The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-03-26
:. M 81! Prisoner:
of Zenda
!. By ANTHONY HOPE
. copyrighted. 1891. 1925. bB Henri Holt q
Company
CONTINUED

.FWell, a pleasant nights work to the
rest! said he. 81 wonder IL they no
ticed you"
"The big fellow did. As struck him
I heard him cry, The king?"
Good. good! Oh, We'll give Black
Michael some work before we've donew
Pausing an instant, we made band
age for my wounded finger, which was
bleeding freely and ached severely, the
bone being much bruised. Then we
rode on, asking Of our good horses all
that was in them. The excitement Of
the fight and of our great resolve died
away, and we rode in gloomy silence.
Day broke clear and cold. We found a
farmer just up and made him give us
sustenance for ourselves and our
horses. l, feigning a toothache, muf-
fed my face closely. Then ahead
again till Strelsau lay before us. 1t
was s O'Clock or nearing Q, and the
gates were all open, as they always
were save when the dukes caprice OF
intrigues shut them. We rode in by
the same way as we had come out the
evening before, all four Of us-the mer
and the horses-wearied and jaded
The streets were even quieter thar
when we had gone-every one was
sleeping off last nights revelry-anC
we met hardly a soul till We reached
the little gate of the palace. Their
Sapt's old groom was waiting for US.
as all well, sir?" he asked.
"Alfs WELL" said Sapt, and the man
coming to see. took my hand to kiss.
1.-THE kings hurt!" he cried.
ats nothing" said as I'dismounted
81 caught my finger In the door,"
Remember, silencer' said Sapt. al
but, my good Freyler, ! do not need {
tell you that"
The old fellow shrugged his shou
ders.
IN young men like to ride abroa
now and then-why not the king?
said he, and Sapt's laugh left his opir
ion of my motives undisturbed.
"You should always trust a man.
observed Sapt, fitting the key in tn
lock. lust as far as you must"
We went in and reached the dressin
room. Flinging open the door. we sa'
Fritz Won Tarlenheim stretched. full
dressed, on the sofa. He seemed
have been sleeping, but our entry wok
him. He leaped to his feet, gave OF
glance at me and with a joyful CT
threw himself on his knees before IN
THANK God. sire! Thank Go
you're safe.' he cried, stretching h
hand up to catch hold OF mine.
ii I confess that I was moved. Tn
E king, whatever his faults, made Peep
love him. For a moment could n
bear to speak or break the poor II
lows illusion. But tough old Sapt hi
no such feeling. He slapped his hal
on his thigh delightedly.
Bravo. ladr' cried he. I'VE sht
dow
Fritz looked up in bewilderment.
held out my hand.
e You're wounded, sIrew he exclail
o ed.
Il Its only a scratch" said I, but
paused.
= He rose to his feet with bewild'
o ed air. Holding my hand, he look
= me up and down and down and .
y Then suddenly he dropped my ha
n and reeled back.
oil where's the king7 Where's {
kingT' be cried.
|" Hush, you foolr' Kissed sapt "S
50 loud! Here's the king"
IS A knock sounded at the door. Sa
h seized me by the hand.
:, Here. quick! To the bedroom!
I! with your cap and your boots. 6
d into bed. Cover everything up"
h I did as I was bid. 4 moment Ia
. Sapt looked in, nodded. grinned a
III introduced an extremely smart a
+, deferential young gentleman. "
A came up TO my bedside. bowling AZ
and again. and Informed me that
e was Of the household Of the Prime
2. Flavia and that her royal hIghness b
sent him especially 10 inquire how
ts kings health was after the fatigl
!; which his majesty had undergone y
y terday.
is "My best thanks. sir. TO my eonsl
l. said I. "and tell her royal hlghness q
- was never better i'm my iIfe."
'e "The king" added old sapt. who
1t began to ind. loved a good lie for
a own sake. has slept without a br'
- all night"
- The young gentleman Cae Tem:nt
m me Of osrlc in "Hamlet'1 bowed D
g. self out again. The farce was OF
~ nnd Fritz von TarIenheim's pale {
:. recalled Us to reality, though, In ia
&c the farce had TO be reality for Us u
N as the king deadT' be whispered.
OF "PIease God, no." said I. But
4 In the hands Of Black Michael"
~ CHAPTER WILL
'REAL kings life Is perhap
T 20 NsaWW