Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1905-11-17


after bribing the guard, Was permit
ted 10 send in my card. Presently
/ the guard returned, and bowling low,
! entreated NE 10 follow him.
passed through the marble halls OF
the palace, and was ushered into
oimly -lIghted drawing-rO0ln. And i'll
a few minutes entered Adelaide, my
own, my darling, holding out botn
hands and smiling her greeting. /
/ took her 10 my heart. | covered her
dear face with kisses. And when we
Were quoted, l told her how / had
found her and why had come. She
insisted that it was no use-that ii
only made her lot harder to bear. She
had been ordered by the king to wed
/ Trastamara, 1.-THE gambler, though
she loathed him. 'oh, Gregory" sac
sobbed, IF we could only be back in
the little cottage in Fernby."
All! the bitter sweet of those days
the hunger Tor my sweetheart. the IN
frequent glimpses of her dear face,
the haunting fear of Trastamara $
schemes. Tor two weeks | remained
I at the hotel. While the revolution
smouldered and | racked my brains
/ for a method of rescdlng Adelaide.
! Then my plan formed, sat still and
awaited the crucial moment
1t WAS the night of the annual
Grand State Ball. With somewhat
doubtful heart entered the palace, in
/ lUI Ln,tVF.l, wan short Scotch
sword. Before many minutes | was
summoned by Adelalde's Chamber
lain to meet her in the dancing hall,
and thither / went for a brief dance
with my beloved. Near by her. guard
ing her jealously, stood Trastamara, a
a dark-browed Desperate. | had
learned-though he knew it not-that
he had several hundred trusty follow
ers, i'll the palace and out, ready 10
rush to his call. He had planned to
carry out his scheme that night. l
knew all this, and l, alone and almost
empty handed was there to balk him.
After our dance, / mad an opportu-
nifty to draw Adelaide into the con-
seryatory l abjured her to go with
me back to England-to leave the
place with all its chickering's and plot
tings, and be my bonnie English wife.
But father" she faltered; they
would tear him to pieces if they found
me gone. And yet, Gregory dear
chance. He Is SO feeble, so sick of 1t
: all. If you could talk with him.
Suddenly Adelaide's eyes grew big
! and dark with fright. My back was
to the door, and | had one hand on
her waist, smoothing her dear hair
with the other. | turned and my
heart chilled. There, peeping be-
tween the great leaves of palm,
grinning hatefully, was Trastamara.
He disappeared
The next moment there was n hub
bub in the hall. 1.-THE Kingt' / heard
them cry. 1.-THE Kingv Come with
me quick" said Adelaide, in an ex-
excited whisper. 1T is our only
chancew And taking me by the arm,
she drew me into the ballroom and
up on to the stage. The crowd APP
lproached us on tiptoe with excitment,
for Trastamara had undoubtedly
spread the news. In the front came
the king, with brilliant robes and jew
jelled crown. How old and feeble he
looked How worn and tired. But
he had lost none of his proud anger
of old days. Raising his mace he
called aloud: "That man is an inter
loper. He has designs on the body of
the king! Put him out! Danish him.
Away with him"
| turned to Adelaide. She stood
there tremulous, her eyes shining like
stars, an adorable creation. On sud
den impulse l threw one arm about
her and kissed her passionately be-
fore them all. Then, facing the
crowd:-"The princess is my afiianced
| Wllc. 4 CTlcu. Let MN WHO cares
put foot on this platform!" f.
l drew my sword just in time
Brave as lion. Trastamara leaped
sRarling. He held a short knife in
his right hand, and circled for an
opening. "Dogr' 1 cried. Letting out
with my sword / fetched him a
mighty stroke across the temple and
he rolled back into the crowd. There
was now babel in the hall The
possibility of defense was at an end,
for l heard orders outside and knew
that soldiers We're approaching. A
door stood open behind us. | took
Adelaide by the shoulders and pushed
her through it. ITO the south gate"
whispered in her ears. FOR your
life, darling."
Down the stairs we ran lightly
Behind swept the king, the courtlers,
and the crowd of gay dancers Old
John Henry had thrown aside his
long robes and his crown, and was
sprinting after me in excellent style.
At the bottom of long fiigh Of stone
steps, we opened a massive door and
found ourselves at the great southern
gate of the palace. a two-horse car
rlage stood outside. 1T is my own
cried Adelaid. sit has been waiting
since noon. We are savedw
The door of the palace closed with
a secret spring, but not soon enough
TO keep back old John Henry. He
slipped through, looking very odd in
his short tunic and bare head-shorn
of his kingly habiliments. But It
slammed in the face of the crowd,
and we three Were alone.
| Adelaide leaped into the carriage. |
With a smothered oath John Henry |
! jumped after her. He had no thought |
but to capture his daughter. The sol |
diers could take care of me. But |
this was exactly what l wanted. |
slipped in beside Adelaide, closed the |
door, called to the driver to make |
across the southern bridge at top !
speed, and we were off without sin |
gle pursuer.
A moment later the king came at |
me with knotted, lood-thirsty fingers. |
| He was in a fearful rage. | met him |
! halfway with my fist beneath hiC |