Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-23

deal with the other three of the band know not dare say he did not think for the killing of Michael was not pre- medtated. Antoinette. left alone with the duke, had tried to stanch his wound, and thus was she busted till he died. and then, hearing Rupert's taunts. she had come forth to avenge him. Me she had not seen, nor did she till I darted out of my ambush and leaped after Rupert into the moat.
 The same moment found my friends on the scene. They had reached the chateau ip due time and waited ready by the door. But Johann. swept with the rest to the rescue of the duke, did not open it-nay. he took part against Rupert, putting himself forward more bravely than any i;l his anxiety to avert suspicion, and he had received a wound, in the embrasure of the win dow. Till nearly half past ? Sapt wait ed: then, following my orders, he had sent Fritz to search the banks of the moat. was not there. Fastening back. Fritz told Sapt, and Sapt was for following orders still and riding at full speed back to Tarlenheim. while Fritz would not hear of abandoning me, let me have ordered what l would. On this they disputed some few min utes; then Sapt, persuaded by Fritz. detached party under Bernenstein to gallop back to Tarlenheim and bring up the marshal. while the rest fell to on the great door of the chateau. For near fifteen minutes it resisted them; then, just as Antoinette de Mauban fired at Rupert Hentzau on the bridge. they broke in, eight of them in all, and the first door they came to was the door of Michaeps room, and Michael lay dead across the threshold, with sword thrust through his breast. Sapt cried out at his death, as had heard, and they rushed on the servants, but these in fear dropped their weapons. and Antoinette flung herself weeping at Sapt's feet. And all she cried was that I had been at the end of the bridge and had leaped off. What of the prisoner::' asked Sapt, but she shook her head Then Sapt and Fritz. with the gentlemen behind them, cross ed the bridge, slowly, warily and with out noise. and Fritz stumbled over the body of De Gautet in the way of the door. They felt him and found him dead.
 Then they consulted, listening eager ly for any sound from the cells below. but there came none, and they were greatly afraid that the kings guards had killed bm and, having pushed his body through the great pipe, had es- capped the same way themselves. Yet because had been seen here they had still some hope thus. indeed, Fritz In his friendship told mel. and, going back to Michaers body, pushing aside An toinette, who prayed by it, they found a key to the door which had locked and opened the door. The staircase was dark, and they would not use torch at first lest they should be the more exposed to fire, but soon Fritz cried: "The door down there is open! See, there is light"' So they went OH boldly and found none to oppose them. And when they came to the outer room and saw the Belgian, Bersonln, lying dead they thanked God, Sapt saying, Aye, he has been here" Then, rush. s,,. l,,4n l-i fhnv Detchard lying dead across the dead physician and the king OH his back, with his chair by him. And Fritz cried, Hes deadw and Sapt drove all out of the room except Fritz and knelt down by the king, and. having learned more of wounds and the signs of death than l. he soon knew that the king was not dead nor if properly attended would die. And they covered his face and carried him to Duke Michaels room and laid him there. and Antoinette rose from praying by the body of the duke and went to bathe the kings head and dress his wounds till doctor came. And Sapt, seeing I had been there and having heard Antoinette's story, sent Fritz to search the moat and then the forest He dared send no one else And Fritz found my horse and feared the worst. Then, as have told. he found me. guided by the shout with which I had called on Ru- pert to stop and face me. And think a man has never been more glad to find his own brother alive than was Fritz to come on me. so that in love and anxiety for me he thought nothing of thing so great as would have been the death of Rupert HentZau. Yet had Fritz killed him I should have grudged if.
 The enterprise of the kings rescue being thus prosperously concluded, 1t lay on Colonel Sapt to secure secrecy as to the king ever having been in need of rescue Antoinette de Mauban and Johann. the keeper lwho. indeed. was too much hurt to be wagging his tongue just now. were sworn to reveal nothing. and Fritz went forth to find HUI the hiht' put lhe uhha"ch henu of the king. who had lain in Zenda and flashed for a moment before the dazed eyes of Duke Michael's servants on the drawbridge The metamo-pbosis had happened. and the king. wounded al. most to death by the attacks of the jailers who guarded his friend, had at last overcome them and rested now, wounded. but alive. in Black Michaers own room in the castle. There he had booD ro rrfad h;S f.1o eororod with q