The National tribune., 1906-10-18

/ nedru Il SllSnt SHuiIe, &S OF a mar
! shifting his position Who was tho
/ Was he awake or was ne asleep?
| felt if my knife were ready. and trod
| water. as ] did so | found bottom
under my feet The foundations of the
castle extended some Is inches, making
a ledge, and stood on it, out of water
from my armpits upward. Then
! crouched and peered through the dark
ness under the pipe, where, curving, it
left space.
There was a man in the boat 4
rifle lay by him-I saw the EIeam of
the barrel. Here was the sentinel, He
sat very still. 1 listened; he breathed
| heavily, regularly, monotonously. BY
Heaven. he slept Kneeling on the
shelf. I drew forward under the pipe
till my face was within two feet of his.
He was big man, / saw. 1t was Max
Holf, the brother of Johann. My hand
stole to my belt. and / drew out my
/ knife. OF all the deeds of my life /
love the least to think of this. and
whether it was the act of a man or a
traitor / Will not ask. / said TO my
self: 1T is war-and the Kings life is
/ the stake" And / raised myself from
beneath the pipe and stood up by the
| boat, which lay moored by the ledge
Holding my breath, / marked the spot
and raised my arm. The great fellow
stirred. He opened his eyes-wide,
wider. He gasped in terror at my face
and clutched at his rifle. / struck
| home. And / heard the chorus of a
love-song from the opposite bank.
i Leaving him where he lay. huddled
mass, ] turned to Jacobs ladder" Ny
time was short. This fellows turn of
watching might be over directly. and
relief would come. Leaning over the
pipe. I examined it. from the point it
left the water to the toDmost extremity
| where it passed or seemed to pass.
| through the masonry of the wall There
was no break in it, no chink. Dropping
on my knees, l tested the under side.
/ And my breath went quick and fast,
for IN this lower side, where the pipe
should have chung close to the ma
sonry, there was gleam of light That
light must come from the cell of the
| Kingi | set my shoulder against the
pipe and exerted my strength. The
chink widened a very, very little, and
hastily / desisted; l had done enough
to show that the pipe was not fixed in
the masonry at the lower side.
! Then / heard a voice-a harsh, graf
ing voice.
i We'll, sire, if you have had enough
Of my society / will leave you to re-
pose; but I must fasten the little orna-
ments first"
1t was Detchard, I caught the Eng
lish accent in a moment.
have you anything TO ask, sire, be-
fore we part?"
The Kings voice followed. 1t was
his, though it was faint and hollow
different from the merry tones L had
heard in the glades of the forest
Pray my brother" said the King,
ito kill me. ] am dying by inches
here"
THE Duke does not desire your
death sire--yet," sneered Detchard
when he does, behold your path 10
I Heaven"
The King answered:
80 be it, And now, If your orders
allow it, pray leave me"
May you dream of paradise" said
the ruffian.
The light disappeared. l heard the
bolts of the door run home. And then
] heard the sobs of the King. He was
alone, as he thought. Who dares mock
at him?
did not venture to speak to him. The
risk of some exclamation escaping him
in surprise was too great. l dared do
nothing that night; and my task now
was to get myself away in safety, and
u carry of the carcass of the dead
man. To leave him there would tell
too much. Casting loose the boat,
|, got in. The wind was blowing a gale
now and there was little danger of oars
) being heard. i rowed swiftly round 10
where my friends waited. i had just
reached the spot when a loud whistle
sounded over the moat behind me.
''Hullo, Maxi / heard shouted
: / hailed Sapt in low tone. The
rope came down. I tied it round the
J corpse. and then went up il myself
Whistle you, too" / whispered "for
; our men, and haul in the line No
talk now"
4 They hauled up the body. Just as It
reached the road three men On horse