Show 1 I r I IiI Ii L I 1 I I r TARTHUR HENRY 11 t lv r I rI I CHAPTER Continued i I That is 16 not necessary assured 11 I StarYL Let all nJ I theno theio candles cande bo snuffed except those In tho candelabrum tr i rum that thAL stands at nt tho the head bc d of ot tho the I Bring your man Jacques I to that point and no farther arther We WeI I I shall see him but ho bo will wUl not Dot be able to th seo us Fortune was favoring us U indeed Ij Locke Locko and aad I silently bestirred our ourS ourI I Now at last bad had como tho the thor r moment for or action But Dut still another I grumbled and still fortuno fortune favored us That Is all very vory well objected IB Ig 1 And a n traitor may mB mayti ti H a blow In the dark I for ono one J 4 refuse to gratify the tho curiosity of Kuhn In this matter mattor But was determined to bave have his way I To prevent that ho answered each of at no us U will lay his weapons wen pons on the table at nt the tho U e end of the tho hall hail I Thero wore were cries of oC fierce dissent silenced them with an angry II I i gesture ge I ture Ono moment friends ho purred 1 You do not quite understand When wo lye first came camo Into this room I sug HUg suggested that lots should bo be drawn and aud ho be who was favored with tho the lucky number should fire concealed In the gloom goom that flint nono might be suro sure who had been chosen to snuff out Ferdi FordI Ferdinands soul But since our friend Kuhns loyalty has ban been ques questioned it Is ho he who shall shoU have havo that honor onor and with dagger ho hoshall hoshall hoshall shall do the tho work And lc Ie an nn acci accident i dent dept should happen or lest his cour courI I 1 4 f I ago o should nil fall him and anil I II will keep our revolvers I think there thero I I Is 16 nono none to question our loyalty i Kuhn had grown frightfully pale j ho lie trembled But ho spoke no word j By this arrangement continued II the loyalty of Kuhn of Mace Macedonia Macedonia donia donla will bo ho established And If Jr he heU heI U I was glaring at nt and Count there are arc any mail mad enough to dream r m of or disloyalty at this lato into j hour and nd harbor treachery they thoy wIn will be ho powerless ruse ruso was hailed with j of approval I and strode to tho the nt at tho the ond end of the Ule hall ball and flung lung down i their weapons defiantly re reluctantly reluctantly followed their example folded hit his arms defiantly I standing motionless i Thin ThIA Is childs play ho muttered I with palo pale lips lipsI I Nevertheless u uIn In his car ear you ron will obey and quick quickly ly By Dy all aU tho the saints I think your our plan has proved Noved a wise one Come sir wo we are aro waiting Or are you so Ignorant of the rules of ot eti etl etiquette quette that you Insist in taking over a king With V TiU I a n gesture of oC despair Count walked slowly to the tho table and Md left leCt r revolver there thero theror r Now friend Kuhn wo w are waiting only for or you youl ou cried sharply I have havo no arms answered tho the poor wretch with a l sob You shall bo be armed presently cried Now s you OU may 01 a go so Out with tho the and Ig IS Tho The rest of you remain quietly as you OU value your lives You I will J find your man defenseless H Jacques But Dut If I ho proves trouble troublesome II some come you havo only to call and I 1 Q will come You havo taken care of or Alphonse I havo put him to sloop sleep ho chuckled i As AB Jaques lifted the tapestry Locko Locke choked him Into silence Together wo we carried him struggling up tho the hidden and burst into tho the anteroom of o the tho tower Not until we had Hung Huns him breathless breath loss Into tho room of ot tho the safe and had locked tho the door did wo we answer Forbes frenzied questions Locko Locke gripped his arm for Cor Quick there is not a moment to lose Have Havo you arms arias No uNo growled Forbes ready read for fer fortion ac action tion In ln tho first room to the right of the thc corridor panted Madame do mar Ver Vernier nier In tho the drawer of tho tl o cabinet near Dear Uio tho door Then como come And you OU two stay hero There Is mano mans work below Wo ro stole silently down tho the stairs Locke Locko and myself maeIr in fn tho the lead to tho the cabinet whore both Locko Locke and Forbes chose choso their revolvers Do you ou Copt Capt Forbes make your our way along tho tue SIllier gallery until you ou como come comoto comoto cometo to the spiral staircase at tho the end of ot tho hall bali I commanded briefly When I appear at nt tho the main stairway with Locke reach the hall hail with no delay There Thero Is a n table by the tho stairway there are arc arms on it let lot no one approach that table until Locke or myself have reached your side Eldo Now thou them Locko Locke are aro we ready read Wo We had filed silently Into tho the cor dor Forbes Forbell sped Hp with caution to Ida vantage ground Locko Locke was WIlS al aI already already ready approaching the main staircase when whon I seized him by b tho the arm armI I 1 am going to fool Stana I am I f going to call for tor help He lie will think It Jacques As Ae he ho comes I shall take caro care of him Is IB your jOur jOurman man Walt Wait till he ho shows 8 himself and mind you aim I raised my voice In tn a cry of