Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-07-19

NAY. sir" said Johann, Ibis high
ness has thought of that. While the
two hold the outer room the one VINO
has killed the king unlockS the bars
in the square window fhey turn on
hinge). The window now gives no
light. for It's mouth Is choked by
great pipe of earthenware, and THIS
pine. which is large enough to let pass
through it the body of man, passes
into the moat, coming to an end i'm
mediately above the surface or the
water. so that there is no perceptiDle
interval between water and pipe. The
king being dead, his murderer swiftly
ties a weight to the body and, dragging
it to the window, raises it by pulley
for lest the weight should prove too
great Detchard has provided One) till
it is level with the mouth of the pipe.
He inserts the feet in the pipe and
pushes the body down. Silently, with
out splash or sound, it falls into the
water and thence to the bottom of the
moat, which is twenty feet deep there
abouts. This done, the murderer cries
loudly, 'Alrs wellv and himself slides
down the pipe; and the others, If they
can and the attack is not too hot,
run to the inner room and, seeking
moments delay, bar the door and in
their turn slide down. And though the
king rises lot from the bottom, they
rise and swim round to the other side,
where the orders are for men to wait
them with ropes, to haul them out. and
horses. And here, if things go i'll, the
duke will join them and seek safety
by riding; but if all goes well they will
return to the castle and have their
enemies in trap. That, sir, is the
plan of his highness for the disposal
Of the king in case Of need. But 1t IS
not to be used till the last, for, as we
all know. he is not minded to kill the
king unless he can, before or SOON aft
err, kill you also, sir Now, sir, l have
spoken the truth, as God is my wit
ness, and pray you to shield me from
the vengeance of Duke Michael; for II,
after he knows what | have done, l
fall into his hands l shall pray for one
thing out of all the world-a speedy
death. and that / shall not obtain from
him.
The fellows story was rudely told,
but our questions supplemented his
narrative. What he had told us ap-
piled to an armed attack, but if sus-
Dicions were aroused and there came
overwhelming force - such, for in
stance, as 1, the king, could bring-the
idea of resistance would be abandoned.
The king would be quietly murdered
and slid down the pipe. And-here
comes an ingenious tOuch-One of the
Six would take his place in the cell and
on the entrance of the searchers loud
" demand release and redress, and
Michael bling summoned, would con-
fess to hasty action, but he would say
the man had angered him by seeking
the favor of lady In the castle this
was Antoinette de Mauban), and he
had confined him there, as he conceived
be as Lord of Zenda had right to do.
But he was now on receiving his apol-
ogy content to let him go and so end
the gossip which, to his highness' an
noyance. had arisen concerning prlS-
Oner in Zenda and had given his Wis
itors the trouble of this inquiry. The
visitors. bafi1ed, would retire, and Mi
chael could at his leisure dispose OF the
body Of the king.
Sapt. Fritz and l in my bed looked
round on one another in horror and be-
wilderment at the cruelty and cunning
of the plan. Whether 1 went in peace
or in war; openly at the head of
corps or secretly by stealthy assault,
the king would be dead before L could
come near him. If Michael were
stronger and Overcame my party there
would be an end, but if were stronger
1 should have no way to punish him, no
means of proving any guilt in him
without proving my own guilt also.
On the other hand, should be left as
king (ah, for moment my pulse QUICK
enedD. and 1t would be for the future
TO witness the final struggle between
triumph possible and ruin impossible.
At the worst he would stand where he
had stood before l crossed his path
with but one man between him and the
throne. and that man an impostor. AT
best there would be none left to stand
against him. l had begun to think that
BLACK Michael was overload of leav-
ing the fighting to his friends, but now
/ acknowledged that the brains, II not
the arms, of the conspiracy were his.
"Does the king know this" asked.
81 and my brother" answered Jo-
ham, put up the pipe under the or
ders of my Lord of Hentzau. He was
on guard that day, and the king asked
nv lord what it meant. Faith he an
swered, with his airy laugh, it's new
improvement on the ladder OF jacob
whereby, as you have read, sire, men
pass from earth to heaven. We thought
1t not meet that your majesty should
go, in case, sire, you must go, by the
common route. So we have made you
q pretty private passage, where the
vulgar cannot stare at you or incom-
mode your passage. That sire, is the
meaning of that pipe And he laughed
and bowed and prayed the kings leave
to replensh the kings glass, for the
king was at supper. And the liking,
though he is brave man, as are all OF
his house, grew red and then white as
he looked on the pipe and at the merry
devil who Knocked him. All, sir,"-and
the fellow shuddered-'it is not easy
to sleep quiet in the castle Of Zenda,