Show jephy of cravonia Kr by ANTHONY WE author odthe of ahr prisoner of zanda copyright IM 19 anthony hope 11 awkins clistey Clip tey tj blesey bl evey en r way the evening of tio me lines king came day there wre a banquet at t the palace and avid be the lights la in its windows twinkled la in sympathetic rt ne ponso spouse to the illume an eions which blazed on ibe the public buildings and resta residences alices of 0 baana every where feasting ind revelry filled the night the C the hotel do paris was crowded every sit et on 00 it its terrace occupied the old inu fait of the golden lion opposite the barracks in the square of st michael a favorite j of the of the garrison gaison did a trade no 1 good humbler boa hos thirles were nere full of private soldiers sold lers and f the tho streets themselves of revelers 1 mate ra and female military and civil honest o 0 anil and dishonest drunk nod and sober slav 1 aa had given cven itself up to a e frolic for i 4 dt alt a fete I 1 is A fete mo a matter what f tta its oricia origin lecona king alaxa was the most inan clan in hh dominions though ho he never did a decent daye days i wort for or them last there la in often no a better ay to ebna how lunch much you bate hate oco man thun than 1 by 17 7 nial dog a innate fua aboab another it was well a an that by thus honoring bonor lna king texts I exle its monarca nion monar cb by thas vociferous ly ir aud wishing him 1 the f 0 leet longest oi of reign gladna slav wae was elving a eti aging beck back hander bander to prince sergius Ser glus luit jd prince and wm commandant mandant ou would eee see the difference dIffee nce when the A princes day come round t when general Steno pointed to the lights 1 aaroen the krath front row the palace windows 1 nd congratulated 16 jit royal im on the splendid popularity of toe the reigning batso the prince princes mile all oily well have been ironical 1 I shall go and see all this merrl mord voa for myself at close quarter quarters pree pres wy metal he wd 1 I taink the commandant cow mandant bad had beet best return to the as early as an the hial trill vill ahw 40 4 0 an u ad admirable devotion to tol duty L sar answer d tho the general gravely and without an effort ti to daud de ud the eatrue prince ance i but out acu ean in tilts city there waa was aurl of gloom one place where eullee jascor had w boli 1 1 ousted by walk sow tool merriment tbt th arst company of big h 1 maJo guards was con 1 fined to Us its bar racks rocks in jhb square of st 9 ya hil choel by or wf H der of the corn coin mandant raan dant of Z slavna T this b I 1 it by reason of high military misdemeanor om stack ness captain filp u on d ty 1 ved out ff sm nylon f a acl rioting gand and drunk eik peas when on leave kor nor were the uny better than the own i may way I 1 go end and see thela and beer i thee them up lip a bit sir instead of coming comin g WI sitf you to the palace asked no good od imitated markart of Sten Steno ovlee r it if hi his royal gives you kave leave certainly agreed ahe general the commandant billed I 1 farhart far kart yes and toll tell them what fool they an are bf be fald patti with a en itlo markart found the at wine after their dinner the men i bad had resigned to fate late end and beene to G bed markart dall d vered hie his go w with ith his usual urbane alta i Bit eu Ita statz giggled un III cIty liy 1 1 a high laugh he NO U frowned peevishly lieutenant Ste tAft 1 out a it belous captain ranu alt do down wn oath f his bit brought gaw t 4 aln n on the he table the etera eve 40 es ts ithel yet he said out nut ot P tuncil elaw bellaw I 1 bould should have been 1 61 l u is uc with vern at the hotel de do pails patti te td t condolences offered to by his who la in fact held no 0 or of itar ear he ue was a huge fellow six feet three stud broad as a dr door A great geat bruiser and a duelist of fame X name was ills florid free waa WAS flushed with bol hot anger and le irant his 11 critte in 1 lilg tilt gulps itow long are we to stand it lh lie 49 to we come me its only for ono one even jar pleaded plead Ml tl arlart one renan vealus v wont ault burt eyen captan iler i the subalterns backed altu with a I 1 jugh but would hair haco neof it llo ile ait A aa it and arid drIn drinnin lIn to W toothed and rom across tha the square CAMO thy IN bound or br music maste and bin a ing from the volden mon MOIL afafala banged tiie tame tanie listen ther thero pl ho ead maja th fa ts pleas viL bearing hearing while were but up llo lito rats la in a trap and all clarna tarch ins ing at fsr us 31 arLart shrugged bis his shoulders and smoked in silence to argue with the tun tu n was to coult coutt a t quarrel ite be began ait to repent rf tf hia his well meant vlast ills alls