at dis distress dIstress distress tress tressA A mol mel My trick succeeded ded admirably bounded up the staircase As ho showed himself In the tho light of tho the candelabrum I fired He Ho tell foil lo 10 without a groan gronn Locko stood at toe head of ot the staircase waiting w Ung I 1 peered p red down don In the tho darkness below Forbes revolver rang out again and again Tho The uproar was terrible Kuhn Kuhni To tho the staircase I cried In fn French That was tho the last Iut I knew know of ot our molco moh o oI I 1 sank Bank gently to my knees behind tho ho antique rug rub bullet 1 had hod struck mo me mor mor mer I r r CHAPTER t l Honor My Sword I r awoke to consciousness co B to find myself In tho the music room I opened my m eyes languidly Helen was bend bending bendIng ing log over me What Is It ft I murmured Yes Yea I 1 remember fight on tho sair case caBe caBeI caseI I 1 struggled to my ray feet but sank back dizzily my hands bands to my m aching forehead Thank God you aro are alive and It is all nil over cried Hobo Helen brokenly And Ferdinand Fordinand Is sao safe Quito safo safe and unhurt Already r Dont she oho cried In iii pain How Ho can enn you spool speak of ot love lovo at such auch an on houri Forgive me What a selfish brute bruto I am But by b tho be by when time has hag softened your our bitter bluer pain In happier days may I 1 como to you OU 7 Happier days day Sho She clasped her hands in quick despair fr looking be beyond beyond yond ond me mo as n if Ir Into a futuro future that must bo be always dark for her Yes I 1 said Bold Ht d passionately there shall shaH yet yot bo be happier bappler days das for or you ou and for tor mo me Do you ou remember on the tho ter terrace terrace race raco tho the little beacon light In tho the far ar oft off mountains That was my m star str It comforted mo me then It fl bids mo too hope now no It tells me Helena you lovo nv rn No Ne She withdrew withdraw the band bandI I had held almost fiercely Her Hor brought mo me rudely to my senses I had bad been mad to hope I turned slowly from her bar groping my way toward the tho door for tor my head b ad was wai still BUll throbbing furl furi furiously Sho She stopped mo me with a cry of or dis dia distress tress She Sho clung to mo me in her eager cager eagerness eagerness ness You dont understand sho abe plead pleaded ed You have havo saved my brothers honor as far nr as tho the world can know kno But this shamo shame that mo too this disgrace can I forget it itI X XI I would holp you bear benr IL it Mr Haddon wo we Brotts have havo been boon beena boona a proud nice raco Our happiness wo we share with others But disgrace wo we bear alone alono Dont say that you are aro bitter bl er now but If It you had known me bettor betler said Helena quietly you ou would under understand understand understand stand that I do not give gio tomorrow what I muot munt deny don today toda When I told her of tragic death d nth I had thought It pathetic ic he that a n woman should be bo so strong It H was her bor calm cairn courage that had first awakened my m love lore for tor her I 1 must not complain now If H sho she was not to bo ho moved by my entreaties lIes But Dut this question I did ask Jf ll I could have proved preyed that your our 7 4 4 41 I I I i Ho Fell Headlong Without a Groan ho be has bas loft left the chateau Capt Forbes will toll you ou everything presently I have been unconscious so long Am I wounded I fool feel no pain only this headache and dizziness A bullet bullot grazed your our an eighth of an Inch more more She shuddered shUddered shuddered dered It wounded you rou only slight slightly Iy ly but you ou have been unconscious I nearly nearl an nn hour bour I H My usual luck I cried bitterly It was to have been my chance I hoped to retrieve myself and I am winged tho the first shot Fato Fate is deter doter determined determined mined It seems seema that I shall stick to tomy tomy tomy my rolo role of oC coward Dont dont ever say that hor her horrible horrible word again n cried Helen pas paa passionately It was your our shot that killed It Is you OU who have saver Ferdinand It Is you ou who have saved for mo me tho the honor of or my poor brother so BO far Jar as ns the world can know How Ho can I ever evor bo be grateful enough Helena I cried passionately you ou r at nt Lucerne on tho the terrace when I told you ou of or bys bs death how ho ho he had died calling mo m coward It was you that pointed out to me a J way of ot escape you told me how hair I could regain the 1 I thought I had lost forever It was to bo be a n life lICe for Cor a life liCe you OU said Bald When I had saved saed a n life for tor forthe tho the life lite that was lost through my 10 cowardice I was wag to stand once more upright among men mon Tell mo me you de do spire spice mo me no longer lonor Despise you ou she murmured If It you OU know knew how I honored you ou Ah It II is worth while to hear bear you OU say Ea that But you must I say Bay more moro lad moro more than that now lear dear to satisfy me Helena I thought only a n week ago that If It I could c win your our ro I should bo ho happy But now I want your love I I brother had not after all an shown shonn him himself self solf also false to the motto of your OUr house Honor my Sword would you