The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-04-09
1 81! Prisoner
of Zenda
By ANTHONY. HOPE ,
! Copyrighted, 1885,, 1898. bp Henry Holt q !
s.* Company
IcoNTINuEnl

ucdtu ihuhNs piNAuhN thul NsSh INV
dances before my eyes till they grow
too dim to see it, and her reproaches
that / had not trusted even her must
excuse the means took to quiet them.
In truth. to have her with me once
more was like a taste of heaven to
damned soul. the sweeter for the inev-
table doom that was to follow, and l
rejoiced in being able to waste two
whole days with her. And when had
wasted two days the Duke Of Strelsau
arranged a hunting party.
The stroke was near now, for Sapt
and | after anxious consultations had
resolved that we must risk blow, our
resolution being clinched by Johann's
news that the king grew peaked, pale
and iii and that his health was break
ing down under his rigorous conf1ne-
ment. Now, a man, be he king or no
king, may as well die swiftly and as
becomes a gentleman, from bullet or
thrust, as rot his life out In a cellar.
That thought made prompt action ad-
NlSuUlG III AAlG lhlNINStS VI tint hAhes
From my own point of view 1t grew
more and more necessary, for Stra.
kencZ urged on me the need of a
speedy marriage. and my own inclina-
tons seconded him with such terrible
insistence that l feared for my resolu-
ton. / do not believe that should
have done the deed dreamed of. but
I might have come to flight. and my
fight would have ruined the cause.
II is perhaps as strange thing as
has ever been In the history OF coun-
Try that the kings brother aud the
kings personator In time Of profound
outward peace near a placid. undis-
turbed country town, under semblance
Of amity. should wage desperate war
for the person and life Of the king,
Yet such was the struggle that began
now between Zenda and Tarlenheim
When / look back on the time l seem
to myself to have been half mad. Sapt
has told me that suffered no interior
ence and listened 10 no remonstrances
and If ever king OF Ruritania ruled
ike a despot was in those days the
man. Look where I would. saw moth
ing that made life sweet TO me, and
took my life in my hand and carried
; II carelessly, as q man bangles an old
glove. At first they stroye to guar
me, to keep me safe. to persuade M
not to expose myself, but when the!
saw how / was set there grew VI
among them, whether they knew tn
truth or not. a feeling that fate rules
the issue and that I must be left t
= play my game with Michael my owl
2 way.
Late next night rose from table
where Flavla had sat by me. and cor
5 Quoted her TO the door Of her apart
r ments. There I kissed her hand an
: babe her sleep sound and wake TO haI
py days. Then / change my clothe
I and went out. Sapt and Fritz wer
o waiting for me with three men and th
horses. Over his saddle Sapt carrie
. a long coil Of rope, and both wer
e heavily armed. / had with me
I short stout cudgeI and a long knif'
e Making a circuit. we avoided the tow
and in an hour found ourselves slowl
J, mounting the hill that led to the cal
r lie Of Zenda. The night was dark an
very stormy. gusts Of wind and spit
Of rain caught Us as we breasted I'll
incline, and the great trees moane
q and sighed. When we came TO thlc
clump about quarter Of mile froi
!" the castle we babe our three friend
i hide there with the horses. Sapt ha
o. a whistle. and they could rejoln Us
few moments II danger came. but D
. till now we had met no one. / hope
Y that Michael was still or his guar
70 believing me to be safe In bed. Hos
ever that might be, we gained the e
u OF the hill without accident and four
- ourselves on the edge Of the moi
where IL sweeps under the road. SCI
aratlng the old castle from Il. A tr'
Ie stood on the edge Of the bank, az
+ sapt silently and diligently set
=. make fast the rope. ! stripped on n
boots. took a pull at a TASK Of brand
L ioosened the knife in It's sheath NJ
e took the cudgei between my teet
M Then I shook hands with my friend
not needing a last look Of entrea
from Fritz, and laid hold Of the r0T
was going TO have look at Jacol
ladder.
, Gently I lowered myself into the y
ter. Though the night were wild, d
70 day had been warm aud bright n
N the water was not cold. I struck o
- and began 20 swim round the gre
- walls which frowned above me.
n could see only three yards ahead
Il had then good hopes Of not being Sc
as I crept along close under the dam
moss grown masonry. There We
3 lights from the new part Of the casi
n on the Other side. and now and aga
heard laughter and merry shouts.
tancIed I recognized young Rup'
, IIentzau's ringing tones and pictur
n him flushed with wine
4, Recalling ms thoughts to the bu
ness 81 hand. I rested moment
Johann's description were right, MI
X. be near tie window now. Very SLOW
4, moved. aud out Of the darkness abe
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