Gunnison news-champion., 1909-02-26
e!h:prisoner !
=; ::;:''' q: @&Zenda.

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- .. " nssas mean. soe sapt No less
shaa uyseaf. s~cognized that the pres-
eat state of taiags had becoae uueS-
Auratle.
And there vas one thing that ]
dared - calcuisse on-not. as ] NOV
know. without warrant. Ut vas this
asat Mack Michael would n" believe
that I meant well ey the King. He
sssstd nct apvrs-ciase-I viii not say an
houe~t man. for the thoughts VI ny
e~p heart have been revealed-eut
man acting hSsss~tly. he ssw my -
partNnity as ! had ssen it. ~ SEPT had
seeu it: ke knew the Dripcess
tapA ] declare that = sseaking sort cf
psty tar him INVADED nse,. In his way
he loved her. He would think that
Say,t aud Fritz could he brited. 80 the
brilse we're large enough. Thinking
thus. wo<ld he Lii the King. my rival
and my dangcrf Aye, verify, that he
would. with as little compunction as
he would Kill a rat hut he would kill
Rudolf Rassendyn FIRST. il he could.
and nothing but the certainty Of being
utterly damned by the release of the
king alive and his restoration TO the
throne would drive him 10 throw away
the trump card which he held in re-
serve 10 balk the supposed game of the
impudent impostor RassendylL Mus
ing on all this as I rode along. l took
courage.
Michael knew Of my coming sure
enough. ] had not been in the house
an hour when an imposing embassy
arrived from him. lie did not quite
reach the impudence of sending my
would lie assassins. but he sent the
other three Of his famous Six-the
three Ruritanian gentlemen, Lauen-
gram. krafstein and Rupert Hentzau
A fine. strapping trio they We're. splen-
didly horsed and admirably equipped
Young Rupert. who looked a dare
devil and could not have been more
than twenty-five or twenty-thce took
the lead and made us the neatest
speech. wherein my devoted subject
and loving brother. Michael of Strel-
sau. prayed me to pardon him for not
paying his addresses in person and.
further. for not putting his castle at
my disposal the reason for both of
these apparent dcrelictions being that
he and several Of his servants lay sick
Of scarlet fever and were in a very
sad and also In very infectious state
No declared yosng Rupert with an IN
soient smile on his curling upper lip
and toss Of his thick hair-he was a
handsome villain, and the gossip ran
that many n lady had troubled her
heart for him already
''If my brother has scarlet fever"
said !. ''he is nearer my complexion
than he is wont TO be. my lord. I
trust he does aot suffer"
''IIe is able TO attend to his affairs,
sire"
Il hope all beneath your roof are not
sick. What cf my good friends De
Gautct rcrs9nin and Detchard? I
heard the last had suffered a hurt"
I.auengram and Krafstein ed
glum and uneasy. but young Rupert's
smile grew broader.
He hopes soon to find a medicine
for it. sire" he answered.
And ! burst out laughing, for knew
what medicine Dctchard longed for. 1t
II called revenge
You will dine with us. gentIemen?'
I asked
Young Rupert was profuse in apollo
gies. They had urgent duties at the
castle
Then" said !. with a wave of nv
hand. TO our next meeting. gentlemen.
May II make us better acquainted"
I'VE will pray your majesty for an
early opportunity" quoth Rupert air
ily. And he strobe past Sapt with such
jecring scOrn on his face that saw the
old fellow clinch his fist and scowI I
black as night.
FOR my part, IL man must needs /
he knave l would have him a debo-
nair knave, and ! liked Rupert Hent- /
Eau better than his long faced. close
eyed companions. II makes your sin
no worse, as I conceive. TO do it a la
mode and stylishly.
Now. ii was a curious thing that ON
this first night. instead Of eating the
excellent dinner my cooks had pre
pared for me. | must needs leave my
gentlemen TO eat it alone under SAINTS
presiding care. and ride myself with
Fritz 10 the town of Zenda and n
certain little inn that knew of. There
was little danger in the excursion. The
evenings were long and llglIt, and the
road this side of Zenda well frequent
ed. SO of we rode. with groom be-
hind us. I muille1 myself mp in big
cloak.
fritz. said | as we entered the
town. there's an uncommonIv pre,tr
girl nt this inn
How do you know" he asked
Because I've been there" said l.
"Since'- he began.
No. Before" said !!