The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-10-22

The Advancing Hosts of Graho
ago, an extra bottle of Beloc, and my
majesty sent man, Count Sachio
yonder to bring it. My majesty de
| sires-"
"Sachio here!"
Eyes, here. You have said thai
twice. He was here, twice or once
l know not how many times. But now
you are here, mademoiselle, and that
is enough. My majesty desires"
He advanced toward her. The leer
| upon his pulled face gave her swift
| disgust as well as terror. With no
purpose whatever, as he stumbled for.
ward she fed from the room, fed she
knew not where.
Without much plan, Kitty turned
toward the interior of the palace, and
down the long hall which before that
time she had explored. Something told
her that Frederick, if he were here in
the palace now, had passed that way.
The torture chamberlain dread
spot! Must she go there to look for
him? She sped on rapidly along these
passageways which she had learned
before. Through the last deep sunken
tunnel which led to the door of the
torture chamber itself she passed
alone, trembling with fear, and yet re-
solved.
The door was locked. She turned to
see the key upon the wall. AS she
fTrnQd fhora m foi int
sound. Someone was knocking at the
door. The blood stopped at her heart.
She felt her face go cold. Had the
dead indeed come to life? Was it in
deed true that some hand from beyond
the grave alone could point out the
hiding place of this treasure? What.
could it mean?
But the knocking at the door grew
holder. She heard a voice-a faint
voice through the steel facing of the
inner cavern. Trembling, she fitted
the key, gave one great push to open
the door, which yielded the more
quickly to power exerted within. She
saw the faint CLEAN of light added
to those of her own candle; saw the
face of the man she had sought
"You?" she cried. ct is your"
She heard him answer calmly, slow
ly, without agitation, as though all the
time he had been convinced she would
come.
ut is ended" said Count Frederick
at last, slowly. Never again will
doubt! 1 prayed for you, prayed that
you should understand before / died |
But it was meant for you to come for
me, that 1 might know-know as much |
as they who are here, who have been |
my fellows and my friends. Mademoi- |
selle-I had said good-by to every |
thing excepting one. There was that |
left which no man should die without |
makes life worth living. l have dread
ed all things, but now l hope. l must |
Il shall hope!"
He stopped toward her now, and for
he moment each was careless of the
strange surroundings in which they
stood. For a half moment the heart
If Kitty Gray was on the point of sur
'erder.
Monsieur lie comte, for that we
lave no time now" said she gently 1T
vas but chance which brought me
lere"
Chance? Yes, if fate, if the hand
f heaven mean chance, I shall call it
nance, not otherwise. I say that it
7as the plan of fate long ago that you
hould come to me, now and here"
1--WE have come close to the secret" I
aid Kitty Gray slowly. But we have
ONE closer to perils."
True, more than you know"
What do you mean?"
"Sachio was here-it was he and his
ian who thrust me in here, where l
ad planned to place him. They know I
all-all that we do now, made
oiselle. Sachio himself has gone to I
arry his news to his king. We are /
1done, mademoiselle! There will be t
ar" 8
IF war, then why do we wait here?" b
lie demanded of him. War is what O
e have sought to avoid for this king n
I'm by our own knowledge of the s
lin. II it be too late-why, then,
9 must fight. All, how / wish | Il
ere a man, that I might fight as n
sIl." h
You have fought well for all of us, S
said Frederick. I'VE Y
we repulsed our enemies. Would Il
u repulse-your friend?"
She made no answer, but was away G.
fore him in the dark passageway. a
CHAPTER L. n
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