TRUXTON KING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14214, 10 November 1909, Page 10

TRUXTON KING.

[PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.]

A STORY OF GRAUSTARK.

BY GEORGE. BARR McCUTCHEON, Author of " Qraustark," " The Alternative," ' The Fliers." "Beverley of Graustark," "Jane Cable." "Tie Man from Brodney's." " Brewster's Millions." "The Husbands of Edith," "The Daughter of Anderson 'Crow," etc.

[COPYRIGHT.]

CHAPTER XXll.— (Continued.) "Eric?" she whispered at last, drawing back in his arms and looking up into his eyes with a great pity in her own. "Is he — he dead, Truxton?" "No," he said gently. "Badly hurt, but—" "He will not die? Thank God, Truxton,. Ho is a braveoh, a very brave man." Then she remembered her mission into this whirlpool of danger! " Go ! Don't lose a moment, darling. Tell Colonel Quinnox that Jack has come ! The dragoons are—"' ' He did not hear the end of her cry. A quick, fierce kiss and he was gone, bounding down the stairs with great shouts of encouragement. Leaderless, between the deadly fires, the mercenaries gave tip the fight after a brief stand at the terrace. Six hundred horsemen ploughed through them, driving them to the very walls of the castle. Here they broke and scattered, throwing down their arms and shouting for mercy. It was all over inside of twenty minutes. The Prince reigned again. Nightfall brought complete restoration of order, peace and security in the city of Edelweiss. Hundreds of lives had been lost in the terrific conflict of the early morning hours ; hundreds of men lay on beds of suffering, crushed and bleeding from : the wounds they had courted and received. " I knowed we'd whip them," shouted the Prince, wriggling gleefully in John Tul-

lis's straining ei übrace half-an-hour after the latter had n'dden through the gate. Tears streamed down the big man's face. One arm held the boy, the other encircled the sister he had all but lost. In the Monastery of St. Valentine there was another woman, waiting for him to come to her •with the news of a. glorious victory. Perhaps she was hoping and praying for the other news that he wtould bring her, who know*? If he came to, her with kisses, she would know without beting told in so many words. t Truxton. did not agaan see Loraine until late in the afternoon. .He had offered his services to Colonel Quinnox and had worked manfully in the effort to' provide comfort for the wounded of both', sides. General Graze was at work with his men in the open citjy, cfraring away t.fce ugly signs of battle. The fortress and tower were full of the prisoners ot war. Baron Dangloss, pale, emaciated, sick but resolute, was free once more and, with itvdomitable asal, had thrown himself and his liberated men. at once into the work of rehabilitation.

It was on the occasion of the Baron's first, visit to the Prince, late in the day, that Truxton saw the girl he worshipped. Prince Robin had sent for hi.n to appear in the devastated state chamber. Publicly in the presence of the Court and Ministry, the little ruler proclaimed him a baron and presented to him a great seal ring from among ancient crown jewels. "Say Mr. King," «ml Bobby, after he had called the American qui to ulcwe to him by means of a stealthy crooking of his finger, "would you mind giving me my lucky stone? I don't think you'll need it any "longer. I will, I'm sure. You see a prince has such a lot of thi.lg*' to trouble him. Wars and murders and everything."

' "Thank you, Prince Robin," said king, placing the stone in the little hand. "I couldn't have got on without St. May it always serve you as well." " Noblesse oblige, Baron," stud Prince Robin gravely. "Hello!" in an excited whisper. "Here's Baron Dangloss. He's been in his own gaol!"

Truxton withdrew. Near the door he met Loraine. She had just entered the room. There was a bright look in her eyes.

"Count Vos Engo has asked for you, Truxton," she-said in alow voice. A delicate flush crept into her cheeks; a sudden shyness leaped into her eyes, and she looked away.

" Loraine, have jsou told him?" "Yes. I am so sorry for'him. He is one of the bravest men I haw ever known, Truxton dear. And, as it is with all men of his race, love knew no reason, no compromise. But I have made him see that I— that I cannot be his wife. Ho knows that I love you."

'Somehow, darling, I'm sorry for him." " He will not pretend friendship for you, dear," she went on painfully. "He only wants to thank you and to apologise, as you did, not so long ago. And he wants to ask you to reloa.se him from a certain obligation." " You mean —our fight?"

" Yes. He is to lone his right arm, Truxton. You understand how it is with him now."

