Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-06-05

voice was even ana calm as ne an
swered:
Enough. enoughl We mustn't quar-
rel. Rupert. Are Detchard and Berso
nin at their postsf"
"They are. sir"
Fl need you no more.~
"Nay. I'm not oppressed with IN.
:igue." said Rupert
"Pray, sir, leave u.s." said Michael
more impatIently. "In ten minutes the
drawbrldge will be drawn back. and l
presume you have no wish to swim to
your bed"
Rupert's figure disappeared. l heard
the door open and shut again. MI
chael and Antoinette de Mauban were
left together. To my chagrin. the duke
bald his hand on the window and closed
st. He stood talking to Antolnette for
4 moment or two. She shook her head
and he turned impatlently away. She
left the window. The door sounded
again, and Black Michael closed the
shutters.
ltt bduttls Att 0aulttf oObhb-
ed from the drawbridge. Unless you
want a bath before your bed, come
alongw
IL was Rupert's voice, coming FROM
the end of the drawbridge. A moment
after he and De Gautet stepped out on
the bridge. Rupert's arm was through
De Gautet's. and in the middle of the
bridge he detained his companion and
leaned over. dropped beside the shell
ter OF Jacobs ladder.
Then Master Rupert had little
sport. He took from De Gautet bot
tie which he carried and put 1t to his
lips.
Hardly DROP he cried discomfort
edly and dung it in the moat.
II fell. as l Judged from the sound
and the circles OH o. water, within a
yard OF the pipe. And Rupert. taking
out his revolver, began 10 shoot at 1t.
The first two shots missed the bottle,
but hit the pipe. The third shattered
the bottle l hoped that the young
rufiian would be content, but he emp
tied the other barrels at the pipe. and
one, Swimming over the pipe, whistled
through my hair as / crouched on the
other side
"Ware bridgew voice cried, to my
relief
Rupert and De Gautet cried. "a mo-
mentr' and ran across. The bridge
was drawn back. and all became still.
The clock struck a quarter past l.
rose and stretched myself and yawned.
| think some ten minutes had passed
when heard a slight noise TO my
right. ! peered over the pipe and saw
a dark figure standing in the gateway
that led TO the bridge. II was a man.
BY the careless. graceful poise | guess
ed it TO be Rupert again. He held a
sword in his hand. and he stood mo
tionless for a minute OF two. Wild
thoughts ran through me. on what
mischief was the young fend bent
now? Then he laughed low 10 him
self; then he turned his face to the
wall, took a step in my direction and,
TO my surprise. began to climb down
the wall. In an Instant | saw that
there must be steps in the wall; Ii was
plain. They were cut into or affixed
to the wall at intervals OF about eight
cen inches. Rupert set his foot on the
lower one. then he placed his sword
between his teeth, turned round and
noiselessly let himself down into the
water HaG Ii been a matter OF my
life only | would have swan to meet
hin, ariv x.nrI1 I havA lAUnH ~
fight IL out with him then and there
with steel-on fine night and none to
come between us. But there was the
king. restrained myself. but could
not bride my swift breathing. and
watched him with the intensest eager.
ness.
He swan leisurely and quietly across
There were more footsteps up on the
other side, and he climbed them. When
he set foot In the gateway, standing on
the drawn back bridge. he felt in his
pocket and took something out
heard him unlock the door. / could
hear no noise of its closing behind him
He vanished from my sight.
Abandoning my LADDER saw | did
not need it now-I swan to the side
Of the bridge and climbed halfway up
the steps. There ! hung. with my
sword In my hand, listening eagerly
The dukes room was suffered and
dark. There was a light in the win
dow on the opposite side of the bridge
Not sound broke the silence till half
past / chimed from the great clock in
the tower OF the chateau.
There were other plots than mine
afoot in the castle that night