Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-09
THE HOUSE OF ISSTENS,
House. Knight OF the Royal
Order of and One me I'm
Court of Charles o England
MADE INTO A ROMANCE BY THEODORE ROBERTS.
Copyright, 1899, by American Press Association.
CHAPTER XII.
THE KISS OF THE PRINCESS.

CHAPTER xii
THE KISS OF THE PRINCESS
Between two guardsmen we awaited
in the cabinet the kings pleasure. The
servants and attendants Of the palace
as we came in had turned after us
with less of pity than interest.
The guardsmen bit their lips and
tried not to look like jailers Tom stood
erect, his head hack little. smiling at
the door of the kings chamber.
glowered. with one hand pressed to my
side where the hilt of my sword should
nave been But cur swords were gone
The door opened, and his royal majesty
Rufford of Cloburg limped out. His
long. lean face was bright with well
come. both hands outstretched to Tom
We bent cur knees
''Stand up, spy killersl" he said.
We stared in amazement. whereat he
laughed and. turning to the guards
men, commended them for the prompt
fulfllment of their duty and told them
to leave rs for awhile Then he took rs
to his inner closet and told story that
rang like music in our ears concerning
the English baronet and. very much. the
man who killed him
The heart of the story was this
Shortly after setting the town on the
heels of Beverley and the humble cadet
they discovered a parchment protrud'
ing from the dead nobleman's pocket,
and this paper. being read by the cap
tain of the guards, disclosed the sup,
posed ambassador in his true colors-
those of spy employed by the govern
ment of Bohemia. And later the king
drew from the sobbing Princess Barbara
the assertion that it was under the in.
huence of this English knave. and not
for any displeasure at her lover Of Wass-
mark. that she had undertaken her little
trip in her coach
"And now said the king placing
a hand on the shoulder of each. 81 have
much pleasure in informing you that
in an hour from now fete to your
honor will begin. and that her majesty
and her highness Princess Barbara de-
sire your company in the quadrille.
Tom Beverley. recking little the
kings presence. fell upon me with his
schoolboy 8 embrace
In the quarters set apart for the gen
tlemen of the guard the news Of our
escape from disgrace and death had set
the little squad that had captured Us
boisterous with joy
The body servants were busy rushing
about with decanters and glasses, and
rollicking songs rang through the open
door
The whole so were there. and on our
entrance they rose up and cheered
Some of the men were already dressed
for the fete One in red tights. with a
three yard tail, and a green mask all
askew on his face, made merry devil
After pledging few glassee to the un'
dying friendship of 81 gentlemen Tom
said that be would come with me to
my apartments to prepare for the even
ing
"A favor to ask of you. LISTENS. be
said
swore | would hook him down the
moon with my rapier hilt if his desires
were set that way
.'Then borrow me one Of Princess
Barbara 8 court dresses. he whispered
donned my finest suit and my dress
sword and. leaving my friend lolling in
the window. strutted forth to seek ad-
mittance to the princess. With huge
bandage Ga silk pillowcase) made as
much of my wounded arm as possible,
thereby hoping to touch the hearts of
all the ladies in waiting. 1t and my