The National tribune., 1906-10-04
A Great Chance for a villain.

anu lHe lttilHS VI Tic ptopltr
the document included also an account
of the movements of any persons whom
the police had received instructions to
watch. Since l had been in StrelSau
Sapt had been in the habit of reading
the report and telling me any items of
interest which it might contain. On the
day after my adventure in the Summer
house he came in as l was playing a
hand of ecarte with Fritz Won Tarlen-
helm.
THE report is rather full of interest
this afternoon" he observed, sitting
down.
DO you find" asked, "any mention
of a certain fracas?''
He shook his head with a smile
Il find this first" he said: His
HighneSS the Duke of Stre]sau left the
city $50 far as it appears, suddenly,
accompanied by several of his house
hold. His destination is believed to be
the castle of Zenda, but the party tray
eled by road and not by train. NM.
De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard fol-
lowed an hour later, the last named
carrying his arm in a sling. The cause
of his wound is not known, but it is
suspected that he has fought a duel,
probably incidental 10 a love affair"
That is remotely true" 1 observed,
very we'll pleased to find that had left
my mark on the fellow.
Then we come to this pursued
Sapt. Nine. de Mauban, whose move
ments have been watched according 20
instructions, left by train at midday.
She took a ticket for Dresden
It's an old habit of hers" said I.
The Dresden train stops at Zenda.
An acute fellow, this. And finally lis
ten to this: The state of feeling in the
city is not satisfactory. The King isl
much criticized (you know he's told to
about his marriage. From inquiries
among the encourage of the Princess
Flavia her Royal Eighness is believed
to be deeply offended by the remissness
of his Majesty. The common people
are coupling her name with that of the
Duke of Strelsau, and the Duke gains
much popularity from the suggestion.
I have caused the announcement that
the King gives a ball tonight in honor
of the Princess to be widely diffused,
and the effect is good"
THAT is news to me-" said I.
"Oh, the preparations are all made!"
laughed Fritz. I've seen to that"
Sapt turned to me and said in a
sharp, decisive voice:
You must make love to her to-
night, you know"
'.I think it very likely I shall If I see
her alone" said 1. Hang it, Sapt, you
don't suppose find it difficult?"
Fritz whistled bar or two; then he
said: You'll find it only too easy.
Look here. hate telling you this but
I must. The Countess Helga told me
that the Princess had become most at
tached to the King. Since the corona
marked development. It's quite true
that she is deeply wounded by the
Kings apparent neglect"
Here's kettle of fish, I groaned.
Tut, TUT" said Sapt. II suppose
you've made pretty speeches to a girl
before now? ThaI's all she wants"
Fritz, himself lover, understood
better my distress. He laid his hand
on my shoulder, but said nothing.
"I think, though" pursued that cold
blooded old Sapt, that you'd better
make your offer tonight"
Good Heavens!"
"Or, at any rate, go near it; and !
shall send a 'semi-officiaP to the pa
pers."
I'll do nothing of the sort-no more
will youi" said I. II utterly refuse to
take part in making a fool of the Prin-
cess"
Sapt looked at me with his small
keen eyes. A slow, cunning smile
passed over his face.
''All right, lad, all rightn said he.
"We mustn't press you too hard. Soothe
Now for Michael"
"Oh, damn Michaeli" said l. He'll
do tomorrow Here, Fritz, come for a
stroll in the garden"
Sapt at once yielded His rough man.
ner covered wonderful tact-and, as
came to recognize more and more, a
remarkable knowledge of human ma
ture. Why did he urge me so little
about the Princess? Because he knew
that her beauty and my ardor would
carry me further than all his argu-
ments-and that the less I thought
about the thing the more likely was !
to do it. He must have seen the un-
happiness he might bring on the Prin-
cess; but that went for nothing with
him. Can 1 say. confidently, that he
was wrong? If the King were restored
the Princess must turn to him, either
knowing, or not knowing, the change.
And if the King were not restored to
us? 1t was subject that we had
never yet spoken of. But 1 had an
idea that, in such a case Sapt meant to
seat me on the throne of Ruritania for
set Satan himself there sooner than
that pupil of his, Black Michael
The ball was sumptuous affair.
opened II by dancing quadrille with
Flavia; then I waltzed with her Curl
oas eyes and eager whispers attended
US. we went III 10 supper, and half
way through 7, half mad by then, for
her glance had answered mine, and her
quick breathing met my stammered
sentences-I rose In my place before
all the brilliant crowd, and taking the
Red Rose that / wore, flung the ribbon
with its jeweled badge round her neck.
In a tumult of applause sat down; I
saw Sapt smiling over his wine and
Fritz frowning. The rest of the meal
in cftannn- mi tbar
could speak. Fritz touched me on the
shoulder, and 1 rose, gave her my arm,
and walked down the hall into little
room, where coffee was served to us.
The gentlemen and ladies in attendance
withdrew, and we were alone.
The little room had French windows
opening on the gardens. The night was
fine, cool and fragrant. Flavia sat
down. and ! stood opposite her. was
struggling with myself; IL she had not
looked at me ] believe that even then !
should have won my fight. But sud-
denly, involuntarily, she gave me one
brief glance-a glance of question, hur-
riedly turned aside: a blush that the
question had overcome spread over her
cheek, and she caught her breath.
All, If you had seen her! / forgot
the King in Zenda. I forgot the King
in Strelsau. She was Princess-andd
an impostor. Do you think 1 remem-
bered that? I threw myself on my
knee and seized her hands in mine.
said nothing. Why should L? The sof,
,f.xt~k A.