The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1909-11-19

tOHlt, GlliI Won ltdNtllS'tiH, tii'
Princess answered, suddenly calming
herself, becoming rigid like some
| snake that is suddenly hypnotiZed by
the voice of an Indian charmer.
Come, and will show you something
more"
Her white and jewelled hand
clutched the purple velvet of his coat,
and she drew him to the opposite wall.
Then, still holding him with her left
hand, with her right she tore the cur
tain away from what was hidden.
Look there" she cried. Fix your
eyes upon that"
The Young man looked and shud-
dered. Two other young men, watch
ing this mad and terrible scene like
statues frozen by the horror of it all,
looked also.
And this is what they saw. In the
full electric beam curtain showed a
picture Of the Duchess of London in
all her radiant beauty. glancing out at
them as if she was ready 10 step out
of the picture and come down to end
this scene Of horror.
Look Look the Princess cried
her voice now rising into an insane
scream of dreadful hatred. Look
Won Ravensten! That is the dread
full woman who took him. That is the
mother Of this thing in the cage. May
the curses of God fall upon her. May
she never see again"
AS she screamed out this, something
more noble than any feudal tradition
asserted itself in the young man. He
rushed up to the wild. stately figure
in it's crimson gown. swaying and
shrieking with the hate of a madwOm-
an. and caught her by the arms.
Princess he said. you must come
away! You must come away! There
is an end to everything think
think"
She flung the courtier from her with
the strength of madness. One white
hand flashing with diamonds, went up
to her hair. She withdrew long sill
yer pin and with an awful pantherlike
movement began to circle round the
steel cage toward its gate.
Fritz" she said. in quiet, rising
voice, which was exactly like the slow
escape of steam from an Overcharged
boiler. "Fritz. think you are right.
Perhaps it would be better to end it
now | will take this pin. First of all
will push it into his eyes-and then
all. over"
ger sound which echoed and re-
echoed in the still and brilliant salons
of the palace, as Grant and Marriott
threw from themselves a hypnOtism
which had bound their limbs and froz
en- their hearts with horror, and burst
into the chamber with cleaning revol
vers in their hands.
Grant rushed at the Princess. He
caught her wrist in his strong left
hand, twisted the shining pin away
from it. and forced the dreadful wOm-
an upon the floor. Then. mad as he
was. he lifted his right hand and
brought it down with terrible force
upon the writhing face.
Even as he did so he fell upon his
knees and gasped at what he had
done
The Princess lay motionless. Grants
hands went up to his face and COW
cred his eyes.
Il have hit wOman," he said, in
thick, gutteral accents. II have hit
woman Heaven forgive NE. have
hit a woman."
Then he also sank Imply upon the
floor and seemed to sleep.
Won Ra~enstein had been kneeling
against the wall His whole face had
become a mask of blank and idiotc
terror, but when Michael sank moan
ing by the side of the woman in red
velvet. sOmething-some automatic
and gave strength to his impulse and
purpose to his movements.
He leapt straight at Basil Marriott,
bending all his limbs together, as a
stone goes from catapult.
In a second the two men were
ocked in terrible embrace. They
swayed and staggered over the stone
door, groaning and straining witho3'
A word.
Basirs open right hand was presse
against the Germans chin. and mo
ment by moment his right arm grew il
strength. and he felt the head of h
adversary gradually pressing back
pressing back towards that dreadful
instant when there would come a
slight click. and life,ess form an6
broken spine would fall beneath th'
terrible onslaught.
Round and round the prone figure
Of Michael Grant and the Princess th'
'rightful contest spun and circled. an
hen suddenly the little creature IL
he cage woke up. and tiny voice y
md etched itself into the silence
he fight.
Mother. mother. | want mother.
The piteous wailing voice struc'
Basil Ike blow. He relaxed hi
muscles for a single moment. and a
se did SO the strong young German
officer gave gasp OF relief, twisted
away from him like an eel, staggere.
or moment. and then ran shouting
through the two great lighted rooms