Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-10-06

/
owy ceiling and pulling his brain with
most oppressive uncertainties. the rat
| tie of keys in the lock announced the
approach of visitors. The door swung
open, and through the crate he saw.
Dansloss and Quinnox. The latter
wore a long military rain coat and had
just come in from a drenching down
pour. Lorry's reverie had been so
deep that he had not heard the thun-
der nor the bowling of the winds.
1 Springing to his feet, he advanced
quickly to the grated door.
Captain QuinnoX brings a private
/ message from the princess" said the
chief, the words scarcely more than
whispered. 1t was plain that the mes
sage was important and of secret ma
ture. Quinnox looked up and down
the corridor and stairway before
thrusting the tiny note through the
bars. 1t was grasped eagerly. and
| trembling fingers broke the seal. Bend
/ ing near the light he read the lines, his
vision blurred, his heart throbbing SO
| fiercely that the blood seemed to be
4
to come. In the dim corridor .stood the
two men, watching him with bated
breath and guilty. quaking nerves.
"Ohw gasped Lorry, kissing the mis-
sive insanely as his greedy eyes careen-
ed through the last line. There was no
signature, 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
Kim from head TO foot, the delirious
rapture of love. He could not speak,
SO oyerpowering was the joy, the sur
prise, the awakening.
/ "Obey!" whispered QuinnoS, his face
i ing as he pointed commandingly to-
ward the letter.
'Obey what" asked LorTy duly.
1.-THE last line!"
He hastily rerend the last line and
then deliberately held the precious mis-
sive over the lamp until it ignited. He
would have given all he possessed to
commanded. Burn this at once and in
the presence of the bearer
There he said regretfully as he
crumpled the charred remnants be-
tween his fingers and turned to the 81
lent watchers.
Her crime goes up in smoke" NUT
tered Dangloss sententiously.
THE princess commits no crime" re-
torted QuinnoN angrily, when she
trusts four honest men,"
Where is she?" whispered the pris-
oner, with thrumlaing ears.
where all good women should be ut
A 0 .o'clock-in bed" replied Dangloss
shortly. But will you obey her COM
mand:"
$50 she commands me to escape"
said Lorry, smiling. 81 dare not dis
obey my sovereign, suppose"
Eve obey her because we love her."
said the captain of the guard.
"And for that reason l also obey.
But can this thing be accomplished
without necessitating explanations and
possible complications? l will not obey
If it is likely to place her in an embar-
RAISING position
She understands perfectly what she
is doing, sir. In the FIST place., she has
had my advice said DangToss, the
good old betrayer of an official trust.
| you advised her to command you
to allow me to escape:"
"She commanded first. and then adj
vised her how to command you. Ak
phain may declare war a thousand
times over, but you will be safe. That's
!. all vel mean, all she wants."
i But cannot desert my friend. How
is he to know where I've gone? Will
not vengeance fall on him insteadY
HE shall know everything when the
proper time comes. And now will you
be ready at the hour mentioned? You
have but to follow the instructions
should say, the commands-of the writ
!. err
"And be free. Tell her that l wor-
ship her for this. Tell her that every
drop of blood in my body belongs to
her. She offers Inc freedom but makes
me her slave for life. Yes. shall be
ready. Ii do not see you again, good
friends, remember that love you be.
cause you love her and because she
loves you enough to intrust most
dangerous secret to your keeping, the
commission of an act that may mean
the downfall of your nation" He
shook hands with them fervently.
1T cannot be that, sir. 1t may cost
the lives Of three of her subjects, but
no man save yourself can involve the
: princess or the crown. They may kill
US, but they cannot force us to betray
her | trust you will be as loyal te
the good girl who wears crown moi
upon her heart" said Dangloss ear
nestly.
81 have said my life is hers, gentle
men," said Lorry simply. .'Oh, If
could but throw myself at her feet!
must see her before go. l will not e
without telling her what is in my
; hearth he added passionately.
You must obey the commands i'm
plicitly on your word Of honor or the
: transaction ends now" said Quinno1
: firmly.
"This escape means, then, that / an