The Washington herald., 1909-04-28

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mouth. stared appealingly at him as he
approached. But twas not The face OF
the duchess: twas the scratched. des-
perate face Of Sir Momus. the fool
Your calculated the king. with amaze
ment.
He slipped the bsndags holding TIE gag.
which the fool promptly spat out. He
released the cord BY which. IN his cloak.
the Jester had been trussed ike 2 basting
fowl
The fool, showing the king aside, stag
gereG 70 his feet: he was bare-headed,
and MS cloak, falling back, showed his
azure costume disarTansed. rent, and
stained
The queen! Where is the queen?' he
gasped.
The queen, You mean the duchess,
The woman in the cOach?'
"Oh. GOdt'' cried the fool The que n
She was IN the coach with your
He went stumbling down r. 3sd,
searching right and left. and IT, king.
stammering. his heart IN a cold. benumb-
ing clutch. followed The fool gave 1T
tie cry. and darted into the long grass
which rad sprung in a gap among the
stress Of the roadside. just across from
where the horses had fallen
The king found him bending over a
black mass that was there crushing down
the stems IL a small circle. only a few
steps from the road. Il was the woman,
still in her enveloping cloak and hood
Stand back" commanded the fool
harshly, and murmurIng 20 himself he
threw the yelling of from the face.
Fear stricken. chagrined. the king, star
ing, beheld, not the low-browed black
and white of the duchess. but-true as
heeven-the sweet. demure fairness Of the
queen, his wife What a deathiy pallOT
was upon her countenance; what a fright
ful quiet about her form
Doris" exclaimed the king
Dead" moaned the fool, frantically
Strengthening her limbs. chafng her
hands, luttering Ike an azonized parent
bird NO. no. God. make her live,
Why did I let her come, But am not
20 blame. He is 10 blame. And yet
out OF the way" he ordered. inperatIvely.
gathering her into his arms and lifting
her. II must give her more air Out Of
the way, murderer. CO 10 your duchess. .
Dunbly the king drew aside and lst
him pass. ObedienJlv. as well as dumbly,
watched him bear her with swift, ener-
getic stride across the road and lay heT
down. there n the open upon the cloak;
numbly approached and faltered:
Does she not breathe2"
she il coming hack murmUred the
fool. 10 himself. working over her. -TnanE
God 1here-her eyelids hutser-she viii
not 6ie-she IS coming-surely she IS CON-
ing Yes-yes; heaven is not going Z
suffer IL Pass on. Death You are not tc
have her- Thank God-thank GOdy'
The queens eyes haG slowly unclose5
she gently. sweetly smiled.
Doris CRIED the king, springing for
ward. "Oh. Doris ne repeated. kneelins
beside her. wretched implOFatio1. self
condemnation. in his tones.
With sudden alarm the queen struggled
70 sit up. Il was as II she would draw
back FROM the king. Her forehead puck
cred IN a puzzled knot. and her eyes
Travelled from one fact 70 the other
thence 10 the wrecked coach. the dead
man. the trees. and back
7 co mt understand" she said. sup
porting herself BY one hand and puttine
the other, inquiTingly. TO her head In
consciously her fingers proceeded 20 Ts
arrange her hair. from which her hood
had dropped back.
Doris besOught the king
Your majesty IS betterl" addressed tn
fool, standing. painting with his excess Of
agitation.
SIR responded the Qrven, with vague
questioning infection.
Doris. Can you forgive me2~ entreat-
ed the king. laying his hand over hers
on the ground
SIR, rebuked the queen, with hauteur
shifting her hand.
Il DO not understand" she appealed
again, seeking. as II instinctively. th.
fool
For Gods sake explain: there is
great deal I don't understand myself,
bade the king. with a trace OF irritation
Wait" warned the fool. lifting q re
straining, cautionary finger
From UP the road sounded the thud a
gaIlopiRg hoOfS. The king sprsng TO hi:
feet On the instant three horsemen. two
abreast and one behind. swung around
the curve. and. riding hard bore jinglt1e
pounding down
Arrived, they pulled Up sharply. saC
pumped into the roadway; and q tht
same moment four other men. with lone
swords in hand. came Iaboring. pantang
through the trees on the left. ana Joined
the company
The suns first beams flashed athwart
the road through rift in tae forest
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