— -- •. _ „■ ■ 1THE UNKNOWN f MR. KENT OEORGH B. DORAN OOw Ul« COPTRIQT. 17 She had not considered it in that light before. There was a change, and it had come so gradually, so im perceptibly, that she had been the last one to recognize it. Somehow, this knowledge that ther^ were those In Marken who cared for her for her own eake, gave her a greater sense of security and bravery than she had ever known. "Come,” he said, gently, "what harm do you think a man like Pro varsk capable of, now? Why, if I wanted to take the trouble, I could start whispers throughout the king dom tonight that the real reason for his plotting is that he intends to seize the throne, and exile your brother and yourself, and the people—yes—the very ones that he is now stirring to make foolish demands, would tear him to pieces and feed them to the dogs!" “But why not do It?” she demanded, with all the eagerness of ti conspira tor. "Because," he said, slowly, "I don't want It done that way. I want to punish him In my own way. Also, because I enjoy watching him, just to learn how far he is capable. Why, If he can succeed, we ought to walk out! It would show that Wu are a lot of In competents! If any other women talk to you of him, just tell them how gTateful you are and forgot it. Fro varsk must have no Inkling that I suspect him. I want that much un derstood. When the time Is ripe—we shall see!” /viier sr.c nau gone, me American sat for a long time alone, and star ing absently through the open window as if very liappy by the knowledge that at last the princess was a real ally. Then, smiling grimly, he sent for Von Glutz, who happened to be accessible, and told his secretary that they were not to be disturbed. CHAPTER XIII. A strange lassifude seemed to have overtaken Kent. In direct contrast to his old habitual energy, he now loit ered habitually, taking long walks alone, like a man who, finding his task done, has no further ambition and devotes himself to useless medi tation. For weeks he appeared apa thetic; so much'so that the king, In dustrious. and the others of that little cohort whose activities ho had direct ed and stimulated were gravely con cerned. They suggested that ha need ed rest; that he must be ailing; that 1: were better If he sought change. And to all these suggestions hanselled , gravely end shook his head. “It's like this," explained Ivan to Paulo, in private conference. TTbera is something on his mind, some trou ble. some worry,»that none shall ever know. J can not understand it—1 who for years have been his shadow, his* r.ght hand, his triend of thought and s; .-vice. Ho has not confided in me, which in itself Is strange! Were he a youth, I should say he was Involved in a hopeless love affair; but, being what he is, a rock, a being as In dependent as the poles of the globe, I can not conceive what it is that lias overtaken him!" "And all the time," angrily asserted the minister of finance/ "that Pro varsk plots!" It was true. And Kent, as well as his adherents, know ti; for Kent's sources of Information brought him the constant and unanimous reports that the chancellor was adroitly using his time. .The managers of the mines stated that the men were becoming dally more intractibie and sullen, that nightly meetings were bo ng held from which no Information ever leaked, and that there wus a growing unrest. " I "re was no room to doubt that 1 ■ irsk was behind it ail. and thai J varsk was car fully laying a pow der train to causa an explosion: yet Kent, the master spirit of change, read the reports, or listened to theta, and was lethargic. Paron Von Gluts, the new enthus iast for road improvement, slipped hastily away to the outer world to in spect some now ruid-ir.ak ng machin ery. Kent sm..ed at o.’s enthusiasm. Paulo went to the other side of the toy kingdom to inspect work connot ed with his department. Again Sent smiled, anj scented happy to be left aicr.e and unmolested. And then, when.least expected. Pro varsU acted with hla customary bold ness. Kent, walking atom- a me gum flt-n late one night, and ab-j^bed in thought, was abruptly sta: .