two shrewd fellows
?hook their heads and said only that i
they wc old say nothing, but they had
suspicions that more was to be known
than was known if Colonel Sapt would,
tell nil he knew.
Thus Johann chattered till I sent him
away and lay there alone thinking not
of the future; but. as a man is wont to |
do when stirring things have happened I
to him, rehearsing the events of the
past weeks and wondering how '
strangely*tliev had fallen out. And |
above tue In the stillness of the night
I heard the standards dapping against
their poles, for Black Michael's banner
hung there half mast high, and above
It the royal dag of Rurltania, doating
for one night more over my head.
Habit grows so quick that only by
an effort did I recollect that It doated
no longer for me.
Presently Frit* von Tarlenheim came
Into the room. I was standing then by
the window; the glass was opened,
and I was idly dngering the cement
which clung to the masonry where
"Jacob's ladder" had been. He told
me briefly that the king wanted me,
and together we crossed the draw
bridge and entered the room that had
been Black Michael's,
The king was lying there in bed.
Our doctor from Tarlenheim was in
attendance on him and whispered to
me that my visit must be brief. The
king held out his hand and shook mine.
Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the
window.
I took the king's ring from my finger
and placed It on his.
"I have tried not to dishonor it, sire,"
said I.
"I can't talk much to you," he said in
a weak voice. "I have had a great fight
with Sapt and the marshal, for we
have told the marshal everything. I
wanted to take you to Strelsau and
keep you with me and tell every one
of what you had done, and you would
have been my best and nearest friend.
Cousin Rudolf. But tbey tell me I must
mot, and that the secret must be kept.
If kept it can be."
"They are right, aire. Let me go. My
work here is done."
-Yes, it la done as no man bul jreu
could bare done It When they get mt
again I shall have my beard on. I
?hall?yes, faith, I ah all be waated with
sickness. They will not wonder that
the king looks changed la face. Cents.
I ahall try to let them find him changed
In nothing else. Ton hare ehewa me
how to play the king."
"Sire." aald I, "I can take no praise
from yon. It Is by the narrowest grace
of God that I was not a worse traitor
than your brother."
He turned Inquiring eyes on me, but
a sick man shrinks from puzzles, and
he had no strength to question me. His
glance fell on Flavla's r<h;. which I
wore. I thought he would question me
about it. but after lingering It Idly be
let his head fall on his pillow.
"I don't know when I shall see you
again." he said faintly, almost list
lessly.
"If I can ever serve you again, sire,"
I answered.
His eyelids closed. Fritz came with
the doctor. I kissed the king's hand
and let Fritz lead me away. I have
never seen the kiug since.
Outside Fritz turned, not to the right,
back toward the drawbridge, but to the
left, and, without speaking, led me up
stairs. through a handsome corridor In
the chateau.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
I.ooking away from me, Fritz an
1 swered:
"She has sent for you. When It Is
over conm back to the bridge. I'll wait
for you there."
"What does she want?" said I,
breathing quickly.
He shook his head.
"Iloes she know everything?"
"Yes, everything."
He opened a door and, gently push
| lug uie in, closed it behind uie. I j
foun 1 myself In a drawing room, small
aud richly furnished. At first I thought
thai 1 was alone, for the light that
came from a pair of shaded candles
on the mantelpiece was very dim. But
presently I discerned a woman's figure
standing by the window. I kuew It
was the princess, and I walked up to
her, fell on one knee and carried the |
hand that hung by her side to my lips.
She neither moved nor spoke. I rose |
to my feet and, piercing the gloom
with my eager eyes, saw her pale face i
and the gleam of her hair, and before
I kuew I spoke softly:
"Flu via!"
She trembled a little and looked
round. Then she darted to me, taking
hold of mo.
"Don't stand, don't stand. No, you |
mustn't! You're hurt! Sit down
here. here!"
She : ado me sit on a sofa and put
her hand on my forehead.
"How hat your head is!" she said,
sinking on 1 er knees by me. Then she
laid her ! : I against me, and I heard
her mum ".My darling, how hot
your ln-iil i-!"
F love give; even to a dull
man til ' e of his lover's heart. ;
I ha 1 ? ) Itt ; le myself anil pray ;
parti presumption, but what
I sai l now was:
"I love you with all my heart and
soul."
For what troubled and shamed her? I
Not her 1 >ve for r e, but the fear that. ;
J bad counterfeited the lover as I had
acted the king and taken her kisses
with a smothered smile.
"With all my life and heart," said
I as she clung to me. "Always, from
the first moment I saw you In the ca
thedral. There has been but one wo
man In the world to me, and there will
bo no other. I'.ut Clod forgive me the
wrong I've done you!"
"They made you do it!" she said
quickly, and she added, raising her
head and looking in my eyes: "It might
have made no difference if I'd known
It. It was always you. uevor the king."
And she raised herself and kissed me.
? r moiint to toll von " stiM T *'T *vna
jroln.'-r to on the nlgbt of the ball In
Strelsau when Sapt Interrupted rac.
After that I couldn't?I couldn't risk
losing you before?before?I must! My
darling, for you I nearly left the king
to die."
"I know. I know: What are we to
do now. liudolf?"
I put niy arm round her and held her
up while I siid:
"I am going away tonight."
"Ah. no. no!" she cried. "Not to
night!"
"I must go tonight before more peo
ple have seen me. And how would
you have me stay, sweetheart, ex
cept"?
"If I could come with you," she
whispered very low.
"My God." said I roughly, "don't
talk about that!" And 1 thrust her a
little back from me.
"Why not? I love you. You are as
good a gentleman as the king."
Then I was false to all that I should
have held by, for I caught her in my
arms and prayed her in words that I
will not write to come with me, daring
all Rurltania to take her from me.
