[Illustration: "'DON'T YOU KNOW ANY BETTER THAN TO COME IN HERE?'DEMANDED THE PRINCE"]

TRUXTON KINGA STORY _of_ GRAUSTARK

BYGEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON

Author of "Graustark""Beverly of Graustark"etc. 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONSBY HARRISON FISHER

NEW YORKDODD, MEAD & COMPANY1909

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

 I TRUXTON KING 1 II A MEETING OF THE CABINET 23 III MANY PERSONS IN REVIEW 40 IV TRUXTON TRESPASSES 59 V THE COMMITTEE OF TEN 80 VI INGOMEDE THE BEAUTIFUL 94 VII AT THE WITCH'S HUT 114 VIII LOOKING FOR AN EYE 130 IX STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES 147 X THE IRON COUNT 161 XI UNDER THE GROUND 177 XII A NEW PRISONER ARRIVES 190 XIII A DIVINITY SHAPES 205 XIV ON THE RIVER 219 XV THE GIRL IN THE RED CLOAK 231 XVI THE MERRY VAGABOND 245 XVII THE THROWING OF THE BOMB 263XVIII TRUXTON ON PARADE 278 XIX TRUXTON EXACTS A PROMISE 295 XX BY THE WATER-GATE 312 XXI THE RETURN 329 XXII THE LAST STAND 345XXIII "YOU WILL BE MRS. KING" 357

ILLUSTRATIONS

"'Don't you know any better than to come in here?' demanded the Prince" (page 67) _Frontispiece_

"'You are the only man to whom I feel sure that I can reveal myself and be quite understood'" _Facing page_ 104

"'Bobby! Don't be foolish. How could I be in love with _him_?'" 158

"'His Majesty appears to have--ahem--gone to sleep, ' remarked the Grand Duke tartly" 366

TRUXTON KING A STORY OF GRAUSTARK

CHAPTER I

TRUXTON KING

He was a tall, rawboned, rangy young fellow with a face so tanned bywind and sun you had the impression that his skin would feel likeleather if you could affect the impertinence to test it by the sense oftouch. Not that you would like to encourage this bit of impudence aftera look into his devil-may-care eyes; but you might easily imaginesomething much stronger than brown wrapping paper and not quite sopassive as burnt clay. His clothes fit him loosely and yet weregraciously devoid of the bagginess which characterises the appearance ofextremely young men whose frames are not fully set and whose joints arestill parading through the last stages of college development. Thisfellow, you could tell by looking at him, had been out of college fromtwo to five years; you could also tell, beyond doubt or contradiction, that he had been in college for his full allotted time and had notescaped the usual number of "conditions" that dismay but do notdiscourage the happy-go-lucky undergraduate who makes two or three teamswith comparative ease, but who has a great deal of difficulty withphysics or whatever else he actually is supposed to acquire between theclose of the football season and the opening of baseball practice. 

This tall young man in the panama hat and grey flannels was TruxtonKing, embryo globe-trotter and searcher after the treasures of Romance. Somewhere up near Central Park, in one of the fashionable crossstreets, was the home of his father and his father's father before him:a home which Truxton had not seen in two years or more. It is worthy ofpassing notice, and that is all, that his father was a manufacturer;more than that, he was something of a power in the financial world. Hismother was not strictly a social queen in the great metropolis, but shewas what we might safely call one of the first "ladies in waiting. "Which is quite good enough for the wife of a manufacturer; especiallywhen one records that her husband was a manufacturer of steel. It isalso a matter of no little consequence that Truxton's mother was more orless averse to the steel business as a heritage for her son. Be itunderstood, here and now, that she intended Truxton for the diplomaticservice: as far removed from sordid steel as the New York post office isfrom the Court of St. James. 

But neither Truxton's father, who wanted him to be a manufacturingCroesus, or Truxton's mother, who expected him to become a socialSolomon, appears to have taken the young man's private inclinations intoconsideration. Truxton preferred a life of adventure distinctlyseparated from steel and velvet; nor was he slow to set his esteemedparents straight in this respect. He had made up his mind to travel, tosee the world, to be a part of the big round globe on which we, asordinary individuals with no personality beyond the next block, arecontent to sit and encourage the single ambition to go to Europe atleast once, so that we may not be left out of the general conversation. 

Young Mr. King believed in Romance. He had believed in Santa Claus andthe fairies, and he grew up with an ever increasing bump of imagination, contiguous to which, strange to relate, there was a properly developedbump of industry and application. Hence, it is not surprising that hewas willing to go far afield in search of the things that seemed more orless worth while to a young gentleman who had suffered the ill-fortuneto be born in the nineteenth century instead of the seventeenth. Romanceand adventure, politely amorous but vigorously attractive, came up tohim from the seventeenth century, perhaps through the blood of someswash-buckling ancestor, and he was held enthralled by the possibilitiesthat lay hidden in some far off or even nearby corner of this hopelesslyunromantic world of the twentieth century. 

To be sure there was war, but war isn't Romance. Besides, he was tooyoung to fight against Spain; and, later on, he happened to be moreinterested in football than he was in the Japs or the Russians. The onlything left for him to do was to set forth in quest of adventure;adventure was not likely to apply to him in Fifth Avenue or at thefactory or--still, there was a certain kind of adventure analogous toBroadway, after all. He thought it over and, after trying it for a yearor two, decided that Broadway and the Tenderloin did not produce thesort of Romance he could cherish for long as a self-respecting hero, sohe put certain small temptations aside, chastened himself as well as hecould, and set out for less amiable but more productive by-ways in othersections of the globe. 

We come upon him at last--luckily for us we were not actually followinghim--after two years of wonderful but rather disillusioning adventure inmid-Asia and all Africa. He had seen the Congo and the Euphrates, theGanges and the Nile, the Yang-tse-kiang and the Yenisei; he had climbedmountains in Abyssinia, in Siam, in Thibet and Afghanistan; he had shotbig game in more than one jungle, and had been shot at by small brownmen in more than one forest, to say nothing of the little encounters hehad had in most un-Occidental towns and cities. He had seen women inMorocco and Egypt and Persia and--But it is a waste of time toenumerate. Strange to say, he was now drifting back toward thecivilisation which we are pleased to call our own, with a sense ofgenuine disappointment in his heart. He had found no sign of Romance. 

Adventure in plenty, but Romance--ah, the fairy princesses were in thestory books, after all. 

Here he was, twenty-six years old, strong and full of the fire of life, convincing himself that there was nothing for him to do but to driftback to dear old New York and talk to his father about going into theoffices; to let his mother tell him over and over again of the nicegirls she knew who did not have to be rescued from ogres and all thatsort of thing in order to settle down to domestic obsolescence; to tellhis sister and all of their mutual friends the whole truth and nothingbut the truth concerning his adventures in the wilds, and to feel thatthe friends, at least, were predestined to look upon him as a fearlessliar, nothing more. 

For twenty days he had travelled by caravan across the Persian uplands, through Herat, and Meshed and Bokhara, striking off with his guide alonetoward the Sea of Aral and the eastern shores of the Caspian, thencethrough the Ural foothills to the old Roman highway that led down intothe sweet green valleys of a land he had thought of as nothing more thanthe creation of a hairbrained fictionist. 

Somewhere out in the shimmering east he had learned, to his honestamazement, that there was such a land as Graustark. At first he wouldnot believe. But the English bank in Meshed assured him that he wouldcome to it if he travelled long enough and far enough into the north andwest and if he were not afraid of the hardships that most men abhor. Thedying spirit of Romance flamed up in his heart; his blood grew quickagain and eager. He would not go home until he had sought out this landof fair women and sweet tradition. And so he traversed the wild anddangerous Tartar roads for days and days, like the knights ofScheherazade in the times of old, and came at last to the gates ofEdelweiss. 

Not until he sat down to a rare dinner in the historic Hotel Regengetzwas he able to realise that he was truly in that fabled, mythical landof Graustark, quaint, grim little principality in the most secret pocketof the earth's great mantle. This was the land of his dreams, the landof his fancy; he had not even dared to hope that it actually existed. 

And now, here he was, pinching himself to prove that he was awake, stretching his world-worn bones under a dainty table to which real foodwas being brought by--well, he was obliged to pinch himself again. Fromthe broad terrace after dinner he looked out into the streets of thequaint, picture-book town with its mediæval simplicity and ruggednesscombined; his eyes tried to keep pace with the things that his fertilebrain was seeing beyond the glimmering lights and dancing windowpanes--for the whole scene danced before him with a persistent unrealitythat made him feel his own pulse in the fear that some sudden, insidiousfever had seized upon him. 

If any one had told him, six months before, that there was such a landas Graustark and that if he could but keep on travelling in a certaindirection he would come to it in time, he would have laughed that personto scorn, no matter how precise a geographer he might have been. 

Young Mr. King, notwithstanding his naturally reckless devotion to firstimpressions, was a much wiser person than when he left his New York hometwo years before. Roughing it in the wildest parts of the world hadtaught him that eagerness is the enemy of common sense. Therefore hecurbed the thrilling impulse to fare forth in search of diversion onthis first night; he conquered himself and went to bed early--and tosleep at once, if that may serve to assist you in getting an idea ofwhat time and circumstances had done for his character. 

A certain hard-earned philosophy had convinced him long ago thatadventure is quite content to wait over from day to day, but that when aman is tired and worn it isn't quite sensible to expect sleep to be putoff regardless. With a fine sense of sacrifice, therefore, he went tobed, forsaking the desire to tread the dim streets of a city by night inadvance of a more cautious survey by daylight. He had come to know thatit is best to make sure of your ground, in a measure, at least, beforetaking too much for granted--to look before you leap, so to speak. Andso, his mind tingling with visions of fair ladies and goodlyopportunities, he went to sleep--and did not get up to breakfast untilnoon the next day. 

