The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-11-03
The Knight
of the
Silver Star
81 am no traitor. I"

by her knights.
81 stand here princess of Drussen-
land" she said. "The fortune OF war
places me here standing. while the real
traitor remains seated in my presence.
You. who call yourself the king. are
no king. nor are you established here
in Yadasara by the will of true Drus-
senlanders You are king only by the
help of these paid foreigners. whose
very names and country are unknown
to you. For the judgment of your
court l care nothing"
1--WE shall find means to subdue that
bold spirit within you. madame" said
the king
ITO XIII 1t. not to subdue it." she an
swered
$50 have many spoken. Words come
easily. But let us argue a little, ma
dame In your accusations be just
We are not all foreigners. Am not
a Drussenlander?"
zone l should have delighted to
honor had you been true to your coun-
try and your sovereign" was the an
swer.
I expected to see the king become
savage. but he astonished me by laugh
Ing heartily. There was something of
our own Charles II about this mon
arch. If an answer were ready enough
he could appreciate it, even if it were
against himself.
"See what we have lost. By being
king we forego the happiness of being
honored by a queen. What will you
say then. madame. of Count Vasca?
Surely he is a true Drussenlander
since he is your kinsman?"
'aThere are no words fitting. You
and your assumption of majesty can
understand You have fought me face
to face. a determined struggle in
which you have won. 1t was treacn-
cry, indeed, but it was treachery open
to the sun If treachery can be hon
est, yours was. But for the man who
hides his treachery behind a smile,
who works in secret to destroy those
he processes to honor; for the false
friend, the coward who dare not be
an open enemy. there are no words.
Gather all the scoundrels there are in
Drussenland together. take from each
one the meanest trait he has. and of
these traits build you up IA man. Even
then shall you have man l would
rather claim kindred with than with
Count Vasca."
at seems you are a dangerous
| friend said the king, turning to him.
'fYour majesty has not found me So"
True. You see. madame. it is well
sometimes to use similar weapons TO
those used by an adversary. If your
enemy sends spy we. too, must do the
same or our ignorance may lose US the
day. Count Vasca has received harsh
language from your lips. What have
you to say to your knight there? True,
he was faithful to you, but be just.
He is a spy By lie he entered Yada-
sara. He betrayed his friend, one Cap
tain Organ, who is with US to bear
witness against him. More-he at
tempted to kill him. What harsh words
have you for that man thereE
The kings finger. pointed at me.
caused all eyes to turn toward me; Da-
ria's also.
"Gather the best in Drussenland." she
said slowly Take what is bravest,
truest, from them all and make me
man. A great Drussenlander indeed
would he be. yet head and shoulders
over him would rise Sir Verrall-Clin-
ton Verrall-my knight of the Silver
Star
For some moments there was silence,
and no voice was raised to sheer at the
character which had been given me.
you have a powerful advocate Sir
Knight" said the king presently. but
there is another side to the question
which condemns you deeply"
81 am not worthy either of such high
praise. your majesty. or such deep con-
demnation.'
You are modest as well as valiant,
it would SEEM"
81 lay claim to being an honest gen.
tleman. The world holds no higher
distinction.
do honest men lie?' he asked Sc
yerely. You did, else had you not
entered Yadasara the first time"
Pardon, your highness. 1t was
Captain Organ who gave certain ac-
counts of me, which satisfied you. In
truth. my coming TO the city was in
the nature of a flight from my enc
mics"
1 was not disposed to spare Organ.
Why should l be?
"a valiant knight does not fee from
his enemies" said the king
81 fed from a would be assassin
Count Vasca."
''Truly, count, you have grievous
charges laid against you"
"WhO would believe the word of a
spy?" said the count savagely.
''That is well spoken, Sir Knight
A spyl What say you to that?'
Even what your majesty said just
now. 1t is wise TO handle similar
weapons to those used by an enemy.
In the princess camp there was not
one spy, but a hundred. Ever since
came to Drussenland Count Vasca and
his friends have been working to be-
tray the princess She had not been
here now to hear your judgment had
not that scoundrel turned against her
in the day of battle. sealing a long
season of treachery by a crime that
any man must revolt at, that your