Bismarck daily tribune., 1911-12-08

the lady an awkward nurse. No,
cannot tell you what the circumstances
were."
":Why am l prisoner here? Has
Vasca headed revolution and been
successful?"
"Had he done so you would have
been no longer even prisoner. But
come; will save your questionings
and tell you what can. You perhaps
remember what the man who attacked
you said when he was dyingr
'That he should be free II he killed
! me-"
II judged that was what he meant" "
said Jasar. II tried to get him to tell
more, but he died too quickly. He
must have been deceived, for freedom
had already been granted to all the
prisoners without conditions. There
fore, Sir Verrall, an enemy has en-
deavored to take your life by the hand
of this prisoner"
"And the enenly?' I asked
1.-THE man died before he could
speak," Jasar answered.
but how did he pass the guards at
the head of the staircase"
"As soon as your safety had been
looked after and you had been brought
here her highness sent for the men.
The truth will perhaps never be known.
There was treachery in our midst" ia
SVT1n xxvhn1n no 10
awake at once, and even in the town
there was little sleep that night. Search
was made for the murderers in vain.
At the council next day her highness
did her utmost to probe the matter to
the root. She let it be understood that
she believed it treachery against her.
self; that the assassin's dagger was in
tended for her, and shout Of loyalty
was the answer. It rang in the rafters
Of the council hall and found an echo
In every street in the city. Then, Sir
verrall-aml mark you this well-her
highness said that it was you who had
saved the life Of the sovereign, coming
near to your own death in the act.
There was no shout Of praise, Sir Yer.
rail-. Almost dead silence followed"
"Her highness tried to throw her pro.
lection over me and failed" I said
quietly.
"She failed, yes, even worse than
failed, for the priests attacked you
hercely for breaking their laws. They
held that your advice had been proved
worthless, since one Of these prisoners
had attempted to kill the princess, and
many saw reason in their argument"
"Did they say that they had been
mistaken in proclaiming me the expect
ed knight?"
'"The priests are wiser than that,
Sir rerrall," he answered. "They have
studied again. You were the knight,
but you have broken the laws Of Drus-
senland, you have angered the God
who sent you, therefore you have fail.
cd in your mission"
"Will they dispatch me then and
wait for another knight?'' I asked.
"There are many ways. You might
20 to tho mountains UNEXPECTEDLY, as
from the mountains you came unex-
pectedly. But there is a quicker way
death in the market place. They say
the Lady Aldrida fell in a swoon when
her woman told her what the priests
had decreed."
death will end that folly at least"
I answered. "And the princess, are
you her messenger to tell me that the
peoples voice is too strong, their will
too unanimous to resist? Well, said
my life was hers when she should ask
It. The time has come quickly"
my son, illness has weakened you.
Have you no desire left to cut a path
through these enemies Of yours and Of
hersr'
'Her win IL my law" replied.
what is her willr'
THAT she must tell you. You
ask why you are a prisoner here.
Without these walls dangers in crowds
stand awaiting you. Only now are
you regaining strength; only now are
you again becoming the knight who
withstood Count Vasca in the lists
and fought so valiantly yonder before
Yadasara. You have been a child,
muttering in your sleep, too weak to
lift an arm to defend yourself. So
for your own safety you have been
a prisoner"
"Muttering in my sleep1 What did I
speak off,
"Of many things strange to me, Of
some I cannot tell you. But the prin-
cess chose your nurse. Your words
are known only to her, to the princess
and to myself"
"Tell me one thing" I said as he
rose to 60. "Spoke I Of the princess
in my deliriumY'
Eyes. Her name was sometimes on
your lips"
did the princess hear mer'
II do not know"
AT least she was toldr'
"Perhaps."
rs that why the Lady Aldrida was
not sent for to nurse meY
1T was thought that she would not
be 30 good nurse as the one you
had, Sir Verrall-not so patient and
gentle. know no more than that"
(To be Cont1nued)