The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-07-19

| ahcthti. blNt thc Siilu III q
passage leading towards the
kitchen. She showed no surprise
and when | told her to follow
me she did 30 without question
We came to my room, no one
seeing us, and l closed the door
softly.
Your mistress is in danger.
Do you know that F"
1T is not possible for anyone
to be safe in the castle of Syere.
1T may be necessary for your
mistress to leave 1t suddenly and
without anyone seeing her." l
said. This secret of yours have
you told it to your mistress?"
| No"
This secret might help your
mistress"
1T would"
Listen, child" I went on
eagerly. Your mistress expects
me to save her, and l am almost
powerlesS. Do you know what
occurred last night"
You saw my mistress
Yes, and we were seen. The
seneschal-"
The girl started, a sudden ex-
element in her face.
Il will tell you," she said
quietly, and some day you must
kill the seneschal for me-"
HE was a woodman, my ia
| hAr oh n III
was as strong as you. He came
often to the castle, bringing
wood, and he used to say the
seneschal cheated him, but what
could he do? There came day
when he found the seneschal in
the woods; a young girl was
with him. tied to tree, and he
was lashing her with a whip. My
father was foolish; he should
have killed him, he only thrashed
him, and before night my father
was caught in the forest and
brought to the castle. You know
the dungeons?"
Yes"
There the seneschal put my
father, claiming him to the wall
and when 1t pleased him he went
and dashed him with whip"
Her hands were suddenly clasp
ed before her face, and l put my
hand gently on her shoulder. The
touch of sympathy was better
than any words l could have
spoken.
Then a soldier fetched me to
the CASTLE" she went on. 81 was
set to work in the kitchen. l
was allowed to see my father
for an hour a day, but he could
not see me, not because of the
dark, l took a lantern with me.
but because he was blind. The
whip lash, sir"
What devilish work." l ex-
claimed, and the child seemed to
rejoice at the anger in my voice.
'It made my father more mis-
cradle TO know | was In Syere
that.was why the seneschal had
me brought to the castle. He was
strong no longer, could hardly
lift up his hands.
Il used to grope along those
passages. wondering what l could
do for him. One day / lost my
way; l went on and on, turning
this way and that, until there was
suddenly a thin line of light like
a straight crack across the dark
ness. 1t was daylight showing
under a small door"
could you find the door
again." l asked, leaping eagerly
toward her.
"Blindfolded. went to 1t
often afterwards so that I might
know every turn in the passages.
Father should escape that way, |
told myself. But l must free his
hands from the chains first"
But the key of the door,"
"A wonderful thing happened.
The seneschal rode to Dravsadt
and / was set to clean his rooms.
/ found key there. one key with
a chain to 1t. was always
thinking Of a key, and the one
looked important. That day
tried itin the door, and 1t turned
easily. / was looking down a
green slope into the forest"
You kept that key?"
| Il dared not. But I made a
wax impression of it. II could
have unclaimed my father we
might have gone that day. Then
the seneschal returned and said
my father could go. All he said
was that he had better die out
side the castle than in 1t. /
only know that one morning his
chains were unfastened, that he
was carried out through the gate
and was laid at the edge of the
| wood.
Some charcoal burners chan
ced to come along, and in their
cart took my father from Syere
to Dravstadt, and to the home OF
woman who had known my
mother. There my father died. .
you should have complained
to the King" said.
king Phiiipl The King would
only have laughed at me-"
| As the child said 1t, so definite
ly, I felt that the King was con
demned, and cursed myself fol
having so long served such ,