The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-10-01

whom they had confidence, and the
man who had confidence in himself
With such an adversary King Michael
or even the stouter soul now at his
side, might well find pause.
Soon it will be indeed too late your
majesty" exclaimed Count Frederick
"Come-we must find some safety in
the inner chambers of the palace
| Luckily it was built for precisely such
crisis as this in its fate. Come
madcmoiselle, your hand, quick. Your
majesty, it is not beneath your dig
nifty to hasten now"
Pursued by vague noises of combat
and by countless vague fears conjured
up by their surroundings, deep in the
hidden Businesses, they went on until
at length they were far below the
level of the rooms devoted to the usual
purposes of the daily life of the palace.
Below them, before them all was dark.
ness and gloom. They We're well
among the subterranean dungeons
which had held so long their secrets
dBdllSI all COLltIS.
Michael was the prey of yet added
apprehensions as he found himself
thus leaving the light of day and ven
turing among these regions whose ira
ditions held them so potent in ter
rOr for the human mind as once they
had offered terrOrs to the human body.
Yet he could do no more than follow
the guidance of the bolder mind which
now led on.
They were followed in some part
by the refugees of the palace, as anX-
ious as themselves to find some ref
uge So at length they halted in an
abiding place which for the time at
least was silent-a deep dungeon
where light and sound alike We're cut
Off. Such had been their haste that
all were well-nigh eXhausted-Mi-
Chael spent most of all and voicing
most of all the babbling of his NOR
tai anguish Thus crcumstanced,
they found such places of rest as
offered and waited for what might
com
\ Ganwhile the relentless Sachio was
searching some entrance into the pal
ace, the hiding place of his enemies,
and, as he supposed also of the wom-
an whom gladly he would have called
his friend-the woman whom he
feared most of all.
Break in the door, men," he cried
smash in any window. Enter, in the
name of our own king. We have them
defeated now, and they must not es
Cape-they are trapped here, and we
will soon have them in our hands"
His men obeyed. There came soon
the splinterng of wood, the crashing
of glass at the palace windows. Be-
fore many moments had passed the
legiOns of Grahoften were pouring
through the breach and overrunning
the interior of the palace. Sachio,
with some hurried instructions to an
aide, led on the advance. All through
the upper portion of the palace the
echo of hurrying footsteps resounded.
They are coming" said Kitty at
length quietly to her companions.
They have taken the palace. We can
not escape. This must be the end.
They will have us out now at any
cost"
What shall we do? Where shall
we hide? What will become of me?'
walled Michael. Save me, Frederick,
save me- What shall do?"
You shall keep silent, your ma
jesty, if you please. You can go no
where better than this. | will do
what can" rejoined Frederick Most
beloved majesty, you are in hard
case, but pray you, trouble us not too
much in the work of doing what we
can for your majesty and ourselves
Trying now this door, now that, ad-
vancing, receding, the men of Gra-
hoflen came on. They filled up the
corridors, all the reception halls of
the front and rear of the Gretzhoffen
palace. Count Sachio, his king, his
leaders and their soldiers-all now
Joined in the last dash upon what they
thought to be the finish of their en-
emys last citadel.
Aloof and apart. concealed for the
time in the remote cell which had re-
ceiycd them. Count Frederick and his
cor. panions hoped against hope for
yet a little while. but hoped in vain.
Again came the crashing of doors, the
rush of feet on the stone floors. Use
less to contend against their numbers
the last door was broken through.
Discovered. surrounded, trapped,
Count Frederick and his companions
faced their assailants.
80" laughed Sachio. as he stood
painting but triumphant, after his last
attack. so, at last! You have run
far. my friends, and lodged us very
nimbly. Where shall you go now, my
good count-where shall you so, my
pretty one-and you, your august ma
jesty of Gretzhoffen, before whom l
must tremble-what is the next place
of retreat for you?"
His taunt had truth under it. The
last card seemed to have been played,
and played TO an awful loss. There
seemed to be no further retreat; the
little resistance which Frederick and