And now it becomes my deplorable duty to divulge the fact that TruxtonKing, after two full days and nights in the city of Edelweiss, was quiteready to pass on to other fields, completely disillusionised in his ownmind, and not a little disgusted with himself for having gone to thetrouble to visit the place. To his intense chagrin, he had found thequaint old city very tiresome. True, it was a wonderful old town, richin tradition, picturesque in character, hoary with age, bulging withthe secrets of an active past; but at present, according to the welltravelled Truxton, it was a poky old place about which historians eitherhad lied gloriously or had been taken in shamelessly. In either case, Edelweiss was not what he had come to believe it would be. He hadtravelled overland for nearly a month, out of the heart of Asia, to findhimself, after all, in a graveyard of great expectations!

He had explored Edelweiss, the capital. He had ridden about theramparts; he had taken snapshots of the fortress down the river and hadnot been molested; he had gone mule-back up the mountain to thesnowcapped monastery of St. Valentine, overtopping and overlooking thegreen valleys below; he had seen the tower in which illustriousprisoners were reported to have been held; he had ridden over the King'sRoad to Ganlook and had stood on American bridges at midnight--all thewhile wondering why he was there. Moreover, he had traversed the narrow, winding streets of the city by day and night; never, in all his travels, had he encountered a more peaceful, less spirit-stirring place orpopulace. 

Everybody was busy, and thrifty, and law abiding. He might just as wellhave gone to Prague or Nuremburg; either was as old and as quaint and asstupid as this lukewarm city in the hills. 

Where were the beautiful women he had read about and dreamed of eversince he left Teheran? On his soul, he had not seen half a dozen womenin Edelweiss who were more than passably fair to look upon. True, he hadto admit, the people he had seen were of the lower and middleclasses--the shopkeepers and the shopgirls, the hucksters and the fruitvendors. What he wanted to know was this: What had become of the royaltyand the nobility of Graustark? Where were the princes, the dukes andthe barons, to say nothing of the feminine concomitants to theseexcellent gentlemen?

What irritated him most of all was the amazing discovery that there wasa Cook's tourist office in town and that no end of parties arrived anddeparted under his very nose, all mildly exhilarated over the fact thatthey had seen Graustark! The interpreter, with "Cook's" on his cap, wasquite the most important, if quite the least impressive personage intown. It is no wonder that this experienced globe-trotter was disgusted!

There was a train to Vienna three times a week. He made up his mind thathe would not let the Saturday express go down without him. He had donesome emphatic sputtering because he had neglected to take the one onThursday. 

Shunning the newly discovered American club in Castle Avenue as if itwere a pest house, he lugubriously wandered the streets alone, painfullyconscious that the citizens, instead of staring at him with admiringeyes, were taking but little notice of him. Tall young Americans werequite common in Edelweiss in these days. 

One dingy little shop in the square interested him. It was directlyopposite the Royal Café (with American bar attached), and the contentsof its grimy little windows presented a peculiarly fascinating interestto him. Time and again, he crossed over from the Café garden to lookinto these windows. They were packed with weapons and firearms of suchancient design that he wondered what they could have been used for, evenin the Middle Ages. Once he ventured inside the little shop. Finding noattendant, he put aside his suddenly formed impulse to purchase a mightybroadsword. From somewhere in the rear of the building came the clangingof steel hammers, the ringing of highly tempered metals; but, althoughhe pounded vigorously with his cane, no one came forth to attend him. 

On several occasions he had seen a grim, sharp-featured old man in thedoorway of the shop, but it was not until after he had missed theThursday train that he made up his mind to accost him and to have thebroadsword at any price. With this object in view, he quickly crossedthe square and inserted his tall frame into the narrow doorway, callingout lustily for attention. So loudly did he shout that the multitude ofancient swords and guns along the walls seemed to rattle in terror atthis sudden encroachment of the present. 

"What is it?" demanded a sharp, angry voice at his elbow. He wheeled andfound himself looking into the wizened, parchment-like face of thelittle old man, whose black eyes snapped viciously. "Do you think I amdeaf?"

"I didn't know you were here, " gasped Truxton, forgetting to besurprised by the other's English. "The place looked empty. Excuse me foryelling. "

"What do you want?"

"That broad--Say, you speak English, don't you?"

"Certainly, " snapped the old man. "Why shouldn't I? I can't afford aninterpreter. You'll find plenty of English used here in Edelweiss sincethe Americans and British came. They won't learn our language, so wemust learn theirs. "

"You speak it quite as well as I do. "

"Better, young man. You are an American. " The sarcasm was not lost onTruxton King, but he was not inclined to resent it. A twinkle had comeinto the eyes of the ancient; the deep lines about his lips seemedalmost ready to crack into a smile. 

"What's the price of that old sword you have in the window?"

"Do you wish to purchase it?"

"Certainly. "

"Three hundred gavvos. "

"What's that in dollars?"

"Four hundred and twenty. "

"Whew!"

"It is genuine, sir, and three hundred years old. Old Prince Boriscarried it. It's most rare. Ten years ago you might have had it forfifty gavvos. But, " with a shrug of his thin shoulders, "the price ofantiquities has gone up materially since the Americans began to come. They don't want a thing if it is cheap. "

"I'll give you a hundred dollars for it, Mr. --er--" he looked at thesign on the open door--"Mr. Spantz. "

"Good day, sir. " The old man was bowing him out of the shop. King wasamused. 

"Let's talk it over. What's the least you'll take in real money?"

"I don't want your money. Good day. "

Truxton King felt his chin in perplexity. In all his travels he hadfound no other merchant whom he could not "beat down" two or threehundred per cent. On an article. 

"It's too much. I can't afford it, " he said, disappointment in his eyes. 

"I have modern blades of my own make, sir, much cheaper and quite asgood, " ventured the excellent Mr. Spantz. 

"You make 'em?" in surprise. 

The old man straightened his bent figure with sudden pride. "I amarmourer to the crown, sir. My blades are used by the nobility--not bythe army, I am happy to say. Spantz repairs the swords and guns for thearmy, but he welds only for the gentlemen at court. "

"I see. Tradition, I suppose. "

"My great-grandfather wrought blades for the princes a hundred yearsago. My son will make them after I am gone, and his son after him. I, sir, have made the wonderful blade with the golden hilt and scabbardwhich the little Prince carries on days of state. It was two years inthe making. There is no other blade so fine. It is so short that youwould laugh at it as a weapon, and yet you could bend it double. Ah, there was a splendid piece of work, sir. You should see the little toyto appreciate it. There are diamonds and rubies worth 50, 000 gavvos setin the handle. Ah, it is--"

Truxton's eyes were sparkling once more. Somehow he was amused by thesudden garrulousness of the old armourer. He held up his hand to checkthe flow of words. 

"I say, Herr Spantz, or Monsieur, perhaps, you are the first man I'vemet who has volunteered to go into rhapsodies for my benefit. I'd liketo have a good long chat with you. What do you say to a mug of thatexcellent beer over in the Café garden? Business seems to be a littledull. Can't you--er--lock up?"

Spantz looked at him keenly under his bushy brows, his little black eyesfairly boring holes into King's brain, so to speak. 

"May I ask what brings you to Edelweiss?" he asked abruptly. 

"I don't mind telling you, Mr. Spantz, that I'm here because I'msomewhat of a fool. False hopes led me astray. I thought Graustark wasthe home, the genesis of Romance, and I'm more or less like that chapwe've read about, who was always in search of adventure. Somehow, Graustark hasn't come up to expectations. Up to date, this is theslowest burg I've ever seen. I'm leaving next Saturday for Vienna. "

"I see, " cackled Spantz, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "You thought youcould capture wild and beautiful princesses here just as you pleased, eh? Let me tell you, young man, only one American--only one foreigner, in fact--has accomplished that miracle. Mr. Lorry came here ten yearsago and won the fairest flower Graustark ever produced-the beautifulYetive--but he was the only one. I suppose you are surprised to findGraustark a solid, prosperous, God-fearing little country, whose peopleare wise and happy and loyal. You have learned, by this time, that wehave no princesses for you to protect. It isn't as it was when Mr. Lorrycame and found Her Serene Highness in mediæval difficulties. There is aprince on the throne to-day--you've seen him?"

"No. I'm not looking for princes. I've seen hundreds of 'em in all partsof the world. "

"Well, you should see Prince Robin before you scoff. He's the mostwonderful little man in all the world. "

"I've heard of nothing but him, my good Mr. Spantz. He's seven years oldand he looks like his mother and he's got a jewelled sword and all thatsort of thing. I daresay he's a nice little chap. Got American blood inhim, you see. "

"Do not let any one hear you laugh about him, sir. The people worshiphim. If you laugh too publicly, you may have your hands full ofadventures in a very few minutes--and your body full of fine steelblades. We are very proud of our Prince. "

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Spantz. I didn't mean _lesé majesté_. I'm bored, that's all. You wouldn't blame me for being sore if you'd come as far asI have and got as little for your pains. Why, hang it all, this morningthat confounded man from Cook's had a party of twenty-two Americanschool-teachers and Bible students in the Castle grounds and I had tostand on my toes outside the walls for two hours before I could get apermit to enter. American engineers are building the new railroad;American capital controls the telephone and electric light companies;there are two American moving picture shows in Regengetz Circus and anAmerican rush hand laundry two blocks up. And you can get Bourbon whiskyanywhere. It's sickening. "

"The Americans have done much for Edelweiss, sir. We don't resent theirprogressiveness. They have given us modern improvements withoutoverthrowing ancient customs. My dear young sir, we are very oldhere--and very honest. That reminds me that I should accept your kindinvitation to the Café garden. If you will bear with me for just onemoment, sir. " With this polite request, the old man retired to the rearof the shop and called out to some one upstairs. A woman's voiceanswered. The brief conversation which followed was in a tongue unknownto King. 

