"STAR" TALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9116, 23 December 1907, Page 4

"STAR" TALES.

A RACE FOR A CROWN. £;■' (By W. H. WILLIAMSON.) | [All Rights Reserved.] CHAPTER IX. SHE HOOKS THREATEN THE QUEEN. The Duke's ride with the Lady Eva JK& Ballestrom had its consequences, as V* shall see. A man of his chivalry (iras drawn to a brave girl, especially ffirhen she happened to be beautiful. They stopped to rest at Binal, and went ma the next day to Vlan. When they reached the confines of Vlan, and the end of the first stag© of a ride — a momentous ride— rseemed at hand, he paid— " I wonder bow we shall regard this •ffair in the years to come." • ;. " I shall never cease to think of it !with gratitude, at least," she replied. He laughed lightly. ' " I feel that way mys/elf," and he looked at her warmly. ' 'She felt the sweet tremor of ecstasy. 6h.e had not dreamt of such richness: It was beyond the placid joys of Balferiv She nad gone to sow her tears, if taeed be, for, a father's life, and 6he ,was reaping a harvest most delectable. "They might have killed me," he said consolingly, after a pause, "if I had snatched at the crown/' ii She looked with eyes of wonder. .' '-'How horrible! I had no idea fiiuags like that were done in Tene- \ '"*' There is guile even in a Chancellor ;«nd an Archbishop.'' I "I can't forgive the Archbishop. ■ "YeH> he saved me from danger." ! "Your Highness is too generous." I "But he ran me into another d*JZMfir," I "What " And then sse guessed fwbatit was. „ V^'Se might have told her there and then, but the carriage drew up in front *f'"The Golden Ball," and Bitz was ioff Ms horse, opening the door. '''■■'-■'" I am eager to see this sick doctor, said the Duke as he handed the Count4S& otrfc. But his desire was unslaked, for, afl«r' a short colloquy with the landlord, he learned that Doctor Bitter and 'four companions "had left the inn— all of them riding— only three hours be- , The Countess was standing by and ■Jfeard iho statement. The news perplexed her, as it did the Duke. >-"Gone!" he said wondermgly. HGone" she echoed, then her tKcmghte flew at her heart's direction. *' Myfather 1" eh© cried out m fear. " The Duke turned as if to shelter and protect her. "He will be safe," he said calmly— inly afraid, nevertheless, that more >mighb happen than he had bargained ifoT. There were rogues in Runick, \ ■but he dismissed from the estate of \ (probability such villainy as he firet imagined. 1 " The Count is safe, I feel «ure— it is not that," he said, desirous of cdmforfcIbe. h«?r j for her face was torn with the twtto of her imaginings. " Perhaps the doctor has followed you to Vrenden; ex.. maybe, just gone for a drive." I . "The innkeeper did not speak as I though be expected them to return." *■;. "It is a trifl« strange," he 6aid, feeling there was more in the circumBtanoe than he understood. But he did riot wish to make her anxious, so bet added with a smile, " Perhaps they think it is of no us© to wait now their; «bfect is attained." $hei looked at him gratefully; she knew -he waa tempering her fears and soothing her emotions. - They looked a splendid pair; he with his frank, courageousi face and kite-like form, square at the shoulders and tapering well down his straight limbs > lie, reaching a little above nis shoulder, with wonderful grey-blue eyes, straight eyebrows that trailed almost ake »n adumbration over hea* temples, a nose straight, not so big as to suggest pnj>eriousn.ess or so small as to desire W, Irat just a nose, of golden mean, with fcnrved and sensitive nosfcHJs, a chin rounded with sweetness and grace, and a mouth not too large for beauty nor tool aunaU for notice— lhe rest trim and full. Rollo could not overlook all this, Wen at no perplexing a time like the present. She suddenly recalled the «Kpr4s6ion of the landlord. '" Four companions," she said, look- " ing at Rollo. ""Well?" he said, not being so impressed with the reflection. " The docfar and two mea came with ifte 1 ; then there was the other doctor who attended hi™ — that makes' three companions." Rollo made inquiries. "Another came," said the inn-! keepers; " he had ridden fast, and they all left within an hour." "Ahl" from her. ']■■' It was certainly a fresh incident. "News," said the Duke quickly. Vague news 10 uneasy new6. She looked at bim anxiously and inquiringly. "Don't fear!" he said comfortingly, With hope in his 'voice. "They fear Srho run. The others have run. "You do not think it means harm to th© Count, do you?" She -was very «nxious. "No," he said promptly. "A me* ■eager would not com© all the way from Rumok to tell tliese rogues merely news •bout the Count. If this messenger did not come from Runick, we need not be •xudous: if he did — there is news, but It J8 of some other villainy, I fancy." Me attempted a laugh, as though fcaviog crossed the river, perplexity jhould not trouble nor wanton regret jtsturb him. " Perhaps it is as well they have gone: they might have tried lo do us harm/' ; But she was not altogether satisfied, ind he, noticingUt, stud — . "You are still anxious?" . "My father," she murmured. : "You would like to go to Runick?" • On the strings of her heart some roguish emotion played, whispering, you coming too?" but she Answered plainly, " Yes." .;■:•■■ "I have not been to Runick for many years," he said, striking anticipated as a note. And the little rogue whispered *gain, "He may come," eo that she Was not able to answer him with comDlacency, and said nothing at all. "I think I will go," he added And the rogue whispered, "Oh!" and her heart eeemed to speak of

