Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-11
The Prisoner
OF ZGnda.
CONTINUED FROM SECOND PAGE

fdea Of resistance would be abandoned
The king vould Toe quietly murdered
and slid down the pipe. And-here
comes an Ingenious touch-one OF the
Six would take his place Ion the cell and
on the entrance of the searchers loud
~ demand release and redress. and
Michael being summoned. would con-
TESS 10 hasty action. but ne would say
the man had anEercd him 10y seeking
the favor OF lady in the castle Ghis
was Autoinette do Naubanl and he
had confined him there. SIS ne conceived
be as Lord Of Zenda had right 20 do
But be was now on receiving his ap0l-
ogy content TO let him go and SO end
the gossip which. Co his highness' an
novance. had arisen concerning pris-
oner in Zenda and had given his Wis
ltors the trouble OF this inquiry. The
visitors. baned. would retire. and Nj
chael could at his leisure dispose Of the
body OF the king
Sapt Fritz and I I'm my bed looked
round on one another in horror and be-
wilderment az the cruelty and cunning
OF the plan. Whether I went I'm peace
or in war. openly at the head OF q
corps or secretly 10y a stealthy assault.
The king would be- dead before could
come near him. n Michael were
stronger and overcame my party there
would Pee an end. but 10 7 were stronger
1 should have no way 20 punish him. no
means % proving any guilt in him
without proving my own guilt also.
on the other hand. I should be LEFT as
king lah. for o. moment my pulse quick
enedl. and 10 would be Tor the future
90 witness The final struggle between
him and me. He seemed 20 have made
triumph possible and ruin impossible
At the worst De would stand where he
had stood before crossed his path
with but one man between him and the
throne. and that man an impostor. At
best there would be none left 10 stand
against him. / had begun 90 think that
Black Michael was overload OF leav-
ing the fighting 20 his friends. but now
l acknowledged that the brains. III not
The arms. of the conspiracy were his.
Does the king know thist" I asked
81 aud my brother" answered Jo-
ham. put zap the pipe under the or
on guard that day. and the king asked
my lord what IL meant. Faith be an
swered. with his airy laugh it's a new
improvement on the ladder of Jacob.
whereby. as you have read. sire. men
pass from earth Co heaven. We thought
IL not meet that your majesty should
60 in case. sire. you must 80. by the
common route. So we have made YOU
pretty private passage where the
vulgar cannot stare at YOU or incom-
mode your passage. That sire. is the
meaning OF that pipe And DE laughed
and bowed and prayed the kings leave
% replen.sh the kings glass. Tor the
king was ot supper. Aud the king.
though be is "a brave man. ass are an OF
his house, g-ew red and then white as
De looked on The pipe and at the merry
devil who mocScl him. Al. s.r"-aud
the fellow shUddcred-'it is not easy
90 sleep quiet in the castle OF Zenda.
for all OF them would ais soon cut
mans throat as pay game az cards.
and my Lord Rupert would choose 10
sooner for pastime than any other"
The man ceased. aEl bade Fritz
take him away and have him carefully
guarded, and, turning % him, / added.
II any One asks you If there is a
prisoner In Zenda you may answer
Yes But II amy asks who the prison
or is, DO not answer. For an my prom
ises viii not save you IL any man here
learns from you the truth as TO the
prisoner in Zenda. I'll kiu you like
dog II the thing De 50 much as breathed
within the house"
Then when he was gone 1 looked at
Sapt
1t Is a hard nut" sad ].
so hard said ne, shaking his griz-
zled head. "that, as / think. this time
next year IS Ike 20 fnl YOU SUI king
OF Ruritaniar AMI he broke out into
curses on Michaers cunning.
lay back on my pillows.
There seem 10 me" observed. TO
be two ways by which the king can
come out OF Zenda alive. one is by
treachery in the dukes followers"
you can leave that out" said SAINT
Il hope not" ! rejOined. because
the other ! was about 70 mention is
by miracle from heaven"