Gunnison news-champion., 1909-03-12

l~hf. Tot It> mouth II cboAsd ~ q
great plt-e ef earthenwsre. and this
piy~. which Is large enough te 1T yuass
tnroaeh il the b-,dy Of q man passss
into the Iaoat. coming to al essa tus-
mediatcly above the surface u ths
water. 80 that there % No I~rc~y,tihae
interval tretweeH water and pige- The
King long dead. his murderer swiftly
ties a weight to the body and. dragging
Il to the windcw. raises 1t by a pulleJ
dor lest the weight should prove too
great I'etchard has provided one, till
i Is level with the mouth Of the pipe
He inserts the feet in the pipe and
pushes the body down. Silently. with
out splash or sound. il falls into the
water aud thence to the bottom of the
moat which is twenty feet deep there
abouts. This done. the murderer cries
loudly. ANS well" aud himself slides
down the pipe and the others. II they
can and the attack is not too hot.
run to the inner room and. seeking .
moments delay. bar the door and in
their turn slide down. Aud though the
King rises not from the bottom. they
rise and swim rouIsi to the other side.
where the orders are for mca to wait
them with ropes. TO haul them out. aud
horses. And here. IL things 20 IN the
duke viii join them aud seek safety
by riding: but If all goes well they will
return to the castle and have their
enemies in a trap. That. sir. is the
plan Of his highness for the disposal
Of the king in case of need. hut IL IL
not TO be used till the last. for. as we
all know. he is not minded to Kill the
king unless lie can. before or soon aft
cr, Iii you also, sir. Now. sir, ! have
spoken the truth. as God IL my wit
ness, and ] pray You to shield me from
the vengeance of Duke Michael: for IT.
after he knows what I have done. I
fan into his hands I shall pray for one
thing out of all the world-a speedy
death, and that | shall not obtain from
him.
The fellows story was ruIely told.
hut our questions supplemented his
narrative. What he had told MS ap-
piled to an armed attack. hut II sus-
picions were aroused aud there came
| ONtf W htIlAiin& IUTtt- Hufu. lot IN
stance. as I. the king. could bring-the
idea of resistance would l,e abandoned
The King would be quietly murdered
ana slid down the pipe. And-bere
comes an ingenious touch Of the
Six would take his place in the cell and
on the entrance of the searchers loud
| ly demand release and redress. and
Michael. being summoned would con
fess to hasty action. but he would say
the man had angered him by seeking
the favor OF lady in the castle (this
was Antoinette de Mauban). and he
had confined him there. rs he conceived
he as Lord of Zenda had right 10 do.
But he was now on receiving his apol-
ogy content TO let him go and No end
the gossip which, to his highness' an
novance. had arisen concerning a pris-
orer in Icnda and had given his Wis
itors the trouble Of this inquiry. The
visitors. baffied. would retire. and Mi
chacl could at his leisure dispose Of the
body of the king
sapt. Fritz and in my bed looke ed
round on one another in horror and be-
wilderment at the cruelty and cunning
OF the plan. Whether went in peace
or in vfr. or"nly at the head Of a
corps or secretly by a stealthy assault.
the king would be dead before l could
come near him. II Michael were
stronger and overcame my party there
would be an end. but il l We're stronger
! should have no way to punish him. no
means of proving any guilt in him
| without proving my own guilt also.
On the other hand. I should he left as
king (ah. for a moment my pulse quick
enedD, and 1t would be for the future
TO witness the final struggle between
him and me. He seemed t. have made
triumph possible and ruin impossible
At the worst he would stand where he
had stood before I crossed his path
with but one man between him and the
throne. and that man an impostor. A,
best there would be none left TO stand
against him. / had begun TO think tina,
Black Michael was overfond of leav,
ing the fighting to his friends. but now
I acknowledged that the brains. if not
the arms. of the conspiracy We're his.
Does the king know this?' | asked.
Il and my brother" answered Jo
ham, put UP the pipe under the or
ders OF my Lord Of HentZau He wal
on guard that day. and the king asket
my lord what it meant Faith he an
swercd. with his airy laugh. its a new
Improvement on the ladder OF Jacob
whereby. rs you have read. sire, mel
pass from earth 10 heaven. We though
it not meet that your majesty shoult
60 in case. sire, you must q. by th.
common route. 50 we have made yJy
pretty private passage, where tn
vulgar cannot stare at you or iuc0m
mode your passage. That sire. j. th,
meaning of that pipe And be laughed
and bowed and prayed The kings leav,
to replenish the kings glass. for tn.
king was at supper. And tie king