The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1916-02-11

With such an adversary King Michael,
or even the stouter soul now az his
side, might well find pause.
Soon 1t viii be indeed toe late, your
majesty exclaimed Count Frederick.
Conceive must find some safety in
the inner chambers Of the palace
Luckily It was built for precisely such
a crisis as this H. its fate. Come,
madeuoiselle, your hand. quick. Your
majesty, It is not beneath your dig
nity 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 en- 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 were we'll
among the s~ubterranean dungeons
which had held so long their secrets
against all comors.
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 then, so potent In ter.
ror for the human mlnu as once they
had offered terrors to the human body.
Yet he could do no more than follow
the guidance Of the holder mind which
now led en-.
They were followed in some part
-. Al, $780,, 80 0N, s4oI..f M my.
ious as themselves to find some ref
uge. So ut length they halted in an
abiding place which for the tiGe at
least was silcnt-a deep dungeon
where light and sound alike were cut
on. Such had been their haste that
all were wellniGh eXhaustCd-Mi.
chael spent most Of all and yoicing
most of all the babbling Of his NOR
tai anguish. Thus circumstanced,
they found such places CT rest as
offered and waited Tor what might
come.
Meanwhile the relentless Sachio was
searching some entrance into the pal
ace, the hiding place Of his enemies,
and, as he supposed, also of the WON
an whom gladly he would have called
his fricnd-the woman whom he
feared most Of all.
Freak in the door, men, he cried
smash In any window, Enter. in the
EI-..e ci our oTl l.l@s. We HAYS them
defeated now, and they must not e8.
cape-thoy are trapped here, and we
will soon have them in our hands.
His men obeyed. There came soon
the splintering of wood, the crashing
of glass at the palace windows. Be
fore many moments had passed the
legions of Grahoffen were pouring
through the breach and o%verrunning
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?"
"Yeu shall keep silent. your ma
iesty, II you please. You can go no.
where better than this. / will do
what can" reioined Frederick. Most
beloved majesty, you are in a hard
case, but pray you, trouble us not too
much in the work Of doing what we
can for your majesty aud ourselves. 10
Trying now this door, now that. ad-
vancing, receding, the mon OF Ora.
hoiten came on. They filled up the
corridors, all the reception halls Of
the front and rear Of the Gretzh3nea
palace. Count Sachio, his king, his
leaders and their soldicrs-all now
Joined In the last dash upon what they
thought to be the finish Of their en-.
emy's last citadel.
Aluof and apart, concealed for the
time In the emot cell which had re-
ceived them, Count Frederick and his
companions hoped against hope for
yet n little while. but hoped H. vain.
Again came the crashing OF doors, the
rush OF feet on the stoEc floors. Uso.
less to contend against their numbers
the last door was broken through.
Discovered, surrounded, trapped,
Count Frederick aud his companions
faced their assailants.
SO laughed saohlo, as he stood
painting but triumphant, after his last
attack. so, at last! You have run
far, my frieats. ana lodged us very
nimbly. Where shall you 20 now, my
good couEt-whore shall you 20. my
pretty one-and you. your august ma,
jesty Of GretzholeE. before whom ]
must tremble-what Is the Eaxt place
OF retreat for ycu?"
His taunt had truth under II. The
last card seemed 10 have been played,
ana played to an awful loss, There
seemed 70 be no further retreat: the
little resistance which Frederick aud
Kitty could Offer wcule serva for