Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-11

further enlightened Enough that the
King commanded their services and
would rely on their devotion when oc-
casion arose 90 call for It, Young. well
bred, brave and loyal they asked no
more. They We're ready TO prove their
dutiful obedience and prayed for n
night as the best and most exhliarating
mode Of showing il.
Thus the scene was shifted from
Strelsau TO the chateau Of Tarlenhelm
and castle Of Zenda which frowncd NJ
US across the valley. I tried 70 shift
my thoughts also. to forget my love.
and TO bend all my energies 20 the task
before me. IL was TO get the king out
" the castle alive. Force was useless
In some trick lay the chance. and I
had already an inkllng or what we
must do. But I was terribly ham
pered by the publicity which attended
/ my movements Michael must know
by now of my expedition. and / knew
Michael too well 10 suppose that his
eyes would be blinded by the feint OF
The boar hunt. He would understand
very we'll what the real quarry was.
| That however must be risked-that
and all II might mean. for Sapt. no less
than myself. recognized that the pres
eDt state of thinSs had become unen-
durable.
And there was one thing that I
/ dared TO calculate on-not. as 1 now
/ know. without warrant 1t was this
/ that Black Michael would not believe
chat / meant well by the king. He
/ could not appreciated will not say an
| honest man. Cor the thoughts OF my
own heart have been revealed-but a
/ man acting honestly. He saw my op-
/ pOrtunity as I had seen it. as Sept had
seen it; be knew the princess-nay
| (and L declare that a sneaking sort OF
/ pity for him Invaded mel. iu his way
| he loved her lie would think that
Sapt and Fritz could Zoe bribed. so the
| bride were large enough. Thinking
| thus. would ae Kim the king. my rival
and my dancer. Aye. verify. that he
| would. with .s little conjunction as
he would k.u 50 rat. But ne would XIII
Rudolf Rasniyn first. 10 be could.
and nothing Int tle certainty OF being
| utterly damned hy the release Of the
| king alive and bis restoration 20 the
| throne woull drive him TO throw away
| the trump card which he held in re-
serve 10 balls the supposed game OF the
| impudent iuuo~tor RassendyH. Mus
ing on all this as L rode along. I took
courage.
Michael knew Of my coming sure
enough. / had not been In the house
an hour when an imposing embassy
arrived from him. He did not quite
reach the impudence Of sending my
would be us-assius, but he sent the
other three ~ his famous Six-the
1 three Ruritauian gentlemen. Lauen-
gram. krafstc.n and Rupert Hentzau.
| y tne. Swapping trio they were, SPLEEN
didly horsed and admirably equipped.
Young Rupert who looked n dare
| devil and could not have been more
/ than twenty-five or twenty-three took
the lead and made us the neatest
/ speech, wherein my devoted subject
and loving brother. Michael OF Strel-
sau. prayed me 90 pardon him for not
paying his addresses In person and.
further, for not putting his castle at
| my disposal the reason for both OF
these apparent derellctlons being that
he and several OF his servants Law sick
OF scarlet fever and were In a very
sad and also in a very infectious state.
| So declared young Rupert with an IN
| solent smile on his curling upper lip
and toss OF his thick hair-he was a
handsome villain. and the gossip ran
/ that many a lady had troubled her
heart for him already.
| "lf my brother has scarlet fever"
said I. che is nearer my complexion
than he IS wont TO be. my lord. I
trust he does not suffer"
'He IS able 70 attend 70 his affairs.
sire"
Il hope all beneath your roof are not
sick What OF my good friends De
Gautet. Bersonin and Detchard? I
heard the last had suffered a hurt"
Lauengram and Krafsteln looked
glum and uneasy. but young Ruperts
smile grew broader.
'He hopes soon to find a medicine
for It. sire" he answered.
And / burst out laughing, for knew
what medicine Detchard longed for. 1t
is called revenge.
''You viii dine with us, gentlemenY'
I asked
Young Rupert was profuse in apollo
gieS. They had urgent duties at the
| castle.
Then" said I, with wave OF my
hand, ito our next meeting. gentlemen.
May II make us better acquainted"
1--WE will pray your majesty for an
early opportunity" quOth Rupert air
| lily. And he strobe past Sapt with such
Jeering scorn on his face that saw the
old fellow clinch his fist and scowl
black as night.
For my part. II man must needs
be knave I would have him a debo-
nair knave, and I liked Rupert Hent-
Eau better than his long faced, close
| eyed companions 1t makes your sin
no worse, as conceive, to do II la
mode and stylishly.
Now, IL was a curious thing that on
this first night, instead of eating the
excellent dinner my cooks had pre-
| pared for me, 1 must needs leave my
=