drained bli glass s nut but some of us bare have a bit ot of spirit lea lett t and so master sergius shall ew 11 he went OIL on lie he put out A great bund hand on either side und and caught tr and Hnat atar by their writa wrists were the mionia to show heitur he cried St erkoff no bid choice for buh an enterprise a aly try active tel fellow with a 4 determined if it di disagreeable face and a ansty quint in fit his right eye but ut Ra statz with ills bilm gg urr uri weak mouth and high laugh prom isea no co great help yet in him fear of stith might overcome nil all other fear yes we three IL show girat and liow be rose to his feet dragging the pair up with him liln ifor a song and a bottle at the golden lion rasped gasped eve Ster kott start ed markart laughed it could be more than it mad joke jole cash ierino was the least punt punishment aliment which would await the act yea we three toge r lie ile released them for a moment and caught up ills aivord nod and cap then be he seized Ita wrist again and squeezed it vaVa savagely gely come out ot of your trap with me you mtr he be growled in savage amusement at the young roans mans frightened face St erkoff gained courage im SIM ith you ho be cried im for to night tho the devil take tomorrow morn youre all drunk said markart la in despairing resignation weh well ho be drunker before tic nighta nights out 41 gnarl i iari d Mi stitch and it I 1 meet th that a t fellow when hen im drunk god help elmr ito ile laughed 5 loudly then there might be a chanco for young alexis after mir the worda words alarmed markart young coant alexis as the kinga kings 9 n by countess Coun tesa Ellen ellenburg burs A chance for young for I or heavens he aveni nake make go to bedr be implored stitch turned to him 1 dont want to quarrel with anybody in tonight unless I 1 meet one man but you cartet stop me blar markart kart and only do by trying now my boyer hoy t they were with him f 7 st erkoff with a gleam ln in 1 ble his squinting eye wj 1 I tats tat with a boned un co atit easy giggle oud and shaking lejour trap tap anees geee ne ee mi stitch clamped with WC tl them on the tho back VOM unit ra I 1 r bottle apiece acdwell and well all im iw berbes lie cried tried markart you go homo to your mamma aa though given in no friendly way this 1 allyc ewas wise beneath ble neAth its metaphor dut but markart did not at ut once obey it iff ile had DO no more authority tha power to interfere stitch waa wail officer and be he bad had no caal orders to act but be he followed the three in a fascinated interest and nith ith the hope that a very very brief prof at f bid his freedom would content the captain out from the barracks me three march ed the sentry nt at the gaie gate presented arms but tried to bar their progress with a guffaw and a mighty push mis cot peat him sprawling the corn com mandant want wants us you fool he cried and the th three res were la the square what the devil will came come of this ON business thought Slark Star kart art ca as be he fol lowed them over the little bridge which panned the canal and thence to the door of the golden lion neha behla them still till he be tamed the seats on the pavement an and entered the great saloon As 1113 and his come in n three fourths of the emrany spang sp ang to their feet and returned the salute of t th so strongly military r composition was wa the tho on one ado side of a sir lr feet high glasa glass screen which cut the room in two twos sergeants erge anta and their interiors ferlon In OB on the other A moments silence suc ceeder the salute theo then a young om cried the king has bas interfered it did not occur to anybody that the might have changed hl his Z 4 and rev reveled eted his decree decre e ro r g good gad ad it or jt 11 they knew him too well to t lak of t 1 I a biting Luteff oi d J 11 ecby al 1 inh b sonorous rolling voice no i efly 14 1 walked oatt cull MO VY one object I 1 I 1 lie ile alired a chaj 1 eherd mero fifteen present off of f super Jor raul raa ther drank their beer or beo discreet ly the juniors broke into a singing cheer it waa was taken tip and back from the class acre eli to which a tt hundred fac s wes j a nn n itt stant glued oer which bere and there the head hend of soma ulder than common tall avid suddenly denly projected 11 A table hegery cried tied stitch and cham champagnat champ agnel quick sit down my y boys A etrano illenye followed be tak I 1 cheers men were thinking cheers first thought thoughts after afterward vard was the order in to slavna a la in aaby anny other cities now they rl the baturo of llila ww ftp tu atcie en r v lim m sullen obedience to Q open opel enace en nce van it only a braur ft ur U lr r ix 11 cleri acu MV was V J a summons ti u each mm plait to