The Washington herald., 1909-05-02
When the King Awoke
(CONCLUDED
BY Edwin L. Sabin
CONCLUDED

THEY set forth Sir Hugo leading
off, without hesitation through
the trees, the queen, murmuring plain.
tive protests, her slippers already
bursted and torn, essaying TO keep by
his side and the duchess, her gown
draggling with damp and clinging to
her limbs, mutely trudging at the
kings heels.
Beneath their tread the pine needles
were soft and yielding. Their course
vas noiseless, save for the swishing
ot the duchess wet skirt and the
twtching of It as il bound her ankles
save for the swinging of some obtru-
sive branch, and the rasp Of a hand
upon bark
The route was ever tending down.
ward-short climbs being succeeded
by long descents The Jester led con
fidently on. The sun began to pour
his beams amongst the trees, and
chill was ousted by humid warmth, as
soaked earth and foliage rapidly died,
The steadfast pace was merciless
but with only a bare pause, now and
then, nervously 20 send a searching
glance rearward, into some vale that
they had just traversed. or athwart
some slope, the jester pushed ahead.
What upheld the straining queen,
what upheld the plodding duchess, un.
less that latent strength of spirit
which is woman's intrinsic heritage,
who may tell but the face OF Sir
Hugo was running water, and the
throat Of the king was narrowed and
dry.
The party surmounted a little rise.
and 10, before them was spread across
their way a long valley; the hither
flank, adown which the forest contn
ued sloping from beneath their feet
TO a stream below the farther side
rising steep and rocky, upon the crest
OF IL the wall of a city, beyond the
wall roof and spire and tower, here
and there glinting i'm the morning
sun; issuing from the wall, and flow
ing oblquely. gradually cutting lower.
q yellow road, and parallelng the
wall, upon either hand Of the road,
long, thin camp-the hazy blue OF
curling smoke, the flutter OF pennant.
the occasional gleam Of arms per.
fectly distinct. To the ears upon the
hill-tops was waited elhn shout. faint
neigh, and far-oh blows Of a hammer.
At the brink OF the stream, below.
horsemen were watering their steeds.
nVER all was the intense blue of the
~ beautiful Stecsin sky. Flat against
II, above the city, was Stecsins great
red osprey--banner.
"Thesau!" breathed the king.
"And beleagured--mark the camp?"
said Sir Hugo.
True muttered the king His
eyes flashed. by st. jude" he ex.
claimed, they shall beleaguer I'm
vain!"
"Is It there where we get break
fast?" inquired the queen, mildly. 1T
is so far!"
"Ah!' cried the king See!
sortie ST. Jude for Stecsinl'
His chest heaved and his breath ex-
papded his nostrils. A gate in the
wall had magically opened, and out
into the road was streaming headlong
with gleam OF steel, puff Of powder
rearing OF horse and jostling OF shout
der against shoulder, an eruption OF
hornets from Thesau's angry hive.
In the camp was hasty mounting OF
steed, scampering Co and fro, drawing
of blade and puff answering puff The
men at the waters ed &c went gallop-
ing upward, squirting and belaboring.
For q few seconds the confusion was
all in pantomime. Then burst upon
the ears of the watchers on the hill
top the belated, pent-up tidings-med.
ley of trumpet-note and shot and shout
and cheer, subdued but fierce; the
clamor OF deadly conflict. In mass