Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-05-25

aSo~VC VI Tic Qukc. How would ne
open the door for me. for feared that
Rupert had slain him7
"Heipr cried the dukes voice, faint
and husky.
heard a stir on the stairs above me,
and ! heard n stir down to my right
In the direction Of the kings cell But
before anything happened on my side
or the moat saw FIVE or six men
round young Rupert IN the embrasure
OF madaU's window. Three or four
times he lunged with incompara BILE
dash and dexterity For an Instant
they fell back. leaving q ring round
him. He leaped on the parapet OF the
window, laughing as he leaped. and
waving his sword I'm his hand He was
drunk with blood and he laughed
again wildly as he flung himself head
long into the mo8t
What became Of him then? I did
not see FOR rs nc leaped De Gautets
lean face looked out through the door
by me. aud without n seconds hesita-
ton I struck no him with all the
strength God had given me. and he
fell dead in The doorway without
word OF a groan I dropped on my
knees by him. Where were the KEYS
I found myself muttering. "The keys.
man, the keysr as though ne had been
yet alive and could listen, and when I
could not end them God forgive met
4 believe struck a dead mans face.
At last / had them. There were but
three. Selling The largest. I felt the
lock OF the door that led 70 the cell.
1 fitted IN the key To was right. The
lock turned. drew the door close
behind me and locked it as noiselessly
as could, putting the key in my
pocket
I found myself go the top OK a flight
OF steep stone stairs An oil lamp
burned dimly In the bracket I took
IL down and held it ina my hand, and
stood and listened
what I'm the devil can Il begr
heard a voice say
Ii came from h.l,nd q door that fac
ed me AZ the bottom OF the stairs.
And another answered:
"shau we Xiii lmtr
strained o. Le1r the answer and
could have sorteI with relief when
Dctchard's voice came grating and
cold:
"Wait bit Ilere'n be trouble n
we strike too SOON"
There was moments silence Then
I heard tho bolt of the door cautiously
drawn back. Instantly I put out tho
light 1 held. replacing the lamp in the
bracket
ITS dark .he lamps out. Have
YOU a liEhtl" said thc other volce-Bcr-
sonin's.
No doubt thcy had light but they
should not use To- 10 was come to the
crisis now and I rushed down the
steps and flung myself against the
door. Berson.a had unboited 81. and
II gave way before me. The Belgian
stood there. sword ia hand. and Detch-
ard was sitSnC on Il couch at the side
or the room. ln astonishmcnt at see
ing me, BersouIn rcc0ilcd: Detchard
jumped 90 his sword. I rushed madly
at the Belgian. lie gave way before
Inc, and l drove him up against the
wall. He was 40 swordsman. though
he fought bravely, and I'm a moment he
lay on the door before me / turned.
Detchard was not thore. Faithful to
his orders. he had not rlsked n aghtI
with me hut had rushed straight to
the door % the kings room. opened IL
and slammed II behind him. Even
now he was az his work inside.
And surely he would have killed the
Hfr al. h.
been Tor ore devoted man who gave
his life FOR Tie king. FOR when 1 forced
the door the sight l saw was this: The
king stood .a the corner OF the room.
Broken by his sickness, no could do
nothing. MS fettercd hands moved
uselessly ~ aid down, and he was
laughing horribly In half mad delirium.
Detchard aHd tho doctor were together
in the middle or the room, and the doc
tor had flung himself on the murderer.
pinnlng his hands TO his sides for an
Instant Then Detchard wrenched him
self free from the feeble grip, and as 1
entered drove his sword through the
hapless man
Then he turned on me. crying:
AT lastr'
We were sword TO sword. BY bless
ed chance neither he nor BersOnln had
been wearing their revolvers found
them afterward, ready loaded. on the
mantelpleee or the outer room. II was
hard by the door, ready to their hands,
but my sudden rush In had cut or ac-
cess to them. Yes, we were man TO
man. and we began to fight, silently.
sterniy and hard. Yet remember lit
tie or IT, save that the man was my
match with the sword-nay, and more,
for he knew more tricks than land
that be forced me back against the
bars that guarded the entrance to ia
cob's ladder. And l saw a smile on
bis face. and he wounded me In the
left arm.
No glory do I take for that contest
I believe that the man would have
mastered ma and slain me and then
done his butchers work. for he was
the most skillful swordsman 1 have