• 1 by a soft crashing sound in the laurels oil either side and suddenly realized that be was in the midst of a huge inieket where, if it came to a struggle, he would have bat small change. He V'hirled with the intention of running to a better field; but hia foot caught on a rape that had been tied across the path, and he fell dpadlong. A than crashed through .the bushes on one aide and threw Uftasel* on Kent be foe t the latter could regain hi* feet, iic gai'wired b<» b‘g poweffiH that had In youth been inured by hard work and hard* battles with lumber men, and threw himself quickly to one side, broke the hold on his arms with a sharp wrench, and rolled on top of his assailant. His hope had been to get to his feet; but the man beneath, disappointed in one way, took^advanlage of another and shift ed his hold to Kent’s neck. Instantly another adversary caught the Ameri can’s heels and jerked his legs from under him so that he sprawled at length on the man in the path. Kent lifted his arm to strike and another man seized It strongly and clung to it. Kent’s left fist struck this new as sailant and elicited a grunt. Then, whilst he was trying to land a sec ond blow, another man was added to the corps of assailants. Kent fought so well thai it took the best efforts of the four then to sub duo him, after which he was Im mediately handcuffed, and lifted to his feet, "What’s the meaning of all this?" he demanded, between pants. "It means that you are under av rest,” growled a hoarse voice. "Bring him along, men!” "But where are you taking me?” Kent insisted. "You'll find that out soon enough,’’ was Jjie reply. Kent walked doggedly along in si lence and without further protest, and wgs led directly to the private en trance to the palace, thence upward to his offices, where, despite the warmth of the night, the shades were drawn and the room in a blaze of light. As soon as his eyes were ac oustoined to the change ho behetd. through the open door of his private office, Provarsk lazily seated in his private chair, and saw that the draw ers of the desk had been wrenched open and that numerous papers were scattered on the floor. "Ah! Got him, did you?" the chan cellor remarked tt tljo soldicjrs con ducting Kent. "You did well. Couldn't have done much better in fact; but I was rather in hopes ho would fight sufficiently hard to mike extreme measures necessary." He smiled pleasantly and. came into the other room. Kent loaned at the men around him and sneered when be discovered they were some of Pro vt.rsb’s original mercenaries, riaw be come double traitors. 'However, it is just as well that you didn't have to—knock his brains out," the baron continued. “I find that the papers which are accessible art—r.ot exactly those 1 wantefl. J er hapa Mr. Kent will oblige us wit., tin combination of his private vault?” "Bless- my soul! What an over sight' ' Kent exclaimed. ‘You'.' not got Inc combination? Thoughtless of you. But, by the way, it would do you no good this evening, anyhow, Baron. It has tho best time lock I could buy.” The baron walked over to the vault and inspected It, and it was evident that he was not famliar with such a modern device. “Suppose you broke that clock oft?" b« inquired of Kent. "Then even I could no* op»n it. ’ the American replied. "You may be cer tain that the vault will not open until after 10 o'clock tomorrow.” "In that case all you can do is to give me the combination." said I’ro varsk, eyeing Kent insolently. “For two centimes I wouldn't." Kent replied. "And for two centimes, if you d.dn't, I'd throw you into a wet dun geon without food until you did," I’ro varsk promptly retorted. "Vm-m-m-h! By Jove! 1 believe ! j 6u would," said Kent, admiringly, | "and that being the case, I suppose I may as well g-ive it to you." ""aactly!" replied the chancellor. "L'itt'.e courtesies will be duly appre ciated." 'I’ve noticed that you were appre I dative," Kent said, meaningly; "but j inasmuch as I'm hue and you arc | there, 1 don't see v, At else I can do j but oblige. If >t.j and my good f lith ful fr'thds here ate not afraid of •me. ! perhaps y ; would kindly request farm to remove this jewelry; other v. is ■ 1 ant write." Ft iv .rsh smiled at what he thought cor. asm and a.;l.