The San Francisco call., 1908-05-17
CHAPTER XVII
A Daring Plan

he position OF Zeno was oufta
ciear to Zoe now. and a great
wave OF happiness lifted her and
bore her on with IT as she real
lied that she might save his life Just
when his chances looked most hope
less, and that whether she succeeded
or failed her own must certainly be
staked for his. Heroism Is nearer the
surface in women than In most men.
and often goes quite as deep.
Zoe had understood very suddenly
how matters stood, and that Tock.I-
mish and his men meant TO let Zeno
perish, simply because he might ruin
them all II he regained his liberty:
or, II it were found out that he was
taken. they intended to hand him over
to Andronicus. 1t was not at all likely
that they would set him free even il
they got the great ransom they de-
manded.
But II by any means Johannes could
be brought suddenly from his prison
cell. all Constantinople would rise in
revolution to set him on the throne, and
II would be as dangerous to keep his
friend zeno in confinement as IL now
out. The first thing to be done was to
reach Johannes himself and warn him.
and this could only be accomplished bv
woman. GOrlias knew the soldiers.
and had as much influence with them as
any one, perhaps. and whatever could
be done from without he would do:
yet II was quite certain that the men
could not be got together again unless
Johannes were actually free.
me difficulty lay there To reach
hlm was one thing. and within the
bounds OF possibility; TO bring him out
would be quite another But Zoe had
confidence in the devotion OF the cap
tain's wife. Of whom Gorllas had told
her, and believed that in such a case
two women could do more than 10 men.
Yet she saw that 1t might be fatal
to let the imprisoned emperor know
that Zeno was himself a prisoner. To
prevent this she conceived the plan OF
writing letter in the Venetian's name.
accepting on behalf OF the republic the
gift OF Tenedos and promising instant
help and liberty. Zeno had given his
word that he would renew the attempt
for the sake OF Tenedos though for
nothing else. This condition being ac-
cepted, she knew that nothing could
hinder him from keeping his word if
he were free She would therefore,
only be writing for him what he him
sides. if she needed a more valid ex-
cuse, it would be done to save his
life.
Her learning stood her in good stead
now as she carefully pennsd the an
swer on stout Paduan paper. She made
Zeno thank the emperor on behalf OF
the serene republic for his generous
gift, and say that he was ready, that
not moment should be lost, and lat
in an hour the sovereign should be re-
stored to his people or Carlo 1enO
would die IN the attempt
This last phrase, as IL ran from her
pen, seemed to her little too theat-
rical to be Zenos own. but shs deter
mined to let II stand for the sake OF
the impression II should make on Jo-
hannes. Zoe did not know whether
Johannes had even seen zeno's hand
writing or not. but that mattered lit
tie in those days. when many fine gem
uemen could not write their own let
ters. She folded the sheet neatly In
small square, and placed II IN her shoe
by way OF experiment, to see whether
it would stay there while she walked.
She did all this while Gorlias was
gone, and before he came back the
afternoon was half over, though the
spring days were growing long. He
told her that the Tartar was safe In
his quarters. where he would probably
the infinite rage and disgust OF his
men. They had expected him 70 return
laden with gold or with the secure
promise OF Ii. and he had come back
not only empty handed. but hopelessly
drunk; and as they knew him well. but
did not know that he had swallowed a
dose OF opium that would have sent a
tiger to- sleep, they medltated in
gloomy thirst on the quantity OF strong
wine he must have absorbed during
an absence which had only lasted two
hours What he had told Zoe OF their
coming TO fetch him if he stayed too
long had been a pure invention to
frighten her: they did not even know
where he had been, for he had merely
announced his intention OF going out
to collect Zeno's ransom from the Vens-
tian merchants and his reputation for
strength and ferOcity was such that
they had not dreamed OF his needing
help.
Cro Be Continued Next wssk)