Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-06-21

kled Sapt. $50 be it."
We mounted, drawing our swords'
and waited silently for minute or
two. Then we heard the tramp Oh
men on the drive the other side OF the
house. They came to stand ana one
cried:
"Now, then, fetch him out"
"Now! whispered Sapt.
Driving the spurs into our horses,
we rushed at a gallop round the house,
and in q moment we were among the
ruffians. Sapt told me afterward that
he killed man, and l believe him,
but saw no more of him. With cut
solit the head of d fellow on a
brown horse, and he fell to the ground.
Then | found myself opposite a big
man, and was half conscious OF an
other to my right. 1t was too warm
TO stay. and with a simultaneous ac-
ton | drove my spurs into my hose
again and my sword full into the Dig
mans breast His bullet whizzed past
nv earl could almost swear 1t touch
ed 1t. wrenched at the sword, but II
would not come, and dropped it and
galloped after Sapt, whom | now saw
about twenty yards ahead. l waved
my hand in farewell and dropped it a
second later with yell, for q bullet
had grazed my finger and ! felt the
blood. Old Sapt turned round in the
saddle. Some one. fired again, but
they had no rifles, and we were out of
range. Sapt fell to laughing. -..
That's one to me and two to you,
with decent luck" said he.~ "Little
Josef will have company"
"Aye, they'll be part carree," said
1. My blood was up, and rejoiced to
have killed them.
"Well, a pleasant nights work to the
restw said he. 81 wonder If they no
ticed you"
"The big fellow did. AS struck him
/ heard him cry, The king!
Good, good! Oh, We'll give Black
Michael some work before we've done"
Pausing an instant, we made band
age for my wounded finger, which was
bleeding freely and ached severely, the
bone being much bruised. Then we
rode on, asking Of our good horses all
that was in them. Yhe excitement Of
the fight and of our great resolve died
away, and we rode in gloomy silence.
Day broke clear and cold. We found a
farmer just up and made him give us
sustenance for ourselves and our
horses. l, feigning a toothache, muf-
fed my face closely. Then ahead
again till Strelsan lay before us. 1t
was s o'clock or nearing 8, and the
gates were all open, as they always
We're save when the dukes caprice or
intrigues shut them. We rode in by
the same way as we had come out the
evening before, all four of us-the men
and the horses-wearied and jaded.
The streets were even Quieter than
when we had gone-every one was
sleeping off last nights revelry-and
we met hardly a soul till we reached
the little gate Of the palace. There
Sapt's old groom was waiting for us.
as all we'll, sir?" he asked.
"AIls well,p said Sapt, and the man,
coming to see, took my band to kiss.
'9The kings hurt!" he cried.
"Tt's nothing" said as dismounted.
81 caught my finger in the door,"
Remember, silencew said Sapt. "Ah,
but, my good Freyler. l. do not need to
tell you that"
The old fellow shrugged his shout
ders.
"All young men like to ride abroad
now and then-why not the king"
said he, and Sapt's laugh left his opin-
ion of my motives undisturbed.
"You should always trust man,"
observed Sapt, fitting the key in the
lock, "just as far as you must"
We went in and reached the dressing
room. Flinging open the door, we saw
Fritz. Won Tarlenheim stretched, fully
dressed, on the sofa. He seemed to
have been sleeping, but our entry woke
him. He leaped to his feet, gave one
glance at me and with joyful cry
threw himself On his knees before me.
"Thank. God, sire! Thank God,
you're safer he cried, stretching his
hand up to catch hold of mine.
l confess that 1 was moved. This
king, whatever his faults, made people
love him. For a moment l could not
bear to speak or break the poor fell
lows Illusion. But tough old Sapt had
no such feeling He slapped his hand
on his thigh delightedly. - - -
bravo, ladp' cried he. eve shall
dov'
Fritz looked up in bewilderment. I
held out my hand.
You're wounded, sire" he exclaim-
ed. .,-,.....,..-.... u
ITS only a scratch" said I, 'but"-.
1 paused,
He rose to his feet with bewilder-
ed air. Holding. my hand, he looked
me up and down and down and up.
Then suddenly he dropped my hand
and reeled back.
Where's the king? Where's the
king?" he cried.
FLUSH, you foolw Kissed Sapt. "Not
so loud! Here's the king"
A knock sounded at the. door. Sapt
seized me by the hand, a. : -
Here. quick! To the bedroom! on
with your cap and your boots. Get
into bed. Cover everything up"
did as ! was bid, A. moment, later
Sapt looked in, nodded, grinned and
introduced an extremely smart and
deferential young gentleman, who
came up to my bedside, bowling again
and again, and informed me that he