The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1910-02-07
Story n,,,, Sf TRUXTON KING" s ktSs:b ssm

Imand to ride forth. Worn, bag
gard fellows, who had slept but
little and who had eaten scarcely
Anything for three days; men who
would have starved to death. Now
they were forgetting their hunger
and fatigue in the wild, exultant
joy of the prospect ahead.
Meantime, King had crossed
the grounds with Colonel Quin-
nox, on the way to the castle. He
was amazed, almost stupefied, by
the devastation that already had
been wrought. Trees were down;
great, gaping holes in the
ground marked the spots where
shells had fallen; the plaza was
an almost impossible heap of ma
sorry and soil, torn and rent by
huge projectiles. But it was his
first clear view of the castle it
self that appalled, the American.
A dozen or more balls had
crashed into tho facade. Yawn-
| ing assures, gigantic holes. mark
ed the path of the ugly messen-
gers from Marlanx. Nearly all
of the windows had been wrecked
by riflemen who shot from the
roofs of palaces in and about the
avenue. Two of the smaller min
arets were in ruins; huge pillar
in the lower balcony was gone;
the terrace had been ploughed VI
by a single ricochetting shell,
Great God!" gasped King. at
is frightful!"
"They began bombarding yes
terday afternoon. We were asked
to surrender at three o'clock. Our
lreply brought the shells, Mr..
King. 1t was terrible.
And the loss of life, Colonel?'
demanded the other breathlessly.
after the first two or three
shells we found places of shelter
for the prince and his friends.
They are in the stone tower beyond
the castle overlooking what still
remains of the ancient moat. All,
there are no faltering hearts here,
Mr.. King. The most glorious
courage instead. Count Yes EngC
guards the prince and the ladies
of the household. Alas! it was
hunger that we feared the most.
Today we should have resorted to
horses flesh. There was no other
way. We knew that relief would
come some day. John Tuhis
was there. We had faith in him
and in you. And now it is today!
This shall be our day, thank God!
Nothing can stand before us!"
"Tullis is very anxious about
his sister," ventured Truxton.
Quinnox looked straight ahead.
but smiled.
"she is the pluckiest of them
ALL"
"Is she well?"
perhaps a trifle thin, sir, that
is all. / dare say that is due to
scarcity of nourishment, although
the prince and his closest associ-
lates were the last to feel depriva-
ton.
"How does the prince take all
this, COLONEL"
"As any Prince of Graustark
would. sir. There is no other
Iway. 1t is the blood"
/ Poor little chap"
| "He will rejoice to know that
lyou have found his lucky stone
lso effective. The prince has new
er wavered in his loyalty to that
-Ipebble, SIR"
j Together they entered the cas-
sltle. Inside there were horrid
-Isigns of destruction, particularly
loft the balconies.
4 "No one occupies the upper
} lpart of the castle now. SIR"
d Attendants sped to the tower
shouting the battle tidings. Nc
: lcompunction was felt in arousine
j the sleeping household. AS a mat
ter of fact, there was no protest
, from the eager ladies and gentle
men who hurried forth to heal
. the news.
, The prince came tumblinl
down the narrow iron stairs from
glhfs room above. shouting Joyous
-ify TO Truxton King. No man wal