"My niece will keep shop, sir, while I am out, " Spantz explained, takinghis hat from a peg behind the door. Truxton could scarcely restrain asmile as he glanced over his queer little old guest. He looked eightybut was as sprightly as a man of forty. A fine companion for a youth oftwenty-six in search of adventure!

They paused near the door until the old man's niece appeared at the backof the shop. King's first glance at the girl was merely a casual one. His second was more or less in the nature of a stare of amazement. 

A young woman of the most astounding beauty, attired in the black andred of the Graustark middle classes, was slowly approaching from theshadowy recesses at the end of the shop. She gave him but a cursoryglance, in which no interest was apparent, and glided quietly into thelittle nook behind the counter, almost at his elbow. His heart enjoyed alively thump. Here was the first noticeably good-looking woman he hadseen in Edelweiss, and, by the powers, she was a sword-maker's niece!

The old man looked sharply at him for an instant, and a quick littlesmile writhed in and out among the mass of wrinkles. Instead of passingdirectly out of the shop, Spantz stopped a moment to give the girl somesuddenly recalled instruction. Truxton King, you may be sure, did notprecede the old man into the street. He deliberately removed his hat andwaited most politely for age to go before youth, in the meantime blandlygazing upon the face of this amazing niece. 

Across the square, at one of the tables, he awaited his chance and aplausible excuse for questioning the old man without giving offence. Somewhere back in his impressionable brain there was growing a distincthope that this beautiful young creature with the dreamy eyes wassomething more than a mere shopgirl. It had occurred to him in that onebrief moment of contact that she had the air, the poise of a truearistocrat. 

The old man, over his huge mug of beer, was properly grateful. He waswilling to repay King for his little attention by giving him a carefulhistory of Graustark, past, present and future, from the time of Tartarrule to the time of the so-called "American invasion. " ills glowingdescription of the little Prince might have interested Truxton in hisLord Fauntleroy days, but just at present he was more happily engaged inspeculating on the true identify of the girl in the gun-shop. Herecalled the fact that a former royal princess of Graustark had gonesight-seeing over the world, incognita, as a Miss Guggenslocker, and hadbeen romantically snatched up by a lucky American named Lorry. What ifthis girl in the gun-shop should turn out to be a--well, he could hardlyhope for a princess; but she might be a countess. 

The old mart was rambling on. "The young Prince has lived most of hislife in Washington and London and Paris, sir. He's only seven, sir. Ofcourse, you remember the dreadful accident that made him an orphan andput him on the throne with the three 'wise men of the East' as regentsor governors. The train wreck near Brussels, sir? His mother, theglorious Princess Yetive, was killed and his father, Mr. Lorry, died thenext day from his injuries. That, sir, was a most appalling blow to thepeople of Graustark. We loved the Princess and we admired her fineAmerican husband. There never will be another pair like them, sir. Andto think of them being destroyed as they were--in the most dreadful way, sir. Their coach was demolished, you remember. I--I will not go into thedetails. You know them, of course. God alone preserved the littlePrince. He was travelling with them, on the way from London toEdelweiss. By some strange intervention of Providence he had gone withhis governess and other members of the party to the luggage van in thefore part of the train, which had stopped on a side track below thestation. The collision was from the rear, a broken rail throwing alocomotive into the Princess's coach. This providential escape of theyoung Prince preserved the unbroken line of the present royal family. Ifhe had been killed, the dynasty would have come to an end, and, I amtelling no secret, sir, when I say that a new form of government wouldhave followed. "

"What sort of government?"

"A more modern system, sir. Perhaps socialistic. I can't say. At allevents, a new dynasty could not have been formed. The people would haverejected it. But Prince Robin was spared and, if I do say it, sir, he isthe manliest little prince in all the world. You should see him ride andfence and shoot--and he is but seven!"

"I say, Mr. Spantz, I don't believe I've told you that your niece is amost remarkably beau--"

"As I was saying, sir, " interrupted Spantz, so pointedly that Truxtonflushed, "the little Prince is the idol of all the people. Under thepresent regency he is obliged to reside in the principality until hisfifteenth year, after which he may be permitted to travel abroad. Graustark intends to preserve him to herself if it is in her power to doso. Woe betide the man who thinks or does ill toward little PrinceRobin. "

King was suddenly conscious of a strange intentness of gaze on the oldman's part. A peculiar, indescribable chill swept over him; he had adistinct, vivid impression that some subtle power was exercising itselfupon him--a power that, for the briefest instant, held him in a grip ofiron. What it was, he could not have told; it passed almost immediately. Something in the old man's eyes, perhaps--or was it something in thequeer smile that flickered about his lips?

"My dear Mr. Spantz, " he hastened to say, as if a defence werenecessary, "please don't get it into your head that I'm thinking ill ofthe Prince. I daresay he's a fine little chap and I'm sorryhe's--er--lost his parents. "

Spantz laughed, a soft, mirthless gurgle that caused Truxton to wonderwhy he had made the effort at all. "I imagine His Serene Highness haslittle to fear from any American, " he said quietly. "He has been taughtto love and respect the men of his father's land. He loves America quiteas dearly as he loves Graustark. " Despite the seeming sincerity of theremark, Truxton was vaguely conscious that a peculiar harshness hadcrept into the other's voice. He glanced sharply at the old man's face. For the first time he noticed something sinister--yes, evil--in theleathery countenance; a stealthiness in the hard smile that seemed totransform it at once into a pronounced leer. Like a flash there dartedinto the American's active brain a conviction that there could be nocommon relationship between this flinty old man and the delicate, refined girl he had seen in the shop. Now he recalled the fact that herdark eyes had a look of sadness and dejection in their depths, and thather face was peculiarly white and unsmiling. 

Spantz was eyeing him narrowly. "You do not appear interested in ourroyal family, " he ventured coldly. 

Truxton hastened to assure him that he was keenly interested. Especiallyso, now that I appreciate that the little Prince is the last of hisrace. "

"There are three regents, sir, in charge of the affairs of state--CountHalfont, the Duke of Perse and Baron Jasto Dangloss, who is minister ofpolice. Count Halfont is a granduncle of the Prince, by marriage. TheDuke of Perse is the father of the unhappy Countess Ingomede, the youngand beautiful wife of the exiled "Iron Count" Marlanx. No doubt you'veheard of him. "

"I've read something about him. Sort of a gay old bounder, wasn't he?Seems to me I recall the stories that were printed about him a few yearsago. I remember that he was banished from the principality and hisestates seized by the Crown. "

"Quite true, sir. He was banished in 1901 and now resides on hisestates in Austria. Three years ago, in Buda Pesth, he was married toIngomede, the daughter of the Duke. Count Marlanx has great influence atthe Austrian court. Despite the fact that he is a despised anddiscredited man in his own country, he still is a power among peoplehigh in the government of more than one empire. The Duke of Perserealised this when he compelled his daughter to accept him as herhusband. The fair Ingomede is less than twenty-five years of age; theIron Count is fully sixty-five. "

"She ought to be rescued, " was King's only comment, but there was nomistaking the gleam of interest in his steady grey eyes. 

"Rescued?" repeated the old man, with a broad grin. "And why? She ismistress of one of the finest old castles in Austria, Schloss Marlanx, and she is quite beautiful enough to have lovers by the score when theCount grows a little blinder and less jealous. She is in Edelweiss atpresent, visiting her father. The Count never comes here. "

"I'd like to see her if she's really beautiful. I've seen but one prettywoman in this whole blamed town--your niece, Herr Spantz. I've looked'em over pretty carefully, too. She is exceedingly attract--"

"Pardon me, sir, but it is not the custom in Graustark to discuss ourwomen in the public drinking places. " King felt as if he had received aslap in the face. He turned a fiery red under his tan and mumbled somesort of an apology. "The Countess is a public personage, however, and wemay speak of her, " went on the old man quickly, as the American, in hisconfusion, called a waiter to replenish the tankards. The steely glitterthat leaped into the armourer's eyes at this second reference to hisniece disappeared as quickly as it came; somehow it left behind theimpression that he knew how to wield the deadly blades he wrought. 

"I'd like to hear more about her, " murmured Mr. King. "Anything to passthe time away, Mr. Spantz. As I said before, I journeyed far to reachthis land of fair women and if there's one to be seen, I'm properlyeager to jump at the chance. I've been here two days and I've seennothing that could start up the faintest flutter around my heart. I'msorry to say, my good friend, that the women I've seen in the streets ofEdelweiss are not beauties. I won't say that they'd stop a clock, butthey'd cause it to lose two or three hours a day, all right enough. "

"You will not find the beautiful women of Edelweiss in the streets, sir. "

"Don't they ever go out shopping?"

"Hardly. The merchants, if you will but notice, carry their wares to thehouses of the noble and the rich. Graustark ladies of quality would nomore think of setting foot in a shop or bazaar than they would think ofentering a third class carriage. Believe me, there are many beautifulwomen in the homes along Castle Avenue. Noblemen come hundreds of milesto pay court to them. "

"Just the same, I'm disgusted with the place. It's not what it's crackedup to be. Saturday will see me on my way. "

"To-morrow the garrison at the fortress marches in review before thePrince. If you should happen to be on the avenue near the Castle gate attwelve o'clock, you will see the beauty and chivalry of Graustark. Thesoldiers are not the only ones who are on parade. " There was anunmistakable sneer in his tone. 

"You don't care much for society, I'd say, " observed Truxton, with asmile. 

Spantz's eyes flamed for an instant and then subtly resumed their mostingratiating twinkle. "We cannot all be peacocks, " he said quietly. "Youwill see the Prince, his court and all the distinguished men of the cityand the army. You will also see that the man who rides beside thePrince's carriage wheel is an American, while Graustark nobles take lessexalted places. "

"An American, eh?"

