Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-10-30
CHAPTER xxxiv.

| MS open PAIN.
Dog" 1t was Ferdinand who spoke.
He struggled Sainly to rise.
"a live dog is better than dead
lion, Ferdinand. That flag q half
mast is significant of many things. 1t
tells its story eloquently, that beauti-
full f1ag-as clearly as the little stamp
| that has frightened you so much"
Interpret the flags moving tale for
this puppet king" beseeched Bratinau,
chucklIng savagely.
First of all, then, your Majesty
| must understand that it is the stand
ard of England with the royal arms in
| the center surrounded by garland of
| flowers. Your Majesty knows quite as
well as that when such flag floats,
whether on sea or land, it is signal
| of the presence of an English ambas-
sador. But it flies at half-mast be-
cause the ambassador in this chateau
| is dead-dead as you will be, vain
king, when the midnight hour has
struck. Pardon us if we have given a
| mere ambassador precedence over a
king; but you arrive little late"
My blood boiled. / was impatient to
interrupt Starva's narrative. It was
Locke's curiosity that delayed our res
cue. He restrained me with gesture.
There is plenty of tine," he whis-
pered. 1T is hardly II now, and Ferdi-
nand is to die at midnight. 1 am anx-
ious to hear more concerning this flag.
And remember, please, that you have
my revolver"
1 was too easily persuaded. L had
listened to DR.. Starva's words in won
der. 1t was I, or rather fate, who had
lowered that flag at half-mast My
perplexity was not lessened as I heard
what followed.
But when," continued Starva, II
entered my carriage to escort you
hither in state, this flag was floating
In the breeze at the head of it's flag
staff. Not until your Majesty stepped
on the terrace did it fall at half-mast
Shall I tell you why? When it fell
at half-mast it was signal that you
were in our power. There are others
anxious to welcome your coming,
Ferdinand. They have watched that
flag with burning eyes. They will
come soon, the rest of the reception
committee. Listen-three raps and
silence-two and silence-one and
then three. 1t is they, Bratinau. Open
thet-door while 1 guard this ass in a
lions skin that will cease to bray at
| midnight" -
deplored my folly in delaying the
| attempt at Ferdinand's rescue. Even
now, while Bratinau rushed to the
door to draw it's bolts, should have
fired at Starva had he not been kneel-
ing at Ferdinand's side, twisting a cord
about his wrists to fasten him in the
chair in which he sat. The action ex-
posed Ferdinand; Starva's body was
shielded by that of the king. The adj
vent of the conspirators had taken
Locke and myself completely by sur
prise. And when we had heard the
knocking on the door we had hoped
that a timely rescue had come
1 counted five of them. Locke and ]
were hopelessly >outnumbered now. We
had missed our chance. 1 confess that
something very like fear clutched al
my heart when heard the bars crate
back In their sockets. 1 know that
Locke himself was pale enough. I'm
less some accident favored us, not
only was Ferdinand doomed, but per
haps ourselves as WELL
But l forgot our own danger in the
extraordinary scene that followed
Starva had sprung on a chair close tc
Ferdinand. With ribald jest he intro
duced each of his confederates as they
stood about the two In half circle
AS each mans name was mentioned
he stepped in front Of Ferdinand an6
Knocked him.
Your Majesty" cried Starva. bow
Ing low, "all of your reception commit
tee is present except one He viii
come presently-and his news will
arouse you from the ennui that seems
to Cypress you. In the meanwhile LEI
me have the honor of Introducing tc
you each of these gentlemen:
Col. Ignatieff, of Roumania! He is
an admirer of the ladies, and he will
be charmed to present them with :
lock OF your hair as souvenir"
Il prefer your heart Ferdinand II
| W PA~oSANC0 III d U6duC1Iul 1llnRrQ
urn for myself" cried the rufian.
Dimitri Gortschakoff, of Seryia, Ht
is groom of the bedchamber of Kins
Alexander. He should be concerned
with his own duty this night"
But l have unselishly sacrificed
myself to administer to your comfort
was. the brutal comment.
Count Nicholai Piteschti, sof Bosnia
You should feel at home-you see W,
have aristocrats present"
i am so much of an aristocrat tina
l am jealous of one who is above m,
In rank to dwarf my own Importance.
"Gornji, of Montenegro. He is onl,
a common soldier. and is better krow1
by his sobriquet, The Cat He viii
use his claws presently"
"a cat can look at king. they say
Yes. / can scratch well enough 1
kings tyranny has made me groan:
hope you will not die so quickly, Ferdi