The National tribune., 1906-09-20

| ought to be in pursuit of Michael be-
| fore midday"
Old Sapt pulled out his pipe and care
fully lit it from the candle which gut
| tered on the table.
The King may be murdered while
we sit here!" I urged.
| Sapt smoked on for a moment in 81
lence.
| That cursed old womani" he broke
| out. She must have attracted their
| attention somehow. / see the game.
They came up to kidnap the King,
and-as ! say-somehow they found
| him. If you hadn't gone to Strelsau.
| you and / and Fritz had been in Heav-
en- by now!"
And the King?"
"Who knows where the King is
now?" he asked.
Come; let's be Off" said 1: but he
sat still. And suddenly he burst into
one of his grating chuckles:
by Jove, We've shaken up Black
| Michael"
Come, comet / repeated inpatient
| ly.
And we'll shake him up bit more"
he added, cunning smile broadening
! on his wrinkled, weather-beaten face
| and his teeth working on an end of his
| griZZled mustache. AYE. lad, We'll go
back to Strelsau. The King shall be in
his capital again Tomorrow
The King?"
1.-The crowned Kingi"
You're mad," I cried
IF we go back and tell the trick we
played what would you give for our
| lives?'
Just what they're WORTH" said 7.
And for the Kings throne? Do you
| think that the mobiles and the people
will enjoy being fooled as you've fooled
| them? Do you think they'll love King
who was too drunk to be crowned, and
sent servant to personate him ?'
He was drugged-and I'm no ser
! want"
Mine will be Black Michaels YER
sion.''
He rose, came to me, and laid his
hand on my shoulder.
Lad" he said, 'if you play the man
you may save the King yet. Go back
and keep his throne warm for him."
But the Duke knows-the villains he
has employed know"
AYE. but they can't speak!" roared
Sapt in grim triumph. We've got 'em,
How can they denounce you without
denouncing themselves? This is not
| the King, because we kidnapped the King
and murdered his servant Can they
say that?"
The position flashed on me. Whether
Michael knew me or not he could not
op'ah- oiieoS ne lne Ming
what could he do? And if he produced
the King, where was he? For a mo-
| ment / was carried away headIong; but
| in an instant the difficulties came strong
upon me.
Il must be found out" urged.
, Perhaps; but every hours some
| thing. Above all, we must have King
in Strelsau, or the city will be MichaeIs
| in four-and-twenty hours, and what
would the Kings life be worth then
or his throne? Lad, you must do it,"
Suppose they kill the King"
They'll kill him, if you don't"
Sapt, suppose they have killed the
King?"
Then, by Heaven, you're as good an
| Elphberg as Black Michael, and you
shall reign in Ruritania! But ] don't
| believe they have; nor will they kill him
ii you're on the throne. VIII they kill
| him to put you ?"
1t was wild plan-wilder even and
more hopeless. than the trick we had
already carried through; but as / lis
tened to Sapt l saw the strong points in
our game. And then l was a young
man and L loved action, and l was of
fered such hand in such a game as
perhaps never man played yet.
Il shall be found out" 1 said.
Perhaps" said Sapt. Come! to
Strelsau! We shall be caught like rats
in a trap if we stay here
"Sapt," I cried. "I'll try it,'
| We'll Played" said he. "I hope
they've left us the horses. I'll go and
sce."
I'VE must bury that poor fellow"
said I.
mo time" said Sapt.
'Tll do it,
| Hang youn' he grinned. ct make
you King, and Well, do it. Go and
fetch him. while look to the horses.
He can't lie very deep, but l doubt if
he'll care about that. Poor little Josef!
He was an honest bit of a man."
He went out aud went to the cellar