West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-03-28

"1ou may 20 as FAR as the gate"
81 shall 20 TO the summer house"
I'm hanged II you SHALL
l rose and leaned my back against
the mantelplece.
"Sapt, / believe In that woman, and
1 shall go"
81 don't believe I'm any woman" said
Sapt. and you shan't 60"
Il either 20 TO the summer house or
back to England" said l..
Sapt began TO know exactly how far
he could lead or drive and when he
must follow.
Were playing against time" / add
ed. Every day we leave the king
where he Is there Is fresh risk. Every
dry | masquerade like this there Is
fresh risk. Sapt. we must play high.
We must force the game
80 be H." he said. with Il sigh.
To cut the story short. at half-past
IL that night Sapt and / mounted our
horses. Fritz was again left on guard.
our destination not being revealed TO
him. II was a very dark night. /
wore no sword, but / carried n revolv-
or. IA long knife and n bullscye Ian
IL w AAAlNth OuANlut lut cute. 1
d~ismounted. Sapt hold out his hand.
81 shall walt here" he said. "If |
hear n shot, Tlr"-
"Stay where you are. It's the kings
only chance. You mustn't come 10
grief too"
you're right, lad. Good luck"
] pressed the little gate. II yielded,
and l found myself in n wild sort OF
shrubbery. There was n grass grown
path, and, turning TO the right as I
had been hidden, I followed II eau
tlously. My lantern was closed. the
revolver was In my hand. heard not
n sound. Presently a large dark OBJ
ject doomed out OF the gloom ahead OF
me. IL was the summer house. Reach
Ing the steps. l mounted them and
found myself confronted by a weak,
rlckety wooden door which hung upon
the latch. / pushed II open and walk
ed I'm. a woman few TO me and seized
my hand.
Shut the door," she whispered.
/ obeyed and turned the light OF my
lantern on her. She was in evening
dress, arrayed very s~umptuously, and
her dark striking beauty was marvel
ously displayed in the glare of the
bullseye. The summer house was n
bare little room, furnished only with
n couple of chairs and u small iron
table, such as one sees in a tea garden
or an open air cafe.
Don't talk" she said. We've no
time. Listen! know you, Mr.. Ras.
sendyll. l wrote that letter at the
dukes orders"
$50 l thought" said /.
I'm twenty minutes three men will
be here to kill YOU
"Three-the three1"
Yes. You must be gone by then.
If not tonight you'll be killed.
cor they will"
Listen, listen! When you're killed
your body will be taken to a low quar-
ter of the town. 1t will be found
there. Michael will at onco arrest all
your frlends-Colonel Sapt and Cap
tain Won Tarlenheim first-proclalm n
state Of siege in Strelsau and send a
messenger to Zenda. The other three
will murder the king I'm the castle. and
the duke Will proclaim either himself
or the prlncess-hlmself il he is strong
enough. Anyhow, he'll marry her and
become king in fact md soon I'm name.
DO you seef'
ITS a pretty plot. But why, ma
dame. do you
Say I'm n Christinn-or say I'm
jealous. My God. shall I see him mar
~ her? Now go, but remembcr-this
is what | have TO tell you-that never
by night or by day are you safe. Three
men follow YOU as a guard. Is It not
sof Well. three follow them. Michaers
three are never 200 yards from you.
Your life is not worth IL homer II
ever they find you alone. Now 20.
Stay-thc gate will be guarded 10y now.
Go down softly, go past the summer
house. on for a hundred yards. and
you'll find IA ladder against the wall.
Get over it md fly for your life"
And your l asked.
Il have my game To play too. II he
finds ont what have done. we shall
not meet again. II not, I may yet
but never mind. Go at once"
But what will you tell himT"
THAT you never came-that you saw
through the trick"
took her hand and kissed IL.
Madame said I, you have served
the king well tonight. Where is he in
the CASTER"
She sank her voice to a fearful wills.
per. I listened caQerly.
Across the d%rnwbTldge you come 10
a heavy door. Behind that lies-hark.
What's thatf'
There were steps outside.
They're coming! They're too soon.
Heavens. they're too soon" And she
turned pale as death.
They seem 10 me-" said I. ito be In
the nick OF time"
Close your lantern. See, there's a
chInk in the door. Can you see themT p
] put my eye TO the chlnk. On the
lowest step ! saw three dim figures.
cooked my revolver. Antoinette hastI.
iy l1'd her hand on mine.
'fou may XIII one" said she. but
what thonF'
so.re came from outside-a voice
'.lt spoke perfect English
ST. E1sseudyll" Il said.
made 40 answer.
eve want TO talk 90 you. VIII you
promise not 90 shoot til we've doneT'
Have J. the pleasure Of addressing
Mr DntcharlT' I said.
'Neyer mind names"
Then Jet mine alone"
'AN right sire. I've an offer for you
stu had my " 20 the chink. The
three had mounted two steps more
Three r]evolyers pointed fun AZ IN,
door
'WiN you let NE ln1 We pledge oui
honor TO observe the truce
-Four gentlemen round % ten table
eaId ] laughing still, for lt had been