things it had never mentioned before., but 6he just said — , "I mu6t not trouble you." " There you speak truly," he answered, "and you will not. I long to go to Runick — now." So they decided the beginning of that fateful ride. The innkeeper agreed to send a messenger to the Duchess ofLossbacb. at "Vrenden with a note which, the Duke wrote ; also he agreed to take care of Fraulein Buchner, who was ill, and to send her with a careful escort to Ballen when she was well, the Countess saying she would endeavour to take a maid from Lingen on their way, as at that place was an innkeeper who had been in the flerriee of the Count von Ballestrom,- and he iiad some daughters. These arraugc-iaents being agreed upon, the little party set out again, the Duke being on one side of the carriage and Bitz op the other. The ride was soon to be interrupted with the unexpected. The carriage was not more than eight miles from Vlan when a horseman came dashing along the road, riding furiously. He had almost passed the carriage with its two attendant horsemen when he raised his eyes and caught sight of the Duke. He gave a short cry of surprise which quickly showed delight, and he pulled up his horse. Rollo, too, recognised a face he knew, and pulled up. " Herr Thalberg,'* h'e said. • Thalberg was now off his horse, and doffing his hat, he said- — " God save your Most Serene Highness!" Rollo stared. Thalberg continued : " but 'I am not the first with the news ?" "What news?" asked Rollo, guessing. " His Most Serene Highness Frederick the Second — he is dead." " Dead I" For a moment B/0110 was tossed with many emotions. If h« had only waited — but had he crossed the frontier too soon after all? "When?" he asked, and there was , more in the question than even Thalberg guessed. " Two v days ago, I heard — they say at four in the morning of Monday. I have scarcely left the saddle since, but God bless Your Most Serene Highness!" " Thank God I" ejaculated Rollo fervently, and the Countess in the carriage, overhearing the conversation, seconded the thanksgiving. Rollo turned to her. "It is fate," he said. " I did not cross too soon. My uncle died two days ago in the morning! i You have helped me," he added with tenderness, and she wished she could help him more ; a thing aread in her face. Thalberg laughed . loudly when he heard of what had happened. The Crows had defeated their .own ends. They had actually got Rollo over the frontier much sooner than his friends could have warned him. Their trick had failed ignoniinibusly. The Archbishop's deep scheming: had turned to the advantage of Rollo, for he had had two days' start, and had not prejudiced his chances in any way. Otto would only now be receiving the news at Bosen, and 'Rollo was one hundred and sixty miles on the road. No wonder Thalberg laughed, and Rollo rej'oiced, and the Countess felt wondrously glad. It seems worth while remembering the eaying of the Archbishop: " He digged a pit for others" : jeo many people dig! Herr Thalberg looked at the Countess and then at Rollo. ■ "It will be a hard ride," he said. Rollo perceived the drift. ""And, maybe, dangerous?" " There will be stones on the road, sir." " We shall not be fit company for a lady," 'he 6aid. "On no account, Your— Most Serene

