E 0 WHAT HAPPENED AT FELS by RAFAEL SABATINI SABA I 1 y copyright by joseph B bowles M who ho Is there that has not heard ot of the beauty ot of the yola bolat and who that das heard will have difficulty in believing that it was mas to my heart and not to nay my ambitions that I 1 fell a victim for months I 1 woi shipped her front from star afar as aa pious ones worship a saint reverently ecstatically despairing too was my love tor for her realizing that while she was waa heiress to the throne of I 1 was but ono of the minor satellites of the court my pil was waa chosen by the states ot of and lichtenstein to become the wife of 0 king of sachsenberg Sach few were there at the court of vaduz that were not privy to this and few whom the princess flit ref refusal to enter into the alliance did not fill with consternation she had never seen the king of and she openly vowed that she never wished to see him that she would not be bestowed like unto a chattel for purposes of state then did it occur to nie me that haply the princess had already given her heart to another could it be I 1 asked myself that my ardent glances had not been in vaina I 1 will not dwell here upon details of 0 our flight they scarce concern my story dut but so BO m ell did I 1 contrive that in three days my mistress sat bat safe within the walls of her castle of stark eadels we prepared tor for a siege and I 1 had victual led the place so eo that a score of people might hold bold out for a year if need neca be on the eighth day of our coming to fels I 1 held parley with one who rode up in lot hot haste to the very edge of the moat from the battlements I 1 inquired on what errand he was come and in an ever he pompously announced that his business was with the princess yola of lichtenstein then there came the rustle of a gown beside me and the princess was at my elbow fazing down upon that leather clad clown who Is this I 1 know not madame madam it pleases him to be mysterious but he Is wounded she cried a look of pity glorifying glorify ing her matchless eyes and you leive him at the gate th graceless dog perceiving her doffee his grey IP bp iver decked by a broken goose quill disclosing a face that was very vale pale lady he began then stopped ab raptly ine ahe hat fluttered aiom his grasp he be wink sink forward a upon pon the withers of his big horse then rolling from the saddle lay gnei t upon the turf see to him my iny lord the princess cried I 1 lie ile has bas tainted fainted ila alne ae him brought into the castle the wound was a mete scratch much blood had flowed as his sodden sleeve bole boie witness alth her own kerchief she bound it up poor lad ad she murmured he hath bath ost lost much blood As she spoke lie he stirred a sigh es ea him and he opened his eyes to find the priness mirrored in them then from those eyes of it his a there flashed with returning cons consciousness ausness a look of such wonder and b bold old ad migration mi ration that my ladys dign dignity I 1 ty was aroused by it my ladys lady a brow grew dark and stern bor eye come coma you on behalf of king bela rich itch nay anay your high highness neso on my own and a norry morry traitor do I 1 hold myself yet madame that which is a loot foot to me so EO foul a thing that I 1 had no longer esteemed myself a gentleman had I 1 anthonyson anthony Anthon yVon von turgen not ridden to warn you what Is this that keeps you a gentleman a yet makes you a traitor I 1 lady the prince your tour father accompanied com compa paned nied by the king of sachsenberg Sach la Is on hta his way hither with a thousand men there was a moments pause and grew the princess yola 0 cheeks but despair not lady you may yet et escape leaving 3 our castle bary bid your men hold out for a month and then surrender the empty nest to tho the prince but lady you must hasten basten for he draws near yola put her hand to her heart and looked about her with ees that for a moment told of tear fear then clero w m ill I 1 remain she wild said I 1 until these tyrants shall hive have starved me do ion save pave yourself sir air and take with you my thanks for your noble effort at the tn princess command a fresh horse was brought him in tills this there was waa some delay and when at last he waa vas mounted it too late tile the princes tone forte was within a couple of hundred yards and I 1 could not sanction the lowering of the bridge with a careless laugh von turgen dismounted and flung the relm reini to a servant for a month sit sat s it the prince of licit and the king of sachs us and in my whole ufa life I 1 can recall no other month in which I 1 suffered halt half so BO much dra gradually dually almost imperceptibly that vile rumer ruder out of Sich for tuch I 1 a eer er have and ever shall abal hold him to be wormed hirr self by a score of at wiles into the good graces of my princess gradually by