The National tribune., 1906-11-08

Duke AS say, ne look anu gave uUt
simultaneously Antoinette found her.
self entangled in his audacious schemes.
Unwilling to abandon him. bound to
him by the chains of shame 6nd hope,
she yet would not be decoy, nor at
his bidding lure me to d1ath. Hence
the letters of warning she had written.
Whether the lines she sent to F1ayia.
were inspired by good or bad feeling,
by jealousy or by pity, / do not know 7
but here also she served us well. When
the Duke went to Zenda she accom-
panied him: and here for the first time
she learned the full measure of his
Sruelty, and was touched with compass
sion for he unfortunate King. From
this tiyae she was with us; yet, from
what She told me. I knew that she still
(as women wild loved Michael, and
trusted to gain his life, If not his par
don, from the King as the reward for
her assistance. His triumphs she did
not desire, for she loathed his crime.
and loathed yet more fiercely what
would be the prize of this marriage
with his cousin, Princess Flayia.
At Zenda new forces came into play
the lust and daring of young Rupert
He was caught by her beauty, perhaps;
perhaps it was enough for him that
she belonged to another man, and that
she hated him. For many days there
had been quarrels and Ill will between
nllIl anu the luke, anu lIle SCtHt WHICH
I had witnessed in the Dukes room
was but one of many. Rupert's pro-
posals to me, of which she had of
course been ignorant, in no way sur
prised her when / related them; she
had herself warned Michael against
Rupert, even when she was calling on
me to deliver her from both of them.
On this night, then, Rupert had deter
mined to have his will When she had
gone to her room he. having furnished
himself with key to it, had made his
entrance. Fer cries had brought the
Duke, and there in the dark room while
she screamed the men had fought: and
Rupert having wounded his master
with a mortal blow, had, on the GER
wants rushing in, escaped through the
window as have described. The Duke :
blood, squirting out, had stained his op-
ponents shirt; but Rupert, not know
Ing that he had dealt Michael his death,
was eager to finish the encounter. How
he meant to deal with the other three
did not think, for the killing of Michael
was not premeditated. Antoinette, left
alone with the Duke. had tried tt
stanch his wound, and thus was She
busted till he died; and then, hearing
Rupert's taunts, she had come forth &c
avenge him. Me she had not seen, mol
did she till darted out of my ambush
The same moment found my friend.
on the scene. They had reached The
chateau in due time, and waited readS
by the door. But Johann, swept will
the rest to the rescue of the Duke, die
not open it, nay, he took part agains
Rupert, putting himself forward mor'
bravely than any in his anxiety TO aver
suspicion; and he had received a wount
in the embrasure of the window. Til
nearly iialf-past Sapt waited; then
following my orders, he had sent Frit:
TO search the banks of the moat.
was not there. Fastening back. Frit
told Sapt, and Sapt was for following
orders still, and riding at full spee'
back to Tarlenheim, while Fritz woul,
not hear of abandoning me. let m
have ordered what I would. On thi
they disputed some few minutes; thel
Sapt, persuaded by Fritz, detached
party under Bernenstein to gallop bacl
TO Tarlenheim and bring up the Mar
shal while the rest fell to on the grea
door of the chateau. For nearly !
minutes it resisted them; then, just a
Antoinette de MaubaH fired at Rupei
Hentzau on the bridge, they broke II
eight of them I'm ALL and the first doc
they came to was the door of Michael
room. and Michael lay dead across tn
threshold, with a sword thrust throug
his breast Sapt cried out at his dealt
as had heard, and they rushed on tn
servants: but these, in fear dropt thei
weapons. and Antoinette flung hersel
weeping, at Sapts feet. And all sh
cried was that i had been at the en-
of the bridge and had leaped off. ''Whs
of the prisoner" asked Sapt, but sh
shook her head. Then Sapt and Frit'
with the gentlemen behind them, cross
ed the bridge slowly, warily and with
out noise: and Fritz stumbled over tn
body of De Gautet in the way of tn
door. They felt him and found hir
dead.
Then they consulted. listening eager