CHAPTER XSQIL

YOU WILL BE MES. KINO

Late that night it was reported at the castle that a large force of men were encamped on the opposite side of- the river. A hundred camp-tires were gleamung against the distant uplands. "The Grand Duke Paul'us ! M Exclaimed Count Halfont. "Thank God, be did not come a day earlier. We owe Mm nothing to-day— yesterday! Ah, he .could have demanded much of us. Send his messengers to mc, Colonel Quinnox, as soon as they arrive in the morning. I will arise, early. There is much to do in Graustark. Let there be no sluggards." A mellow, smiling moon crept up ever the hills, flooding the land with a sereae radiance. Once more the windows in thd castle gleamed brightly; low-voiced people I strolled through the shattered balconies; others wandered about the vast halls, possessed by uncertain emotions, torn by the conflicting hands of joy and gloom. In a score of rooms wounded men were lying ; in others there were dead heroes.' At thesbarracks, standing dully against the distant shadows, there were many cots of suffering And yet there was rejoicing, even among i those who writhed in pain or bowed their beads in grief. Victory's wings were fan- , ning the gloom away; conquest was painting an ever-widening streak of brightness , across the dark, drear canvas of despair. In one of the wrecked approaches to the ' terrace, surrounded by fragments iff stone and confronted by" ugly destruction,' sat a yqung man and a slender girl. There were no lights near them; the shadows were black and forbidding. This particular end of the terrace had suffered most in the fierce rain of cannon-balls. So great was the devastation here that one attained the position held by the couple only by means of no little daring and at the risk of unkind falls. From where they sat they could see the long vista of lighted windows and yet could not themselves be seen. His arm was about her; her head nestled securely against his shoulder and her slim hands were willing prisoners* in one of his.

She was saying " Truxton, dear, I did not love Eric Vos Engo. I just thought it was love. I never really knew what love is until you came into my life. Then 1 knew the difference.' ' That's what made it so hard. I had let him believe that I might care for ITim some day. % And I did like him. So I—" -

" You are sureterribly surethat I am the only man you ever really lowed V" he interrupted. She snuggled closer. "Haven't I just told you that I didn't know what it was until—well, until now?"

" You will never, never know how happy I am, Loraine!" he breathed into her ear. -,; "I hope I shall always bring happiness to you, Truxton," she murmured, faint with the joy of living. " You will make me very unhappy if you don't marry me to-morrow." "I couldn't think of it!" " I don't ask you to think. , If you do, you may change your mind completely. Just marry me without thinking, dearest." " I will marry you, Truxton* when we get to New York," she said, butt not very firmly. He saw his advantage. ' " But, my dear, I'm tired of travelling." It was rather enigmatic:. "What has that to do with it?" she asked.

" Well, it' 6 this way ; if wo got married in New York we'll have to consider an extended and wholly obligatory wedding journey. If we got married here, we can save all that bother by bridal-tripping to New York, instead of away from it. And, what's more, we'll escape the rico-throwring and the old shoes and the hand -painted trunk labels. • Greater still : wo will avoid a long and lonely trip across the ocean on separate steamers. That's something, you know."

" Wo could get on the same steamer." " Quite so, my dear. But don't you think it would be nicer if we went as one instead of two?"

" I suppose it would be cheaper." " They say a fellow eaves money by getting married." *- " I hate a man who is always trying to gave money." " Well, if you put it that way, I'll promise never to save a cent. I'm a horrible spendthrift." , •'■..-., "Oh, you'll have to.save, Truxton!" " How silly we are he cried in utter joyoueneire. He hetu her close for a long time, his face buried in her hair. " Listen, darling ; won't you say you'll be my wife before I • leave Graustark ? I want you so much. I can't go away without you." She hesitated. " When are you going, Truxton? You— haven't told me." It was what he wanted. '.' I am going next Monday," ho said promptly. As a matter of fact, he had forgotten the day of the week they were now living in. "Monday? Oh, dear!" "Will you?" " I—l must cable home first," she«falter- '" That's a mere detail, darling. Cable afterward. It will beat us home by three weeks. They'll know we're coming." " I must ask John, really I must, Truxton," she protested faintly. _ \ " Hurray !" he shouted—in a wjhisper. "He is so desperately in love, he won't think of refusing anything we ask. Shall we set it for Saturday?"

(To be concluded to-morrow.)