Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-14

Strelsau to the chateau of Tarlenheim
and castle of Zenda which frowned ut
us across the valley | tried to shift
my thoughts also, to forget my love.
and to bend all my energies to the task
before me. 1t was to get the king out
Of the castle alive. Force was useless.
In some trick lay the chance. and l
had already an inkling of what we
must do. But l was terribly ham,
pered by the publicity which attended
my movements. Michael must know
by now Of my expedition. and | knew
Michael too well to suppose that his
eyes would be blinded by the fent of
the boar hunt. He would understand
very we'll what the real quarry WAS.
That. however. must be riSked-that
and all it might mean. for Sapt, no less
than myself. recognized that the pres
cnt state of things had become unen-
durable
And there was one thing that l
dared to calculate On-not. as | now
know. without warrant. 1t was this
that Black Michael would not believe
that l meant we'll by the king. lie
could not appreciate Will not say an
honest man, for the thoughts of my
| own heart have been revcaled-hut Il
| man acting honestly. He saw my OPP
pOrtunty as | had seen it. as Sept had
seen it; he knew the princeSs-nay
| (and | declare that IL sneaking sort of
| pity for him invaded mel. in his way
| he loved her. lie would think that
| Sapt and Fritz could he bribed. so the
hribe were large enough. Thinking
| thus. would he kill the king. my rival
| and my danger? Aye. verify, that he
would. with as little compunction as
| he would kill rat. But he would kill
| rudolf RasscndylI first, if he coull.
| and nothing but the certainty of being
| utterly damned hy the release of the
| king alive and his restoration to the
| throne would drive him to throw away
| the trump card which lie held in re-
| serve to balk the supposed game of the
| impudCnt impoSt1r RaSSendyll. Mus
| ing on all this us | rode along, took
| courage.
Michael knew Of my coming sure
| enough | had not been in the house
| an hour when an imposing embassy
| arrived from him. He did not quite
| reach the impudenc" of sending my
| would he a,;Sa sSins. but he sent the
other three of his famous Six-the
| three RU"itarian gentlemen, LaUen-
! gram. Kr1fstcin and Rupert HcntZau.
| y fine. strapping trio they We're. SPLEEN
| didly hOrsed and admirably equipped.
| Young Rupert. who looked a dare
| devil and could not have been more
than twenty-five or twcnty-threc. took
| the lead and made us the neateSt
| speech. wherein my devoted subject
| and loving brother. Michael of Strel-
Sau. prayed me to pardon him for not
| paying his addresses in person and,
/ further. for not putting his castle mt
| my disposal. the reason for both of
| these apparent derelictions being that
he and several of his servants lay sick
of scarlet fever and We're in Il very
sad and also in a very infectious state
SO declared young Rupert with IN in.
solent smile on his curling upper Lip
and toss of his thick hair-he was a
handsome villain. and the gossip ran
that many a lady had troubled heI
heart for him already.
IF my brother has scarlet fever
said I, ''he is nearer my complexion
than he is wont to he. my lord.
trust he does not suffer"
HE is able TO attend TO his affairs
sire
81 hope all beneath your roof are no
sick. What of my good friends d,
Gautet. Bersonin and Detchard?
heard the last had suffered hurt"
Lauengram and Krafstein look t
glum and uneasy, but young Rupert:
smile grew broader.
''He hopes soon to find medicine
for it. sire" he answered
And burst out laughing. for knew
what medicine Detchard longed for.
; is called revenge.
) ''You will dine with us, gentlemen?
asked
Young Rupert was profuse in apollo
Gies. They had urgent duties at tn
; castle
Then" said l. with a wave of M,
hand. Ito our next meeting. gentlemen
May it make us better acquainted
I'VE will pray your majesty for al
early opportunity" quoth Rupert air
ily And he strobe past Sapt with sucl
: ieering scorn on his face that / saw tn
old fellow clinch his fist and scow
black as night.
For my part, If a man must need
be knave / would have him a debC
nair knave, and | liked Rupert Hen'
Zau better than his long faced, clos
eyed companions. 1t makes your 81
no worse, as conceive, to do it a !
mode and stylishly.
! Now, it was a curious thing that o
this first night. instead of eating tn
excellent dinner my cooks had pre-
pared for ne, | must needs leave m
gentlemen to eat it alone, under Sapt
presiding care, and ride myself wit
Fritz to the town of Zenda and
certain little inn that knew of. Their
:. was little danger in the excursion. Th
d evenings were long and light. and til