And for awhile she listened, with won
dering. dazzled eyes, but as her eyes
looked on me I grew ashamed and my
voice died away iu broken murmurs
and stammerings, and at last I was
silent.
She drew herself away from me and
stood against the wall, while I sat on
the edge of the sofa, trembling in ev
ery limb, knowing what I had done,
loathing it, obstinate not to undo it.
So we rested a long time.
"I am mad!" I said sullenly.
"I love your madness, dear," she an
swered. -
Her face was away from me, but I
caught the sparkle of a tear on her
cheek. I clutched the sofa with my
hand and held myself there.
"Is love the only thing?" she asked
In low, sweet tones that seemed to
bring u calm even to my wrung lieart
"It love were tbe only thing, I could
follow you?In rags, if need be?to the
world's end, for you hold my heart In
the hollow of your hand. But is lore
the only thing?"
I made her no answer. It gives me
shame now to think that I would not
help her.
She came near me and laid her band
on my shoulder. I put my band up and
held hers.
"I know people write and talk as If
It were. Perhaps for some fate lets It
be. Ah. If I were one of them! But tf
love had been tbe only thing you
would have let the king die In his
cell."
I kissed her hand.
"Honor binds a woman, too, Rudolf.
My honor lies In being true to my
country and my bouse. I don't know
why God has let me love you, but I
know that I must stay."
Still I said nothing, and she, paus
ing awhile, then went on:
"Tour ring will always be on my
finger, your heart In my heart, the
touch of your lips on mine, but you
must go, and I must stay. Perhaps I
must do what it kills me to think of
doing."
I knew what she meant, and a shiver
ran through me, but I could not ut
terly fall beside her. I rose and took
her hand.
"Do what you will or what you
must," I said. "I think God shows his
purposes to such as you. My part Is
lighter, for your ring shall be on my
finger and your heart in mine, and no
touch save of your lips will ever be on
mine. So may God comfort you, my
darling!"
There struck on our ears the sound
of singing. The priests in the chapel
were singing masses for the souls of
those who lay dead. They seemed to
chant a requiem over our buried joy.
to pray forgiveness for our love that j
j would not die. The soft, sweet, pitiful J
music rose and fell as we stood oppo
site oue another, her hands In mine.
"My queen and my beauty!" said I.
"My lover and true knight!" she said.
"Perhaps we shall never see one an
other again. Kiss me, my dear, and
go."
I kissed her as she bade me, but at
the last she clung to me, whispering
nothing but my name and that over
and over again?and again?and again
?and then I left her.
Rapidly I walked down to the bridge.
Rapt and Fritz were waiting for me.
Under their d rections I changed my
dress, and. mudlit g my face, as I had
done more than one ? before, I mounted
with them at the door of the castle,
and we thr -e io,le through the night
icv5>v
"it una always you, never the king."
and on to the breaking of day and
found ourselves at a little roadside sta'
Hon Just over the border of Kuritanla.
The train was not quite due, and I
walked with them In a meadow by a
little brook while we waited for It.
They promised to send me all news.
They overwhelmed me with kindness.
Even old Sapt was touehed to gentle
ness, while 1 ritz was half unmanned.
I listened In a kind of dream to all they
said. "Itudolf 1 Itudolf! Rudolf!" still
rang In my ears, a burden of sorrow
and of love. At last they saw that I
could not heed them, and we walked
up and down in silence till Fritz touch
ed me on the arm, and I saw, a mile or
more away, the blue smoke of the
train. Then I held out a hand to each
of them.
"We are all but half men this morn
ing," said I, smiling. "But we hava
been men, eh, Sapt and Fritz, old
friends? We have run a good course
between us."
"We have defeated traitors and set
the king firm on his throne," said Sapt.
Then Fritz von Tarlenhelm suddenly,
before I could discern his purpose or
stay him, uncovered his head and bent
as he used to do and kissed my hand,
and as X snatched It away he said, try
ing to laugh:
"Heaven doesn't always make tho
right men kings!"
Old Sapt twisted bis mouth as ho
wrung my hand.
"The devil has his share In most
things," said he.
The people at the station looked curi
ously at the tall man with the muffled
face, but we took no notice of their
glances. I stood with my two friends
and waited till the train came up to
us. Then we shook hands again, say
ing nothing, and both this time?and,
indeed, from old Sapt it seemed strange
?bared their heads and so stood still
till the train bore me away from their
sight. So that It was thought soma
great map traveled privately for his
pleasure from the little station that
morning, whereas, in truth, it was
only I, Rudolf Rassendyll. an English
gentleman, a cadet of a good house,
but a man of no wealth nor position
nor of much rank. They would have
been disappointed to know that. Yet
had they known all they would have
looked more curiously still, for, be 1
what I might now, I had been tot
three mouths a king, which, If not a
thing to be proud of, is at least an ex
perience to have undergone. Doubt
less I should have thought more of It
had there not echoed through the air,
from the towers of Zenda that we
were leaving far away, Into my ears
and into my heart the cry of a wom
an's love: "Rudolf! Itudolf! Rudolf!"
Hark.' I bear it now!
Buie's Creek
Academy and
BUSINESS COLLEGE
Prepares For
College, University, Business
One of the best Business Courses
given in the whole country. Spec
ialists in charge of Penmanship,
Telegraphy, Music, Art, Elocution.
Five hundred and seventy-four
students last year, representing
sixty counties and five States. : :
Board in families, including wash
ing, lights and furnished rooms,
$8.50 to $9, in clubs, #6.50 to #7.50.
Tuition #1.00 to 3.00, with 50 per
cent, discount to ministers, minis
ters' children, orphans and widows
For Catalogue, Address
J. A. CAMPBELL, Principal,
Buie's Creek, Harnett Co., N. C.
f