Highness," she said, "wait for me. I can manage with Bitz quite easily till we reach Lingen, where I oan get a maid and additional escort if neces- " I do not like to leave you," said Itollo, "but I may drag you into danger." , . „ , „ , " That is nothing, she < replied. "But speed to you is everything. I will catch you up at Runick. Thalberg discreetly drew away. "I mayoometo meet you," he said, "though I shall be with you on the Wa She quite understood, but was afraid to say much: her eyes were extravagant, however. „ " I hope you will succeed, she said. " I want success in many things, he re^ You will see my father?" she said anxiously. . „ " He shall be my first inquiry. Tiiey parted, and as the Duke raised his hat and went at v a gallop with Thalberg towards Runick to race for a crown, both she and he knew in a I tremulous corner of a neart that the I distance that separated them was i bridged over with an aro of golden I threads, over which chenshea thoughts could skip freely and without stint . Now the race had begun! There was no denying the wild excitement now, and Rollo and Thalberg were both thrilled by the race as they felt their horses under their legs. But we have an incident to record relating to the Countess von Ballestrom, for she came to play a great role in this journey. The carriage followed the cavaliers, and the Duke occasionally turned round in his saddle to catch a glimpse of that which held what he held dear, till finally that glimpse was denied him, ana the gap grew greater and greater The Countess gave herself up to dreams and imaginings, and hopes and fears, and the carriage tolled its unhasty way till the village of Pflug was passed. It would be about two miles beyond this place, and just before the woods of Bischopsklein are seen, that a party of four horsemen, who had been, standing in the way, following the direction of a leader who kept in the background, darted suddenly in front of the carnage with a command to tile driver to stop. He, poor, man, was either too faithful a, creature to a sense of duty, or he misunderstood the command, for he .persisted in whipping his horses, and was instantly shot. The Horses were seized and held and the Countess put a white face out of the window. " Bitz I" she cried. "My lady!" "What is It?" But Bitz could not explain every- | thing. He was held fast by a pistol pointed at his head, and Tombs, to her surprise, volunteered information. " It means, my lady " he said, "that we want the Duke of Rugart Where is he?" She sighed with relief. " Find him," she said, realising somepart of the truth as she sank back in the carriage, not knowing as yet of the tragedy on the box. ' p We shall," answered Tombs. "We thought he was with you— where is he? We have news for Mm." , '< , "Is that why you left Vlan?" she asked. " It is important," said Tombs. " The Duke of Rugaft 16 on the road to Runick." she said, feeling some satisfaction in letting' th^se rogues know they were' beaten. It was a Jeminine satisfaction, and of no long duration. There were curses from the men, and the leader— at the distance— had a quick interview with Tombs. In the meanwhile the Countess put her head again through the window and called to the' coachman to drivo on. ' - One of the other men answered: "He is deadt" "Dead!" She held her teeth together lest she should cry out; death meant very much to her 3 if it was, very little to these men. Her face, went paler. "Bitz," she caDed in a tremulous voice, " what is it? Drive on." Bitz savage, few voices speaking to him so loudly as his mistress s and passion's, knocked up the pistoj that menaced him, struck the man with his riding whip, and dashed at the horses. But he was not strong enough. He 'was seized, knocked from his horse, bruised and wounded, one man savagely kicking him a6 he lay on the ground. The Countess, hearing the struggle, looked out and screamed. Tombs, having his instructions, hurried back. " Stop that noise," "he said to the Countess, "or your man will be killed — you shall have something to scream for. , We have lost your Duke^ for the moment, but we shall catch him. Sit still! in that carriage -" The Countess 6truck him in the face. The next moment her hands were fastened, the carriage was turned violently round, and the Runick road was forsaken for one that ran south-east. "Bitz! Bitz!" called the Countess. But Tombs put a pistol in the window of the carriage. "We do not want any noise," he said, and then she fainted. But Bitz, lying bruised and battered on the road, heard the voice of his mistress, and, seeing his horse neaT, caught it, and though it was a difficult job to mount it he succeeded, and then followed after his mistress. It twis a painful ride, and he did not 6eem to lessen the distance between himself and the abd actors of his mistress. He followed in blind faithfulness, reckinjg of no danger to himself , moved by his simple devotion. He was led on mile after mile, and the other men saw him, and laughed, and continued. He did not hear their ' laugrhs — his mistress's cry was all he heard. v Suddenly three other men met the carriage, and Tombs and his companions gave up the ride, allowing the others to take the Countess. Bitz, desperate and despairing, dashed madly after them, but four men met him, as he threw himself like a madman, with an inarticulate cry, amongst and Tipon them. Four to one was manifestly no struggle. Bitz was taken from his horse, fighting, kicking, maddened. He was held while two of them dealt him blows from his own riding whip. He tried to^ say^ something, to ask, to plead for his mistress, but his tongue was silent and his look surprised his foes. The leader intervened. He was well hidden with a cloak, but hi<j« teeth were very prominent, and he said: —

" Your mistress will come to no. harm : she is going there " — he pointed to a castle almost hidden by trees — " it is the Castle of Elderheim. She ie going to stay there till the Duke of Rugarfc fetches her. She will not be harm-, ed, remember that — if the Duke of Rugart returns to her at once. Go after him and tell him that. If he goes to Runick befoi«e coming to the Countess, sh© will be killed — go and tell him." The other men seemed as* surprised as Bitz at this speech; but Bitz was more than surprised. His face looked almost inhuman. He glared rather than stared, and on liis white face were red blotches, not all wounds. His mouth worked in an ugly fashion, and he seemed to try to say words which would not. come. Poor Bitz I He had lost the power of speech. " He cannot speak," said one of the men. ' " He will when he gets to the Bee," said the man with the teeth. " Give him a good borse and let him go." He was given the horse that Tombs had had, and he took it gladly. "Don't waste time," said the leader again, " and don't forget your message. If the Duke goes to Runick before coming for the Couatess, your mistress will die. Now go." Bitz, with eyes bloodshot and watery, and with a mouth open that uttered nothing, gave one look at the speaker, and then set off wildly on his ride after the Duke. ' The others, after watching him go, cut across the country — it was the misBion of the man with the prominent teeth to sow mischief on the high road, to Runick. (To bo continued.)