* .i the iead.ng soldier i .? Kent luid arty weapons. On being j j.aur d that the American was un a: n:■d the char.'ejlar ordered the | handcuffs removed. "And let me cau'ion you. Mr. Kent." he threatened, "that any attempt to escape or call for assistance may ne cessitate action on my part that l should regret to take. Furthermore it would be useless on your part, be cause there is no one in the palace who would attempt to assist you save Che king and his royal sister, both ol -whom are now slumbering sweetly—? with a guard outside tbeir doors.” Kent looked about him as if seek • i' 0 ..cm. one. 1’iovarsic divined hit look and added: "And that bear maw of yours has also been taken In, and I believe is now nicely secured in one of the old dungeons. I hope one was selected where there are plenty of rats." Kent looked at the leader of the mercenaries who stood stockily by him, and whose protrudirfg eyes bat ted themselves at Intervals and were devoid of expression. "He's got to be taken out of that dungeon," Kent said, emphatically. "To quote one of your own phrases, ‘Nothing doing!’" retorted the con spirator. "All right! Nothing doing in the combination line, either," stubbornly returned the American. Provarsk grinned at him with the kindliness of a hungry wolf; but in fluenced by his prisoners’ fearless stare, paused to consider. "I’ll tell you what I’ll do," said Kent, "in compromise. You have your friends put Ivan in a comfort able ceil, and I'll not only give you the combination, but my parole. I'll agree that you can take me to my own room, and that I'll not leave there without first notifying you that I In tend to do so. How’s that?" "This is to be a gentleman’s agree ment, is it, Kent?” Provarsk asked. “It is." “All right,” the conspirator replied, "I’ll accept it. Whatever else you are, I’ll admit your word Is absolutely good. Give me the combination." Kent walked across to his desk, sat down, and with a steady hand wrote it on a piece of paper, blotted it, and passed it to Provarsk. The latter smiled lazily, and turned to the lead ing soldier. iou navo neara the agreement," he said. “See to it that we keep our part. Have that Ivan put in the most comfortable place of confinement we have. Take Mr. Kent to his room, and see that he is not disturbed. Of course he has no objections to a guard outside his door?" “Not in the least,” Kent assured him. “I like it. Keeps me from 02 ing lonesome. Sort of soothing in the dark. Now, before I retire, would you mind telling me what you are up to this time, and what it's all about?" „ “Not in the least,” said Provarsk With ther same air of courtesy that was, in itself, akin to insult. "What I am up to is, first of all, to get rid of you. I'm going to put you out of the kingdom, and also I've taken steps to c^t your claws. I secured th6 ad dress of your employer, John Rhodes, at 65 Regent street, London,'West, yesterday, and wrote him enclosing correspondence showing that you hail not only made overtures to sell his concession to me, but had actually transferred it to me for a cash con sideration, which I presumed was with his sanction. I explained that my object In writing was to have him remove you to other scenes of com mercial activity, because you were personally obnbxiohs to His Majesty, the king, and also to me, the chan cellor. Needless to say the corres pondence I sent him proving the sale of the mining concession, was signed by yourself. Unmistakably so." “Viu o I J CO upcuuu null gruuilic astonishment. This was a more adroit invention than he had credited Pro varsk with being able to devise. He had written to Rhodes and—! "You forged my name to those let ters, eh?" he asked hotly. “Well, be fore I'm through with you I'll—” "Do nothing! You can't; you are helpless. I've got you, this time, my smart Yankee friend, and got you in such a way that you can’t escape. Whe*n I kick you out of Marken, you can take your choice; be tried by John Rhodes as a defaulter and convicted on my evidence that the letters are genuine, or put as much distance as you can between yourself and your employer. That Is immaterial to me, either way.” ‘ Rut—but the king! He will not •submit to it!" declared Kent, on the defensive. “The king! Poof! The king will dc as I say. after this: otherwise, I'll send him trailing along after you in short order." Kent's face was impassive. "Take him to his room and let him think it over," ordered Provarsk, with I a grin. “Goodnight, Mr. Richard Kent! I hope you have a very com^j fcrtable rest. I may tall on you in the morning to assure myself of your comfort." . Kept, for once astonished at the man's ingenuity, turned and led the way out with never a word. Pro varsk had proved a better enemy than hi had believed him to be. He could but think of the letter and enclosures to John Rhodes and remembered that the financier’s reputation was that of being an inflexibly hard and unrelent ing man whenever one of his under lings had proved delinquent* He tried to recall whether John