The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-03-28

/ calling; you poltroon and coward
and to. tell your, princess of. it." He
| sauntered back to his place leisurely.
"Aim the slightest to the left" .whis.
5pered Pembroke; 1.-THE wind will carry
It home" .. y ,~'- @
+, l pressed his hand. A moment later
I stood facing the prince. lifted the
pistol and fired. Had the prince been
ten feet to the right he must have been
hit. | threw the smoking pistol aside.
let my arms fall and waited l could
see that Pembroke was biting his lip to
hide his anxiety and disappointment
Slowly the prince leveled the weapon
at my breast. Naturally l shut my
eyes. Perhaps there was a prayer on
my lips. God. how long that wait SEEM
ed to me-! 1t became so tedious that I
opened my eyes again. The pistol arm
Of the prince appeared to have frozen
in the air.
at is getting cold." cried. "Shoot,
for Gods sake shoot. and end itp'
In reply the prince fired into the air.
took the pistol by the barrel and flung
it at my feet. The rest of us looked on
dumfounded.
'They are all of the same kidney,
count, these Americans" said he.
"They would be dangerous as a nation
were it not for their love of money"
Then to me. go tell your princess that
l have given your life to you
1.-THE devil take you" l cried. The
| strain had been terrible.
'All in good time," retorted the
prince. getting into his coat and furs.
| yesterday morning had every inten-
ton of killing you. This morning it
was farthest from my thoughts, though
] did hope to see you waver. You are
| man of courage. So was your friend.
1t is to be regretted that we were on
different sides. Devil take the women!
Good morning"
After the count had gathered up the
pistols the two walked toward the inn.
Pembroke and l followed them at a
distance.
81 wonder if he had any idea of what
poor shot you were" unused Penn
broke. 1T was very good farce"
Il aimed ten feet to the right" said
"What?
Eyes"
''Then you knew
"Pembroke." said I, 81 had no inten-
ton Of killing him or even wounding
him. And never expected to leave
this place alive. Something has occur.
red during the last "a hours which we
do not understand"
He was taking great risks"
1T shows the man he is" said l, and
the remainder of the distance was gone
in silence.
The carriages were in the road q
short way from the inn. Pembroke
and ! got into ours. AS the prince
placed foot on the step of his be turn
ed once more to ME.
"Pardon me-" he said, "but l came
near forgetting to tell you why did
not kill you this morning. In some
way your princess came into the
knowledge that we were going to fight
it out as they did in the old days. She
came to my rooms and there begged
me to spare your life. There was a
condition. 1t was that she get down
on her knees to sue-down on her
knees. All, what was your life CON-
pared to the joy Of her humiliation!
Not in the figure of speech-on her liv-
ing. mortal knees, my friend-her liv-
ing knees! The carriage door banged
behind him.
1t was only because Pembroke threw
his arms around me that did not leap
out of the carriage.
"Sit still. Jack. sit still! If she beg
ged your life, it was because she loves
you"
And, full OF rage, l saw the carriage
Of the prince vanish. AS the carriage
vanished. so vanished the prince from
the scene Of my adventures.
Arriving at our rooms. we found
them in possession Of a lieutenant of
the guard hussars. He was drumming
on the hearthstone with the end Of his
sword scabbard. AS we entered he
rose and briefly saluted us.
(which of you two gentlemen is
Herr Winthrop" he asked.
81 am he," said l.
ellis majesty commands your imme-
date presence at the palace"
1.-THE kingY
Eyes"
At the palace the chancellor met me
In the anterOom. His face was grave
almost to gloominess.
"Have you ever seen king angry"
he asked. "Ah. it is not a pleasant
sight, on my word; least of all to the
one who has caused a king anger"
"You alarm me-" said. 'Have l
done aught to bring the anger of the
king upon my head?"
"Ah, but you have! The king is like
a bear in his den. He walks back and
forth, waving his hands, pulling his
mustache and muttering dire threats"
might not take to my legs?" ask
ed. After all, cared more than l
thought should in regard to what the
king might do to me.
The chancellor gave my back a
sounding thump and roared with laugh
ter.
Cheerful. my son; be cheerful! You
are favorite already
"You bewilder me-"