The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-19
By George Barr McCulchesa.


creature Graustark hns ever seen--not
quite so grand as the Countess lingo
raedc. but fairer. believe me. She In
beloved by every one. She Is to be
married to the Count vos Engo, a fine
lad, sir Now she Is gone don't know
what he will do Suicide mnyhap."
do you know the great Count Mar
lanxy' demanded King, possessed OF
a sudden thought The man faced him
at tie mention of the name, a sus.
picious CLEAN in his eyes.
Count Marianx" he snorted, There
was no nistaking the angry scowl-
Are yon friends oftthat snakei--If
you are. get ont of ny cart
Hes all right cried Truxton. Tell
him who we are. Lorraine. and why we
must get to the city"
Five minutes later the farmer, over
come by the siupendous news. was
lashing his oxen with might and main.
The astonished beasts tore down the
road to Rom so bravely that there
seemed some prospect of getting a
telegram through In time. AT Rom
they learned that the operator had
been unable 20 call Edelweiss since
o'clock.
In tirle the city gates came in sight,
far up the straight. narrow road.
Ii seemed TO the quirering Americans
that the gates were hooking them by
drawing farther away instead of com.
ing nearer.
Near the gates. which were still open.
1t occurred to hin In single fash OF
dismay thar he and i.og-s inc would he
recognized aud intercepted by Marianx
watchers
They might succeed IN passing the
gates II they AlI tE.2lIlsalre2 in the he'd
OF the cart arLerl44,ifh the thick can
vas covering The farmer lifted the
cloth, ard they c-awied down among
the melons.
ITO the tower" cried the anxious
Truxton
Impossible" shouted the farmer.
1.-THE streets are ropcd of. aud the
crowds are ico great
Then iet Us OFT as near 10 the tower
as possible cried tie other
Here We are cried the driver
few minutes 's-esc pulling up bis half
dead oxen ana ,eapilg to the ground.
on through an alley they hurried.
Trey cane 10 The crowded square few
minutes later. The clock 10 the cathe-
-3raI pesateti to- l. o'clock and after.
The catastrophe had not yet taken
place. They were in time. Every
where they heard glad voices crying
out that the prince was coming.
Great Cod" cried Truxton. stop
ping snddeniy and paaatias with tFeH--
bling hand to spot across the street.
There she Is. At the corner. Stop
her,
He had caught sight OF Olga Plata
nova.
The first row of Dragons was al
ready passing in front of her. Less
than 300 feet away rolled the royal
coach OF gold.
An anarchist shouted King hoarse-
ly. He looked like one himself. The
bomb. The bomb. Stop the prince
Colonel Quinnox recognized this
bearded, uncouth figure and the flying.
terrified girl at his heels. King was
dragging her along by the hand
QnlnDox alone prevented the dra-
goons from cutting down the pallid
mailman who stumbled blindly toward
the coaches beyond
Stop the coach" cried King.
Panic seized the crowd. Olga Plata.
nova stood nlone. her eyes wide and
CLASSY. staring as il petr!fed at the
face OF Truxton King.
He saw the object In her wavering
hand. A plain. white faced farmer In
n smock Of blue was crossing the street
with mighty bounds. his eyes glued
upon the arm OF the fraiI. terrified an
nrchist IL he could only arrest that
paisied. uncertain arm.
But she hurled the bomb. her hands
going to her eyes as she fell upon her
knees.