Rhodes had always been just in such cases. Per | haps poor Harry, who had been sent to an American prison for something similar, had been a victim of some other Provarsk. And Simmons, the Knglishman. when led from the dock to serve M* sentence pf three years hard labor, had protested 1»is inno cence to the very last. And both ■ Simmons and Barry had been master I _ _ i agents, entrusted with great trans-j actions, enjoying intimate acquaint tance with John Rhodes! He looked! very grave and preoccupied as they! escorted him through the long, re-' sounding corridors of the palace, dim-' ly lighted, and suggestive of the long1 corridors of a prison where a man. who was innocent of the crime for which he had been convicted, might helplessly eat his heart away. The very sound of their footsteps sug gested the tread of warders and guards. A problem presented itself to him in which he attempted to stan^ aloof like an outside spectator, and speculate what John Rhodes, the rich est and most feared man in the world, would do upon the receipt of such letters. Would he be tolerant and kind, or severe and unrelenting, with such evidence against Richard Kent, the trusted agent, who had at last yielded to a very great temptation and gone wrong? His guard halted and opened a door. Kent walked through and closed it behind him. He was alone in his ac customed room with hig problem. And then it occurred to him that there is such an influence as justice, and that Justice will not be denied. There was a king. The king, though it cost him his throne—though it cost him every thing he prized in the world—would under such circumstances find and confront Rhodes, and declare it all a lie. And Rhodes under those circum stances would be compelled to believe. Kent's long and varied training in reading men told hipi that the king would prove a loyal, fighting, stead fast friend, and that in such an out rageous, diabolical plan as Provarsk’s this would prove to be the weak point in the chancellor's armor. Kent disrobed, bathed the dust of that stiff physical contest on the gar den path from his face, and climbed into bed. Tomorrow was merely to morrow, to be met as his judgment dictated. Within 10 minutes he was sleeping as soundly as if nothing mat tered and he were but a tired boy. CHAPTER XIV. Kent, breakfasting in his room, heard not only the singing of birds in the garden, but a persistent and, increasing monotone of sound that pervaded everywhere, caused by the shuffling of many feet along the streets outside the palace walls, the indistinct hum of many voices, the grating of cart wheels over the roads, and an occasional shrill^call rising* above others. The atmosphere itself seemed charged and ready for a'single spark to cause the explosion of revolt. At this hour of the morning, ordinar ily, Marken would have been absorbed in industry, an industry that he had compelled and that had become ha bitual. This he thought, bitterly, was the result of too much prosperity. This was the price for arousing a slothful, shortsighted people and teaching them "roads to wealth and ambition.'^ The poorest churl In the fields had learned the value of his own earning power and profited, while others, who had been worse than hopeless, had seen the way to independence. Kent wondered If, after all, he had not taught them! greed instead of Industry, indepen-, dence, and patriotism. He heard someone coming rapidly along the corridor, the guard's heels coming t<^ a salute, and the door opened and tha king entered, his whole personality radiating Indignation. ( "This is an outrage!” he declared. "I found a guard in front of my door this morning who told me of your ar rest and confinement to your room.' He made no objection to my coming here and so I came at onpe. We willj gc immediately ant^ have Provars'.q seized. Come!” - Kent slowly shook his head. “I can not," he said. “I am under parole of honor to remain here.” The king stood aghast. “You gave your word to tha} treacherous—” “Yes, and shall keep it.” "Then I will at once go alone am) act. Ill—” "No, no; let us consider." Kent checked him. "But—but it may mean revolt! How do we know that he has not bribed or overcome enough of the guards that—” “No fear," said Kent easily. "Somt of them, perhaps; but I have curtail) reasons to believe that on Duron Von Glutz's return there will be—um-rm mh—a change in the situation." (Continued next week.) Not Quite In Naturalibus. From