Adventure Magazine Cover — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

Can a Man be True? served her fate, yet he shuddered as he pic- tured her guilty fears when the truth dawn- ed upon her that retribution was at hand. ‘Poor Gisdel!’’ he said, “‘how she made him suffer through her very love and ambi- tion for a favored son! At least he was innocent of plotting my death—Bistoff knows that—and I shall certainly force him to clear my step-brother’s character.” The hours seemed long and tedious before the frontier was reached. Then a startling surprise awaited the travelers by the world- renowned express. Suddenly heads were thrust from the windows of every compart- ment, and eyes gazed curiously at the red- carpeted platform, lined with soldiers and decorated with palms and flags. A gray-haired man in uniform, none other than the now famous Count Bistoff, ad- vanced to the saloon carriage from which a boy-like figure sprang. With outstretched hands King Maldio greeted the loyal sub- ject to whom he owed his life. After a few brief words of welcome, Bis- toff informed him that a dressing-room had been prepared in which the travel-stained Monarch could change from civilian garb into the resplendent uniform of the King’s Own Regiment. “T felt sure your Majesty would wish to be so attired for your triumphal entry into the Capital,” said Bistoff, who himself guarded a case of priceless orders, in which lay the great diamond star that had been buried with Maldio’s supposed corpse. “The town is being decked as if for a royal wedding. Even when your Majesty selects a queen, there will not be such rejoicing as now. The battle-cry has been suddenly silenced; it is the cry of hfe now—‘Long live King Maldio!’” The mention of a new queen, the wife of the reinstated King, sent a momentary shadow over Maldio’s face. “There will be no royal wedding,” he answered, looking Diarmid fully in the eyes. ‘Already I am bound for life to a morgan- atic bride.” Bistoff started, and bit his lip with sudden vexation. Then, restraining his disappoint- ment, he murmured softly: “The King’s will be done, but it is not in the blood of Maldio the Thinker to neglect his duty to the throne, to the State, to heaven itself! All in good time, your most gracious Majesty, all in good time.” The words sank like lead into Maldio’s 689 heart. Loti—his Loti—seemed like the dream-inhabitant of another world, far, so far away. CHAPTER XXXVIII A ROYAL PRISONER MAX* and deep were the emotions of the reinstated King as he made his triumphal entry into the Capital. Never had a human crowd cheered any living man as this mortal from the tomb. Their shouts of joy were almost as the roar of thunder, reaching the listening ears of Gis- del, imprisoned in the Palace and guarded by soldiers once his own subjects. In moody silence he sat picturing the scene. He had heard something from a talkative servant, who appeared to take a certain cruel de- light in supplying the eagerly-asked-for information. Gisdel drank in every word with feverish dread. He dared not think of his own punishment should those in power refuse to believe he was unacquainted with his mother’s hideous deeds. What if he should have to suffer for her crimes? The terrify- ing verdict of Caroline’s supper guests still rang in his ears—‘‘ Death to King Gisdel!”’ He knew well the romantic temperament of Lambasa’s populace. How they would worship the King whom they had followed weeping to the grave! Hearts must beat wildly that day with uncontrollable joy, and eyes be dimmed by tears of unspeak- able gladness. Maldio’s return had checked the out- break of revolution, putting an end to civil war. Through the length and breadth of the land a great wave of loyalty spread upon wings of rejoicing, while every coun- try, learning the news, would marvel at the wonderful fortune and thrilling romance of this amazing resurrection. Gisdel, remembering the stiff form in the coffin, shuddered to think he must face his brother again. He knew Maldio would have followed the career of failure, which alone marked the history of King Gisdel’s short reign. He saw now to the full his own limitations, laying them at the door of his dead mother. She was responsible, and she alone, for the weakness of his policy, for his lack of understanding. She had kept him at her side like a baby, training him to selfish ease. Any width of view or COMMICLOOCKKS.ECO