The San Francisco call., 1907-06-23

tnaI might De worth nlOcn-
Valentine had coniided in him, since
she must have help, if only the help of
speech: and now, of sudden. his use
appeared.
She had withdrawn from the obser-
walton Of her women and the court, in
pretense of praying for her brothers
safety. and no one was with her.
ADRIAN she called softly. Adrian"
She had privately hidden him follow
her. and we'll she knew he was not far
away.
The boy came forward eagerly
Hush" said Valentine. do not
speak-listen--I have need of thee; wilt
thou serve me even to the death, fof it
may be that?'
You know do not heed death, lady"
replied the page with glad pride. ANY
thing that may serve you will make me
forever happy"
Follow me-" said Valentine and
stepped on to the balcony. Now walk
behind. and as If were not speaking
to thee. There may be sharp eyes upon
US in the garden
The sun, late as it was, fell between
the pillars in strong bars OF gold, and
Valentine raised her ivory fan as If to
shield her from the heat, but in reality
TO conceal the movement of her lips,
in case there might be watchers.
i must procure an entrance TO my
brothers rooms" she said, speaking low
No key will fit them. l cannot force the
entrance in the palace. Still ! must en-
ter. You are listening. Adrian?"
With all my soul. LADY,"
Valentine kept her eyes upon the
garden, there was no one there to sec.
The tower was not as yet finished. and
so uninhabited; the garden itself was
empty; still Valentine kept her gaze
before her and spoke without turning
her head.
AT any moment the duke may re-
turn; or, if he does not, there will be
sore confusion 1 cannot cope with; it
must be DONE
They had traversed almost the whole
length of the corridor. and Valentine
suddenly stopped
There, this door" said Valentine,
into the dukes rooms. Adrian" and
she rested her hand against it as she
spoke.
It was a folding door. opening in the
middle, firmly bolted from the inside,
and appeared as hopeless as the great
entrance to the suite within the palace,
though unguarded.
Either. side of it We're deep set. cir
cular windows, ringed round and round
with carving and ornamentation, placed
too high to reach and too small to gain
admission by.
The door itself was of wood. as firm
and heavy as iron. clamped with giIded
metal, and immovable to the touch.
Does it look hopeless?' whispered
Valentine
Adrian would not have said so for
his life.
You would force it?" he asked
eagerly
Yes hush" Valentine leaned through
the low arch and looked into the gar
den; as before. all was quiet; the life
and hustle of the palace came through
the front today, waiting news of the
absent duke.
she turned again with glistening
eyes
Yes. would force it-and will
show you how. Adrian"
Half way up the door, deep set in the
thin and delicate foliage of the carv-
ing, were two circular windows, one in
each panel.
Can you reach them?" asked vaIen-
tine 4 am hand too short"
BY means of standing on the base of
one OF the side pillars of the door
Adrian could easily touch the whole
span of glass.
Now. do break it?" whispered the
page.
Yes" returned viscontrs sister.
But wait, there may be some soldier on
hidden guard"
She looked around cautiously
4 see no one she continued .Now.
only through this one arch canst thou
be noticed from the garden, and there
l VIII stand, with nay open fan; now
quick-thy dagger handle"
She turned her back to him and
raised her hand against the stonework
of the arch. her mantle so falling over
her arm that any one, looking thither,
could have seen nothing save her
igure.
Adrian leaned forward and struck the
glass violent blow with the handle of
ms dagger; il was hard, and resisted,
but at a second blow shivered. The
page tore away the metal frame work,
and, slipping his arm through thrust
back the first bolt But it was fastened
IN three places, and the other two were
not so easy. Straining up to his full
height, the page forced half his body
through the broken window and suc-
ceeded in slipping back the second bolt;
the third was almost at the bottom of
the tall door. nor was the opening he
had forced largcenough for. him TO do
more than admit his arm and shoulder
through. He still held his dagger in
his hand, and grasping at it at the end
OF the blade, struck violently downward
at the bolt head with the handle. It
did not move the first time nor the
second, nor the third; but at the fourth
blow ii suddenly shot back and the
door was open. Adrian struggled
through the window. backward. on to
his feet, his hand and arm torn in sew
erai places. dizzy with the strain
Valentine turned with glad cry.
Now stand thou in the archway,"
she said; tand close the door behind me
and keep watch; our one need is haste.''
The page pushed the despoiled door
open and Valentine sped through, clos
ing it carefully after her; the broken
window would not be noticed from the
garden. but an open door might. The
space she entered seemed so dark after
the bright glare outside that at first
she could gather nothing.
But soon the light suficed to show
Valentine this was not the room she
wanted.
Ii was gorgeously decorated. frescoes
covered the walls, the ceiling was rich
ly gilt and painted, the floor glass mo-
sale. the. furniture forid and ornate.
Valentine glanced around hurriedly;
at one end was door, and trying it,
she found ii open easily, leading into