Judge. "We had raisin pie for dinner yester day and pa got awful mad.” "What's the matter? Doesn't he like raisin pie?” “Yep. but he told ma he had bought those raisins for another purpose.” Unfeeling Court. From the Birmingham Age-Herald. ‘•Your honor,' said the prisoner with; tears in his eyes, "do you realise what; it means to send me up for 10 years?"' “Yes," replied the Judge. "It means that you are going to do moce work for the state than you ever did for your wife and seven children. Next case." ‘ Realistic. £ From the I jail y Oklahoman. He—I realistic dream lastsight. She—Indeed! What was it? * "Oh. I dreamed I proposed to you and you turned me over to your rather." * "Yes.-y#a; and what did father say ?" I “Oh. 1 don't knew;. I^hly know I woke \ up and found myself oh the floor?* I AIMS TO REACH 100 r A Pittsburgher, Who Caused a Sensation, Tells of Results. ANCIENT TONIC HIS SECRET Hundred* of Thousand* of Famine Following HI Six years ago- H. H. Von Schlick could be seen any day visiting prontl 1 nent Pittsburgh business men In their downtown offices. He carried a satch el, and his arrival was always greet | ed by a smile indicating welcome. | These nien were his customers. They l drank at his “fountain of youth.” They j accredit him with a new lease of life j and the heatthy condition of their fam j ilies. I Von Schlick has bright eyes and his ; cheeks indicate that'pure red blood I flows through liis veins. He says he was younger at fifty th&n lie was at thirty-five. He lias never had a sick spell or any of tlie symptoms of the ailments which afflicted him before he began using a tea, the ingredients of which were conveyed to him by an old Bulgarian 20 years ago. Von Schlick makes this statement: “I was recovering from tlie grippe, was run down, and a dizzy feeling in tlie head, and felt like tlie victim of ilie hook-worm. This old Bulgarian knew of my sickness and while in the office suggested, ‘I give you (Some thing to make you feel better.’ He returned next day with a package and told me to use one teaspoonful in a cup of hot water, and to"' repeat the dose once each night for a little while. He promised I would never be troubled from sickness again. I fol lowed the prescription, skeptical, of course, and one day later I was seek ing that old man to secure from him the ingredients of that tonic, i ONE HUNDRED YEARS YOUNG. “He explained to me that in Bul garia tlie older families regarded this tonic as the great disease preventa tive and health restorer; that it was handed down from generation to'gen eration. At the first symptom of any sickness the mother or women of the family made the tea for all members. It is a well-known fact that Bulgar ians are the oldest and healthiest people In the world. “In Bulgaria and the Balkan coun tries of Eastern Europe, in spite of poor sanitary conditions, among 1,000,000 inhabitants there are 1,600 over 100 years old. In France there is only one person in 1,000,000 over 100 years old, and in Germany only one person 1,150,000. It is a rare news item in the United States when a man dies after reaching the century mark. «. “My Bulgarian friend informed me Hint his progenitors reached this time of life and that they all had a healthy and happy old age. Asked for a rea Pitfalls of Slang. Those well-intentioned leagues and clubs which are always talking about they unity of the English-speaking rases, tlie bond of a common language and tlie rest are a delusion and a snare. There is no common language between tlie peoples; it is tlie very specious resemblance which makes the gap. Kipling well described the Amer ican in London who “heard men talk ing a tongue superficially like his own, which on inquiry turned out to he something quite different.” An Amer ican says: UTve got you,” meaning “I understand.” The Englishman thinks he has been discovered in some heinous deception. Tlie language re semblance is in fact,a bar rather than a bond.—London Express. USE “DIAMOND DYES” Dye right! Don’t risk your material in a poor dye. Each package of “Diamond k Dyes” contains directions <1 so simple that dny woman , can diamond-dye a new, rich, fadeless color into old \ garments, draperies, cover I ings, everything, whether / wool, silk, linen, cotton or mixed goods. Buy “Diamond Dyes” — no other kind—then perfect results are guaranteed. JL'l 11^^101 11 «* O l/lftiuuuu Dyes Color Card”—16 rich colors. 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