The Argosy, March 27, 1920 — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

228 THE ARGOSY. » The king remarked: “ You say this youth is imprisoned. I would see him—have him Brought—” “Your majesty,” the count began timid- ly, “he has escaped.” * Escaped?” Yes,” the secretary nodded desperately. “Sir Thomas does not know this. I did not, until just as 1 was summoned to appear before you.” “He is at large?” showed genuine feeling. “Yes, your majesty, but I have already taken precautions. He will be found. I have sent one to search—” “ Sent one—send ten—send twenty,” the king cried. ‘‘ No—send no more. Arouse no alarm. Go yourself. Immediately. Re- port to me to-night.” The secretary started toward the door, “Here—take this. Keep it. It is yours.” The king pointed to the beautiful ring of the some time Prince of Viana. Sansito hastened back to accept the gift. “T thank your majesty,” the count cried. Ferdinand responded: “And I trust you.” The Count of Sansito smiled delightedly. He felt himself secure in his lord’s good graces, and departed in high spirits, little dreaming that the wily king was having him followed by a spy. The king’s voice CHAPTER XVIII. ILLNESS. 9 ge king’s secretary returned to his own palace. It was near noon, and the weather, by one of those violent changes characteristic of Spain, had become almost tropic. Worn by the anxieties of the morning, he felt ill, and dared not venture again into the hot sun. Dejectedly he thought of the king’s dis- covery of the existence of Arthur Lake. His majesty’s determination to interview the youth was very alarming. Arthur would surely speak of the lost parchment, and then would ensue the fatal revelation of the name ‘‘ Seseca.”” And Spain contained no other of that name beside himself! Arthur’s recital of his discovery of the hidden gold, its robbery, and the mysterious stranger would be of little consequence. “ But the severed finger!” Sansito moaned with apprehension. His majesty had long since discovered the mutilated condition of his secretary’s hand. Seseca had explained that it was the result of blood-poison, and that his doctor had de- creed the amputation. But King Ferdinand was astute. He would put all the evidence together, and ar- rive somewhere near the truth. “No, the king must not see Arthur Lake!” the secretary murmured. “ But also, I must conduct myself with the utmost circumspection. All will be saved if Don Luis discovers the sailor and apprehends him.” But the day wore on, and still the Jew did not return, and the unhappy count wor- ried more and more. Tn the cool of the afternoon, although feeling very ill, Sansito sallied forth in search of news and was trailed by the king’s spy, but he did not suspect it. The count discovered nothing of conse- quence, but several times he heard of Don Luis’s activities in the same quarters. “T have trained him well,” the master commented to himself. ‘‘ He is proceeding in this investigation as I myself would do, but I want results! I hope he has already finished his man, or at least brought him a prisoner to the palace.” Hopefully, the secretary returned home. But Don Luis was not there. Anger, fear, and disappointment struggled for mastery, but outwardly there was no evidence of the mental conflict until, suddenly, a fit of diz- ziness overcame Sansito, and he staggered blindly into the beautiful, rosy courtyard. There he was seized by violent attacks of vomiting, and was led away to bed. After a time, in the cool of his monastically bare bedchamber, he felt better, and set himself to think over his situation. After all, would he be so pleased if Arthur Lake were destroyed? He had the proofs that this youth was the royal heir, and, in case anything went wrong with the present régime, and Arthur still lived, here was the new king! Tt is due Sansito to say that never did the ConmiclooolkS.cCOlin)