The Washington herald., 1909-04-28

AEASN
The host OF night. so stubbornlg beleag-
Uring. was beginning 10 grow thin and
gaunt. spent with the self-impOsed vigil
the interior OF the coach com +
menced 10 reveal itself. little by little,
to the king
On a sudden the vehicle swerved. and
vacilIated-there was q confused rush Of
hoofs, a seraping Of feet, low medley
OF exciamations, and the coach abruptly
stopped The woman Strengthened up and
uttered a frightened little shrek. The
king. half thrown from the seat, Iunged
fer the coach door. II was fast shut. and
he could not bulge IL He tore aside the
curtains Yelling the thick window in the
top OF II. but his view was blocked by
some Opaque object pressing against,
without The object looked ike the upper
portion Of man.
With momentary violent oscillation. as
II the horses were rearing. and finally
were calmed. the coach moved on TIE
body obscuTing the light disappeared.
The king essayed the door again, but
It was fast as before
Henry" quavered tie woman, clutch
ing him as he sank back into the seat
What has hsppened2"
IT looks as Il somebody has seized the
coach. The door is fastened upon Us.
he answered, striving 10 keep his voice
steady Listen-there are hoofs behind
as well as in 'front.'
He half arose, and endeavOred 20 peer
out OF the window. But the single pane
was narrow, and close against the roof.
and supplied him with merely gray
blank, across which misty trees flashed
Ike ghosts.
He sank back again. AelDlessly
What viii they do with us7 Who is
it, DO you Think" whispered his COM
Dauion. TREMENDOUSLY
He put his arm about her, protectingly.
I was warned OF an abduction: per-
haps this IS it, he said George viii
Go me no harm, be assured Of that But.
possibly. from this moment I an no
longer king. Do you care2"
DO you?"
~ No, Why should I care, II I have
you? I willingly hazarded this. You are
my kingdom. MyTtie-hencefOrth It's the
kingdom OF your two arms Remember
you said you would come when 7 sent
for you. All" he added. exultantiy. we
go into exile together. Are you sorry2
God bless George I owe him a vote OF
thanks
Yes; but you are king by divine
right You have rank wife. a great
people. as your charge Fer voice
flowed even, judicial, probing hin. You
are King Henry OF Stecsin-King Henry
Of Stecsin, Your loyal people wilI fight
for yOu-likely enough they are fighting
now VIII you renOunce your rank. aban-
don your faithful wife, let your people
bleed in vain, Just for-Myrtle Of Mario.
and her love 90
For Myrtle of Mario" he exclaimed.
triumphantly. Let all else 90. 7 am
without shame-except lest you should
be ashamed Of ne; without pride, save
my pride in having you: without mind.
beyond thoughts Of you But you. Myrtle
shall you regret and want your husband
the duke AGAIN."
Il have no husband" she reDlies-a
little sadly. he imagined. He discarded
ne long ago"
But yov do not care he insisted.
jealousy You have your Henry Let
happen what vii, now: We are together "
The coach rolled swiftly on. with soft-
ened sound OF wheel. with padded hoof-
beats before and behind, with easy ioIt
and occasional rasp OF twig along its
sides. denOting that the road was OF the
beaten way. Pajer was waxing the gray.
TIE king half arose again. and looked
through the narrow window
Where are We. can you see7- asked
thhe woman as he settled back.
IN the forest should Judge Cant
- smell the pines? We are OF the
main road. anyway"
DO you suppose they have killed the
driver7' she asked, anxiously.
7 hope not. poor fellow. We heard no
shot, and no groan. you know. They may
have stunned him: OF they may have
gagged him and left him behind"
7 hope not. too, % she b-eathed. Then
oh" she cried. Henry"
Bang Bang Without. and as #
right ahead. rang a loud double pistol
shot The coach lurched. foundered
reeled and tossed crashing into branches.
jerked BY suddenly pIunging horses.
Swelied an instant upTOar Of other shots.
Of Tasp and clangor Of steel. of shouts
Toaths. shrill neighings and screams OF
pain. trampIing OF hoofs, heavy breath
him. XIII the devils" aNot vet,
back. Fritz" NO quarter. boys "Ob.
Cod" Another, is It?'' That's enough
"Cristo." You would. would you - THAT
q
The coach pitched. slsnting as # with
two wheels upon a bank. and was stfl.
The door was suddenly vreched open.
and arms. reaching IN, roughly hauled the
two within from their seat The woman
shrieked, and clung 20 the king-but not
from fesr for herself She was trying
20 protect him with her body. lie fought
TO th.-st her behind him. and stand
upright. but other arms reached for him;
sn onrush closed over him, he vas JOS
] tied 10 and fro. and sent spraWling i
whirlpool Of blows and cries and rapid
movement held him down. IN its nav.
and blinded, bewildered, he was beaten
10 his hands and knees.
I Like the abrupt passing Of a haustorm
I with a hoarse cheer the turmoil about
/ him and over him unexpectedly Iessened
retreated, ceased. On this side and that
/ bushes violently TUstled; Up the road
sounded the tumuItuous beat OF rapid
hoofs- Family came another cheer
I Then al was quiet
The king scrambled % his feet, and
gazed about him
A scant yard n front OF him lay. hud-
| died in the middle Of the road. a dead
man, his left arm slashed 20 tatters. q
| cash across his forehead. a welline
/ swOrd-thrust in his chest. and his wide
aStonished eyes staring upward. On the
eyeballs was dust At the roadside the
coach was standing tilted along a low
bank, its horses dead and their stiffen-
/ ing legs entansled with the harness. One
horse had his head doubled under his
body. The coach door was half open.
hanging with the cant OF the vehicle
But the woman, Where was she1
| Where was the duchess. his companion
/ The kings glance swept about him. wild
/ IN its eagerness. and he breathed quickly
| The roadway was trsmpled, torn. and
cut and furrowed. with blood stains
/ hlotching it; pine needles. drv and brown.
now disaTrayed. overturned and scat
tered and rudely plOughed. covered Il
and made it soft: upon either side clus-
- Il. g.. a-..- ----.-.a-- - -