The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-04-19
CHAPTER yy.

TM|N order to full understand.
i%Il ing of what had occurred In
- the castle of Zenda 1t Is nee.
szsJ essary to supplement my &C.
count Of what myself saw and did on
that night by relating briefly what
afterward learned from Fritz and from
Nine. de Mauban. The story told by
the latter explained clearly how ii hap.
pened that the cry which had arrang.
ed as stratagem and a sham had
come in dreadful reality before Its
time and had thus, rs ii seemed at the
moment, ruined our hopes, while in the
end ii had favored them. The unhap.
by woman, fired. believe, by gen.
uine attachment to the Duke of Strel.
sau, no less than by the dazzling pros.
poets which a dominion over him open.
ed before her eyes, had followed him
at bis request from Paris TO Ruritania.
He was man of strong passions, but
of stronger will, and his cool head ruled
both. He was content to take all and
give nothing. When she arrived she
was not long in finding that she had q
rival in the Princess Flavia. Render.
ed desperate, she stood at nothing
which might give or keep for her her
power over the duke. As | say. he
took and gave not simultaneously
Antoinette found herself entangled in
his audaclous schemes. Unwilling to
abandon him, bound to him by the
chains OF shame and hope, she yet
would not be decoy nor at his bid
ding lure me 10 death: hence the let
tiers Of warning she had written.
Whether the lines she sent TO Flavia
were inspired by good on bad feeling,
by jealousy or by pity, lido not know,
but here also she served US we'll. When
the duke went to Zenda she accompa-
MED him. and here for the first time
she learned the full measure Of his
cruelty and was touched with compass.
sion for the unfortunate king. From
this time she was with US. yet from
what she told me / know that she stsll
| Gas women Will loved Michael and
trusted to gain his life. IL not his par.
don, from the king as the reward for
her assistance. His triumph she did
| not desire. for she loathed his crime
and loathed yet more fiereely what
would be the prize Of this marriage
| with his cousin. Princess Flayia.
At Zenda a new Tprcc came into play
the daring of young Rupert. He was
caught by her beauty, perhaps. Per
haps II was enough for him that she
belonged to another man aud that she
hated him. For many days there had
been quaFrels and III will between him
and the duke. aud the scene which
had witnessed In the dukes room was
but one Of many. Rupeft's proposals
TO me, Of which she had Of course oeen
ignorant. in no way surprised her -.ss,,.r
related them. She had herself wAfn
I'D Michael against Rupert even when
she was calling on me 20 deliver her
from both Of them. On this night
then. Rupert when she had gone 20 heT
room. having furnished Himself with d
key to It. made his entrance. Her cries
had brought the duke. and there in the
dark room while she screamed this
men had fought, and Rupert. having
wounded his master with n mortal
blow. had on the servants rushing In
escaped through the window. "a I have
Described. The dukes blood. squirting
out had stained his opponents shirt
but Rupert. not knowing that he had
dealt Michael his death. was eager q
finish the encounter. How he meant Il
deal with the other three Of the band
know not. dare say Le did not think
for the killing II Michael was not pre-
medltated. Antoinette. left alone viii
the duke. had tried to stanch bis
wound, and thus was she busted till h
died. and then. hearing Rupert'i
taunts. she had come forth to aveng,
him. Me she had not seen. nor did shl
till / darted out u my ambush ant
leaped after Rupert into the moat.
Tile same moment found my friend
on the scene. They had reached III
chateau In duc time and waited read
by the door. But Johann. swept wit
the rest to the rrscur NJ the duke, dI,
not open it-nay, he took a part agalns
Rupert, putting himself forward NOR
bravely than any in hIs anxiety /
avert suspicion. and be- had received
wound. in the embrasure Of the win
dow. Till nearly half past 2 sapt wall
ed; then, following my orders, he ha
sent Fritz to search the banks Of III
moat I was not there. HastenIn
back, Fritz told sapt. and Sapt wa
for following orders still aud riding q
full speed back to Tarlenheim, Will
Fritz would not hear Of abandonln
me. let me have ordered what woult
, on this they disputed some few mil
utes: then sapt, persuaded by Fritz
detached a party under Tcrnonstein
gaIlop bdck 10 Tarlenhelm aud brin
no tlip marshal. while the rest fell [