"Yes. Have you not heard of John Tullis, the Prince's friend?"

"Another seven-year-old?"

"Not at all. A grown man, sir. He, your countryman, is the real powerbehind our throne. On his deathbed, the Prince's father placed his sonin this American's charge and begged him to stand by him through thickand thin until the lad is able to take care of himself. As if there werenot loyal men in Graustark who might have done as much for theirPrince!"

King looked interested. "I see. The people, no doubt, resent thisespionage. Is that it?"

Spantz gave him a withering look, as much as to say that he was a foolto ask such a question in a place so public. Without replying, he got tohis feet and made ready to leave the little garden. 

"I must return. I have been away too long. Thank you, sir, for yourkindness to an old man. Good day, sir, and--"

"Hold on! I think I'll walk over with you and have another look at thatbroadsword. I'm--"

"To-morrow, sir. It is past time to close the shop for to-day. Cometo-morrow. Good day. "

He was crossing the sidewalk nimbly before King could offer a word ofremonstrance. With a disappointed sigh, the American sank back in hischair, and watched his odd companion scurry across the square. Suddenlyhe became conscious of a disquieting feeling that some one was lookingat him intently from behind. He turned in his chair and found himselfmeeting the gaze of a ferocious looking, military appearing little manat a table near by. To his surprise, the little man's fierce staremaintained its peculiarly personal intentness until he, himself, wascompelled to withdraw his own gaze in some little confusion anddispleasure. His waiter appeared at his elbow with the change. 

"Who the devil is that old man at the table there?" demanded young Mr. King loudly. 

The waiter assumed a look of extreme insolence. "That is Baron Dangloss, Minister of Police. Anything more, sir?"

"Yes. What's he looking so hard at me for? Does he think I'm apickpocket?"

"You know as much as I, sir, " was all that the waiter said in reply. King pocketed the coin he had intended for the fellow, and deliberatelyleft the place. He could not put off the feeling, however, that theintense stare of Baron Dangloss, the watch-dog of the land, followed himuntil the corner of the wall intervened. The now incensed Americanglanced involuntarily across the square in the direction of Spantz'sshop. He saw three mounted soldiers ride up to the curb and hail thearmourer as he started to close his doors. As he sauntered across thelittle square his gaze suddenly shifted to a second-story window abovethe gun-shop. 

The interesting young woman had cautiously pushed open one of theshutters and was peering down upon the trio of red-coated guardsmen. Almost at the same instant her quick, eager gaze fell upon the tallAmerican, now quite close to the horsemen. He saw her dark eyes expandas if with surprise. The next instant he caught his breath and almoststopped in his tracks. 

A shy, impulsive smile played about her red lips for a second, lightingup the delicate face with a radiance that amazed him. Then the shutterwas closed gently, quickly. His first feeling of elation was followedinstantly by the disquieting impression that it was a mocking smile ofamusement and not one of inviting friendliness. He felt his ears burn ashe abruptly turned off to the right, for, somehow, he knew that she waspeeping at him through the blinds and that something about his tall, rangy figure was appealing to her sense of the ridiculous. 

You will see at once that Truxton King, imaginative chap that he was, had pounced upon this slim, attractive young woman as the only plausibleheroine for his prospective romance, and, as such, she could not beguilty of forwardness or lack or dignity. Besides, first impressions arealways good ones: she had struck him at the outset as being a girl ofrare delicacy and refinement. 

In the meantime, Baron Dangloss was watching him covertly from the edgeof the Café garden across the square. 

CHAPTER II

A MEETING OF THE CABINET

At this time, the principality of Graustark was in a most prosperouscondition. Its affairs were under the control of an able ministry, headed by the venerable Count Halfont. The Duke of Perse, for years aresident of St. Petersburg, and a financier of high standing, hadreturned to Edelweiss soon after the distressing death of the latePrincess Yetive and her American husband, and to him was entrusted thetreasury portfolio. He at once proceeded to endear himself to the commonpeople by the advocacy of a lower rate of taxation; this meant thereduction of the standing army. He secured new and advantageous treatieswith old and historic foes, putting Graustark's financial credit upon ahigh footing in the European capitals. The people smugly regardedthemselves as safe in the hands of the miserly but honest old financier. If he accomplished many things by way of office to enhance his ownparticular fortune, no one looked askance, for he made no effort toblind or deceive his people. Of his honesty there could be no question;of his financial operations, it is enough to say that the people weresatisfied to have their affairs linked with his. 

The financing of the great railroad project by which Edelweiss was to beconnected with the Siberian line in the north, fell to his lot at a timewhen no one else could have saved the little government from heavylosses or even bankruptcy. The new line traversed the country fromSerros, capital of Dawsbergen, through the mountains and canyons ofGraustark, across Axphain's broad steppes and lowlands, to a point atwhich Russia stood ready to begin a connecting branch for junction withher great line to the Pacific. All told, it was a stupendous undertakingfor a small government to finance; it is well known that Graustark ownsand controls her public utility institutions. The road, now about halfcompleted, was to be nearly two hundred miles in length, fullytwo-thirds of which was on Graustark territory. The preponderance ofcost of construction fell upon that principality, Dawsbergen and Axphainescaping with comparatively small obligations owing to the fact thatthey had few mountains to contend with. As a matter of fact, theDawsbergen and Axphain ends of the railroad were now virtually built andwaiting for the completion of the extensive work in the Graustarkhighlands. 

The opening of this narrative finds the ministry preparing to float anew five million gavvo issue of bonds for construction and equipmentpurposes. Agents of the government were ready to depart for London andParis to take up the matter with the great banking houses. St. Petersburg and Berlin were not to be given the opportunity to gobble upthese extremely fine securities. This seemingly extraordinary exclusionof Russian and German bidders was the result of vigorous objectionsraised by an utter outsider, the American, John Tullis, long time friendand companion of Grenfall Lorry, consort to the late Princess. 

Tullis was a strange man in many particulars. He was under forty yearsof age, but even at that rather immature time of life he had come to berecognised as a shrewd, successful financial power in his home city, NewYork. At the very zenith of his power he suddenly and with Quixoticdisregard for consequences gave up his own business and came toGraustark for residence, following a promise made to Grenfall Lorrywhen the latter lay dying in a little inn near Brussels. 

They had been lifelong friends. Tullis jestingly called himself thelittle Prince's "morganatic godfather. " For two years he had been aconstant resident of Graustark, living contentedly, even indolently, inthe picturesque old Castle, his rooms just across the corridor fromthose occupied by the little Prince. To this small but important bit ofroyalty he was "Uncle Jack"; in that capacity he was the most belovedand at the same time the most abused gentleman in all Graustark. As manyas ten times a week he was signally banished from the domain by theloving, headstrong little ruler, only to be recalled with grave dignityand a few tears when he went so far as to talk of packing his "duds" inobedience to the edict. 

John Tullis, strong character though he was, found this lazy, _dolce farniente_ life much to his liking. He was devoted to the boy; he wasinterested in the life at this tiny court. The days of public and courtmourning for the lamented Princess and her husband wearing away after anestablished period, he found himself eagerly delving into the gaietiesthat followed. Life at the Castle and in the homes of the nobilityprovided a new and sharp contrast to the busy, sordid existence he hadknown at home. It was like a fine, wholesome, endless dream to him. Hedrifted on the joyous, smiling tide of pleasure that swept Edelweisswith its careless waves night and day. Clever, handsome, sincere in hisattitude of loyalty toward these people of the topmost east, he was notlong in becoming a popular idol. 

His wide-awake, resourceful brain, attuned by nature to the difficultiesof administration, lent itself capably to the solving of many knottyfinancial puzzles; the ministry was never loth to call on him foradvice and seldom disposed to disregard it. An outsider, he neveroffered a suggestion or plan unasked; to this single qualification heowed much of the popularity and esteem in which he was held by theclasses and the masses. Socially, he was a great favourite. He enjoyedthe freedom of the most exclusive homes in Edelweiss. He had enjoyed thedistinction of more than one informal visit to old Princess Volga ofAxphain, just across the border, to say nothing of shooting expeditionswith young Prince Dantan of Dawsbergen, whose American wife, formerlyMiss Calhoun of Washington, was a friend of long standing. 

John Tullis was, beyond question, the most conspicuous and the mostadmired man in Edelweiss in these serene days of mentorship to theadored Prince Robin. 

There was but one man connected with the government to whom hispopularity and his influence proved distasteful. That man was the Dukeof Perse. On more than one occasion the cabinet had chosen to be guidedby the sagacity of John Tullis in preference to following the lines laiddown by the astute minister of finance. The decision to offer the newbond issue in London and Paris was due to the earnest, forceful argumentof John Tullis--outside the cabinet chamber, to be sure. This was butone instance in which the plan of the treasurer was overridden. Heresented the plain though delicate influence of the former Wall Streetman. Tullis had made it plain to the ministry that Graustark could notafford to place itself in debt to the Russians, into whose hands, sooneror later, the destinies of the railroad might be expected to fall. Thewise men of Graustark saw his point without force of argument, and voteddown, in the parliament, the Duke's proposition to place the loan in St. Petersburg and Berlin. For this particular act of trespass upon theDuke's official preserves he won the hatred of the worthy treasurer andhis no inconsiderable following among the deputies. 

But John Tullis was not in Edelweiss for the purpose of meddling withstate affairs. He was there because he elected to stand mentor to theson of his life-long friend, even though that son was a prince of theblood and controlled by the will of three regents chosen by his ownsubjects. He was there to watch over the doughty little chap, who oneday would be ruler unrestrained, but who now was a boy to be loved andcoddled and reprimanded in the general process of man-making. 

To say that the tiny Prince loved his big, adoring mentor would beputting it too gently: he idolised him. Tullis was father, mother andbig brother to the little fellow in knickers. 

