Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-25
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IETI

/ " bclousneSS. lie lay IN cnamDer look
k7zs,zs ing upon what he recognized as the
lEetfgl inner court Of the Imperial palace
One hand wandered in convulsive
49,, movements down his person. He found
mat his armor was still upon him. though loosen
co. Upon the floor by the side Of the divan lay
MS sword and helmet Mort fell rather than
rose, from the divan, and stood dizzily, uncer
fanny erect. Then attempting to raise his
sword, he fell from weakness
At the sound woman came forward from the
reeesses OF the apartment. Mori regarded her
with delirious eyes. She seemed white phan.
tom who had risen UP in his path to taunt him
with her wondrous loveness But over her
there was the gauzy cloud Of fasity. She was
a vampire.
Y You are YOURSELF" she breathed, in soft
question.
Sulleny, dizzily, Mori raised himself, and,
Win the emotion of drunken man, stopped to
his sword and helmet. Obtaining them he turned
on the woman burning eyes,
Touch me not" he mtttered. Then fling
ing aside the door, and seeking the stairway as
II by instinct, he tumbled rather than walked
down the stairs.
Brandishing his sword, he rushed into the gar.
dens. lie was in the midst Of 0guri's horsemen.
The leader flung himself from his horse and
threw his arms about his disabled chief.
Mori tottered into the arms Of the chief Of
his staff
Seize the Emperor" he half moaned half
gasped, in command; Observation-Disclosures
back-to our provinces"
Anxious to retrieve himself in the eyes of the
army whose destruction he laid at his own door,
: Toro set off for the building within the court,
fshouting to his men, Ogur received the swoon-
ing Mort into his arms.
Follow me! To the Emperor" shrilly cried
Toro.
If any of the bakufu troops still remained with.
in the palace they did not show themselves while
Og,lri, busted with Mori, let his cavalry stand
idly by The footballs of Toro's party resounded
through the inner quadrangle.
Within an inner chamber crouching in SEEM
ing fear Toro found figure dressed in the gar
ments his knowledge told him were Imperial. He
knew that the central palace was the Mkados
residence. To the crouching figure Toro made
respectful obeisance.
ooh, Son of Heaven, yield thyself to me.
shall care reverently for thy person." he said.
The figure raised pallid face, while trembling
lips murmured
'Woudst thou lay profane hands upon the
sacred person of thy Emperor"
ut is he!" cried Toro, delighted. "Seze him,
my men, and carry him off" He modified his
command to add: "Touch him with respect
command you"
To Oguri they bore the still trembling man.
The lieutenant ordered him placed in mormon,
where his sacred person might be shielded from
the scrutiny of his men.
ITS it indeed he" Oguri questioned Toro.
mo doubt of it," returned Toro. HE him.
self admitted it"
Oguri and Toro now consulted together as to
their next course. Mort was still insensible, des-
pite their efforts to arouse him. In the reduced
condition of their force, Oguri did not deem it
wise to remain longer, lest returning bakufu
hosts should spoil all. He could not spare the
men to carry an additional norimon. He spoke
thoughtfully:
ellis highness, our beloved Prince of Mori is
of royal lineage and blood himself, as thou know
est, my Lord of Catzu. 1t will, therefore, be
best that We place him in the same mormon with
the Son of Heaven"
The body of their senseless leader was placed
in the norimon, while Oguri, in order to attend
to his wishes when he should regain conscious
ness, was forced also to crowd into the vehicle
Eight strong samurai lifted the carriage.
"Bacl to Choshui," ordered Oguri, mindful of
the last order of his chief. Moreover, the long
march back to their base of supplies was the
best, and indeed the only course left to them.
Three miles outside the city, Mori, moaning
struggled in the arms Of Oguri.
: "All is lost! All is lost!" cried Mort, with
hcart-breakng bitterness.
"Nay my prince, my dear lord" said Ogur
in voice as tender and soft a womans, "all
is not lost. We were but portion of our one
clan or ChoShul. Our southern allies, our friends
are only waiting to rally to thy aid. Moreover
we have achieved great triumph over our enc
mics" He lowered his voice. "Your highness
we have honorably captured the person of the
Son of Heaven. See!"
He lifted with one hand the head of Mort,
while with the other he parted the curtains of
the norimon, letting in the strong light of day.
which shone upon the face of the figure reclining
on the opposite seat in the norimon.
Painfully Mort looked His head fell back
"Fools! Fools!' he mumbled 'You have
been trcked by the cunning Aidzu. That is not
the Emperor"