The National tribune., 1906-10-25

M?"
Come" said !, at ie the King we
are thinking about"
1T is true" said Fritz.
Moreover" I went on, IT have been
an impostor for the profit Of another
but l will not be one for my own: and
| If the King is not alive and on his
throne before the day of betrotha]
comes I will tell the truth, come what
may"
You shall go. lad" said Sapt.
Here is the plan had made: A, strong
party. under Sapt's command. was to
steal up to the door of the chateau. If
discovered prematurely they were to
Kill anyone who found them-with their
swords, for I wanted no noise of firing.
II all went well they would be at the
door when Johann opened it. They
were to rush in and secure the servants
II their mere presence and the use of
the kings name were not enough At
the same moment-and on this hinged
the plan-a woman's cry was to ring
out loud and shrill from Antoinette de
Mauban's chamber. Again and again
she was to cry: Help! helpi Michael.
help!' and then to utter the name of
young Rupert Hentzau. Then, as we
hoped. Michael. in fury. would rush out
or his apartments opposite, and fall
alive into the hands of Sapt. Still the
cries would go on; my men would let
down the drawbridge; and it would be
strange if Rupert. hearing his name
thus taken in vain, did not descend
1rom where he slept and seek to cross
De Gautet might or might not come
with him: that must be left to chance
And when Rupert set his foot on the
drawbridge? There was my part, for
L was minded for another swim in the
moat, and. lest I should grow weary.
L had resolved to take with me n small
wooden ladder. on which I could rest
my arms IN the water-and my feet
when l left it. 1 would rear it against
the wall just by the bridge; and when
the bridge was across I would stealthily
creep on to it-and then if Rupert or
DE Gautet crossed in safety it would be
my misfortune, not my fault. They
dead. two men only would remain: and
for them we must trust to the confusion
We mad created and to sudden rush.
We should have the keys of the d Dor
that led to the all-important rooms.
Perhaps they would rush out If 'thev
stood by their orders. then the Kings
life hung on the swiftness with which
We could force the outer door: and
thanked God that not Rupert Hentzau
watched. but Detchard For though
Detchard was cool man, relentless and
no coward. he had neither the dash nor
the recklessness of Rupert. Moreover,
he, If any one of them really loved
Black Michael, and it might be that he
would leave Bersonin to guard the
King and rush across the bridge to take
part in the affray on the other side.
So / planned-desperateY And that
our enemy might be the better lulled to
i gave orders that our resi-
dence should be brilliantly lighted from
top to bottom. as though we were en-
gagged in revelry, and should so be kept
all night. with music playing and peo-
pie moving to and fro. StrakencZ would
be there, and he was to conceal our de-
If he could. from F'lavia. And
If We came not again by the morning
he was to march. openly and in force,
to the castle. and demand the person
Of the King; If Black Michael Were not
there. as / did not think he would be, |
he Marshal would take Flavia with |
him. as swiftly as he could to Strelsau,
and there proclaim Black Michaefa
.reachery and the probable death of the |
King. and rally all that there was hon
ast and true round the banner IF the |
Princess. And. to say truth. this was
what / thought most likely to happen.
For I had great doubts whether eth
er the King or Black Michael or ] had |
more than a day to live. Well if Black |
Michael died. and if I, the playactor.
slew Rupert Hentzau with nv own |
1and. and then died myself. it might he
hat Fate would deal as lightly with |
Ruritania as could be hoped. notwitil-l
that it demanded the life of |
he King-and to her dealing thus with |
ne / was in no temper to make objec- |
ion. |
1t was late when We rose from con-
ference, and / betoolS me to the Prin- |
,ess's apartments. She was pensive that |
evening: yet when I left her she flung |
ler arms about me and grew, for an |
Instant. bashfully radiant as she slipped |
/ ring on my finger. 7 was wearing the ,
Kings ring: but I had also on nv little /
niger a plain band of gold engraved !
With the motto of our family. "Nil Que
Feci." This I took off and put on her
niger and signed her to let me go. And
she, understanding. stood away and |
me witt, dimmed eyes.
"Wear that ring. even though you
wear another when you are Queen" ] |
aid
"Whatever else 7 wear this 7 will
wear till 7 die, and after" said she as
he kissed the ring.