Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-04-20

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me free by committing what the world
would call n cold-blooied murder. To
say that | was shocked and Mortified
Is TO say only the truth. But To say
that I looked with adherence on the
deed, or the man who had done IL,
would be untrue. Murder or 10 muir
der. on Mitschka's words found an
echo in my WI of justice. Ney-
err was there a man who more de-
served TO die.
You viii come with meT' said Won
Mitschka, as he moved towards the
sledge. 1T is not particularly safe
for You TO accompany me, but | can
think OF no better PLAN
Il annot leave the Princess Irene"
said /. Il win 20 back 10 the castle"
ARE you mad - said Won Mitschka,
turning ON me with a look OF amaze
ment. Don't you see that everyone
VIII take you for the murderer Even
If yoa were to tell the truth about the
affair-which / am sure you would not
do except at the last extremity-you
would not be believed
mo natter said |. MY place is
beside the Princess Irene. l am going
back"
II dare III stay now said this sim
gular man. but il you will give me an
address that viii find you, / will write
I you"
/ gave him an address in London.
and he left me, without offering TO
shake hands. / have no doubt that he
thought I might hesitate TO take in
mine a hand upon which, as Ii We're,
the stain Of blood was not yet dry. He
beckoned TO his companion. who had
been examining the body Of the Prince
I o make sure that life had fed. The
two men look their seats in the sledge,
the horses sprang forward, and | was
left alone. standing beside the dead.
/ leaned over the body, but 1 could
not bring myself to touch il. A NOR
sci OF white paper had been fastened
TO the Princes coat by Won Mitschka's
friend-no doubt a protest that it was
not q common murder that had been
committed. but a deliberate act of re-
prisal or Of vengeance. l did not ri
il. After one look at the face of the
corpse. l turned and ran back to the
Castle.
/ knew il was the hour when the
servants would be at supper. and that
| would he sure to find the Princess
Irene in the drawing room. Forum
ately, / met no one as I made my way
In at n side door and passed TO the
front of the building where the draw
ing oom lay.
Irene spang up from her low chair
as l entered the room. and her white
hands went up TO her throat. She ut
tered a cry of establishment, and
stared at me as though / had been a
ghost.
why are you here?' she gasped.
Irene" I said. going close up to her.
II have come back to tell you'll bring
You sad news"
rs it about my father:' she wills
pered.
"Yes. Ie he's met with a terrible ac-
cident.,
.'Do YOU mean that he is-dead?s
Ny silence answered her. She sank,
trembling. into the Lcarest seat
Where is he? How did it happen:
But was 1t an accident? Are you urc
that il was not Il mans hand that
Killed him? oh. what am l sayings
Take me TO him.
"IIe is past Your help. or the help OF
anyone" l said. gravely. "And you
are r,ght. Ii was no accident that
killed him. / had nothing 10 do with
his death. l tried to prevent il. but |
was myself taken and over
powered. All the same, il ii ever be-
crnes known that / was at liberty
Turing the time he me- with his death
wound. will be looked upon as his
murderer. | repeat that. as / hope for
mercy hereafter, had no part In his
death. But ] will die for il If my
fight has been discovered. l think
only You and the man you bribed
know that l have not been in the tow
or oom all this time. He will keep
his own counsel, we may be sure: so
all YOU have TO do is to send for me
some time tonight. o tomorrow morn
ing. TO let the gaolcr know that | am
still i'm the tower-room. And il You
ask for the Prince. and say that some
one had better go TO meet him, you will
then learn-all there Is to know"
| spoke hurriedly, knowing that my
n chance lay in reachtcg the room
in which / had been confined before
anyone in the Castle saw me, and the
moment the last word left my lips /
rushed out.
lit was fortunate that Ii was, as /
have said, the servants supper hour,
or | must have been noticed half IA
dozen times on my way 10 the tower.
As II was. l saw no one. Only /
heard at a distance the sound OF the
servants laughing and chatting over
their meal. The door at the foot of
the stairs had been closed but not
locked. l pulled 1t open. sprang up
the narrow stone steps. and in anoth-
er second WAS safe In the room /
thought never 10 see again. Half an
hour later the door of my cell was
pushed gently open: a cunning. fright
cned face peered in, and was quickly
gone. Then the key was turned in the
lock, aid | was again a prisoner.
Three days later the Prince was con-
signed TO his last home on earth. Late
in the afternoon the Princess Irene
sent for me. l was conducted TO the
great hall. where she sat at n table
covered with papers and parchments.
A number of grave, elderly men,
whom | supposed to be neighboring
magnates, We're on the right and left
OF her. I was marched up to the table
between two of the servants of the