The National tribune., 1906-10-04
Bring the King up. Helga: TIL give

| morning ROOM And, left alone, VIC
greeted one another as lovers are wont.
Then the Princess laid two letters be-
fore me. One was from Black Michael
a most courteous request that she would
| honor him by spending a day at his
castle of Zenda, as had been her Gus
tom once year in the Summer, when
| the place and It's gardens were in the
hight of their great beauty. I threw
the letter down in disgust, and Flavia
| laughed at mec Then, growing grave
again. she pointed to the other sheet.
II don't know who that comes FROM
she said. Read it,
knew in a moment. There was no
| signature at all this time, but the hand
writing was the same as that which had
told me of the snare in the Summer
house; 1t was Antoinette de Mauban's
Il have no cause to love you,' it ran.
"but God forbid that you should fall
into the power of the Duke. Accept no
| invitations of his. Go nowhere without
| much to make you safe. Show this If
you can, to him who reigns in Strel-
sau"
"Why doesn't it say the King? +"
asked Flavia. leaning over my shoul-
der. so that the ripple of her hair play
| ed on my cheek. us it hoax?"
"As you value life. and more than
hlt' my f<Suctu, Sdlu, pDey II tD tHt
very letter. A regiment shall camp
round your house to-day. See that you
do not go out unless well guarded
IAN order, sire?" she asked, a little
rebellious.
| YES an order, madame-if you love
me-"
"Ah." she cried; and 1 could not but
kiss her.
| you know who sent it?" she asked
| CyllpSS ~ said 7 &c pnp1
friend-and. 1 fear, an unhappy wo-
| man. You must be ill, Flavia, and un-
| able to go to Zenda. Make your ex-
cuses as cold and formal as you like
| $50 you feel strong enough to anger
Michael?" she said, with proud smile.
| m strong enough for anything
while you arc safe" said /.
| Soon 1 tore myself away from her,
and then, without consulting Sapt. I
took my way to the house of Marshal
StrakeHcz. l had seen something of the
old General, and I liked and trusted
| him. Sapt was less enthusiastic but
had learned by now that Sapt was best
| pleased when he could do everything,
| and jealousy played some part in his
views. AS things were now / had more
work than Sapt and Fritz could man
age, for they must come with me to
| Zenda, and l wanted a man to guard
| what L loved most in all the world, and
| suffer me to set about my task of re-
| leasing the King with quiet mind
The Marshal received me with most
| loyal kindness. To some extent I took
MIN INTO my confidence. I charged him
| with the care of the Princess. looking
him full and significantly in the face as
L bade him let no one from her cousin
| the Duke approach her, unless he him
| self were there and a dozen of his men
with him.
You may be right sire" said he,
shaking his gray head sadly. Il have
known better men than the Duke do
worse things than that for love"
L could quite appreciate the remark,
but said:
There's something besides love, Mar
shall. Loves for the heart: is there
nothing my brother might like for his
head?"
Il pray that you wrong him. sire"
Marshal, I'm leaving Strelsau for n
few days. Every evening / will send a
courier to your If for three DAYS none
comes you will publish an order which
1 will give you depriving Duke Michael
of the Governorship of Strelsau and ap-
pointing you in his place. You will de-
clare state of siege. Then you viii
send word to- Michael that you demand
an audience of the King You follow
me?"
AYE, sire''
I'm "a hours. If he does not pro-
duce the King"-I laid my hand on his
knee--'then the King is dead, and you
will proclaim the next heir. You know
who that is?"
THE Princess Flavia"
And swear to me, on your faith and
honor and by the fear of the living
God. that you will stand by her to your
death. and kill that reptile. and seat
her where sit now"
ION my faith and honor, and by the
fear of God, ] swear it! And may AL
mighty God preserve your Majesty, for
| think that you go on an errand of
danger"
1 hope that no life more precious
than mine may be demanded" said +
rising. Then 1 held out my hand to
him.
Marshal" 7 said. "in davs to come
1t may be- know not-that you will
hear strange things of the man who
speaks to you now. Let him be what
he may, and who he may what say Won
of the manner in which he has borne
himself as King in Strelsau?"
The old man, holding my hand, spoke
to me, man to man.
Il have known many of the Elph-
bergs." said he land I have seen YOU.
And. happen what may. you have borne
yourself as wise King and a brave
man; aye, and you have proved asl
courteous gentleman and as gallant
lover as any that have been of the
House,
''Re that my epitaph," said 7, when
the time come that another sits on the
throne of Ruritania."
God send far day, and may I not
see it," said he.
I was much moved and the Mar
shars worn face twitched. 1 sat down
and wrote my order.
~ can hardly yet write" said 7: "mv
finger is stiff still.''
1t was in fact. the first time that 7 |
had ventured to write more than n sig
nature: and. in spite of the pains I had |
taken to learn the Kings hand, / was
not yet perfect in it.
Indeed. sire" he said, at differs a |
little from your ordinary handwriting. |
It is unfortunate, for it may lead to a |
suspicion of forgery"
Marshal" said I, with laugh |
what use are the guns of Strelsau If |
they can't assuage a little suspicion?"
He smiled grimly and took the paper. |
"COl. Sapt and Fritz Won Tarlenheim
go with me-" I continued.
You go to seek the Duke?" he asked |
in low tone.
Eyes, the Duke. and some one else of |
whom / have need and who is at Zen
d." I replied
'I wish T. could go with you" he
cried. tugging sat his white mustache |
''Td like to strike blow for you and |
yOIIr Crown"