The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-03-02

Liz DElSOIer DuCSu tue uOOE VI Ills
cell, his mind a tumble Of conflicting
emotions. His clinched hands, witch
ing lips and half closed eyes betrayed
the battle that was infiictlpg him with
its carnage. Suddenly he darted to the
door, crying:
"Then / refuse to obeyl Tell her that
tf she permits me to leave this hole 1
shall be ut her feet before another
night has passed. Say to her that 1 re-
fuse to go from Graustark until 1 have
seen her and talked with her. You,
QuinnoX, go to her now and tell her
this, and say to her also that there is
something she must hear from my own
lips. Then | will leave Graustark, and
not till then, even though death be the
alternatives" The two men stared at
him in amaZemcnt and CONSERVATION.
"You will not escapc?" gaspcd Quln-
noX.
81 will not be dragged away without
seeing her." he answered rcsolutely,
throwing himself on the bed.
"Confoundcd young ASST growlcd
Dangloss. The soldiers teeth grated. A
moment later the slab door closed soft.
ly, n key ratified and his visitors were
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES bearing to him the
most positive proof of devotion that
man could exact.
He looked at his hands and saw the
black stains from the charred letter,
last evidence of the crime against the
state. A tender light came to his eyes,
q great lump struggled to his throat,
and he kissed the sooty spots, murmur-
ing her name again and again. How
lonely he was! How cold and cheer
less his cage! For the first time he
began to appreciate the real serious
ness OF his position. UP to this time
he had regarded 1T enthusiastically, con-
fident of vlndication and acquittal.
He grew cold and shuddered instinc-
lively as he realized that his position
was so critical that the princess had
deemed it necessary to resort to strate-
gic measures in order to save him from
impending doom. Starting to his feet,
he paced the floor, turning
to dread, dread to terror. He pounded
on the door and cried aloud. oh, if he
could but bring back those kindly mes
sengers!
Exhausted, torn by conflicting emo
tons, he at last dropped to the bed
II buried his face In his arms, nearly
mad with the sudden solitude of de-
spair. He recalled her dear katter, the
tender, helping hand that had been
stretched out to lift him from the
depths into which he was sinking. She
had written-he could see the words
plainly-that his danger was great;
clio onn1I ,,ot o-5-.o no. ,.~4r IT,.
knew him to be safely outside the
bounds of Graustark. His life was
dear to her, and she would preserve it
by ~dishonorlng her trust. Then she
had unfolded her plan of escape, dis
jointedly, guilty, hopelessly.
But she was Offering him freedom
only to send him away without grant
Ing one moment Of joy in her presence.
After all, with death staring him in
the face, the practically convicted MUIR
derer of a prince, he knew he could not
have gone without seeing her. lie had
been ungrateful perhaps, but the mes
sage he had sent to her was from his
heart, and something told him that 1t
would give her pleasure.
A key turned suddenly in the lock
and his heart bounded with the hope
that it might be some one with her sur
render in response to his ultlmatum.
He sat upright and rubbed his swollen
eyes. The door swung open, and q
tall prison guard peered in upon him,
a sharp eyed, low proved fellow in
raincoat aud helmet. His lanterns
single unkind eye was turned menac-
ingly toward the bed.
"What do you want?" demanded the
prisoner irritably.
Instead Of answering, the guard pro-
ceeded to unlock the second or grated
door, stepping inside the cell a moment
later. Smothering an exclamation,
Lorry jerked put his watch and then
sprang to his feet, intensely excited.
1t was just IL o'clock, and he remem-
bered now that she had said q guard
would come to him at that hour. Was
this the man? Was the plan to be car
ried out2
The two men stood staring at each
other for n moment or two, one in the
agony of doubt and suspense, the other
quizzically. A smile fitted over the
face of the guard. He calmly advanced
W Inc tuple, putting uOWu ul6 luuueTu.
Then he drew off his raincoat and he'll
met and placed in the others hand q
gray envelope. Lorry reeled and would
have fallen but for the wall against
which he staggered. A note from her
was in his hand. He tore open the en-
velOpe and drew forth the letter. AS
he read he grew strangely calm and
contented. A blissful repose rushed In
to supplant the racking unrest Of a mo-
ment before. The shadows fed and
life's light was burning brightly once
more. She had written:
I entreat you to follow instructions and
go tonight. You say you will not leave
Graustark until you have seen me. How
rash you are to refuse liberty and life for
such a trihel But why, I ask, am I Of
| fering you this chance to escaped IL 1t
| because 1 do not hopo to see you ag1Ilu2
Is 1t not enough that 1 am begging, I'm
| ploring you to go? I can say no more.
He folded the brief note, written In
agitation, and, after kissing 1t, proceed
ed to place 1t In his pocket, determined
to keep 1t to the last hour Of his life.
CHANGING up at a sound from the guard,
he found himself looking into the muz-
zle of a revolver. A deep scowl over
spread the face of the man as he point
ed to the letter and then to the lamp.
There was no installing his meaning.
Lorry reluctantly held the note over
the flame and saw 1t crumble away as
had Its predecessor. There was to be