Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-04-16

turned, OfeH, i udu uAuu lAahSASAAV'
to guard duty inside the CASTLE" ex
planned the princess. ut really seem
ed necessary. General Marlanx ex
poets to present formal charges agains
him this morning, SO suppose We
shall have to put him In irons for
little while. 1t seems too bad, doesn'
1t, Gren"
"Yes. He's as straight as string
I'll swear" said Lorry emphatlcally.
''I'll bet he wishes he were safely
out of this place." ventured Anguish
and two young women busled theh
selves suddenly with their coffee.
1.-THE chance Is he's sorry he ever
came into 1t" said Lorry tantallzingly
While they were waiting for Mar
lanx the young Duke Of Mizrox was
announced. The handsome Axphain
ian came with relief and dlsmay strug
/ Cling for mastery in his face.
"Your highness." he said after the
greetings, Il am come to inform you
that Graustark has one prince less ia
account for Axphain has found her
fugitive"
"When?" cried the princess and Bev.
erly In one voice and with astonishing
eagerness, not unmixed with dismay.
"Three days ago." was the reply.
"Oh," came in deep relief from Bev-
erly as she sank. back into her chair.
The same fear had lodged in the hearts
of the two fair consplratOrs-th that they
had freed BaldOs only to have him fall
into the hands of his deadlest foes.
Il have a message by courier from
my uncle In Axphain," said Mizrox.
"He says that Frederic was killed near
LabbOt by soldiers, after making gal
liant fight, on last Sunday night The
Princess VOlga is rejoicing and has
amply rewarded his slayers. Poor
| Frederic! He knew but little happl-
ness in this life"
There was a full minute of reflection
before any Of his hearers expressed
the thought that had framed itself In
every mind
"Well, since Dantan and Frederic are
accounted for, Baldos is absolutely
obliged to be Christobal." said Anguish
resignedly
"He's just Baldos." observed Bever-
ly, snuftlng out the faint hope that had
fingered so long. Then she said to her
self: "And don't care, either. only
wish he were back here again. I'd be
good deal nicer to him."
Messengers flew back and forth, car
rying orders from the castle to various
quarters. The ministers were called
to meet at IL o'clock. Underneath all
the hustle there was tremendous i'm
pulse of American cunning, energy and
resourcefulness. Every one caught the
fever. Reserved old diplomats were
overwhelmed by their own enthusiasm.
Custom bound soldiers forgot the he
reditary caution and fell into the ways
Of the new leaders without murmur.
The city was wild with excitement, for
all believed that the war was upon
them. There was but one shadow
Overhanging the glorious optimism of
Graustark-the ugly, menacing attitude
of Axphain. Even the Duke Of Mizrox
could give no assurance that his cOun-
try would remain neutral.
Colonel QuinnOX came to the castle
in haste and perturbation. 1t was he
who propOunded the question that
Yetive and Beverly were expecting,
where is Baldos?' OF course the
flight Of the suspected guard was soon
matter of certainty. A single i'm
ploring glance from the princess, meant
for the faithful Quinnox alone, told
him as plainly as words could have
said that she had given the man his
freedom. And QuinnOx would have
died thousand times to protect the
secret Of his sovereign, for had not
twenty generations of Quinnoxes serv-
ed the rulers of Graustark with un-
tiinching lOyalty2 Baron Dangloss may
have suspected the trick, but he did
not so much as blink when the princess
Instructed him to hunt high and low
for the fugitive.
Marlanx came at IL. Under the de-
fiant calmness of his bearing there was
lurking mighty fear. His brain was
scourged by thoughts Of impending dis
grace. The princess had plainly threat
ened his degradation. After all these
years he was to tremble with shame
and humiliation; he was to cringe
where he had always bOasted of domI.
neering power And besides all this
Marlanx had bullet wound In his left
shoulder! The world could not have
known, for he knew how to conceal
pain.
He approached the slender, imperi-
GUS judge In the council chamber with
a defiant leer on his face. II be went
down into the depths he would drag
with him the falrest treasure he had
coveted In all his years of lust and
desire.
"A word with yOu." he said in an
aside to Beverly as she came from the
council chamber, In which she felt she
should not sit She stopped and faced
him. Instinctively she looked to see IL
he bore evidence of wound. She was
positive that her bullet had struck him
the night before and that Marlanx was
the man with the cloak.
"WellS" she said coldly. He read her
thoughts and smiled, even as his shoul-
der burned with pain.
ITO BE CoNTINUD.)