The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-03-15
lel.. said Fritz between his teeth.

aei, SAID trltZ between MS teetn.
AYE" said Sapt, ''that he might
not come to be crowned. Rassendyll
here doesn't know our pretty Michael
What think you, Fritz-has Michael
no king ready? Has half strelsau no
other candidate? AS Gods alive, man,
the thrones lost If the king show him
self not In Strelsau today. I know
Black Michael"
I'VE could carry him there said I.
"And a very pretty picture he
makesr' sneered Sapt
Fritz Won Tarlenheim buried his face
In his hands. The king breathed loud.
ly and heavily. Sapt stirred him again
with his foot.
"rhe drunken dogw he said. "But
he's an Elphberg and the son of his
father, and may / rot before Black
Michael sits in his placer
For moment or two we were all
silent Then Sapt, knitting his bushy
gray brows. took his pipe from his
mouth and said to me:
"As a man grows old he believes in
Fate. Fate sent you here. Fate sends
you now to Strelsau."
staggered back, murmuring, Good
Godr'
Fritz looked up with an eager, be.
wlldered gaze. !
"Impossibler' muttered. Il Should
be known"
Its a risk--against a certainty
iaid Sapt. If you shave I'll wnger
you'll not be known. Are you afraid?"
"Sirr'
"Come, lad-there, there. But It's
your life, you know, If you're known
and mine--and Fritz's here. But IL
you don't 30 / swear to you Black
Michael will sit tonight on the throne
and the king lie in prison or his grave"
THE king would never forgive it,"
scammered.
Are We women? Who cares for his
sorgivenessi"
The clock licked fifty times, and six.
~ and seventy times, as stood in
thought. Then suppose a look came
over my face, for old Sapt caught me
by the hand. crying:
you'll go?"
"Yes; I'll CO." said l, and | turned
my eyes ON the PROSTATE figure OF the
king on the floor.
Tonight" Sapt went on in a hasty
whisper, we are to lodge In the pal.
ace. The moment they leave US you
and / win mount our horses-Fritz
must stay here and guard the kings
roOm-and ride here at gallop. The
king will be ready--Josef will tell him
and he must ride back with me to-
Strelsau, and you ride as II the devil
were behind you TO the frontier"
took il all In in a second and nod
ded my head.
There's aNchance," said Fritz, With
his first sign OF hopefulness
IF escape detection" said I.
"If we're detected" said Sapt, "I'n
send Black Michael down below before
/ 20 myself, so help me heaven! Sit
In that chair, man."
obeyed him.
He darted from the room, calling,
Josef, JOSEF In three minutes he
was back. and Josef with him. The
latter carried jug Of hot water, soar
and razors. He was trembling as Sapi
told him how the land lay and bade
him shave me.
Suddenly Fritz smote on his thigh:
But the guard: They'll know.
They'll know
Pooh! We shan't wait for the guard.
Wen ride to Hofban and catch a train
there. When they come the bird ~
be flown"
But the klngT'
''The king will be in the wine cellar.
I'm going TO carry him there now"
''If they md himg'
"They won't. How should theyf
Josef will put them or"
'But'-
Sapt stamped his foot.
Were not playing" he r0ared.
Don't know the risk? II they do
find him he's no worse or than II he
isn't crowned today In Strelsau."
So speaking. he flung the door open
and, stopping, put forth a strength n
did not dream Re had and lifted the
king In his hands. And ns he did 80
the old woman. Johann. the Keepers
mother, stood In tile doorway. For q
moment she sto0d, then she turned ON
her heel without sign Of surprise and
clattered down the passage.
''Ias she heardT' cried Fritz.
"I'll shut her MOUTH said sapt
grimly. and he bore OF the king In his
arms
For me, sat down In an armchair.
and ns I sat there, half dazed. Josef
clipped and scraped me oil my mus
tache and imperial were things OF the
past and my face was as bare as the
kings. And when Fritz saw me thus
he drew long breath and exclaimed:
"By Joye. we shall do itg'
II was Q o'clock now, and we had no
time TO lose. Sapt hurried me into the
kings room. and | dressed myself In
the uniform Of colonel Of the guard.
finding time as slipped on the kings
boots TO ask sapt what he had done
with the old woman.
"Sha swore she'd heard anthfnv y