The American was a big, broad shouldered man, reddish haired and ruddycheeked, with cool grey eyes; his sandy mustache was closely cropped andturned up ever so slightly at the corners of his mouth. Despite hiscolouring, his face was somewhat sombre--even stern--when in repose. Itwas his fine, enveloping smile that made friends for him wherever helisted, with men and with women. More frequently than otherwise it mademore than friends of the latter. 

One woman in Graustark was the source of never-ending and constantlyincreasing interest to this stalwart companion to the Prince. That womanwas, alas! the wife of another man. Moreover, she was the daughter ofthe Duke of Perse. 

The young and witty Countess of Marlanx came often to Edelweiss. She wasa favourite at the Castle, notwithstanding the unhealthy record of herancient and discredited husband, the Iron Count. Tullis had not seenthe Count, but he had heard such tales of him that he could not butpity this glorious young creature who called him husband. There is anold saying about the kinship of pity. Not that John Tullis was actuallyin love with the charming Countess. He was, to be perfectly candid, verymuch interested in her and very much distressed by the fact that she wasbound to a venerable reprobate who dared not put his foot on Graustarksoil because once he had defiled it atrociously. 

But of the Countess and her visits to Edelweiss, more anon--with theindulgence of the reader. 

At present we are permitted to attend a meeting of the cabinet, whichsits occasionally in solemn collectiveness just off the throne roomwithin the tapestried walls of a dark little antechamber, known to theoutside world as the "Room of Wrangles. " It is ten o'clock of themorning on which the Prince is to review the troops from the fortress. The question under discussion relates to the loan of 5, 000, 000 gavvos, before mentioned. At the head of the long table, perched upon anaugmentary pile of law books surmounted by a little red cushion, sitsthe Prince, almost lost in the hugh old walnut chair of his forefathers. Down the table sit the ten ministers of the departments of state, all ofthem loving the handsome little fellow on the necessary pile ofstatutes, but all of them more or less indifferent to his significantyawns and perplexed frowns. 

The Prince was a sturdy, curly-haired lad, with big brown eyes and alamentably noticeable scratch on his nose--acquired in less stately butmore profitable pursuits. (It seems that he had peeled his nose whilesliding to second base in a certain American game that he was teachingthe juvenile aristocracy how to play. ) His wavy hair was brown andrebellious. No end of royal nursing could keep it looking sleek andproper. He had the merit of being a very bad little boy at times; thatis why he was loved by every one. Although it was considered next tohigh treason to strike a prince of the royal blood, I could, if I hadthe space, recount the details of numerous fisticuffs behind the statestables in which, sad to relate, the Prince just as often as not cameoff with a battered dignity and a chastened opinion of certain small frywho could not have been more than dukes or barons at best. But he tookhis defeats manfully: he did not whimper _lesé majesté_. John Tullis, his "Uncle Jack, " had proclaimed his scorn for a boy who could not "takehis medicine. " And so Prince Robin took it gracefully because he wasprince. 

To-day he was--for him--rather oppressively dignified and imperial. Hemay have blinked his weary eyes a time or two, but in the main he wasvery attentive, very circumspect and very much puzzled. Custom requiredthat the ruling prince or princess should preside over the meetings ofthe cabinet. It is needless to observe that the present ruler's dutyended when he repeated (after Count Halfont): "My lords, we are now insession. " The school-room, he confessed, was a "picnic" compared to the"Room of Wrangles": a fellow got a recess once in a while there, buthere--well, the only recess he got was when he fell asleep. To-day hewas determined to maintain a very dignified mien. It appears that at thelast meeting he had created considerable havoc by upsetting the ink wellwhile trying to fill his fountain pen without an injector. Moreover, nearly half a pint of the fluid had splashed upon the Duke of Perse'strousers--and they were grey, at that. Whereupon the Duke announced inopen conclave that His Highness needed a rattling good spanking--aremark which distinctly hurt the young ruler's pride and made him wishthat there had been enough ink to drown the Duke instead of merelywetting him. 

About the table sat the three regents and the other men high in theadministration of affairs, among them General Braze of the Army, BaronPultz of the Mines, Roslon of Agriculture. The Duke of Perse wasdiscussing the great loan question. The Prince was watching his gaunt, saturnine face with more than usual interest. 

"Of course, it is not too late to rescind the order promulgated at ourlast sitting. There are five bankers in St. Petersburg who will financethe loan without delay. We need not delay the interminable length oftime necessary to secure the attention and co-operation of bankers inFrance and England. It is all nonsense to say that Russia has sinistermotives in the matter. It is a business proposition--not an affair ofstate. We need the money before the winter opens. The railroad is nowwithin fifteen miles of Edelweiss. The bridges and tunnels are wellalong toward completion. Our funds are diminishing, simply because wehave delayed so long in preparing for this loan. There has been too muchbickering and too much inane politics. I still maintain that we havemade a mistake in refusing to take up the matter with St. Petersburg orBerlin. Why should we prefer England? Why France?"

For some unaccountable reason he struck the table violently with hisfist and directed his glare upon the astonished Prince. The explosivedemand caught the ruler by surprise. He gasped and his lips fell apart. Then it must have occurred to him that the question could be answered byno one save the person to whom it was so plainly addressed. He liftedhis chin and piped up shrilly, and with a fervour that startled eventhe intense Perse:

"Because Uncle Jack said we should, that's why. "

We have no record of what immediately followed this abrupt declaration;there are some things that never leak out, no matter how prying thechronicler may be. When one stops to consider that this was the firsttime a question had been put directly to the Prince--and one that hecould understand, at that--we may be inclined to overlook his reply, butwe cannot answer for certain members of the cabinet. Unconsciously, theboy in knickers had uttered a truth that no one else had dared tovoice. John Tullis _was_ the joint stepping-stone and stumbling-block inthe deliberations of the cabinet. 

It goes without saying that the innocent rejoinder opened the way to anacrid discussion of John Tullis. If that gentleman's ears burned inresponse to the sarcastic comments of the Duke of Perse and Baron Pultz, they probably tingled pleasantly as the result of the stout defence putup by Halfont, Dangloss and others. Moreover, his most devoted friend, the Prince, whose lips were sullenly closed after his unlucky maideneffort, was finding it exceedingly difficult to hold his tongue and histears at the same time. The lad's lip trembled but his brown eyesglowered; he sat abashed and heard the no uncertain arraignment of hisdearest friend, feeling all the while that the manly thing for him to dowould be to go over and kick the Duke of Perse, miserably conscious thatsuch an act was impossible. His little body trembled with childish rage;he never took his gaze from the face of the gaunt traducer. How he hatedthe Duke of Perse!

The Duke's impassioned plea was of no avail. His _confrères_ saw thewisdom of keeping Russia's greedy hand out of the country's affairs--atleast for the present--and reiterated their decision to seek the loansin England and France. The question, therefore, would not be taken toParliament for reconsideration. The Duke sat down, pale in defeat; hisheart was more bitter than ever against the shrewd American who hadinduced all these men to see through his eyes. 

"I suppose there is no use in kicking against the pricks, " he saidsourly as he resumed his seat. "I shall send our representatives toLondon and Paris next month. I trust, my lords, that we may have notrouble in placing the loans there. " There was a deep significance thedry tone which he assumed. 

"I do not apprehend trouble, " said Count Halfont. "Our credit is stillgood, your Grace. Russia is not the only country that is ready to trustus for a few millions. Have no fear, your Grace. "

"It is the delay that I am apprehensive of, your Excellency. "

At this juncture the Prince, gathering from the manner of his ministersthat the question was settled to his liking, leaned forward andannounced to his uncle, the premier:

"I'm tired, Uncle Caspar. How much longer is it?"

Count Halfont coughed. "Ahem! Just a few minutes, your Highness. Pray bepatient--er--my little man. "

Prince Bobby flushed. He always knew that he was being patronised whenany one addressed him as "my little man. "

"I have an engagement, " he said, with a stiffening of his back. 

"Indeed?" said the Duke dryly. 

"Yes, your Grace--a very important one. Of course, I'll stay if I haveto, but--what time is it, Uncle Caspar?"

"It is half past eleven, your Highness. "

"Goodness, I had a date for eleven. I mean a engagement--an engagement. "He glanced helplessly, appealingly from Count Halfont to Baron Dangloss, his known allies. 

The Duke of Perse smiled grimly. In his most polite manner he arose toaddress the now harassed Princeling, who shifted uneasily on the pile oflaw books. 

"May your most humble subject presume to inquire into the nature of yourHighness's engagement?"

"You may, your Grace, " said the Prince. 

The Duke waited. A smile crept into the eyes of the others. "Well, whatis the engagement?"

"I had a date to ride with Uncle Jack at eleven. "

"And you imagine that 'Uncle Jack' will be annoyed if he is kept waitingby such a trivial matter as a cabinet meeting, unfortunately prolonged?"

"I don't know just what that means, " murmured the Prince. Then his facebrightened. "But I don't think he'll be sore after I tell him how busywe've been. "

The Duke put his hand over his mouth. "I don't think he'll mind half anhour's wait, do you?"

"He likes me to be very prompt. "

Count Halfont interposed, good-humouredly. "There is nothing more tocome before us to-day, your Grace, so I fancy we may as well close themeeting. To my mind, it is rather a silly custom which compels us tokeep the Prince with us--er--after the opening of the session. Ofcourse, your Highness, we don't mean to say that you are not interestedin our grave deliberations. "

Prince Bobby broke in eagerly: "Uncle Jack says I've just _got_ to beinterested in 'em, whether I want to or not. He says it's the only wayto catch onto things and become a regular prince. You see, Uncle Caspar, I've got a lot to learn. "

"Yes, your Highness, you have, " solemnly admitted the premier. "But I amsure you _will_ learn. "

"Under such an able instructor as Uncle Jack you may soon know more thanthe wisest man in the realm, " added the Duke of Perse. 

