The Washington times., 1915-09-19

did your man ever bring you the silver
ornamental"
What do you mean?" demanded
sachio. In sudden anger. as he now saw
that under all this sarcasm. this cool
self-control. there mad lain all the
time full acquaintance with his own
purpose. He knitted his muscles now
| unmasking.
| Il mean, Count Sachio Of Grahoffen.
this-tat you tried to get possession of
half the Gretzhofren coin. which l own!
search my apartments when you knew
! ! was sone. ! mean that all along you
have been q traitor-I mean that you
have been and are spy in this court"
Count sachio broke into a laugh, He
VAS not easily cowed. that was sure.
Have / alone been guilty of lese ma
jeste. them" he sneered.
Worse than that You have been
guilty OF treachery to liberty and to
Iusiee; Just, T., You You, shall have your punish
Two can decide such matters" said
sachio. coolly. Thus far fortune has
| been with me-
Not so, my friend. You have half
half-that half which you sought in my
quarters SO feloniously-is in possession
OF another"
You mean that wenck-that Ameri-
! Can--
It was that instant that the heavy
hand Of Count Frederick smote him fuii
| In the face. You shall not mention
her" ne growled. and the next instant
he had Sachio by the shoulders and was
thrusting him with all his power toward
| the open door. 1t had all along been his
inte ntion to imprison Sachio here in the
torture chamber. 1t had been for that
purpose he had led him here. And. un-
able to resist the temptation to confront
him, even to taunt him, he had delayed
here just an instant too long.
Tie next moment Count Frederick felt
at his back the impact Of another man.
The three struggled furiously.
Quick! Shoot him." painted Sachio.
XIII him! / cannot last"
II am not armed" cried Ladislaw.
Let me search"
Frederick felt the hands of his new
enemy feeling at his pockets. searching
| for some weapon. and retoiced that he
least the conflict would be more even
now.
! But they were more than a match for
him. Count Frederick felt an arm
throttle him. felt his eyes almost start
him. Slowly slipping. inch by inch. he
felt himself impelled toward the open
, door. Strive as best he could, he found
himself unable to resist the joint attack
Of these two desperate men.
|
! clang Of the door behind him.
| He was alone. He had proved the VIC
tim OF the plan which he had formed
! H, was locked In the torture chamber
of Gretxhoffen. that place of horror
which ne had reserved for his enemy
He had failed. He had lost all-all! He
had been the cause, perhaps. of the ruin
of his country!
| He stood. he knew not how long
but at length resigned he fumbled 70,
his light. struggling his shoulders and
accepting the bitterest decision fate
could have made for him This was
the end. There was no longer any
possible hope. He looked about him
at the glinnine skulls. at the skele-
| tons whose shadows were outlines
under the faint rays Of his re-estab-
What was life to you, after an?"
he demanded.. fiercoly Of the silent
| witnesses. What brought you to this
| place? Did the priests take sinew
from sinew that you should confess
because you protested too much your
own faith? Did a king tear out your
eyes because they had been elevated
had seen? What loss of power-what I
abuse of power brought you here?"
He paused for a moment, and went
on more gently: But some Woma n
loved each of you. some time! Some
woman bore each OF you. scme time. in
love. Some woman gave you life-life-
love! That was all. after all. have
brothers. If I die now. / die more a
failure than you who went before
me. You were perhaps happier than
u. Perhaps you were given more OF
the full measure ST what life NAV be
Fear YOU. my brothers?" he said, and