Shelled by an Unseen Foe | Page 5

the end of
the block; then with a struggle he twisted through the door and stood in
the open, deserted street.
In the years of his absence he had forgotten the city, but he
remembered the general directions, and only yesterday he had seen in
the distance the gleaming white marble walls of his home standing on
the beautiful headland overlooking the blue waters of the bay. He heard
the sentry approaching and, trusting to instinct, turned into the nearest
street and hurried away.
It seemed to Zaidos that the journey was endless, yet he went like the
wind. He found himself searching the east for dawn. His instinct did for
him what sight and reason would have failed to do. In daylight he
would have been lost, but in that black darkness he kept his course, and
finally the great white building where his fathers for generations had
lived loomed mysteriously before him. He hurried up the broad stairs
and besieged the massive doors with heavy blows. A startled footman
opened it, and with a curt word Zaidos entered and demanded his father.
The man bowed and led him up to a closed door. Here he knocked
softly and a stout old woman answered. She looked hard at the young
man in uniform, then with a little cry clasped him in a warm embrace.
It was his old nurse.
"Ah," she cried, "God has answered my prayers! You are in time!"
A chill of apprehension swept over the boy. "Is he so ill?" he asked.
"He has waited for you," she answered. "I told him you would come. I
knew it. He has been dying for many days, but he would not go until he

saw you."
"Let me come," said Zaidos. He dashed past the old woman, the nurses
and the doctors, and was clasped in his father's arms.
CHAPTER II
AN IMPRESSED SOLDIER
The events of that night long remained in Zaidos' memory, a blurred
picture of pain and heart-break. There was a brief and precious hour
with the father whom he had so seldom seen; a time filled with the
priceless last communications which seemed to bridge all absence and
bring them close, close together at last. His coming seemed to fill his
dying father with a strange new strength. He talked rationally and
earnestly with his beloved son. Zaidos could not believe that the end
was near. Count Zaidos gave the boy a paper containing a list of the
places where the family treasure was put away or concealed. Also other
papers of the greatest value. Without these he would be unable to prove
his heirship to the title and estates of the Zaidos family. In case of the
boy's death all would go to a distant cousin, Velo Kupenol, who had
long made his home with the Count. Zaidos turned to meet this cousin,
whom he had not seen for so many years that his existence had been
forgotten. He saw a keen, ferret-faced lad, a little older than himself.
He took an instant dislike to the boy, and rebuked himself for doing so.
Yet the hard eyes looked too steadily into his, with a cold, piercing,
deadly look.
"I'm in the way," thought Zaidos, as he turned again to his father. And
some sure instinct in his heart cried, "Beware, beware!"
When the dying Count handed the thin packet of precious papers to his
son, Zaidos slipped them in the inner pocket of his blouse. At that
moment Velo approached the bedside.
"Uncle," he said, "unfortunately my cousin here has been impressed
into service. Would it not be well for me to keep these papers? I would
guard them with my life, and as I do not intend to fight they would be

safe with me in any case."
The Count frowned. "No," he cried. "Velo Kupenol, I have not found
you true to your name! You have been here with me for years, and I
know you through and through. I have treated you with all patience,
have paid your debts, have saved you from disgrace for the sake of the
family. I have forgiven you over and over. You have not shown me
even the loyalty that a true friend would expect, to say nothing of a
relative. If anything happens to my son, unfortunately the estates will
be yours; but while he lives, the papers will remain in his possession, to
do with as he sees fit. Ah!" he cried, turning to his son, "be worthy of
our name, my boy! No Zaidos has ever yet disgraced it. I put my trust
in you, and I know you will not fail me. To the day she died, your
mother planned great things for her baby boy. She--"
He fixed his eyes on