chood a ne As QUO Choon ff hla hi mide might well w ata staking im life mb filch roae rose from his chair claca gla in ili hind bind b ind long lite to the king be he shouted Thu tsi loyal isn it aye immortal wei the cheers broe out cgale mingled with lauititi r A voice tole cried nard on bis his heir captain aye yer stitch roared back hard aa as be 1 Is on us my fri friend endi I 1 another burst of cheering and acain that corde lence smitten silence SIar kart bad had found a seat the door and a good way from tb the redoubt able AIL stitch andnis and his companions lie ile looked at t bis his watch it was nearly 10 in halt an hour general Ste Steno novica would be leaving the palace and it was meet that ho ito abound know of all this aa an boon won aa as po possible SIar kart made matte up his tha that t I 1 e 0 i would slip away eoon soon but still the interest of the scene the fusel nathn of this prelude such it seemed to him held his steps bound suddenly a young man of appearance from a table at the end of the roam a where be he had been aenied in company ab b s pretty and smartly dressed arl A gruce graceful tul gee ture excused bin to bis his fair companion and be he threaded his way deftly between be the jostling table tables UP where StI stitch eat ant lie ile wore court dress and it decoration markart recognized in the young man baron von yon Holl hillbrandt brandt junior secretary ol 01 the german Germau at ilk legation in slavna lowed to mi stitch with whom he was acquainted then bent or the giants burly back rud whispered in his ear r take u 1 friends ad 1 s rice vice captain bo he said ive been at the palace aad and I 1 know the prince mill ahil who had to with folio ollow mer mr tw draw at half halt past 0 9 ile was to return to slavna then to duty come go back youve bad had your opt spree xe sy the lord im obliged to yourl cried lads were obliged to baron baton voa yon could you tell roe me the street bo he means to come by because be rose to bis his feet again well go to aej meet biar half air the hall heard him and the speech A as soon passed on to any out if be bearing artur A parse sparse cheer sputtered here and there but most were silent allent bastates gasped again while Ster Loff frowned and squinted villainously whispered once more wore then stood erect shrugged his shoulders bowed and walked back to bis his pretty friend ile sat down and squeezed her band hand IQ im alx apology logy the pair arole into lauz t ver a moment later baron you Holl hillbrandt brandt felt that be at least had done his duly duty tho the three bad had drunk and drunk Ita statz wa was silly St erkoff vicious the giant stitch jovially and cruelly reck reek less legs exalted not only by liquor but with the sense of the part be played pLay eil suddenly from behind the malls screen rose a mighty roar long lle ih donn with ty rants lon conj live captain Iter hercules cules it was fuel to the flames Nit stitch drained bis bla glass and hurled it on the floor well who follows mel mev be cried half the be men started to their feet the other half pulled them down contending currents of feeling ran through the crowd to one his neighbor gave a warning to another instigation they seemed poised on the point of a great decision yet what was it they were dic deciding iding they could not tell markart suddenly forgot his caution lie he rushed to td with his hands oil out t and for gods god maker loud load on bals lips lin your cried by heaven what els else does your general want what elso else doe does matthias Steno Ste want tell me that amid a dead allence be b went out bb two henchmen after him he ile and St erkoff walked firm and true Ita stats lurched in aisi alt bit A thousand eye followed their exit and from cy vy throats went up a long nigh of relief that they were gone but what bad they gone to do dol the company decided bilat it was just as well for them whether collectively or as individual not got to know ta too much about that let it be hoped that the cool air ou tattle bould haye baye a sobering sober lne effect and rend send then them home 9 to bedl yet from behind the th glota screen tb th we re soon ares arcee e aguin a d busy Int limur of voices ille the tb bum hum of a threatened with danger outside big had crossed th the canal and could to inca corner where tha street of the opens oa an to bt st michaele michaela square quare what say bay yoc you to a call at the clotel de do paris ands indar he sa id mitt Ster St erkoff kolt whispered do y you on hear hit bit step coming up the str street there the illuminations burned till still in the aquaro and pent a path of light down the narrow street strett the tareo stort and turned their heads cj 0 c J looked and smacked hl to augh 1 |