Tombstone epitaph., 1915-06-06
the fenow vas fin perfect health.

OOeged. Let me reel your pulse.
 T took it in my hand before he could object. It was beating at a tremen- dous rate.
 see clearly what is the matter with you 1 said. You are suffering from want of fresh air. Instead of be- ing shut up in these two rooms-I sup pose that is the door of your bedroom? you ought to be out in the grounds Let me advise you to put on your hat at once. and come out. 1 will give you my arm.
 The wretch sank into a chair
 Indeed. senor. I am too ill to be moved. Tomorrow, perhaps
 You make mistake l retorted. interrupting him. I assure you these rooms are unhealthy. Let me see your bedroom
 While spoke Invent up and turned the handle of the door. As had an- ticipated, 1t was locked. Gomez sprang towards me with flashing eyes. l did not hesitate a moment. Sit down. Senor Gomez, If you please, or l will shoot you like a dog And l snatched out my revolver and leyeled it at his breast He sank back. shuddering I turned the key. and opened the bedroom door"
 The ambassador stopped deliberate. ly. struck match and carefully relit his cigar. which had gone out l did | not dare to speak. There" he said. sending out a great pun of smoke-'there, seated on the | floor. amid disorganized army of dirt, his hair rough like dogs. and his charming lips all smeared with | jam, I beheld his majesty the king of Spain, calmly devouring one of his ia vorite tarts."
 And after?" I said, as the ambassa | dor again came to a full stop. And after? Why. is there anything more? l caught up the young rascal in my arms, king or no king, and made f two steps of it to where his mother | was waiting. Do not ask me to de- scribe that scene. Such emotions are sacred"
 T am not quite sure that have fol- lowed all the steps by which you ar rived at your discovery" l said pres ently.
 My friend, you cannot have been listening Did I not tell you at the out set that the boy left his tutors room | with only a hat on? The moment l heard of the wraps l perceived that something must have taken place dur ing the passage through those desert ed corridors. When I found that no one had seen the face of the boy who entered the carriage. and that his walk and bearing were different from l the kings the whole plot was clear The conspirators. afraid to risk carry ing the young monarch through the | streets of his own capital, had disposed of him in the palace on the way out. and carried away another boy to ere ate a false scent.
 The scheme was clever enough. The moment had realized the charac | ter of the plot, it only remained to dis cover whether the king had been taken out of the building since, and, if not. with whom be WAS likely to be con cealed. At the same time took pre- i cautions against his slipping through my fingers while I was engaged in the search"
 The cook. suppose. made a full | confession?"
 T had left him very little to con | fess. It appeared that he had been the chief contriver of the plot in revenge ! for his own dismissal. He had got two accomplices from outside, one of them that doctor, who was as great an i'm postor as was myself. l They elaborated their plans with a good deal of ingenuity. Gomez began feigning illness several days before the review. and made his nephew come to and fro continually. so that his appear ance ceased to excite remark. Then they dispatched the warning through Pamplona, and lay in wait The king was. of course, brought straight from the tutors presence into | the cooks apartment, and exchanged for Pedrillo. and all that remained was for Gomez to keep the child prfs- oner. by force or persuasion. till they 1 could contrive to smuggle him out Of the way unobseryed- The idea of ob- taining the ransom while the captive was still in his own palace was brilliant afterthought"
 They were not punished?" No; 1t would have been unwise They were informed that if they ever referred to their exploit they would be put on trial for high treason, and they seem to have held their tongues. Of course the fiction of the illness was kept up to the end. and the kings con. ] valescencc duly announced The ambassador paused, and ap peared to be hesitating whether to say anything more. At last he added:
 When I finally took my leave the queen drew a magnificent ring from | her own finger and presented 1t to me.
 For the service you have rendered to the queen regent of Spain my prime minister win thank you, she said For that which you have rendered to the mother of Alfonso. she begs you to accept this souvenir He glanced at a very fine diamond on his hand and l thought, sighed