Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18
CHAPTER TX.
A New Use for a Tea Table

| If were to detail the ordinary events of
| my daily life at this time they might prove
| instructive to people who are not familiar
| with the insides Of palaces; il I revealed
| some of the secrets l learned they might
prove of interest to the statesmen of Eu-
| rope. I intend to do neither of these things.
| I should be between the Scylla of dullness
| and the Charybdis of indiscretion, and I
| feel that I had far better confine myself
| strictly to the underground drama which
was being played beneath the surface of
| Ruritanian politics. 1 need only say that
| the secret of my imposture defied detection.
| I made mistakes. l had bad minutes; It
| needed all the tact and graciousness where
of l was master to smooth over some APP
| parent lapses of memory and unmindful-
| ness of old acquaintance of which l was
| guilty. But l escaped, and attributed my
| escape, as l said before, most of all to the
| very audacity of the enterprise. 1t is my
! belief that, given the necessary physical
| likeness, it was far easier to pretend to be
| King of Ruritania than 1t would have been
1 to personate my next-door neighbor.
| One day Sapt came into my room. He
| threw me letter, saying:
That's for you-a woman'S hand think.
| But I've some news for you first
| Whats that?"
1.-The kings at the castle of Zenda,"
| said he.
How do you know"
| Because the other half of Mchaels Six
| ape there. l had inquiries. made. and they re
all there-Lauengram, Krafsten and
young Rupert HentZau; three rogues, too,
| on my honor, fine as live In Ruritania. -
"Well?"
| well, Fritz wants you to march to the
castle with horse foot and artillery
And drag the moat?" l asked.
That would be about it, grinned Sapt;
land we shouldn't find the kings body
| then"
| You think it certain he's there?'
| VERY probable. Besides the fact of those
| three being there, the drawbridge is kept
UP and no one goes in without an order
| from young Hentzau or Black Michael him.
self. We must tie Fritz up
''rll go to Zenda," said l.
You're mad"
! Some day."
"oh, perhaps. You'll very likely stay
| there, il you do"
That may be. my friend" said I care
| lessly.
His majesty looks sulky." observed Sapt.
"How's the love AFFAIR.""
d you, hold your tongue!' I said
He looked at me for a moment; then he
| lit his pipe. 1t was quite true that was
| in a bad temper, and l went on perversely:
Wherever / go I'm logged by half a
dozen fellows"
Il know you are; send en-" he replied
composedly.
What for?''
We'll" said Sapt. putting away. ut
| wouldn't be exactly inconvenient for Black
MICndcl II you Unsupported WIN yOo
| gone the old game that we stopped would
| be played-or he'd have a shot at it,
II can take care Of myself"
DE Gautet, Bersonin and Detchard are
would cut your throat as readily-as read
| lily as l would Black Michaels and deal
| more treacherously. What's the letter."
I opened it and read it aloud:
IF the king desires to know what 1t
deeply concerns the king to know, let him
| do as this letter bids him. At the end Of
| the New avenue there stands house in
| large grounds. The house has portico,
with statue of a nymph in it. wall in
closes the garden; there is a gate in the
wall at the back. At II o'clock tonight, II
the king enters alone by that gate, turns to
the right and walks twenty yards, he Will
find summer house. approached by
flight of six steps. If he mounts and en-
tiers he will find some one who VIII tell MIN
what touches most dearly his life and his
throne. This is written by faithful
friend. He must be alone. If he neglects
the invitation his life will be in danger:
Let him show this to no one. or he Will
ruin woman who loves him; Black MI
chael does not pardon"
NO" observed Sapt as I ended, but he
can dictate very pretty letter.
had arrived at the same conclusion. and
was about to throw the letter away, when
1 saw there was more writing on the other
side
Halo! there's some more"
eff you hesitate"-the writer continued
consult Col. Sapt"
"Eh!' exclaimed that gentleman. genu-
inely astonished. Does she take me for a
greater fool than your"
waved him to be silent.
ASK him what woman would do most to
prevent the duke from marrying his cousin,
and therefore most to prevent his becoming
king? And ask If her name begins with
A"
1 sprang to my feet sapt laid down his
"Antoinette de Mauban, by heaven!" I
cried.
How do you know?" asked sapt.
told him what / knew Of the lady, and
how knew 1t. He nodded.
Its so far true that she's had a great
row with Michael said he thoughtfully.
IF she would she could be useful. l said.
81 believe, though, that Mlchael wrote
that letter."
so do I. but mean to know for certain.
shall go, Sapt."
mo, shall CO." said he.
You may go as far as the gate"
IT shall go to the summer house.
I'm hanged if you shall!'
l rose and leaned my back against the
mantel-piece.
.Sapt, I believe in that woman, and I
shall CO."
Il don't believe in any woman" said
Sapt land you shan't CO."
Il either go to the summer mouse or pacR
Sapt began to know exactly how far he
could lead or drive, and when he must fol-
low.
"Were playing against time" I added.
Every day we leave the king where he lis
there is fresh risk Every day 1 mas
uuerade like this there is fresh risk. Sapt.
we must play high; We must force the
game"
$50 be it, he said with sigh.
To cut the story short at half-past IL
that night Sapt and 1 mounted our horses.
Fritz was again left on guard, our destina-
ton not being revealed to him. 1t was
very dark night. l wore no sword. but
carried a revolver, a long knife and
bulPs-eye lantern. We arrived outside the
gate dismounted. Sapt held out his
hand.
II shall wait here" he said. If hear
shot I'll"
''Stay where you are; it's the kings only
chance. You mustn't come to grief, too"
You're right, lad. Good luck!''
I pressed the little gate 1t yielded, and
I found myself in wild sort of shrubbery.
There was grass-grown path, and. turn
ing to the right as 1 had been hidden, 1
followed 1t cautiously. My lantern was
closed, the revolver was in my hand.
heard not sound. Presently large dark
object doomed out of the gloom ahead of
me- It was the summer house. Reaching
the steps, L mounted them and found my
self confronted by weak, rickety wooden
door which hung upon the latch. / pushed