The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1903-09-09
|GRAUSTARK|
BY. 3
GEORGE BARR MCUTCHEON
Copyright. 1901, On Herbert S. Stone 4
CHAPTER XIV.

ri ASllF early. NItdA AhiNhSS Va
ID people fiocked the streets long
before the hour set for the
signing of the decree that was to di
vide the north from the south. The
whole nation. il seemed. stood before
the walls awaiting with bated breath
and dismal faces the announcement
that Yetive had decided to BolarOz the
lands and lives of half of her subjects.
shortly before o o'clock Harry An
guish. with his guard of six. rode uD IN
ttv Vdsue. captain DangloSs was ne
side him on his gray charger They
had scarcely passed inside the gates
when a cavalcade of mounted men
came riding up the avenue from the
Hotel Regengetz. Then the bowling,
the kissing, the hooting began. Male
dictions were hurled at the heads Of
Axphain noblemen as they rode be-
tween the maddened lines of people.
They smiled sardonically in reply TO
the impotent signs of hatred, but they
were glad when the castle gates closed
between them and the vast, despairing
crowd. in which the tempest of revolt
was brewing with unmistakable ener-
gy.
Prince BolaroZ, the Duke of MiZroX
and the ministers were already in the
castle and had been there since the
previous afternoon. In the royal pal
ace the excitement was intense, but it
was of the subdued kind that strains
The nerves to the point where control
is martyrdom.
When the attendants went to the
bedchamber OF the princess at o'clock,
as was their wont. they found, to their
surprise. no one standing guard.
The princess was not in her cham
Der. nor had she been there during the
night. The bed was undisturbed. In
some alarm the two women ran to her
parlor. then TO the boudoir. Here they
found her asleep on the divan, attired
in the gown she had worn since the
evening before, now crumpled and
creased the proof positive Of a rest
less. miserable night.
Her first act after awakening and
untangling the meshes in her throb-
bling uncomprehending brain was to
send for QuinnoX. She could scarcely
wait for his appearance and the assur.
ance that LOrry was safely out of dan
ger. The foOtInan who had been sent
10 fetch the captain was a long time in
returning She was dressed in her
breakfast gown long before he came in
with the report that the captain was
nowhere TO he found. Her heart gave
a great throb Of joy. She alone could
explain his absence. To her it meant
but one thing -Lorry's fight from the
castle. Where else could QuinnoX be
except with the fugitive perhaps once
more inside st. Valentines?
Preparations began at once for the
eventful transaction I'm the throneroom
The splendor of two courts was TO
shine i'm rivalry. Ten o'clock was the
hour set for the meeting Of the two
rulers. the victor and the victim Her
mobiles and her ladies, her ministers.
her guards and her lackeys moved
about in the halls. dreading the hour,
against the hated AXphain
guests. In one of the small waiting
rooms sat the Count and Countess Hal
font, the latter in tears. The young
Countess Dagmar stood at a window
with Harry Anguish. The latter was
flushed and nervous and acted like
man who expects that which is unex-
pected by others. With strange CON
fdence in his voice, he sought 10 cheer
his depressed friends, but the cheerful
ness was not contagious. The sombre-
ness Of a burial hung over the castle
Half an hour before the time set for
the meeting in the thronerOom Yetive
sent for her uncle. her aunt and Dag
mar. As Anguish and the latter fol-
lowed. the girl turned her sad, puzzled
eyes up TO the face of the tall Amer
lean and said:
Are you rejoicing over our Inisfor-
tune? You do not show a particle of
regret. DO you forget that we are sac
rifclng a great deal to save the life OF
your friend? | do not understand how
you can be so heartless."
81 think | can explain satisfactorily
when l have more time" he said soft
ly in her ear, and, although she tried.
she could find no words TO continue.
He left her at the head Of the stairs
and did not see her again until she
passed him in the throneroOm. Then
she was pale and brave and trembling.
Prince Bolaroz and his mobiles stood
to the right of the throne, the Grau-
stark men and women of degree TO the
left, while near the door on both sides
were TO be seen the leading military
men of both principallties. Near the
Duke OF Mizrox was stationed the fig
ure Of Gabriel, prince of Dawsbergen.
He had come. with half dozen follow
ers, among crowd of unsuspecting
and had taken his posi-
ton near the throne. Anguish entered
with Baron Dangloss. and they stood