The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-02-09

Copyright, 1909, by George
Barr McCutcheon.)
Copyright, 1909, by Doud,
Mead g Company. Published
Sept, 19O0.)
Yes, my dear" said the Duke
of Perse, a smile of relief on his
face. Come, let. me escort you
to the Prince. You have been
most courageous. Graustark shall
not forget it. Nor shall l ever
cease thanking you for the. SER
vice you have rendered to me. /
have succeeded in freeing my un-
happy daughter from the vile
beast to whom l sold her youth
and beauty and purity. Come!
You must not look upon that
earnage!"
Together they left the little
room. AS they stepped into the
narrow hall beyond they realized
that the defenders had been driv-
en- inside the walls of the castle.
The crash of firearms filled the
halls far below; a deafening.
steady roar came up to them.
1t is all over" said the Duke
OF Perse, hobbling across the hall
and throwing open the door to a
room opposite.
A group of terrified women
were huddled in the far corner
of the spacious room. In front of
them was the little prince, a look
of terror in his eyes, but with the
tiny sword clutched in his hand
pathetic figure of courage and
dread combined. The Duke of
Perse held open the door for Lor-
aine Tullis, but she did not enter.
When he turned to call, she was
half way down the top flight of
stairs, racing through the powder
smoke toward the landing below.
AT every step she was scream
ing in the very agony of gladness:
Stand firm! Hold them! Help
is coming! Help is coming!"
A last look through the window
at the end of the hall had revealed
to her the most glorious of visions.
Red and green troops were
pouring through the dismantled
gateway, their horses surging over
the ugly ground-rifts and debris
as If possessed of the tabled wings.
She had seen the rear line in
the storming forces hesitate and
then turn to meet the whirlwind
charge of the cavalrymen. Her
brother was out there and all
was we'll. She was crying the
joyous news from the head of the
grand stairway when Truxton
King caught sight of her.
Smoke writhed about her slim,
inspiriting figure. Her face
shone through the drab fog like
an undimmed star of purest light.
He bounded up the steps toward
her. drawn as by magnet against
which there was no such thing
as resistance.
He was powder-stained and
grimy; there was blood on his
face and shirt front.
you are shot," she. cried,
clutching the post at the bend in
the stairs. '"Truxton! Truxton!"
Not even scratched" he shout
ed, as he reached her side. Its
not my" He stopped short,
even as he held out his arms to
clasp her to his breast. "It's-some-
one else's Blood he finished res
olutely. She swayed toward him
and he caught her in his arms.
II love you-oh. l love you,
Truxton!" she cried over and
over again. He was faint with
Joy. His kisses spoke the adora-
tion he would have cried out to
her If emotion had not clogged his
throat.
"Eric?" she whispered at last,
drawing back In his arms land
looking up into his eyes with a
great pity in her own. "Is he's
he dead, Truxton?"
mo-" he said gently. BADLY
hurt, but"
"He will not die? Thank God,
TruXton. He is a brave-oh, a
very brave man." Then she re-
membered her mission into this
whirlpool of danger. go! Don't
lose moment. darling! Tell Col
onel Quinnox that Jack has come!
The dragons are
He did not hear the end of her
cry. A quick, fierce kiss and he
was gone, bounding down the
stairs with great shouts of en-
couragement.
Leaderless, between the deadly
fires, the mercenaries gave up
the fight after a brief stand at
the terrace. Six hundred horse
men ploughed through them, driv-
ing them to the very walls of the
castle. Here they broke and scat
tered, throwing down their arms
and shouting for mercy. 1t was
all over inside of twenty minutes.
The Prince reigned again.
Nightfall brought complete res
toration of order, peace and
security in the city of Edelweiss.
of lives had been lost
in the terrific conflict of the
early morning hours; hundreds
of men lay on beds of suffering,
crushed and bleeding from the
wounds they had courted and re-
ceiyed.
81 knowed we'd whip them,"
choutad tho princa xuri0 oliu Or