Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-08-12
That Hundredth
Chance
BY RALPH ROEDER
(Copyright.)


king rose as eagerly as schoolhoy
given an opportunity to play truant.
and with exactly the same feeling Of
trepidation tiptoed from his study out
Into the long corridor. The long cor
ridor stretched. softly carpeted and
dim, 600 feet or more, connecting the
morning-rOom of the private apart
ments at one end to the blue salon of
the state apartments at the other.
The king was alone for the first
time, as he remembered 1t. in over
two years. He felt a strange thrill.
Advancing a dozen steps into the
long corridor. he glanced about. 1t
was dangerous adventure for the
king to undertake. for the year had
been one of unsurpassed republican ac-
tivity. Unrest and revolt hung heav-
| lily in the air about the palace, and
even in it. Peril lurked everywhere.
To him 1t was, if anything. break
in the great monotony.
| Now he paused, undecided just what
use to make of his short freedom.
Whether to 90 to the blue salon and
create CONSERVATION among the privy
councillors and mobiles waiting there
for the morning audience. or, to the
morning room at the other end and
surprise the queen and the three-year-
old Prince of Lagenda in their post
breakfast play.
Being always very much more In
love with the queen and the prince
than with the affairs of state. the king
turned toward the morning room.
Almost at the bedchamber corridor,
which joins the long corridor and leads
Oft from 1t to the queens own rooms,
the king In his progress became aware
of another figure slipping along as fur
lively as himself and following him.
"Well, what do you waht?" the king
called quietly.
The figure paused in the shadows
moment. then advanced to where the
king stood.
I'll" he began. But his peasant
tongue was too thick to furnish the
glibly quick explanation needed for
the critical moment.
Suddenly he realized that he had
penetrated into the private apartments
of the palace.
Tensely. trembling, he raised his left
hand and held the four fingers straight
upright, to indicate the dominant peo-
pie, with the thumb crooked inward
and bent. to represent the fallen
king.
The king, still keeping gay and ad-
venturous, and not knowing just what
to do to keep up the pleasant game
with this earnest man who amused
him so much, held up his left hand,
too, and quite deftly initiated the
queer movements the man had made.
1t was a great success.
"Ah, comrader he exclaimed in a
low, ecstatic voice.
Gently but persistently withdrawing
his hand from the Gargantuan grip the
king smiled boyishly.
The broad man quickly, eagerly,
continued: "Ah, how the luck is with
us. without you / would have been
lost. l am comrade Antonio. ! am
the one who drew the black lot in the
great meeting at Navotas. Show me
the kings room!'
Then the king knew that an assas
sin, revolutionist of the great secret
! League of Liberty stood by his side.
The king thought quickly, with the
boyish smile still lingering on his face
although his eyes were keen behind
1t. What methods of escape were
open to him?
; 1t would be useless to hope to mattel
, his slenderness against the broad peas
ant in graphing strength.
"Why do you hesitate. comrade?'
!, the stranger was asking suspiciously
I "Our oath binds us to help one an
P other whenever called upon. Lead mi
! to the ruler Of our land!"
The chances were a hundred to on,
= that the peasants great strength
e would make the attempt only mean
}. of Fastening the assassination, bu
( what II 1t did come to the worst,
' would mean but little. for the KIM
! had clearly In his mind at that mo
ment the image Of the Prince of La
S genda, just beyond in the morning
e room, the brave little prince, to whom
I he had been so blithely Fastening
t moment before.
So, still smiling. the king began t
= draw back his slender right hand
: ready for the blow-to take the hun
d dredth chance.
9 Slowly, cautiously. imperceptibly
n and easily his hand went back, poise
for the attack, and it was quite to hi
e hip when pattering noise, soundin
4 at the end Of the long corridor froI
the direction of the morning-roon
caused both men to look toward It.
!. One hundred feet ahead, shaft @
It morning sunlight had fallen into tn
e gloom Of the long corridor. The doc
e of the morning room was partly opel
and outlined against 1t was the small
!" sturdy blond figure Of the three-yeal
'. old Prince Of Lagenda.
e The square-faced man, staring
surprise at the advent of the chill,
1. glanced from the father to the so
II with recognition lowering in his slo'