"Thank you, your Grace, " said the Prince, so politely that the Duke wasconfounded; "I know Uncle Jack will be glad to hear that. He's--he'safraid people may think he's butting in too much. "

"Butting in?" gasped the premier. 

At this the Duke of Perse came to his feet again, an angry gleam in hiseyes. "My lords, " he began hastily, "it must certainly have occurred toyou before this that our beloved Prince's English, which seems after allto be his mother tongue, is not what it should be. Butting in! YesterdayI overheard him advising your son, Pultz, to 'go chase' himself. Andwhen your boy tried to chase himself--'pon my word, he did--what did ourPrince say? What _did_ you say, Prince Robin?"

"I--I forget, " stammered Prince Bobby. 

"You said 'Mice!' Or was it--er--"

"No, your Grace. Rats. I remember. That's what I said. That's what allof us boys used to say in Washington. "

"God deliver us! Has it come to this, that a Prince of Graustark shouldgrow up with such language on his lips? I fancy, my lords, you will allagree that something should be done about it. It is too serious amatter. We are all more or less responsible to the people he is togovern. We cannot, in justice to them, allow him to continue underthe--er--influences that now seem to surround him. He'll--he'll grow upto be a barbarian. For Heaven's sake, my lords, let us consider thePrince's future--let us deal promptly with the situation. "

"What's he saying, Uncle Caspar?" whispered the Prince fiercely. 

"Sh!" cautioned Count Halfont. 

"I won't sh! I am the Prince. And I'll say 'chase yourself' whenever Iplease. It's good English. I'll pronounce it for you in our ownlanguage, so's you can see how it works that way. It goes like--"

"You need not illustrate, your Highness, " the Premier hastened to say. Turning to the Duke, he said coldly: "I acknowledge the wisdom in yourremarks, your Grace, but--you will pardon me, I am sure--would it not bebetter to discuss the conditions privately among ourselves before takingthem up officially?"

"That confounded American has every one hypnotised, " exploded the Duke. "His influence over this boy is a menace to our country. He is making onoaf of him--a slangy, impudent little--"

"Your Grace!" interrupted Baron Dangloss sharply. 

"Uncle Jack's all right, " declared the Prince, vaguely realising that adefence should be forthcoming. 

"He is, eh?" rasped the exasperated Duke, mopping his brow. 

"He sure is, " pronounced the Prince with a finality that left no roomfor doubt. They say that fierce little Baron Dangloss, in striving tosuppress a guffaw, choked so impressively that there was a momentarydoubt as to his ever getting over it alive. 

"He is a mountebank--a meddler, that's what he is. The sooner we come torealise it, the better, " exclaimed the over-heated Duke. "He has greaterinfluence over our beloved Prince than any one else in the royalhousehold. He has no business here--none whatsoever. His presence andhis meddling is an affront to the intelligence of--"

But the Prince had slid down from his pile of books and planted himselfbeside him so suddenly that the bitter words died away on the old man'slips. Robin's face was white with rage, his little fists were clenchedin desperate anger, his voice was half choked with the tears ofindignation. 

"You awful old man!" he cried, trembling all over, his eyes blazing. "Don't you say anything against Uncle Jack. I'll--I'll banish you--yes, sir--banish you like my mother fired Count Marlanx out of the country. Iwon't let you come back here ever--never. And before you go I'll haveUncle Jack give you a good licking. Oh, he can do it all right. I--Ihate you!"

The Duke looked down in amazement into the flushed, writhing face of hislittle master. For a moment he was stunned by the vigorous outburst. Then the hard lines in his face relaxed and a softer expression cameinto his eyes--there was something like pride in them, too. The Duke, beit said, was an honest fighter and a loyal Graustarkian; he loved hisPrince and, therefore, he gloried in his courage. His own smile ofamusement, which broke in spite of his inordinate vanity, was the signthat brought relief to the hearts of his scandalised _confrères_. 

"Your Highness does well in defending a friend and counsellor, " he saidgently. "I am sorry to have forgotten myself in your presence. It shallnot occur again. Pray forgive me. "

Prince Bobby was still unappeased. "I _could_ have you beheaded, " hesaid stubbornly. "Couldn't I, Uncle Caspar?"

Count Halfont gravely informed him that it was not customary to beheadgentlemen except for the most heinous offences against the Crown. 

The Duke of Perse suddenly bent forward and placed his bony hand uponthe unshrinking shoulder of the Prince, his eyes gleaming kindly, hisvoice strangely free from its usual harshness. "You are a splendidlittle man, Prince Robin, " he said. "I glory in you. I shall not forgetthe lesson in loyalty that you have taught me. "

Bobby's eyes filled with tears. The genuine humility of the hard old mantouched his tempestuous little heart. 

"It's--it's all right, Du--your Grace. I'm sorry I spoke that way, too. "

Baron Dangloss twisted his imperial vigorously. "My lords, I suggestthat we adjourn. The Prince must have his ride and return in time forthe review at one o'clock. "

As the Prince strode soberly from the Room of Wrangles, every eye wasupon his sturdy little back and there was a kindly light in each ofthem, bar none. The Duke, following close behind with Halfont, saidquietly:

"I love him, Caspar. But I have no love for the man he loves so muchbetter than he loves any of us. Tullis is a meddler--but, for Heaven'ssake, my friend, don't let; Bobby know that I have repeated myself. "

Later on, the Prince in his khaki riding suit loped gaily down the broadmountain road toward Ganlook, beside the black mare which carried JohnTullis. Behind them rode three picked troopers from the House Guard. Hehad told Tullis of his vainglorious defence in the antechamber. 

"And I told him, Uncle Jack, that you could lick him. You can, can'tyou?"

The American's face was clouded for a second; then, to please the boy, awarm smile succeeded the frown. 

"Why, Bobby, you dear little beggar, he could thresh me with one hand. "

"What?" almost shrieked Prince Bobby, utterly dismayed. 

"He's a better swordsman than I, don't you see. Gentlemen over herefight with swords. I know nothing about duelling. He'd get at me in twothrusts. "

"I--I think you'd better take some lessons from Colonel Quinnox. Itwon't do to be caught napping. "

"I daresay you're right. "

"Say, Uncle Jack, when are you going to take me to the witch's hovel?"The new thought abruptly banished all else from his eager little brain. 

"Some day, soon, " said Tullis. "You see, I'm not sure that she'sreceiving visitors these days. A witch is a very arbitrary person. Evenprinces have to send up their cards. "

"Let's telegraph her, " in an inspired tone. 

"I'll arrange to go up with you very soon, Bobby. It's a hard ridethrough the pass and--and there may be a lot of goblins up there wherethe old woman keeps herself. "

The witch's hovel was in the mountain across the most rugged of thecanyons, and was to be reached only after the most hazardous of rides. The old woman of the hills was an ancient character about whom clung athousand spookish traditions, but who, in the opinion of John Tuilis, was nothing more than a wise fortune-teller and necromancer who knewevery trick in the trade of hoodwinking the superstitious. He had seenher and he had been properly impressed. Somehow, he did not like thethought of taking the Prince to the cabin among the mists and crags. 

"They say she eats boys, now and then, " he added, as if suddenlyremembering it. 

"Gee! Do you suppose we could get there some day when she's eating one?"

As they rode back to the Castle after an hour, coming down throughCastle Avenue from the monastery road, they passed a tall, bronzed youngman whom Tullis at once knew to be an American. He was seated on a bigboulder at the roadside, enjoying the shade, and was evidently on hisway by foot to the Castle gates to watch the _beau monde_ assembling forthe review. At his side was the fussy, well-known figure of Cook'sinterpreter, eagerly pointing out certain important personages to bun asthey passed. Of course, the approach of the Prince was the excuse forconsiderable agitation and fervour on the part of the man from Cook's. He mounted the boulder and took off his cap to wave it frantically. 

"It's the Prince!" he called out to Truxton King. "Stand up! Hurray!Long live the Prince!"

Tullis had already lifted his hand in salute to his countryman, and bothhad smiled the free, easy smile of men who know each other by instinct. 

The man from Cook's came to grief. He slipped from his perch on the rockand came floundering to the ground below, considerably crushed indignity, but quite intact in other respects. 

The spirited pony that the Prince was riding shied and reared in quickaffright. The boy dropped his crop and clung valiantly to the reins. Aguardsman was at the pony's head in an instant, and there was nopossible chance for disaster. 

Truxton King unbent his long frame, picked up the riding crop with adeliberateness that astonished the man from Cook's, strode out into theroadway and handed it up to the boy in the saddle. 

"Thank you, " said Prince Bobby. 

"Don't mention it, " said Truxton King with his most engaging smile. "Notrouble at all. "

CHAPTER III

MANY PERSONS IN REVIEW

Truxton King witnessed the review of the garrison. That in itself wasrather a tame exhibition for a man who had seen the finest troops in allthe world. A thousand earnest looking soldiers, proud of the opportunityto march before the little Prince--and that was all, so far as thereview was concerned. 

But, alluringly provident to the welfare of this narrative, the red andblack uniformed soldiers were not the only persons on review that balmyday in July. Truxton King had his first glimpse of the nobility ofGraustark. He changed his mind about going to Vienna on the Saturdayexpress. A goodly number of men before him had altered their humbleplans for the same reason, I am reliably informed. 

