Western Kansas world., 1916-08-05

He was taken up into the CASTLE Wner0
he was washed and fed and armed for
a soldier. The next day he met Eleanor;
hurrying through the courtyard and
said to her:
Good lady, have l your permission
to point out to you certain weak points
in the castle?"
''You have"
Taking her to part of the wall he
showed her that it was ready to tum-
BILE Then. in the armory. he convinced
her that most OF the weapons We're
blunt and certain armor had rusted till
it could be punctured with wooden
sword. Leading her here and there. he
showed her various imperfections and
she gave orders that they should be
made good
Going to her father. she asked him
who was to lead in the defense. He
replied that he would command Then
she told him about the released prison
er who had noticed the deficiencies and
suggested that he be made second in
command since he seemed to have been
trained for soldier and there were mo
leaders among the defenders of the
castle. The king said that he cared
not who was second in command, for
all must obey his own orders But it
commanded since defeat was inevi-
table.
When Eleanor told Harold that he
would command under her father he
said to her:
Thanks, lady, for an opportunity to
crack crowns with this handy legged
red headed usurper. If we do not
knock the circlet off his head and the
scepter out of his hand, then die here
in Gloucester CASTLE"
This encouraged Eleanor, though she
did not understand what he meant by
cracking crowns. nor could she account
for bis desire to defeat man in whose
ranks he had fought. But she was sc
intent on saving the kingdom from the
enemy that she gave no thought to any
thing else
Harold at once took charge of all
preparations. In this he was not sub
ject to Interference for the old king
was lamenting his fate in his apart
ments. At last the army of Conrad
was seen marching in the valley. and
when it reached the bottom of the hill
on which Gloucester castle was situat
ed the men encircted ii. and it was evi
dent that if they did not take it by
storm they would starve the garrison
into subjection.
The king of Gloucester came out clao
in suit of armor, but it was too heavy
for his reduced strength. He stumbled
and fell under its weight and was car
ried back to his room. This gave Har-
old full control He gave Eleanor his
plan. 1t was to act SO that the invad
ers would believe that they had only
to take their ease for short time
and their enemies would have to sur.
render for want of provisions. Wher
they seemed most confident Harold
would strike.
So he sent a deputation to say that
since they had but five days provisions
the men of Gloucester must surrender
and to ask what terms would be grant
ed. Conrad said that he would grant
no conditions. The deputation return
ed in the evening. and Conrad expected
to receive a surrender the next day
Till midnight he and his army made
the night ring with song and shouting
They had not finished carousing when
the castle clock struck 2. Slowly the
porteullis was raised, the drawbridge
(the chains had been oiled to prevent
a rattIet LET down. and the little army
of Gloucester, led by Harold. silently
emerged and, dividing into four bands
bore down from the four points of the
compass upon the men of Conrad and
with a yell began to stab and hack
those who were sober enough to resist
them and cut down those who attempt
ed to rise.
Harold had noted the tent of Conrad
and while the usurper, half drunk, was
endeavoring to get on his arms the late
prisoner raised his sword and brought
it down, cleaving his enemy'S shoulder
Conrad was felled by the blow. and
Harold, standing over him with raised
sword, said:
81 am Harold, king-of Warwick,
come to avenge the death of my father
/ came from exile and without being
known Joined your retainers as they
were setting out to fight my fathers
old enemy of Gloucester. / came to
watch my opportunity for vengeance
on you. 1t has come"
When Conrad was killed his army
was fleeing down the hill. AS soon as
they heard that their leader was dead
they gave up all hope of getting safely
back to Warwick and expected to pass
the rest of their lives in the dungeons
of Gloucester. In the morning Harold
rode down to them and, calling them
together, announced himself as Their
legitimate king. Conrad had been hat
ed by them, and they received Harold's
announcement with joy.
Harold bade them re-establish theiI