The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-09-01

Iohe hiS pidCe anu YOUR neck 1eel hli
moose. A kings VOW, alcade, is a hol,
thing. and glad as would be to par
don your neglect, l could not, there
fore, imperil my own souls salvation
If there is ought you can offer in ex
tenuation or defence will now give |,
my best consideration"
The alcayde paused to collect hi.
thoughts. There was ring of finality
about the kings speech that clearly
BODIED him no good. Rich, powerful
and popular as he knew himself to be
there were none AMONG his kinsfolk OF
friends who would dare to brook theil
monarch's wrath by pleading in HI:
behalf. AS he gazed about him in his
perplexity, his eye CHANGED to meet
that of Maria de Padilla, and he no.
ticed that she looked at him with deer
meaning. With an almost impercepti-
BILE movement of her head she let her
glance fall on spot about five feet
from the dais. where the polished oak
floor shone like a mirror.
His eyes followed hers, and there,
cast on the waxed surface, he saw q
face. 1t was the face Of the man whc
sat upon the throne, that of his angus;
majesty, Dom Pedro himself. Bewil-
dered, he sought her eyes again
Again the meaning look crossed her
features, and now her glance was
turned to little tapestry-hung door
that led from the hall at the right
hand side Of the throne. He watched
her narrowly, and saw that the in
scription, broidered in large, black let
tiers on the hangings' lower end,
seemed to hold her attention. The
tapestry itself was a crude bit of
work. On a white charger, King AL
fonso the Wise, surrounded by his
knights, watched the hang-man fling
ing into the flames of the Toledan bon
fire the sacred books of the Mozarabic
ritual. Beneath, ran the staring gothic
letters Of the inscription, 10 que
hace ell rey, es bien hecho" (That
which the king does, is we'll done).
Again her eyes returned to the refisc-
ton on the floor, and Don Diego un-
derstood. The little pantomime had
taken but few minutes, yet it was
another man who stood before the
monarch now. Everything was clear
to him. The old woman had said that
the unknown assassin was fair-haired.
The kings mistress had Enthusiastically
pointed out his reflection on the pol
ished surface of the oak, and the in
scription completed the chain of cir
cumstantial evidence. The bland.
smiling monster on the throne was
the slayer, and secure in the knowl-
edge of the others ignorance, was
gloating over the prospect of his ap-,
preaching end. There was only one
possible way in which he might save
himself.
Once more he bowed to the throne.
81 have but one request to make of
your majesty" he cried. "Give me "a
hours, and Don Sancho's murderer
swings from the gallows in the Plaza
de San Francisco. Your majesty shall
see him face to face"
The kings smile grew and broad
ened. Was ever comedy more anus
ing.
Can you offer us this proof of your
vigilance and skill? How happily shall
I be relieved of my VOW" he an
swered, land what is more, you shall
have from the royal treasure grant
of 10000 duros of gold the better to
maintain your high Office as governor
of Seville"
81 thank you with all my heart for
this boon. Your majesty shall not be
disappointed" was Don Diego's re-
joinder rs he backed from the royal
presence. The sitting was over, and
king and courtiers repaired to the cool
gardens of the alcazar for rest and
refreshment.
The morning dawned, but the al
cayde had not been idle. A skilled arti-
ficer in the Moorish quarter had fash
toned a cunning image of the king
his very double in every respect, even
to the color of his hair, and this dunn
my now swayed and dangled from the
lofty gibbet in the Plaza de San Fran
cisco. filling the gaping crowd with
wonder and delight, not unmixed,
however, with some secret fear. The
alcayde, together with his officials.
refined their steeds toward the right OF
the high wooden platform, along the
way the royal cortege would have to
take.
They had not long to wait, for the
kings curiosity had been aroused in
the highest degree. Near the. tenth
hu hn hloro Of fr,,
pet and atabal, preceded by steel-clad
men-at-arms, and surrounded by a
glittering throng of lords and mobiles,
himself on a huge black charger, Dom
Pedro appeared. A cloak of dark
crimson velours set off his costume of
black silk, the ostrich plume that
curled gracefully round his barrett was
fastened by the great balas ruby, for
which he had shamelessly slain his
guest, the Moorish king of Grenada.
and the gold-inlaid trappings of his
destrier shone like fire in the bright
sunlight. Followed by his train, he
swept along until the foot Of the gal
lows was reached, then refined in his
mount and looked aloft. There was
an instant and universal hush. A hot
flush rose to his pallid cheeks, one
hand frightened on the reins, while the
other half-drew the jewelled dagger
that hung at his belt. But he con-
trolled his emotion, and motioned Don
Diego to approach. The alcayde, bow
ing to his horses flowing name. drew
near.