Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-12

Thus while the ambassador and his men
searched high and low for the noted rob-
Der, and the kings men hunted for the
student of the university, the king, fol-
lowed by two Of his guard at a distance of
about fifty yards Gor his horse was better
than theirs). came straight to where Osra
and her lover stood together! and a few
yards behind the guards came the officer;
and he also had by now drawn his sword.
But he rode so eagerly that he overlook
and passed the kings guards, and got
within thirty yards Of the king by the
time that the king was within twenty yards
Of the lovers. But the king let him get no
nearer. for he put his spurs again into his
horses side,and the horse bounded forward,
while the king cried furiously to his sister.
"Stand away from him." The princess did
not heed, but stood in front Of her lover
for the student was wholly unarme6
holding up the little dagger in her hand.
The king laughed scornfully and angrily,
thinking that Osra menaced him with the
weapon and not supposing that 1t was
herself for whom she destined it. And,
having reached them, the king leapt from
his horse and ran at them, with his sword
raised to strike. Osra gave cry Of ter
ror. Mercy" she cried. Mercy But
the king had no thought of mercy, and he
would certainly then and there have killed
her lover had not the officer, gaining a mo-
ment's time by the kings dismounting, at
this very instant come galloping up; and,
there being no time for any explanation, he
leant from his saddle and dashed Ly, and.
putting out MS nanQ, SnatcnCd the king 5
sword away from him just as the king was
about to thrust it through MS sisters lover.
But the officers horse was going SO furi-
ously that he could not stop it for hard on
forty yards. and he narrowly escaped split
ting his head against a great bouSh that
hung low across the grassy path: and ne
dropped first his own sword and then the
kings; but at last he brought the horse to
a standstill, and, leaping down, ran back
toward where the swords lay. But at the
moment the king also ran toward them, for
the fury that he had been IN before was IS
nothing to that which now possessed him.
After his sword was snatched from him he
stood In speechless anger for full minute
but then he had turned to pursue the man
who had dared to treat him with such in
suit; and now, in his desire to be at the Of
ticer, he had come very near to forgetting
the student Just as the officer came TO
where the kings sword lay, and picked it
up the king, in his turn reached the Off
GERS sword and picked up that. The king
came with rush at the officer, who, seeing
that the king was likely to kill him or he the
king, if he stood his ground, turned tail ard
sped away at the top of his speed through
the forest; but as he went, thinking tina: the
time had come for plain speaking, he looked
back over his shoulder and shouted:
"Sire. it's the grand duke himself"'
The king stopped short in sudden amaze
ment.
rs the man mad?" he asked. who is
the grand duke?"
It's the grand duke, sire, who is with
the princess, and you would have killed
him if l had not snatched your sword"
said the officer, and he also came to a halt,
but he kept very wary eye on King Ru-
dolf.
II should certainly have killed him, let
him be who he WILL" said the king. But
why do You call him the grand duke?'
The officer very cautiously approached the
king. and, seeing that the king made
threatening motion he at last trusted him
self close that he could speak to the
king in a very low voice, and what he said
seemed to astonish. please and amuse the
king immensely. For ne clapped the officer
on the back, laughed heartily, and cried:
"A pretty trick! On my life, pretty
trick
Now Osra and her lover had not heard
what the officer had shouted to the king
and when Osra saw her brother returning
from among the trees alone and with his