ou still have haye refused r Cus to listen to mo me moAh moAh meAh Ah If It Mr Ir Haddon I For almost the first time lime since I had known her she smiled and that faint I smile opened tho the gates of paradiso to me She would not bo be moved to i declare her lore lovo for mo too but she did lovo mo I was sure Buro of IL Jt ILAnd It And then suddenly I thought of tho the words of ot tho the Countess when I mado made my 01 escape by b the ladder of atones Go and I swear by the cause I hold sacred that if ft you can savo save Ferdinand the tho honor of oC Sir Mortimer I I shall bo be saved That promise might mean menn little It might mean that sho she i would show her gratitude by b refusing I to make mako public Sir Mortimers dis disgrace I grace Or had her hor words a Cl deeper d per significance 1 But I cried eagerly nothing is Quito quite Impossible I repeat now what I said Bald to you rou whon when in your grief you yon asked ed me to meet tho the hanker banker I 1 cannot believe bellevo In your brothers guilt guill guillI I cannot conceive bow how a n man whoso whose integrity has been een during a brilliant career should suddenly stoop to the shame of C taking bribes A flash of o hope In palo face only to bo be followed br h b the tho deepest dejection But Jut thero there are aro the proofs sho she said eald mournfully I cannot would that I could deny don den my brothers writing 1 l must see Madame do Yarn lor A Cow fow ow hours ago 30 she held us at her mercy But Dut now we havo have the upper hand there thero aro are many man things she sho must explain OX Whore Where Is IG she sho She loft Uio the chateau with Ferdi Ferdl Ferdinand nand half hair an hour ago Left Len tho the chateau I 1 cried aghast Why Wh was she not hold held Prince Ferdinand that she ohe 1 must muot go at once to Sofia He has boa sent her on some acme secret mission I 1 think sho she muot must be bo one ono of his spies j And she he left no message mc sago for mo me moI meI meT I II I demanded gloomily No replied Helena looking at nt mo me moIn moIn mein In wonder Why do yon you ask askI I did not toll tell heV het of Madame do promise I 1 knew w now that It had been given ghen mo me quito quite recklessly rc kl lIly to spur mo me to action I was as mad marl to mercy morcy and gratitude from rom such sucha a woman Sho She was too on her revenge I remembered bit bitterly bittony n tony terly tori how she had told me in the tho tow tower er Cr e that she sacrificed friends and one ene enemies mies mios if It they thoy tho proved obstacles to her hor plans I had hoped I answered vaguely now that Ferdinand was caved that she sho might In some way wn bo be able to show us that your OUr brothers dishonor Is not co so great as Il It appears ap arR But could she explain away his writing naked Helena mournfully mourn fully No even evon if It she feels remorse rO for her hor cruelty In torturing me mC it ft is too toolate toolate toolate late I have havo eaten enten of ot the tree treo of knowl knowledge edge dge Co Mr Haddon and It Is very bit bitter bitter bItter ter Heaven has bas reversed my fate and yours It Is I who now have hac lost my while whilo you OU have gained coined No I cried bitterly I 1 have fail ail failed failed ailed ed utterly in my m task I dared hope for or too much I have dared too to greatly in dreaming that I should find happiness In this Castle of oC Lies But Dut she whispered I 1 too have hare dared Ernest and I shall ahaU not Dot for Cor Corgel forget get gel Helena Helona I crushed her hOT hands In mine Even now I 1 refuse to despair I will find fin this woman though I search tho the earth for Cor her She shall tell me mo everything and perhaps oven even now Not even your lore lovo can bring about the Impossible But If I It could If It by a miracle your brothers honor wore shown to tobo tobo tobe bo be stainless I Ah Ab If you could work miracles yes y sho she faltered altered The Tho door was flung open brusque brusquely ly Jr Locke stood at tho the threshold his hla keen glance glanco bent nt cynically on mo too So 50 you OU are arc quite yourself again 7 He concealed his embarrassment by bya a gruff demeanor So much tho the bet bot better better ter for or you must be bo off orr before the tho dawn my friend a And where I demanded aston astonished and not a little piqued at his cool assurance En Cn route for or America if Ir you OU aro are wise You are settling my destiny in a rather highhanded manner I cried angrily an lIy And will you ou tell me mo why you jOU dispose ot of mo me so BO summarily Why replied he with a quiet laugh I 1 have promoted you He Ho became suddenly serious glano glanc glancing ing lug uneasily at nt Helena Holena Miss Bret Drel Capt Forbes and my myself myself self seU will accompany you rou to your ho bo hotel botel hotel I tel presently Will you oU wait hero while I say Bay a fow few words to Mr Had Haddon Haddon Haddon don But it Is not possible that you still mistrust him after tonight sho she do with Indignation No no he ho assured her I would spare you ou from Crom embarrassment that thatIs thatIs Is alL aiL Come Como then than I said shortly When we had reached the gallery I saw to my astonishment that the tho tl o hall below was empty I listened and there thoro was complete silence What hat havo have |