The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-11-10
The Knight
of the
Silver Star
. was on bis guard in a moment.


"Oh. yes. You will be treated well
until your last day dawns"
And the princess too?"
Eyes. and the other prisoners too"
Gould you not so arrange it that
we might meet upon the rampartsT
'Tmpossibler'
Think. Costa, she is a woman A
kind word of encouragement would
mean so much to her"
Trust me. will speak the kind
word"
"She and l are friends in afliction;
It would mean more to her If l spoke
it"
81 do not doubt that" he said, with
a chuckle. you attempted to deceive
me when you said you did not love
her"
81 reverence her.
"Yet you say you do not love herT'
Have l actually said that? Come,
! Costa. grant me this favor. and you
may demand of me anything it is in
! my power to give. You shall stand by
me while speak TO her. In few
days | shall be lying leaden footed
1 in the river below US. 1t viii be good
to remember that you did comrade
| a service"
81 like you. verrall, but love my
self better. l cannot do it | will see
what can do with the execuioners."
Had | had only myself to think of
l believe should have made dash
| for liberty during one of my daily CON
stitutions and thrown myself from the
ramparts | had Daria to think of
What good was an easy death for me
| if she were left TO suffer?
In these days. indeed. ii would have
been difficult to accomplish such an
/ escape. ! was a show prisoner. At
! the time of my constitutional small
| crowd collected upon the ramparts 10
watch me as walked to and fro
There was. however. a very unpleas
ant side to being show prisoner. AT
| different times my cell was visited by
the aristocracy of the city. even wom-
en- and children coming to look upon
! the man who had once escaped from
Yadasara and was so mighty war
! rior.
My fame had outstripped all reason
| remember clHld who came one day.
| a dark haired little girl with thought
full eyes She stood before me, looking
at me intently Presently | smiled at
her. to her great delight. for she turn
! ed to her mother and remarked:
81 don't believe he would hurt me-"
Poor little woman, | should think
not. Evidently was the fashionable
bogy to brighten naughty children
with.
! Organ constantly came with Costa
never alone The Spaniard was afraid
that his lieutenant might do me an in
jury. Organ never spoke to me. and
over and over again Costa rallied at
him for not making my last days as
pleasant as possible.
Surely it is revenge enough to see
8 former comrade in such bad case"
be urged.
But the freshman was obdurate.
wondered that he could have changed
so completely.
One evening Costa came. accompa
MED by four men. as villainous look
ing a crew surely as could be i'm
! agined. They entered stealthily. as
though they were on a secret mission.
and l rose from my seat. while a
! strange thrill travelled up my spine
l thought my time had come.
Il could not bring them before said
Costa. You have been holding so
many receptions"
was relieved.
'TThe executioners." l said. trying to
appear as if their coming had not dis
concerted me Gentlemen. regret
that the poorness of my dwelling does
not allow me to offer you much hos
pitality nor much comfort. fear.
Perhaps we may have some wine"
81 ordered it as we came said
Costa
Two of my guests lounged against
the wall. and two sat upon the edge
of the table. Organ brought the
/ wine and retired into a corner. |
could not see the expression of his
! face as Coss talked on my behalf.
There are some men it is pleasure
TO help slowly out of life." the Span
lard went on with diabolical careless
ness. THE cries of a coward and a
craven are good music. but there are
others who. having faced death brave
ly every day. should not be allowed to
die slowly even at the hands Of their
enemies. They have been real men all
their lives. with a hand always ready
to help a worthy friend or foe. and it
is for worthy men to help them when
the time comes. We all know that Sir
verrall is a man.
They nodded and drank their wine in
silence.
I thought it was time to speak for
myself
1--WE are all men here" ! said. |
looked tovsrd Organs corner and
hoped he understood that excepted
him. Had we met outside these walls
we should have fought each other to
the death. Whether | fell or my en-
envy fortune would decide. but which
ever it was it would have been an hon
orable fall do not fear even such a
death as you administer within these
walls, but I should like to cheat those
false friends of mine who would gloat
over my lingering agonies-"
"And one of them is a woman. ehF'