Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-16

found Bottom under my feet. The foun-
Gations OF the castle extended some
fifteen inches, making a ledge. and
stood on it, out of water from my arm
pits upward. Then | crouched and
peered through the darkness under the
pipe, where. curving. it left a space.
There was man in the boat. 4 rifle
lay by him. l saw the CLEAN Of the
barrel. Here was the sentinel. He sat
very still. l listened. He breathcd
heavily, regularly. monotonously. By
heaven. he slept. Kneeling on the
shelf, drew forward under the pipe
till my face was within two feet of his.
He was big man, l saw. 1t was Max
Holt, the brother of Johann. My hand
stole to my belt. and | drew out my
knife. OF all the deeds of my life |
love the least TO think of this, and
whether it was the act of Il man or Il
traitor | will not ask. l said to myself.
1T is war. and the kings life is at
stake And l raised myself from be-
meath the pipe and stood up by the
boat, which lay moOred by the ledge.
Holding my breath, l marked the spot
| and raised my arm. The great fellow
stirred. He opened his eyes-wide,
wider He gaSped in terror ut my face
and clutchcd at his rifle. l struck home.
| And | heard the chorus OF love song
from the opposite bank.
| Leaving him where he lay. a hud-
died mass, l turned to Jacobs Lad
der" My time was short This fell
| o.,
| directly, and relief would come. Lean
ing over the pipe. | examined it from
! the point it left the water to the top
most extremity, where it passed, or
seemed to pass, through the masonry
OF the wall. There was no break in
it, no Chink. Dropping on my knees,
l tested the under side. And my
breath went quick and fast. for on this
lower side. where the pipe should have
clrng close to the masonry, there was
a CLEAN of light. That light must
come from the cell OF the llingl l set
my shoulder against the pip" and cX-
ertCd my strength. The chinh widen
ed very. very little and hastily l
deSiStcd. l had done enough to show
that the pipe was not fixed in the
| ,..,.,. -. - -
~,
ing voice:
oc INV. ,o,ia.,. ,'iI, ,,l..,
,aeo ,+4 fl.,, 49,. i.t.,.. I....,,
,,,,,t.. e.
1t was Detchard. | caught the Eng
lish accent in Il moment.
..ITo,-o ,,o,, op,.tIi,,, - o,,- r;,., ,,o
forn yro narts,,
Tho I,in.,.s ,.oioo fouorrod - ,,-o,
his tboroh If r.os f,ir+ ,nd to,,a,,-
different from the mcrrv +onas hoL
hoard in the "lodns of tho forest
..prav my hrotbnr, said tho I,inr .+o
kill me. I am diving bv inches hSra ."
"The duke does NOT desire vorr
death sira-vat, snaarad na+chora
"When he does. behold vour natb to
heaven
The king answered.
$50 he it. And now. if vo,1r orders
allow it. pray leave me"
"May YOU dream OF paradise" said
the ruffian
The light disappeared. I heard the
| bolIS OF lilc NODf run home. And then
l heard the sohS of the king. He was
alone. as he thought. Who dares mock
at him?
, | did not venture TO speak to him
The risk of some exclamation escaping
, him in surprise was too great. dared
do nothing that night. and my tasl
nov was to get myself away in safety
] and to carry off the carcass of the
dead man. To leave him there woult
tell too much. Casting loose the boat
/ got in. The wind was blowing ;
5 gale now. and there was little DANCE
. of oars being heard. I rowed swiftly
/ round to where my friends waited.
\ had just reached the spot when Il lCuC
4 whistle sounded over the moat be
5 hind me.
i Hello. Max" l heard shouted.
n l hailed Sapt in low tone. TIL
p rope came down. 1 tied it round tn
Il corpse and then went up it myself.