West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-04-11

Idea or resistance would be abandoned.
The king would be quietly murdered
and slid down the pipe. And-here
comes an ingenious touch-one OF the
Six would a his place In the cell ana
on the entrance OF the searchers loud.
~ demand release and redress. and
Michael, being summoned, would con-
Tess TO nasty action, but he would say
ue man had angered him by seeking
uhe favor OF n lady In the castle thIs
was Antoinette de Mauban), and he
had confined him there. as he conceived
he as Lord Of Zenda bad right 10 do.
But he was now on receiving his apol-
= content to let him 20 and so end
the gossip which. TO his hlghness' an
noyance had arisen concerning a prls-
oner In Zenda and had given his Wis
ltors he trouble OF his inquiry. The
visitors, bafiied. would retire. and Mi
chael could at his leisure dispose OF the
body of the king.
Sapt, Fritz and L I'm my bed looked
round on n another I'm horror and be-
wilderment at the cruelty and ~cunnlng
OF he plan. Whether / went I'm peace
or In war, openly at the head Of a
corps or secretly by n stealthy assault,
the king would be dead before / could
come near him. IL Michael were
stronger and ovorcame my party there
would be an end. but II / were stronger
l should have no way to punish him, no
means OF proving nv guilt in him
without proving my own guilt also.
On the other hand. 1 should be left as
king (ah, for n moment my pulse quick
ened). and Ii would be for the future
TO witness the final struggle between
him and me. He seemed To have made
triumph possible and ruin impossible.
AT the worst lie would stand where he
had stood before / crossed his path
with but n man between hin and the
throne, N that man an impostor. At
best there would be none left to stand
against him. / had begun to think that
Black Michael was overload OF ieav-
Ing he fighting to his friends. but now
! acknowledged that the brains, II not
the arms, OF the conspiracy were his.
docs the king know this 2" l asked.
81 and my brother answered 10
ham, put up the pipe under the or
ders OF my Lord OF Hentzau. He was
on guard that day, and the king asked
my lord what 1t meant. Faith he an
swered, with his airy laugh, It's a new
Improvement on the ladder of Jacob,
whereby, as you have read, sire, men
pass from earth to heaven. We thought
1t not meet that your majesty should
go, In case, sire, o must go, by the
common route. SO we have made you
n pretty private passage, where the
vulgar cannot stare at you or incom-
mode your passage. That, sire, is the
meaning Of that pipe And he laughed
and bowed and prayed the kings leave
to replenish the kings glass, for the
king was at supper. And the king,
though he is n brave man, as are all OF
Bis house, grew red m then white as
he looked on the pipe and ut the merry
devil who Knocked him. All, r,"-and
the fellow shuddered-'it is not easy
to sleep quiet in the castle of Zenda,
for all OF them would as soon cut a
mans throat as play n game at cards.
and my Lord Rupert would choose IL
sooner for II pastime than any other"
The man ceased, and l babe Fritz
take him away and have him carefully
guarded, and, turning to him, l added:
IF any N asks you II there is u
piiSOhtI III LeHud you may answer
Yes But IL any asks who the prison
er is, do not answer. For ali my prom
ises Will not save you If any man here
learns from you the truth as to the
prisoner in Zenda. I'll kill you like n
dog If the thing be so much as breathed
within the houseI'
Then when he was gone | looked at
Sapt.
1T Is n hard NUT said |.
5 hard" said he, shaking his grlz-
zled head, that, as l think, this time
next year is like to find you still king
OF Ruritania!' and he broke out into
curses OH Michael's cunning.
lay back ON my pillows.
There seem to me-" l observed, ito
be two ways by which the king can
come out of Zenda alive. One is by
trcachery in the dukes followers"
You can leave that out" said Sapt.
Il hope not" 1 reJoined, because
the other l was about TO mention is
10y a miracle from heaven!"