Mr. King saw the court in all its glory, scattered along the shadyCastle Avenue--in carriages, in traps, in motors and in the saddle. Hisbrain whirled and his heart leaped under the pressure of a new-foundinterest in life. The unexpected oasis loomed up before his eyes just ashe was abandoning all hope in the unprofitable desert of Romance. He sawgreen trees and sparkling rivulets, and he sighed with a new, strangecontent. No, on second thoughts, he would not go to Vienna. He wouldstay in Edelweiss. He was a disciple of Micawber; and he was so muchyounger and fresher than that distinguished gentleman, that perhaps hewas justified in believing that, in his case, something was bound to"turn up. "

If Truxton King had given up in disgust and fled to Vienna, this talewould never have come to light. Instead of being the lively narrative ofa young gentleman's adventures in far-away Graustark, it might havebecome a tale of the smart set in New York--for, as you know, we arebound by tradition to follow the trail laid down by our hero, no matterwhich way he elects to fare. Somewhat dismayed by his narrow escape, heconfided to his friend from Cook's that he could never have forgivenhimself if he had adhered to his resolution to leave on the followingday. 

"I didn't know you'd changed your mind, sir, " remarked Mr. Hobbs insurprise. 

"Of course you didn't know it, " said Truxton. "How could you? I've justchanged it, this instant. I didn't know it myself two minutes ago. No, sir, Hobbs--or is it Dobbs? Thanks--no, sir, I'm going to stop here fora--well, a week or two. Where the dickens do these people keepthemselves? I haven't seen 'em before. "

"Oh, they are the nobility--the swells. They don't hang around thestreets like tourists and rubbernecks, sir, " in plain disgust. 

"I thought you were an Englishman, " observed King, with a quizzicalsmile. 

"I am, sir. I can't help saying rubbernecks, sir, though it's a shockingword. It's the only name for them, sir. That's what the little Princecalls them, too. You see, it's one form of amusement they provide forhim, and I am supposed to help it along as much as possible. Mr. Tullistakes him out in the avenue whenever I've got a party in hand. Itelephone up to the Castle that I've got a crowd and then I drive 'emout to the Park here. The Prince says he just loves to watch therubbernecks go by. It's great fun, sir, for the little lad. He nevermisses a party, and you can believe it or not, he has told me sohimself. Yes, sir, the Prince has had more than one word with me--fromtime to time. " King looked at the little man's reddish face and sawtherein the signs of exaltation indigenous to a land imperial. 

He hesitated for an instant and then remarked, with a mean impulse tospoil Hobbs's glorification: "I have dined with the President of theUnited States. "

Hobbs was politely unimpressed. "I've no doubt, sir, " he said. "Idaresay it was an excellent dinner. "

King blinked his eyes and then turned them upon the passing show. He wascoming to understand the real difference between men. 

"I say, who is that just passing--the lady in the victoria?" he askedabruptly. 

"That is the Countess Marlanx. "

"Whew! I thought she was the queen!"

Hobbs went into details concerning the beautiful Countess. During thehour and a half of display he pointed out to King all of the greatpersonages, giving a Baedeker-like account of their doings fromchildhood up, quite satisfying that gentleman's curiosity and involvinghis cupidity at the same time. 

When, at last, the show was over, Truxton and the voluble littleinterpreter, whom he had employed for the occasion, strolled leisurelyback to the heart of the town. Something had come over King, changingthe quaint old city from a prosaic collection of shops and thoroughfaresinto a veritable playground for Cinderellas and Prince Charmings. Thewomen, to his startled imagination, had been suddenly transformed fromlackadaisical drudges into radiant personages at whose feet it would bea pleasure to fall, in whose defence it would be divine to serve; themen were the cavaliers that had called to him from the pages ofchivalrous tales, ever since the days of his childhood. Here wereknights and ladies such as he had dreamed of and despaired of everseeing outside his dreams. 

Hobbs was telling him how every one struggled to provide amusement forthe little Prince at whose court these almost mythological beings bentthe knee. "Every few days they have a royal troupe of acrobats in theCastle grounds. Next week Tantora's big circus is to give a privateperformance for him. There are Marionettes and Punch and Judy shows, andall the doings of the Grand Grignol are beautifully imitated. The royalband plays every afternoon, and at night some one tells him stories ofthe valorous men who occupied the throne before him. He rides, playsbaseball and cricket, swims, goes shooting--and, you may take it fromme, sir, he is already enjoying fencing lessons with Colonel Quinnox, chief of the Castle guard. Mr. Tullis, the American, has charge ofhis--you might say, his education and entertainment. They want to makeof him a very wonderful Prince. So they are starting at the bottom. He'squite a wonderful little chap. What say, sir?"

"I was just going to ask if you know anything about a young woman whooccasionally tends shop for William Spantz, the armourer. "

Hobbs looked interested. "She's quite a beauty, sir, I give you myword. "

"I know that, Hobbs. But who is she?"

"I really can't say, sir. She's his niece, I've heard. Been here alittle over a month. I think she's from Warsaw. "

"Well, I'll say good-bye here. If you've nothing on for to-morrow we'llvisit the Castle grounds and--ahem!--take a look about the place. Cometo the hotel early. I'm going over to the gun-shop. So long!" As hecrossed the square, his mind full of the beautiful women he had seen, he was saying to himself in a wild strain of exhilaration: "I'll bet myhead that girl isn't the nobody she's setting herself up to be. Shelooks like these I've just seen. She's got the marks of a lady. Youcan't fool me. I'm going to find out who she is and--well, maybe itwon't be so dull here, after all. It looks better every minute. "

He was whistling gaily as he entered the little shop, ready to give acheery greeting to old Spantz and to make him a temporising offer forthe broadsword. But it was not Spantz who stood behind the littlecounter. Truxton flushed hotly and jerked off his hat. The girl smiled. 

"I beg pardon, " he exclaimed. "I--I'm looking for Mr. Spantz--I--"

"He is out. Will you wait? He will return in a very few minutes. " Hervoice was clear and low, her accent charming. The smile in her eyessomehow struck him as sad, even fleeting in its attempt at mirth. As shespoke, it disappeared altogether and an almost sombre expression cameinto her face. 

"Thanks. I'll--wait, " he said, suddenly embarrassed. She turned to thewindow, resuming the wistful, preoccupied gaze down the avenue. He madepretence of inspecting the wares on the opposite wall, but covertlywatched her out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps, calculated he, if shewere attired in the gown of one of those fashionables she might rankwith the noblest of them in beauty and delicacy. Her dark little headwas carried with all the serene pride of a lady of quality; her featureswere clear cut, mobile, and absolutely flawless. He was sure of that:his sly analysis was not as casual as one might suppose under thecircumstances. As a matter of fact, he found himself having what heafterward called "a very good look at her. " She seemed to have forgottenhis presence. The longer he looked at the delicate profile, the morefully was he convinced that she was not all that she pretended. Heexperienced a thrill of hope. If she wasn't what she pretended to be, then surely she must be what he wanted her to be--a lady of quality. Inthat case there was a mystery. The thought restored his temerity. 

"Beg pardon, " he said, politely sauntering up to the little counter. Henoted that she was taller than he had thought, and slender. She startedand turned toward him with a quick, diffident smile, her dark eyesfilling with an unspoken apology. "I wanted to have another look at thebroadsword there. May I get it out of the window, or will you?"

Very quickly--he noticed that she went about it clumsily despite hersupple gracefulness--she withdrew the heavy weapon from the window andlaid it upon the counter. He was looking at her with a peculiar smileupon his lips. She flushed painfully. 

"I am not--not what you would call an expert, " she said frankly. 

"You mean in handling broadswords, " he said in his most suave manner. "It's a cunning little thing, isn't it?" He picked up the ponderousblade. "I don't wonder you nearly dropped it on your toes. "

"There must have been giants in those days, " she said, a slight shudderpassing over her. 

"Whoppers, " he agreed eagerly. "I've thought somewhat of buying the oldthing. Not to use, of course. I'm not a giant. "

"You're not a pigmy, " she supplemented, her eyes sweeping his longfigure comprehensively. 

"What's the price?" he asked, his courage faltering under the cool, impersonal gaze. 

"I do not know. My uncle has told you?"

"I--I think he did. But I've got a wretched memory when it comes tobroadswords. "

She laughed. "This is such a very old broadsword, too, " she said. "Itgoes back beyond the memory of man. "

"How does it come that you don't know the price?" he asked, watching hernarrowly. She met his inquiring look with perfect composure. 

"I am quite new at the trade. I hope you will excuse my ignorance. Myuncle will be here in a moment. " She was turning away with an air thatconvinced King of one thing: she was a person who, in no sense, had everbeen called upon to serve others. 

"So I've heard, " he observed. The bait took effect. She looked upquickly; he was confident that a startled expression flitted across herface. 

"You have heard? What have you heard of me?" she demanded. 

"That you are new at the business, " he replied coolly. 

"You are a stranger in a strange land, so they say. "

"You have been making inquiries?" she asked, disdain succeeding dismay. 

"Tentatively, that's all. Ever since you peeked out of the window upthere and laughed at me. I'm curious, you see. "

She stared at him in silent intensity for a moment. "That's why Ilaughed at you. You were _very_ curious. "

"Am I so bad as all that?" he lamented. 

She ignored the question. "Why should you be interested in me, sir?"

Mr. King was inspired to fabricate in the interest of psychicalresearch. "Because I have heard that you are not the niece of old manSpantz. " He watched intently to catch the effect of the declaration. 

She merely stared at him; there was not so much as the flutter of aneyelid. "You have heard nothing of the kind, " she said coldly. 

"Well, I'll confess I haven't, " he admitted cheerfully. "I wasexperimenting. I'm an amateur Sherlock Holmes. It pleases me to deducethat you are not related to the armourer. You don't look the part. "

Now she smiled divinely. "And why not, pray? His sister was my mother. "

"In order to establish a line on which to base my calculations, wouldyou mind telling me who your father is?" He asked the question with hismost appealing smile--a smile so frankly impudent that she could notresent it. 

"My mother's husband, " she replied in the same spirit. 

