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Show I A ln IISTE'ICI7 t.:..::l i ' the fei:ow were what attrate 1 my tt-teclon tt-teclon especit.lly." '' ' , "What were his actions?" aekel the Ml.-.ister, besrinning to tL'.-e latere, t in what his valet was saylr ' I ( j , "He was proceedins t,the chairs with extreme caution, tak.ng a etep or two and-.then rausing to listen. I watched hhn until he reached the top; then I retraced my steps and came here as noiselessly tnd as quickly as I could, by way of the grand staircase." ' ) "And did this fellow neither see nor hear you. back-of him?" "No; your exoellency. he gave no sign that he was aware of my presence." - "You have let your fears get the better bet-ter of your Judgment," said Kretsch-mar, Kretsch-mar, fa rebuke. "You should have followed fol-lowed the man and found out where he went. No doubt he Is an agent of the traitors, bent on ransacking state documents doc-uments or other mischief. This Is not th first time '" ' Kretschmar checked his words sud-denly.as sud-denly.as he recalled his own position. What right had he- to inveigh against traitors, when he was one himself? Another An-other revulsion of feeling swept over him at th part Into which he bad been forced. He bated himself. It was easy for him to understand now how Humbert, in various crafty ways, had enlisted the allegiance of many powerful pow-erful men In Moranla. "Since you have let the" fellow get away," he said, shall have to look for him myself. If you are not afraid to come along, you may do so, Szech." The tone of contempt In which his master qpoke cut the servant sharply. "I am not afraid, your excellency," he answered. - : - (To bo continued.) wtory c - jci v.:::rj . i ' By Eiwrl llott ' i; ". v. ..Wociitx1 . Author "Roland of ' Atlhng.,, eto. (Copyright. y Edwafl Mott - Wooiley.). - JJ' CTAPTEIt XXVX Cntinued. " The cathedral chimes were ringing the hour of 2. The music, wafted on the till night air, fell upon the wrought up nerves of tha Minister of Warahd soothed them momentarily. Ha went to a window and, pulling aside the shade, lookedWt. Tne.sky was clear and cold. The trioon had not yet risen and the stars were brilliant in their' dark settings.. set-tings.. Tha castle gardens were dimly visible below, -wrapped 'In the deepest .gloom. The whole shadowy scene, so silent, so motionless, was weirdly beautiful. beau-tiful. Mentally Kretschmar spanned the miles that, separated him from Marlon. In a visionary Journey he penetrated the night to the wot where she . lay sleeping; perhaps reaming of her lover. lov-er. All the Incidents of the previous night came back to him with quick Insistence. In-sistence. Once more he stood within the walls of the ruin, with Marlon in his arms her .face close t his. Once more he felt, her soft. Quick breath upon his hands a h clasped her tightly. Again ha- fait the thrill of her' dear presence, and. wUh a sweeping revulsion of feeling, feel-ing, he dropped the window shade and turned back into the room. "Oh, God. Marlon!" he exclaimed, sinking Into a chair beside the table and taking his face between his hands. "What am I saying? Have I forgotten so soon the words I tittered t Am ( regretting re-gretting ealready .that I breathed my passion in your ear? No, no!. Heaven knows -I loVe you! Heaven knows that for you I would sell my very soul! You are -more to ma than all the Kings on earth. What does It matter- whether Rupert or Humbert sits on the throne, so long as I gain you, sweet one? Why should I be different, from other men. to sacrifice myself to a cause that will bring about my ruin to a King who will take rny lifeln cold-blooded cruelty the Instant he discovers I have dared to follow the dictates of my conscience? No! There is no Just reason why 1 should give up my life to this drunken, self-satiated; barbarous sovereign. Nor is there any reason why I should sac-, rlflce, your name, simply out of a mistaken mis-taken allegiance to a King who would have subjected you to the frightful Ignominy Ig-nominy of death upon the 'fagots. No, the die Is cast! If I am a traitor It Is a noble cause.V " A knock at. the door startled him. He admitted Szech, his valet. - "What "tarings you back?" asked Kretschmaf, vexed at being disturbed In his lonely revgrtes. "Didn't I tell you hours ago that you might retire as I would need your services no more tonight?" to-night?" ; ' "Yes, your Excellency; you did say you would not need ma further, but as you did not command me to seek my bed, I took advantage -of the opportune ity to visit friends In the city. . I have just now returned to the castle." "And since' L gave you permission to absent yourself, why do:. you come to me at this hour of the night? Why do you disturb me? Js not. one dismissal sufficient?" ' . .- : . ' -. '. :. "Yea, "your Excellency; It was not that which brought me to your study." , "What was It then?" asked Kretschmar, Kretsch-mar, more kindly, perceiving that the man was nervous and excited.' "Has anything gone wrong?". '-'.- "It may be only my fears' your Ex. cellency,-but-1 thought best to Inform you., I have reasons for believing that there are persons In the castle tonight who. have no-right here." ..... Szech was trembling in a chill of fright. He could scarcely keep his teeth from chattering. "What have you seen 7" demanded the Minister. V" "I have seen a man whom I believe to be a stranger. In the' royal palace. I fame upon him suddenly in the lower rorrldor of the west wing as I was making ma-king my way from the servants' entrance en-trance to your Excellency's suite. The castle was very quiet. Since his Majesty Ma-jesty has taken to retiring early during the past few nights the servants have been permitted to seek their beds at a very seasonable hour. I encountered no one except this fellow 'I have mentioned. men-tioned. I was walking noiselessly on the corridor carpet, fearing to disturb those who were asleep, when, turning Into the servants' stairway, I saw ahead of me, perhaps thirty feet, the figure of the man. His back was toward me, and therefore I cannot describe his features. Even had I seen him face to face, the light was so dim that I fear I could not have noted his looks carefully." - CHAPTER. XVT Continued.) " "Then why do you say he was a stranger in the castle?" asked Kretschmar. Kretsch-mar. "No doubt he was a servant, like yourself, Just home from a late visit to the city." a . "He was not one of the servants: of that I (eel confident. I am well acquainted ac-quainted with all the servants of the castle, and I am, sure I would have recognized rec-ognized the figure had this man been one of them1. Besides, the actions of |