The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-01-04
Tophy of
kravonia.
By ANTHONY HOPE.
Autbor OF "Ths Prisoner Of zsnds--
Copyright 1876. Anthony Hope
Hswkins. SD
CONTINUED from Last Issue)
5E ChAPterf
N Iweutyhreeh


of a cruel blow. The charge
against Lepage wounded him
hardly less deeply. He regarded his
body servant with the trustful affec-
ton With grows on an indolent man
In course OF years-of countless days OF
consulting. trusting. relying on one
ever present. ever ready. always trust
worthy. Lepage had been with him
nearly thirty years. There was hardly
secret of the kings manhood which
tie had not known and kept. At last
had he turned traitor.
Stenovics had failed 10 allow for this
human side of the matter-how much
more alone the revelation would make
the king feel. how much more exposed
md helpless lust, moreover. when
Sickness ms.heI his Invaluable servant
more Indispensable still. A forlorn dig
atty filed the kings simple question.
is II true. LepageT
Lepage's lmpassivity vanished. Hes
too. was deeply moved. The sense OF
guilt was on him-of guilt against his
master. II drove him on beyond itself
to fierce rage against those who had
goaded him into his disobedience,
whose action ard plans had made his
dlsobediencc right. for right now he
believed and felt II. His talks with
Zerkovitch had crystallized his sus.
pielons into confident certainty. He
was carried beyond thinking OF what
effect his outburst might have on his
own fortunes or how II might distress
the already harassed king. He struck
back fiercely at his accuser, all his ma
tionai quickness Of passion finding vent
In the torrent OF words he poured forth
IN excuse or Justification. He spoke
his native French very quickly. one
word jostling over another, his arms
flying like windmills and his hair
bristling. as it seemed. with defiance.
'Yes, fits true. sir. ! disobeyed your
matesty-for the first time In thirty
years. For the first time in my life.
sir. did It. And why? Because 1t
was right. Becarse II was for honor.
was angry. yes! I had been scolded
because Count Alexis babe me call him
prince and you heard me do 1t. Yes.
I was angry. Was II my fault? Had
! | told him he was prince? No! Who
had told him be was a prince? Don't
ask me, sir. Ask somebody else. For
my part. know well the difference be
tween one who is prince and one who
Is not. oh. I'm not ignorant Of that! !
know, too, the difference between one
who is a queen and one who is notch.
with the utmost respect TO Nine. Ia
comtessel But | know Il. and ! re-
member n. Does everybody else re
member ty'
He stopped for moment aud clutch
I'd at his stiff. tight collar as though to
wrench II away from his neck and let
the stream of his words flow even more
freely. While he paused nobody spoke
stenovics' heavy gare was on the king.
stafnltz's eyes discreetly on the cell
Ing. The countess looked scared. Had
they made mistake? Would 1t have
been better to run the risk of what Lee
page could do? The kings hands were
on the table In front Of him. They
trembled where they lay.
why wasn't the prince to know:
Because then he wouldn't go on his
Journeys His Journey after the Ger
man princessr' lie faced Stenovics
now. boldly and defiantly. pointing a
forefinger at him. Yes. they wanted
him to go. Yes. they did! Why, sir?
To marry a princess-a great princess?
Was that what they wanted? Eth. but
1t would have been little use for Count
Alexis to ask me to call him a prince
thenl And MIMI IN Comtesse-with the
utmost respect TO Nine. la Comtesse-
she wanted a great princess here? oh.
she wanted that nightly. to be sure!'
The king stirred uneesily in his chair
"Sir. will you listen to himT the
countess broke In.
His answer was cold. IL listen to
every man before order him to be
punished"
Eyes. they wanted him 10 go. Yes.
certainly Fer he trains his men at