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

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that past and the means that once
had been sufficient to 1t?
He laid his hand upon the wheel.
1t had not yielded to an arm less pow.
erful than his, and even his strength
was necessary to its limit before he
could force It to yield, long disused o.
1t had been here. But at length It
did turn little. and then mere and
yet more.
The result was beyond all calcula.
tion. There came the sound of rip.
ping, and then of rushing waters. It
came in the passages back of the in.
vaders. 1t filled the stone floors along
the corridors. It Tapped their feet. 1t
bathed their ankles. 1t rose swiftly
to their knees. And then consterna-
ton seized upon all those who but now
had stood triumphant, haunting, men.
acing. OF a truth, the trapped crea-
lures had turned and wrought their
own vengeance.
Quick, get to safety" commanded
Frederick now And even as he and
his companions found little higher
level In another chamber whence
they could see the work of the wa.
tiers on their foes, those foes them
selves began to cry out in terror at
the mysterious enemy against which
they could not battle
your Majesty exclaimed Count
Sachio now to the tall figure at his
side-"your majesty"
King Cortislaw it was who had been
summoned to see the last struggles Of
his adversary. He stood now trapped
like the meanest of these retainers
about him, and neither could find
hope
The wheel, the Wheel called Sa.
chic at length. Stop him, men-he is
opening the water gates-stop him at
once"
Himself and few men endeavored
to go at Frederick. but met the irate
Kitty, who put up tigerlike resis-
lance to protect her comrade at his
work. The sound of shots came, the
mingled sounds of much confused lam.
entation from these now threatened
with drowning in these deep subter-
ranean passages.
What" exclaimed Cortislaw to Sa.
chic, is 1t my fate to drown like q
rat here In their palace? Quick, Sa.
chic, offer them peace-offer them
treaty"
Even the sense of chagrin was lost
to Sachio now in his terror for his life
and that Of his sovereign. lie ad.
vanced through the water as best he
might until he caught the attention OF
Frederick. still busy at his task.
Halt, Count Frederick" he cried.
"Wait-we offer parley-we Offer a
truce-we offer you peace, il SO you
will protect the life of our sovereign
$50 then,' exclaimed Frederick.
your sovereign is here?"
Il admit he is" said Sachio. Il ad-
NIT also that you have the upper ha:.i
of us once more. We cannot perish
like SO much vermin here-stop your
cursed wheel and give us respite. or
soon it will be too late
Are you sincere, Count Sachio?"
demanded Frcdericl-"Iay we BE-
lieye your wcrd? We have Lad cause
to doubt it more than once"
Doubt it then no more. Cut of
these floods which are drowning US
inch by inch, and we will leave your
palace and leave the town. give you
my word and that Of my sovereign"
why, them said Count Frederick,
smiling. agreed. and very cheerfully,
We do not want you to cumber our
corridors with your dead Let 1t be
peace then, and this time let your
word be kept. Begone then, and thank
good fortune, and not your just de-
serts, that you have life left for you.
II any Of you remains death shall be
his fate at once. Decide quickly, Ey
good Sachio. You have not long to
live. The moat waters are rot yet
touched-they will food these chan.
nels in the rock to their very roofs.
Decide them
Enough, enough" cried Sachio,
holding up his hands 1--WE submit
we surrender--we agree"
Count Frederick reversed the wheel.
Little by little, the gurgling and rush.
ing Of the waters ceased. They
reached their own level again. Once
more the old moat was locked, and
once more a drawn battle had been
fought over that secret which still re-
manned hidden deep somewhere in
those rock caverrs.
Little by little, slowly and in deep
humiliation, the forces Of Grahoffen
found their way out as best they
might-or at least most Of them did
including Sachio and Cortislaw, his
king.
Presently Frederick, Kitty and King
Michael were alone once more, res
cued as much by fate, by chance, as
by their own wits-kcen as those had |
been.
so, your majesty said Count
Frederick to King Michael, "whert
there is will there is way-it seem
the provert is proved true once more
We were not far alike from death an
burial here ourselves. Had our friend!
the enemies remained much longer
we would have taken toll Of them to
the last man. Twas lucky, my recol- /
lection Of the old tradition about the
wheel and the water gates.
But come now. perhaps your maj
esty will rest" said he in conclusion.
Il think we shall now have better OPP
portunity to do so. Unless / am now
far mistaken, our friends OF Grahof-
fen will leave us. Not only with fire
and sword, but with the waters under
the earth, we have smitten them.
AS for you, madcmoiselle," said he
4. 4.