Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-24
BY Percy
lGrg[5m@1r


I waited for a few moments; then I
/ called again and louder.
| Guard. no. guard
( Again an echo. but this time other
/ sounds. Hurrying feet assembled the
! stairs, there was a glare of torchlight
at the end Of the corridor, and two
soldiers came toward me. They were
/ not the men 1 had seen on guard.
I There was another sound behind me.
A bolt was shot back, a door opened,
and Jasar stood silhouetted in light,
and behind him the princess.
What is it, said Jasar.
"a dead man. l fear" 1 answered.
The torches f1ared in the white face
of my enemy. 1t reused him.
"a better death than the other" he
groaned.
Jasar fell on his knees beside him
and raised him a little. The princess
stood at my side.
What other death?" said Jasar.
HE said I should be free Tiff 1
killed him"
"Who said it? Speak, man"
"He" And then came a sob.
The PROSTATE man shivered a little,
his limbs twitched for a moment, and
then with one sudden thrusting out of
his legs he slipped from Jasar's arms
and lay still.
1 turned TO look at the princess.
"You are hurt" she said.
"a scratch-nothing," I answered,
yet I felt a dizziness creeping over me.
do you know him." she asked
sharply, pointing to the dead man.
mo"
Look"
I turned almost mechanically, for
my legs seemed suddenly to have
grown too feeble TO support me.
DO you know him?''
NO; yet By heaven. yes. It is
one of them
The dead man was one of the pris-
oners OF war.
I opened my eyes and lay still as
one does when waking from a deep,
refreshing sleep. The sunlight fell
upon rich hangings. antique and luxu
rious furniture and rugs of brilliant
colors, a very different lodging TO my
own.
Presently the curtain was drawn
back and Jasar entered.
Awake. Sir VERBAL, at last? 1t has
been a long sleep. Is the arm pain
ful?'
"a little-
"You must keep quiet. 1t is bad
wound. Sir Yerrall, but brave men
often carry ugly scars"
Where am ~
I'm the princess apartments, a safer
place than any other for you just now.
Guards stand day and night without,
and within are gentle hands to tend
you"
THE man died last night?" I asked.
He died, but not last night-three
nights ago. 1 told you your sleep had
been a long one"
Three nights
Yes, but you must not talk now"
Jasar said. Presently we win talk,
and then 1 will answer all your ques-
tons"
It was a small wound to weaken me
so. 1 was ashamed of it when I be-
came convaleScent enough to notice II.
at was much worse than 1t is now"
nv nurse told me when she bandaged
it one day.
at am glad, for 1t looks nothing, and
I have been very i'll"
VERY H." she said.
And you have nursed me all the
timer
Eyes. Her higbness has left you to
my care"
Does she know how III have
beens"
81 have answered her questions each
day. and sometimes she has been TO
look at you
1 asked no more. I fancied that my
nurse did not wish TO be questioned.
Once convalescent, 1 began to mend
rapidly. Organ was sent for TO look
after me, but the princess did not
come. and Jasar only seldom. When
the priest did come he would tel me
little of what was going on Nor was
Organ much more communicative.
Faith, they've been crowding a lot
Of history into a few days" he said.
But see here, Sir VerraI1, / am under
oath 10 answer no questions. I shouts
not have been allowed TO come at all
without giving the oath. There have
been occasions when / haven't kept
this kind OF bargains. but I'm going
to keep this ONE
wi no made you take an oathTs