Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-05-30

castle. And within yard or two of
 their ranks by the side of the road sat
 the figure which he knew so we'll and
 so well loved.
 Now Mistitch played his card, that move in the game which Sophy's cool submission to his demand had for the
 moment thwarted, but to which the princess headlong anger and fear now gave an opening, the opening which
 Stafnitz had from the first foreseeH. It would need little to make the fiery prince forget pruGlace when he was face to face with Mistitch. It was not safe game for Mistitch personally both Stafnitz and he knew that-but Captain Hercules was confident He would not be caught twice by the Vol seni trick of sword! The satisfaction of his revenge and the unstinted re- wards that his colonel offered made 1t worth his while to accept the risk and rendered it grateful to his heart.
 Sophys sat smiling. She would fain have averted the encounter and had shaped her maneuvers to that end. 1t was not to be so, 1t seemed Now, she did not doubt monseigneur's success, but she wished that Zerkovitch had not reached Volseni so quickly; that the prince had stayed behind his walls till his plans were ready, and that she was going a prisoner to Slavna to see the king, trusting to her face her tongue. her courage and the star of her own fortune. Never had her buoyant self confidence run higher.
 On the top of the causeway Max von Hollbrandt looked to his revolver, Pc ter Vassip loosened his knife in it's leather sheath. A window above the gate opened. and Marie Zerkovitch's frightened face looked out. The wo- men servants jostled old vassip in the doorway. The grooms stood outside the stables. No one moved Only the princes little troop came on. When they were fifty yards away Mistitch cried to his men. Draw swords" and himself pricked his horse with his spur and rode up to where Sophy was.
 Mistitch drew his horse up parallel to Sophy's, head to tail, on her right side, between her and the approaching force. With the instinct of hatred she shrank away from him. It had all been foreseen and rehearsed in Stafnitz's mind. Mistitch cried loudly, .'In the kings name. Baroness Dobravaw He leaned from the saddle and caught her right wrist in his huge hand. He had the justification that at his first attempt to touch her Sophy's hand had flown to her little revolver and held it now. Mistitch crushed her. wrist. The re. volver fell to the ground. Sophy gave one cry of pain. Mistitch dropped her wrist and reached his arm about her waist. He was pulling her from her horse, while again he cried out: "In the kings name! On guardw
 It was high jump from the top of the causeway, but two men took it side by side-Max von Hollbrandt. revolver in hand. Peter vassip, with knife un, sheathed.
 AS they leaped. another shout rang out, Long live King Sergius"
 The prince rode his fastest. but faster still rode Zerkovitch. He outpaced the prince and rode right in among Mis- titch's men. crying loudly again and again unceasingly: 'The king is dead! The king is dead! The king is deadw
 Then came the prince. He rode full at Mistitch. His men followed him and dashed, with shock. against the troopers of Mistitch's escort. As they rode they cried, Long live King Ser gius" They had unhorsed a dozen men and wounded four or five before they realized that they met with no re- sistance. Mistitch's men were para lyzed. The king was dead. They were to fight against the king! The magic of the name worked. They dropped the points of their swords The Volseni- ans. hesitating to strike men who did not defend themselves, puzzled and in doubt, turn d to their bailiff-their king for his oi iers.
 As the pr nee came up Mistitch hurl- cd Sophy f om him. She fell from her horse, oft. grassy road side an,' nlurt save for a