Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-02-02
-urninu s-32puhla 9hatnu Inag Frhrarg z 1904

Exhausted. torn by conflicting emo
tons. he at last dropped to the bed
and buried his face in his arms, nearly
mad with the sudden solitude of de
spair. He recalled her dear letter, the
tender, helping hand that had been
stretched out to lift him from the
depths into which he was sinking. she
had writtcn--he could see the WORDS
plainly-that his dagger was great;
she could not endure life until she
knew him to be safely outside the
bounds of Graustark His life was
dear TO her. and she would preserve ii
by dishonoring her trust Then she
had unfolded her plan of escape. dis
jointedly. guilty, hopclessly.
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
dcrer of n prince he knew he could not
have gone without seeing her. He 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
md his. heart bounded with the hope
TINT 1t might be some one with her sur
render in response to his ultimatum.
He sat upright and rubbed his swollen
eyes. The door swung open. ana
tall prison guard peered In upon him.
n sharp eyed, low browed fellow IN
raincoat and helmet. His lanterns
single unkind eye was turned menac-
ingly toward the bed.
"What do YOU wantT' demanded the
prisoner irritably.
Instead of answering. the guard pro-
ceeded to unlock the second or grated
door. stepping inside the cell moment
later. Smothering an exclamation,
Lorry jerked out his watch and then
sprung to his feet, intensely excited
1t was Just 10 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 out?
The two men stood staring ut each
other for moment or two, one In the
agony of doubt and suspense. the other
ouizzically. A smile fitted over the
face of the guard. He calmly advanced
to the table, putting down his lantern.
Then he drew off his raincoat and he'll
met and placed in the others hand n
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 mo-
ment before. The shadows fed and
life's light was burning brightly once
more. She had written:
entreat you to follow instructions and
20 tonight. You say you will not leave
Graustark until you have seen me. How
rash you are to refuse liberty and life for
such u trifle! But why. l ask, am ! OF
fering you this chance to escape? Is II
because I do not hope to see you again
Is 1t not enough that am begging. I'M
ploring you to go? 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 it to the last hour of his life.
CHANGING up at sound from the guard,
I 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 it crumble away rs
had its predecessor. There was to be
no proof of her completely left behind.
He knew 1t would be folly to offer a
bride to the loyal guard.
After this very significant act the
guards face cleared. and he deposited