Part 22 (1/2)

Yet there was one--not Michael--who, if he lived,forth to stake ure I had met in the woods of Zenda--the dull, inert e--seemed to rise, double-shaped, beforeitself in even where she lay, pale, exhausted, fainting, inup at me with those eyes that bore such love as I have never seen, and haunt round closes over me--and (who knows?) perhaps beyond

CHAPTER 12

I Receive a Visitor and Bait a Hook

About five miles from Zenda--on the opposite side froe tract of wood It is rising ground, and in the centre of the demesne, on the top of the hill, stands a fine modern chateau, the property of a distant kinsman of Fritz's, the Count Stanislas von Tarlenheim Count Stanislas himself was a student and a recluse He seldom visited the house, and had, on Fritz's request, very readily and courteously offered me its hospitality for myself and my party This, then, was our destination; chosen ostensibly for the sake of the boar-hunting (for the as carefully preserved, and boars, once common all over Ruritania, were still to be found there in considerable nu distance of the Duke of Strelsau'son the other side of the town A large party of servants, with horses and luggage, started early in theby train for thirtydistance to the chateau

We were a gallant party Besides Sapt and Fritz, I was accoentlemen: every one of them had been carefully chosen, and no less carefully sounded, by my two friends, and all were devotedly attached to the person of the King They were told a part of the truth; the attempt on my life in the summer-house was revealed to theainst Michael They were also infor's was suspected to be forcibly confined within the Castle of Zenda His rescue was one of the objects of the expedition; but, it was added, the King's ainst his treacherous brother, as to the precise nature of which they could not at present be further enlightened Enough that the King commanded their services, and would rely on their devotion when occasion arose to call for it Young, well-bred, brave, and loyal, they asked no more: they were ready to prove their dutiful obedience, and prayed for a fight as the best andit

Thus the scene was shi+fted from Strelsau to the chateau of Tarlenheim and Castle of Zenda, which frowned at us across the valley I tried to shi+ft ies to the task beforeout of the Castle alive

Force was useless: in so of e must do But I was terribly hampered by the publicity which attended my movements Michael must know by now of my expedition; and I knew Michael too well to suppose that his eyes would be blinded by the feint of the boar-hunt He would understand very hat the real quarry was That, however, ht nized that the present state of things had beco that I dared to calculate on--not, as I noithout warrant It was this--that Black Michael would not believe that IHe could not appreciate--I will not say an honest hts ofhonestly He saw my opportunity as I had seen it, as Sapt had seen it; he knew the princess--nay (and I declare that a sneaking sort of pity for him invaded me), in his way he loved her; he would think that Sapt and Fritz could be bribed, so the bribe was large enough Thinking thus, would he kill the King, er? Ay, verily, that he would, with as little compunction as he would kill a rat But he would kill Rudolf Rassendyll first, if he could; and nothing but the certainty of being utterly da alive and his restoration to the throne would drive him to throay the trua on all this as I rode along, I took courage

Michael knew of h I had not been in the house an hour, when an i Embassy arrived fro my would-be assassins, but he sent the other three of his fara trio they were, splendidly horsed and ad Rupert, who looked a dare-devil, and could not have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three, took the lead, and made us the neatest speech, whereinbrother Michael of Strelsau, prayedhis addresses in person, and, further, for not putting his Castle at my disposal; the reason for both of these apparent derelictions being that he and several of his servants lay sick of scarlet fever, and were in a very sad, and also a very infectious state

So declared young Rupert with an insolent s upper lip and a toss of his thick hair--he was a handsoossip ran that many a lady had troubled her heart for him already

”If my brother has scarlet fever,” said I, ”he is nearer my complexion than he is wont to be, my lord I trust he does not suffer?”

”He is able to attend to his affairs, sire”

”I hope all beneath your roof are not sick What of ood friends, De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard? I heard the last had suffered a hurt”

Lauengra Rupert's srew broader

”He hopes soon to find a medicine for it, sire,” he answered

And I burst out laughing, for I knehat e

”You will dine with us, gentleies They had urgent duties at the Castle

”Then,” said I, with a wave of entlemen

May it make us better acquainted”