Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1916-02-11


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 well
among the subterranean dungeons
which had held 80 long their secrets
against all Corners.
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 holder 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 were cut
of. 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 circumstanced
they found such places Of rest as
offered and waited for 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 wom-
an whom gladly he would havs 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 splintering OF wood, the crashing
OF glass at the palace windows. Be-
fore many moments had passed the
legions of GrahotYen 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
esty. II you please. You can go no
where better than this. will do
what can." rejcined Frederick. Most
beloved majesty, you are in hard
case, but pray you, trouble us not too
much in the work OF doing what we
AN for your majesty and ourselves"
Trying now this door, row that ad.
,ancing, receding, the men CT Ora.
loffen came on. They filled up the
all the reception halls of
he front and rear OF tie Gret2hoffen
,alace. Count Sachio, his king, his
eaders and their soldiers-all now
oined in the last dash upon what they
bought to be the finish of their en-.
my's last citadel.
Aloof and apart, concealed for the
line in the remote cell which had re-
eived them, Count Frederick and his
hoped against hope fer
ct little while, but hoped in vain.
gain came the crashing of doors, the
ush Of feet on the stone floors, Use
ess to contend against their numbers
the last door was broken through.
discovered, surrounded. trapped,
cunt Frederick and his companions
acei their assailants.
80" laughed Sachio, as he stood
anting hut triumphant, after his last
tack. 80, at last! You have run
ar, my friends, and lodged us very
imbly. Were shall you go now, my
ocd ccuIt-where shall you go, my
retty one--and you, your august ma
esty Of Gretzhoffen, before whom
lust tremble-what is the next place
( retreat fer ycu?"
His taunt had truth under 1t. The
list card seemed to have been played,
nd played to an awful loss. There
eemed to be no further retreat; the
tile resistance which Frederick end
.itty could offer would serve for
aught against such odds; as best
ley might they eIdeavored to pre-.
oct their king. who covered In
)rner Of the room, half moaning in
elpless terror.
And yet now, at the last instant,
was Count Frederick himself to
HON It was given to devise a plan,
esperate in itself, yet, as 1t CHANGED.
Elective.
His eyes fell upon a great wheel,
lsty and long disused, which thrust
ut Of one corner of the room. As
o saw 1t his gaze kirdled with the
ld6en thought which it suggested
10 knew what 1t was and what 1t
hope it offered now.
Keep them talking" he whispered
, Kitty, in quick aside. Engage
lem for Just moment-keep them
Count Frederick knew that this
yheel and the levers beyond con-
rolled the drainage outlet Of the
reat moat which surrounded the
ear portion of the castle. Those low
r gates once opened, there was moth.
lg to prevent flooding Of the subter-
anean passages. The meat waters
ad been used for that very purpose
4 the past-so ran traliticI-and
reat had been the slaughter wrought
NON or ninpt ennuioa Hf Erot 7hc fen !