vitae of the favor sho he showed him weak sha sh shallow A I 1 OW woman that F E ia was and chiq k of th tha course coarse trade of war he hd had rendered himself the command aj er OT of our gar garrison zison iia reorganized our defenses and the husbanding hus banding ot at our oar resources until the soldiers came to look tu to him ham for orders and less anil and less to we me all this I 1 might inight have endured had it not been tor the dally daily increasing favor shown this athla leather flad soldier of 0 for or tune by the I 1 witnessed the growing coldness cold hi with she treated me and the lie shi she betrayed beti ayed tor for those verses erics of mine to which a little while io she bhe had lent 0 oo 00 o ready an all it in dij I 1 I 1 c ui guised sed tho the d in I 1 had to her but I 1 was little prepared for that v which I 1 chaikel to boawn them oue one evening when the elege was a in month old Chin chancing cing to hear bear their voices heralding theli theft approach appi I 1 slipped the dils dila that stood at the further end ot of the lull hill Pei chanc aou ou who read these lined will desp desplain laii me for an eavesdrop eavesdropper pei bethink you though how much I 1 hid at stake heigh ho he she sighed we shall all 11 die here together to live hie and die princess beside besida you he answered passionately 1 1 la the he grea greatest greate teft fit rood good heaven may send in me how so she asked faintly because he began then paused as one in fear because De cause she mui muir aured lady because I 1 love ou all 11 he whispered and faintly I 1 caught bet bei an vering whisper As AB I 1 love ou amazement and dl disgust ineffable sank into my soul to together ether with those words ads wo you love tile me he ha cried a great I 1 9 wonder in his voice as well there might be me a simple soldier I 1 i tare are not who or what you are I 1 know you to be beave and honorable honor ible and true because ot of this and because because forsooth you aie huch buch as you are I 1 lo 10 e 3 ou yola so gibat a joy was in his voice that tt it had almost tile the ring of pain ile he urged her with an all effrontery that turned me sick with rage to wed him in that very castlo castle there was anselm the he would perform the cei ceic mony as soon as aa might be but as I 1 stopped stepped fl aiom oni behind the dais when they departed I 1 registered a biow auw to search forever if I 1 thi at ted not these nuptials in tile the evening the wedding took place in tile the gre greit it the in in mates ates of the czatle wets all as cabled se with tho the exception ot of one sentry and myself that sener with my digger at his 1 I e caused tc throw down his pirt isaa then by dint of thi eats and pi I 1 arl alred ed upon pull his ills his hopes and hla his fears until ho he consented to help me lower the bridge across it mai maichel clied its aa softly as the they y might some troopers of the prince s army headed by a young officer I 1 placed myself mi self beside lit him in and led the way to the Ritter saal w without I 1 phout waiting waltin gior tor speech with alth his hi highness giness I 1 since time lime pressed very pale yet calm aim the princess prince stood beneath the dais and beside bealda her swashbuckling bridegroom lay down your arms my iny friends she rile commanded quietly my haur was come so pretty lady I 1 from the door doorway wity Bie ine seems I 1 have discharged my debt you were bold enough but este esterday iday we e see if that boldness shall mall avail you when presen presently aly dour our swash buckler la Is strung up lip without fear not sweet mistress cried von turgen supporting her with ills his arm the treacherous trea chei liia dog lies I 1 say you so 7 1 I mocked him cipra comes one who will gioie it otherwise the king I 1 stood and across tho the thresh thrash old there stepped it a v very cry courtly figure followed by two attendants to nty my honor and te nia aina ement of all pres prea ent he be fell ell upon one knee before the bt alwart soldini of 0 fortune and god save our maj majesty estyl he cried hy havo bavo you flicked me thus why this crid cri d the princess I 1 ola I 1 YOU would not listen to ray my suit although you knew ru nio not he answered land and because ot of it I 1 came hither to woo 00 oo aou ou as a simple soldier of 0 fortune anil and had I 1 tailed yola I 1 swear that I 1 should have dp departed arted as aa I 1 came and the tha siche sl o had been ended she sailed upon him liars in her i cea and as is I 1 looked I 1 grit my teeth and called diget a fool a dozen times then holding out her hand to him I 1 she murmured and he be understood let the ceremony proceed father he ha laughed turning to the monk this if 19 the ha true relation of what li at Stark enMa and anci this la Is the true motive of my retirement arvn frow tho the court of ar n i 1 4