The San Francisco call., 1901-12-08

an hour. When he left the castle il was
with a more hopeful feeling in his breast.
In the Princess bed-chamber late that
night two girls in loose silken gowns sat
before low fire and talked of something
that caused the Countess to tremble with
excitement when first her pink-cheeked
sovereign mentioned it in confidence.
xVIII-FLIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
Lorry's cell was as comfortable as a
cell could be made through the efforts
Of a kindly jailer and a sympathetic
chief of police. 1t was not located in the
dungeon, but high IN the tower, a little
rock-bound room, with single barred
window far above the floor. There was a
bed Of iron upon which had been placed
a clean mattress, and there was little
chair. The next day after his arrest a
comfortable armchair replaced the latter;
table, lamp, some books, flowers, a
bottle of wine and some fruit found their
way to his lonely apartment-whoeve
may have sent them Harry Anguish was
admitted to the cell during the afternoon.
He promptly and truthfully denied all in
terest in the donations, but smiled wisely.
He reported that most of the Axphain
contingent was still in town; a portion
had hurried home, carrying the news to
the old Prince, instructed by the aggres-
sive Mizrox to fetch him forthwith to
Edelweiss, where his august presence
was necessary before the twenty-sixth.
Those who remained in the Graustark
capital were quiet, but still in a threat
ening mood. The Princess, so Harry in
formed the prisoner, sent sincere express
siOns Of sympathy and the hope that all
would end we'll with him. Count Hal
font, the Countess, Gaspon and many
others had asked to be remembered. The
prisoner smiled Wearily and promised that
they should not be forgotten in a week
which was as far as he expected his
memory to extend.
Late in the evening, as he was lying
on his bed, staring at the shadOwy cell
ing and puzzling his brain with most op-
preSsiVe uncertainties, the rattle OF keys
in the lock announced the approach of
visitors. The door swung open and
through the crate he saw Dangloss and
Quinnox. The latter wore a long mill
tary rain coat and had just come in from
a drenching downpour. Lorrys rever1e
had been so deep that he had not heard
the thunder nor the bowling winds.
Springing to his feet, he advanced quick
ly to the grated door.
Captain Quinnox brings private mes
sage from the Princess said the chief.
the words scarcely more than whispered.
1t was plain that the message was impOr-
tant and of a secret nature. Quinnox
looked up and down the corridor and
stairway
through the bars. 1t was grasped eagerly
and trembling fingers broke the seal.
Bending near the light he read the lines,
his vision blurred, his heart throbbing so
fercely that the blood seemed to be
drowning out other sounds for all time TO
come. In the dim corridor stood the two
men, watching him with bated breath
and guilty, quaking nerves.
"Ohr' gasped Lorry, kissing the mis-
through the last line. There was no sig
nature, but in every word he saw her
face, felt the touch of her dear hand
heard her timid heart beating for him
for him alone. Rapture thrilled him from
head to foot, the delirious rapture of love.
He could not speak, so overpowering was
the Joy, the surprise, the awakening.
"Obey!" whispered Quinnox, his face
aglow with pleasure, his finger quivering
as he pointed commandingly toward the
letter.
"Obey what?' asked Lorry. DULY.
1.-The last line!'
He hastily reread the last line and then
deliberately held the precious missive
over the lamp until it ignited. He would
have given all he possessed to have pre-
served it. But the last line commanded.
Burn this at once and in the presence
of the bearer"
"There!" he said, regretfully, as he
crumpled the charred remnants between
his fingers and turned to the silent
watchers.
Her crime goes up in smoke" NUT
tered Dangloss, sententiously.
1.-The Princess commits no crime" re-
torted Quinnox, angrily. when she trusts
four honest men"
Where is she?" whispered the pris
oner, with drumming ears.
''Where all good women should be ar Q
o'clock-in bed, replied Dangloss. short.
ly. But will you obey her command?'
$50 she commands me to escapep' said
Lorry smiling. II dare not disobev nv,
sovereign, suppose
1--WE obey her because we love her "
said the captain of the guard
"And for that reason 1 also obev F2,,+
can this thing be accomplished without
necessitating explanations and pOssihIo
complications? L will not obey if II i
likely to place her in an embarrassin,s
position"
She understands perfectly what sba !.
doing, sir. In the first place, she has had
my advice said Dangloss, the good old
betrayer of an official trust.
You advised her to command ,o,, g.
allow me to escape?"
"She commanded first and then "a
vised her how to command Won Axnbai,
may declare war a thousand times 80,
but you will be safe That's ali v,o !
mean, all she wants.
But 1 cannot desert my friend. How,
is he to know where I've gone? win ,,ot
FrrI1