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

] to know what kind of woman you are
Ito throw into prison a man like--like-
F.! oh, it drives me crazy to think of it.
4 | don't care if you are insulted. He's
a friend of mine, and lie is no more
/ guilty than you are, and want to
4 know what you mean by ordering his
arrest"
Her lips parted as if to speak, her
/ face grew deathly pale, her fingers
clutched the edge of the divan. She
/ stared at him piteously, unable to
move, to speak. Then the blue eyes
1 filled with tears sob came to her
| lips and her tortured heart made
last brave effort at defense.
'I-I-Mr. Anguish, you wrong mel
p She tried to whisper through
/ the closed throat and stiffened lips.
| Words failed her, but she pleaded with
those wet, imploltng eyes. His heart
melted, his anger was swept away in
a twinkling. He saw that he had
wounded her most unjustly.
"You brute!" Kissed the countess,
with flashing, indignant eyes. throwing
| her arms about the princess and draw
INF her neau TO ner breast.
Forgive me" he cried. sinking to
his knee before the princess, shame
and contrition in his face 81 have
] been half mad this whole day, and
! have thought harshly of you. l now
see that You are suffering more IN
/ tensely than I. / love Lcrry, and that
/! Is my only excuse. He is being foully
! wronged, your highness, foully wrong
ed'
Il deserve your contempt after all.
/ Whether he be guilty or innocent, 1
should have refused to sign the decree.
1t is too late now. I have signed away
something that is very dear to me-his
life. You are his friend and mine. Can
you tell me what he thinks of me-
what he says-how he feels" She
asked the triple question breathlessly.
lie believes you We're forced into
the act, and said as much TO me. AS
to how he feels. / can only ask how
you would feel if you were in his
place, innocent and yet almost sure of
conviction. These friends of ANphain
will resort TO any subterfuge now that
one Of their number has staked his
life. Mark my word. some one will de-
Lorry strike the blow, and that will be
as villainous lie as man ever told.
What am here for, your highness, is
to ask if that decree cannot be with
drawn"
"Alas. it cannot! l would gladly or
der his release if I could, but you can
see what that would mean to us - a
war, Mr.. Anguish she sighed misera-
bly,.
But you will not see an innocent
man condemned?' cried he, again in
dignant
"Ihave only your statement for that,
i sir, if you will pardon me. hope from
the bottom OF my heart that he did
not murder the prince after being hon
orably challenged"
He is 10 coward!' Numbered An
guish. startling both women with his
vehemence. Il say he did not kill the
prince, but III stake my life he would
have doae so had they met this morn
ing"
HE may be able to clear himself"
suggested the countess nervously.
And he may not; so there YOU have
4 it. What chance have two Americans
over here with everybody against u.s."
stop! You shall not say that. He
/ shall have full justice at any cost. and
i there is one here who is not against
him. cried the princess, with flashing
/ eyes.
4 Il am aware that everybody admircs
him because he has done Graustark q
service in Kidding it of something OBJ
4 noXious-a prospective husband. But
that does not get him out of jail
You are unllind again" said the
princess slowly Il chose my husband,
and you assume much when you init
mate that l am glad because he was
murdered
do not be angry" cried the count
ess impatiently. I'VE all regret what
4 Mir. Lorry may escape from the tower
and laugh forevermore at his pursuers.
If he could only dig his way out!'
The princess shot startled look to-
ward the speaker as new thought en-
tered her wearied brain. A short i'll
voluntary gasp told that it had lodged
and would grow. She laughed at the
idea Of an escape from the tower, but
as she laughed a tiny spot Of red began
to spread upon her cheek and her eyes
glistened strangely.
/ Anguish remained with them for half
an hour. When he left the castle. ii
was with more hopeful feeling in his
breast. In the princess bedchambel
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 checked sovereign mentioned
it in confidence
4 CHAPTER XVIII.
TIE FLIGHT AT MIDNIGHT.
VIZ OEHY'S cell WAS as comfortable
IA as e cell could be made through
Ia ~ the efforts of kindly jailel
and sympathetic chief of pc
lice. 1t was not located in the dun
| 2eOn. but li9l in tho t1yyer 81 little