Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-01-23

wine and troubled with thoughts of the
lovely peasant girl, had strolled on to
the ramparts, where the moonlight
showed the lake beneath him like a silver
mirror.
Suddenly figure stood before him,
and the young man, with his hand upon
his sword, started back.
"Who are your" he said.
Zone who would serve you"
"How?"
"You are charmed with the beauty of
Hilda, the peasant girl, who vainly loves
your friend Carl"
"How know you that?"
II have the power to read mems
thoughts and see the workings of a wom-
ans heart"
"You? Who are you then?" a
1.-THE Cave King of the Lake Of Kirk
nitz."
"What would you with me?" asked
the youth tremulously.
II come to serve you. A vain, ambi-
tious girl will await one whom she hopes
to meet on the bank of the lake, but who
cares not for her.
"What pity for such as she! She seeks
her doom. Steal from the castle when
the bell booms forth the midnight hour
and meet her on the spot where today
your friend treated her with such con-
tempt"
But of what avail would be that?"
Assume the form of your friend and
win the love she is so anxious to bestow
on one so far above her."
"How can do thatF'
by my aid"
"And what do you ask in return?'
''Simply that, having impressed the
girl with the belief that you are him she
so madly loves, you will embark with
her on the lake on a boat you will find
moored to the shore
ut is but simple request, admit"
"Then take the form of your friend
which have the power to bestow upon
you"
The Cave King touched the shoulder of
the young man, and in an instant he was
changed not only in features, but in
dress as well.
He gazed at himself in wonder and
then looked up as if about to speak to
the strange visitor.
But the latter was gone, and Herbert
stood alone upon the ramparts.
"Am l dreaming?" he asked himself.
A retainer approached and said re-
spectfully:
MY lord, a messenger has just ar
rived at the castle gate, and he bade me
give this missive into your hands unseen
by any one."
The young man opened the letter and
by the light of the moon read:
my LORD know that | aspire far
beyond my station in presuming to love
one so high and noble as yourself, but
feel that | cannot live without you. You
can save Inc from ending my life if you
will meet me and speak one word of
hope and love to me on the banks of the
lake tonight at the spot where we met
this morning"
Very good" said Herbert. 81 will
wander forth for a short time; can re-
enter the castle by the postern."
The man bowed and retired.
"Now for this peasant beauty NUT
tered the libertine. pride must have
its fall, and if her fall is deep one she
will have no one but herself to blame
for it."
He left the castle by the postern and
made his way to the spot where he had
seen Hilda in the morning.
The girl stood on the edge of the lake
gazing down ON the moonlit waters when
his football struck upon her ears.
! She turned and saw him as the boom
of the convent bell struck the midnight
air.
"Hilda!' he cried, and went toward
her with outstretched arms.
"Carl-my lord' she exclaimed.
THANK heaven that you have come! If
my love for you is unmaidenly remem-
Der that the workings of my heart are
guided by higher power than mine.
From the first moment gazed upon you
l felt that | could love none other and
that must win your love or die"
She threw herself on the bosom of the
man she believed to be the one who had
enshrined his image in her heart.
Let us sail out upon the lake." said
the supposed Carl "There in the moon
light, and with none to hear us but the
waters that dance so merrily in the sill
yer beams we will talk of that love you
have for me and that which | have so
long felt for you, but never yet acknowl-
edged"
"You do love me, then, dear CarlT"
"Can you doubt it?"
Il did; but with your arms around
me and your eyes shining into mine
can doubt no longer"
He unmoored the boat, and seating
her in it followed and pushed out from
the shore.
In an instant, without the aid of an
oar or sail, the boat dashed madly across
the waters, then turned around and
around with fearful rapidity.
"What is this?" he gasped.
The girl turned her despairing eyes
over the lake.
Mercy" she cried; "the waters are
sinking-the shores are rising around us
like mountains. We are in whirlpool!
We are lost-we are lostl"