Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-25

[" HE position wherein I stood
4 does not appear very favora-
$3.50 hie 90 thought yet for the
E==J next moment or two I thought
profoundly. I had. I told myself. scor-
ed one point BE Rupert Hentzau's
GRAND what 10 might and the viualny
he was engaged on what 10 would.
had scored one point lie was on the
other side OF the moat from the king.
and &c would Doe Icy mo- fault OF mine IL
ever he sct foot on the same side
again. had three left Co deal with
two 0n guard and he Gautet in his
bed. All. % J had the keys. / would
have risked everything and attacked
Detchord and Borsonln before their
friends could join them. But / was
powerless. I must walt tim the com
ing Of my friends euticed some one
10 cross the bridge-some one with the
keys. And I waited. as it seemed. for
half an hour. really for about Eve min
utes. before the next act IA the rapid
drama began.
All was sin on the other side. The
dukes room remained inscrutable be-
hind its shutters. The light burned
steadily In Nine. de Mauban's window.
Then 1 heard the falntest. faintest,
sound. IL came from behind the door
which led 10 the drawbrldge on the
other side OF the most. IL but Just
reached my ear, yet could not be mis-
taken as 20 what il was. IL was made
by key being turned very carefully
and slowly Who was turning it2 And
OF what room was IL the key2 There
leapcd before my eyes the picture OF
young Rupert, with the key In one
hand, his sword On TIE other and an
Svil smile on his face But l did not
know what door it was nor Ia which OF
his fayorite pursuits young Rupert was
spending the hours OF that night
was soon 70 be enlightened for the
next mOmont-before my friends could
be near the chateau door-before Jo-
ham, the keeper. would have thought
10 nerve himself for his task-there
was a sudden crash from the room
with tho lighted window. IT sounded
as though some one had flung down a
lamp, and the window went dark and
black. At the same instant a cry rang
out. shri1 in the night: Help, helpl
Michael. helpr and was followed by
q shrek OF utter terror.
l was tingling in every nerve.
stood on the tOpmOst step, clinging TO
the threshold of the gate with my
right hand and holding my sword In
my left. Suddenly perceived that the
gateway was broader than the bridge.
There was a dark corner on the oppo-
site side where man could stand. /
darted across and stood there. Thus
placed 1 commanded tbs path. and no
man could pass between the chateau
and the old castle till ne had tried con-
illusions with me-
There was another shrek. Then a
door was dung open and changed
against the wall and l heard the han
die OF a door savagely twisted.
open the door! In Gods name,
what's the mattorf" cried a voice, the
voice OF Black Michael himself
He was answered by the very words
had written in my letter:
Help. Michael-HentzauF'
4 fierce oath rang out from the duke,
and, with a loud thud, he threw him
self against the door. At the same mo
ment / heard window above my head
open, and voice cried, What's the
matterf' and / heard a mans hasty
footsteps. / grasped my sword. IL lie
Gautet came my way the Six would be
less 10y one more.
Then I heard the clash OF crossed
swords and a tramp of feet. and-I
cannot tell the thing SO quickly as 1T
happened, for all seemed to come at
once. There was an angry cry from
madam's room. the cry OF wounded
man. The window was flung open.
Young Rupert stood there. sword In
hand He turned his back. and 1 saw
his body go forward to the lunge
"Ah. Johann, there's one for you'll
Come on. Aichael.''