Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-03-07

<Ah-ulS0 W do shnAAtNO0
to the cell during the afternoon.
He reported that most of the Ak
phain contingent was still in town. a
portion had hurried home, carrying the
news to the old prince. instructed by
the aggressive Mizrox TO fetch him
forthwith to Edelweiss. where his au-
gust presence was necessary before the
26th. The princess. so Harry informed
the prisoner. sent sincere expressions
of sympathy and the hope that all
would end well with him.
Late in the evening. as Lorry was
lying on his bed. staring at the shad-
owy ceiling and puzzling 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
Dangloss 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.
Springing to his feet, he advanced
quickly to the grated door.
Captain Quinnox brings q 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 a 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
fercely that the blood seemed to be
drowning out other sounds for all time
to come. In the dim corridor stood the
two men, watching him with bated
breath and guilty, quaking nerves.
"Oh!' gasped Lorry, kissing the mis-
Five 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
him from head to foot, the delirious
rapture of love. He could not speak,
so overpowering was the joy, the sur
prise, the awakening.
Obey whispered Quinnox, his face
Gglow with pleasure, his finger CULVER
ing as he pointed commandingly to-
ward the letter.
"Obey whatr' asked Lorry duly.
''The last liner'
He hastily reread 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
have preserved it. But the last line
commanded, Burn this at once and in
the presence of the bearer
"Therer' 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.
1.-The princess commits no crime re-
torted QuinnoX angrily, when she
trusts four honest men,"
"Where is she?" whispered the pris-
| oner, with drumming ears.
"Where ali good women should be at
9 o'clock-in bed" replied Dangloss
shortly. But will you obey her COM
mand?"
$50 she commands me to escaper'
said Lorry, smiling. Il 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.
p,1+ no iSh n6
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 first place, she has
had my advice" said Dangloss, 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"
But | cannot desert my friend. How
! is he to know where I've gone? Will
not vengeance fall on him instead?"
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-I
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 me freedom. but makes
me her slave for life Yes. | shall be
ready. If do not see you again. good
friends. remember that l love you be-
cause you love her and because she
loves you enough to intrust a 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