"Well, that is _quite_ a clue!" he exclaimed. "'Pon my soul, I believeI'm on the right track. Excuse me for continuing, but is he a count or aduke or just a--"

"My father is dead, " she interrupted, without taking her now seriousgaze from his face. 

"I beg your pardon, " he said at once. "I'm sorry if I've hurt you. "

"My mother is dead. Now can you understand why I am living here with myuncle? Even an amateur may rise to that. Now, sir, do you expect topurchase the sword? If not, I shall replace it in the window. "

"That's what I came here for, " said he, resenting her tone and the icylook she gave him. 

"I gathered that you came in the capacity of Sherlock Holmes--orsomething else. " She added the last three words with unmistakablemeaning. 

"You mean as a--" he hesitated, flushing. 

"You knew I was alone, sir. "

"By Jove, you're wrong there. I give you my word, I didn't. If I'd knownit, I'd surely have come in sooner. There, forgive me. I'm particularlylight-headed and futile to-day, and I hope--Beg pardon?"

She was leaning toward him, her hands on the counter, a peculiar gleamin her dark eyes--which now, for the first time, struck him as rathermore keen and penetrating than he had suspected before. 

"I simply want to tell you, Mr. King, that unless you really expect tobuy this sword it is not wise in you to make it an excuse for cominghere. "

"My dear young lady, I--"

"My uncle has a queer conception of the proprieties. He may think thatyou come to see me. " A radiant smile leaped into her face, transformingits strange sombreness into absolutely impish mirth. 

"Well, hang it all, he can't object to that, can he? Besides, I neverbuy without haggling, " he expostulated, suddenly exhilarated, he knewnot why. 

"Don't come in here unless you expect to buy, " she said, serious in aninstant. "It isn't the custom in Edelweiss. Young men may chat withshopgirls all the world over--but in Edelweiss, no--unless they come topay most honourable court to them. My uncle would not understand. "

"I take it, however, that you would understand, " he said boldly. 

"I have lived in Vienna, in Paris and in London. But now I am living inEdelweiss. I have not been a shopgirl always. "

"I can believe that. My deductions are justified. "

"Pray forgive me for offering this bit of advice. A word to the wise. My uncle would close the door in your face if--if he thought--"

"I see. Well, I'll buy the blooming sword. Anyhow, that's what I came infor. "

"No. You came in because I smiled at you from the window upstairs. It ismy sitting-room. "

"Why did you smile? Tell me?" eagerly. 

"It was nature asserting itself. "

"You mean you just couldn't help it?"

"That's precisely what I mean. "

"Not very complimentary, I'd say. "

"A smile is ever a compliment, sir. "

"I say, do you know you interest me?" he began warmly, but she put herfinger to her lips. 

"My uncle is returning. I must not talk to you any longer. " She glanceduneasily out upon the square, and then hurriedly added, a certainwistfulness in her voice and eyes. "I couldn't help it to-day. I forgotmy place. But you are the first gentleman I've spoken to since I camehere. "

"I--I was afraid you might think I am not a gentleman. I've been ratherfresh. "

"I happen to have known many gentlemen. Before I went into--service, ofcourse. " She turned away abruptly, a sudden shadow crossing her face. Truxton King exulted. At last he was touching the long-sought trail ofthe Golden Girl! Here was Romance! Here was mystery!

Spantz was crossing the sidewalk. The American leaned forward andhalf-whispered: "Just watch me buy that broadsword. I may, in time, buyout the shop, piece by piece. "

She smiled swiftly. "Let me warn you: don't pay his price. "

"Thanks. "

When Spantz entered the door, a moment later, the girl was gazinglistlessly from the window and Truxton King was leaning against thecounter with his back toward her, his arms folded and a most impatientfrown on his face. 

"Hello!" he said gruffly. "I've been waiting ten minutes for you. "

Spantz's black eyes shot from one to the other. "What do you want?" hedemanded sharply. As he dropped his hat upon a stool near, the door, hisglance again darted from the man to the girl and back again. 

"The broadsword. And, say, Mr. Spantz, you might assume a different tonein addressing me. I'm a customer, not a beggar. "

The girl left the window and walked slowly to the rear of the shop, passing through the narrow door, without so much as a glance at King orthe old man. Spantz was silent until she was gone. 

"You want the broadsword, eh?" he asked, moderating his toneconsiderably. "It's a rare old--"

"I'll give you a hundred dollars-not another cent, " interrupted King, riot yet over his resentment. There followed a long and irritatingargument, at the conclusion of which Mr. King became the possessor ofthe weapon at his own price. Remembering himself in time, he fell toadmiring some old rings and bracelets in a cabinet near by, thus pavingthe way for future visits. 

"I'll come in again, " he said indifferently. 

"But you are leaving to-morrow, sir. "

"I've changed my mind. "

"You are not going?"

"Not for a few days. "

"Then you have discovered something in Edelweiss to attract you?"grinned the old armourer. "I thought you might. "

"I've had a glimpse of the swells, my good friend. "

"It's all the good you'll get of it, " said Spantz gruffly. 

"I daresay you're right. Clean that sword up a bit for me, and I'll dropin to-morrow and get it. Here's sixty gavvos to bind the bargain. Therest on delivery. Good day, Mr. Spantz. "

"Good day, Mr. King. "

"How do you happen to know my name?"

Spantz put his hand over his heart and delivered himself of a mostimpressive bow. "When so distinguished a visitor comes to our littlecity, " he said, "we lose no time in discovering his name. It is a partof our trade, sir, believe me. "

"I'm not so sure that I do believe you, " said Truxton King to himself ashe sauntered up the street toward the Hotel. "The girl knew me, too, nowthat I come to think of it. Heigho! By Jove, I _do_ hope I can work up alittle something to interest--Hello!"

Mr. Hobbs, from Cook's, was at his elbow, his eyes glistening witheagerness. 

"I say, old Dangloss is waiting for you at the Regengetz, sir. Wot's up?Wot you been up to, sir?"

"Up to? Up to, Hobbs?"

"My word, sir, you must have been or he wouldn't be there to see you. "

"Who is Dangloss?"

"Minister of Police--haven't I told you? He's a keen one, too, take myword for it. He's got Sherlock beat a mile. "

"So have I, Hobbs. I'm not slow at Sherlocking, let me tell you that. How do you know he's waiting to see me?"

"I heard him ask for you. And I was there just now when one of his mencame in and told him you were on your way up from the gunshop downthere. "

"So they're watching me, eh? 'Gad, this is fine!"

He lost no time in getting to the hotel. A well-remembered, fierce-looking little man in a white linen suit was waiting for him onthe great piazza. 

Baron Jasto Dangloss was a polite man but not to the point ofprocrastination. He advanced to meet the puzzled American, smilingamiably and twirling his imposing mustachios with neatly gloved fingers. 

"I have called, Mr. King, to have a little chat with you about yourfather, " he said abruptly. He enjoyed the look of surprise on the youngman's face. 

"My father?" murmured Truxton, catching his breath. He was shaking handswith the Baron, all the while staring blankly into his twinkling, snapping eyes. 

"Won't you join me at this table? A julep will not be bad, eh?" King satdown opposite to him at one of the piazza tables, in the shade of thegreat trailing vines. 

"Fine, " was his only comment. 

A waiter took the order and departed. The Baron produced his cigarettecase. King carefully selected one and tapped its tip on the back of hishand. 

"Is--has anything happened to my father?" he asked quietly. "Bad news?"

"On the contrary, sir, he is quite well. I had a cablegram from himto-day. "

"A cablegram?"

"Yes. I cabled day before yesterday to ask if he could tell me thewhereabouts of his son. "

"The deuce you say!"

"He replies that you are in Teheran. "

"What is the meaning of this, Baron?"

"It is a habit I have. I make it a practice to keep in touch with themovements of our guests. "

"I see. You want to know all about me; why I'm here, where I came from, and all that. Well, I'm ready for the 'sweat box. '"

"Pray do not take offence. It is my rule. It would not be altered if theKing of England came. Ah, here are the juleps. Quick service, eh?"

"Remarkably so, due to your powers of persuasion, I fancy. "

"I really ordered them a few minutes before you arrived. You see, I wasquite certain you'd have one. You take one about this hour every day. "

"By Jove, you have been watching me!" cried Truxton delightedly. 

"What are you doing in Edelweiss, Mr. King?" asked the Baron abruptlybut not peremptorily. 

"Sight-seeing and in search of adventure, " was the prompt response. 

"I fancied as much. You've seen quite a bit of the world since you lefthome two years ago, on the twenty-seventh of September. "

"By Jove!"

"Been to South Africa, Asia and--South America--to say nothing ofEurope. That must have been an exciting little episode in SouthAmerica. "

"You don't mean to say--"

"Oh, I know all about your participation in the revolution down there. You were a captain, I understand, during the three weeks of disturbance. Splendid! For the fun of the thing, I suppose. Well, I like it in you. Ishould have done it myself. And you got out of the country just in time, if I remember rightly. There was a price placed on your head by thedistressed government. I imagine they would have shot you if they couldhave caught you--as they did the others. " The old man chuckled. "Youdon't expect to return to South America, do you? The price is stilloffered, you know. "

King was glaring at him in sheer wonder. Here was an episode in his lifethat he fondly hoped might never come to light; he knew how it woulddisturb his mother. And this foxy old fellow away off here in Graustarkknew all about it. 

"Well, you're a wonder!" in pure admiration. 

"An appreciated compliment, I assure you. This is all in the way ofletting you know that we have found out something concerning yourmovements. Now, to come down to the present. You expected to leaveto-morrow. Why are you staying over?"

"Baron, I leave that to your own distinguished powers of deduction, "said Truxton gently. He took a long pull at the straw, watching theother's face as he did so. The Baron smiled. 

"You have found the young lady to be very attractive, " observed theBaron. "Where have you known her before?"

"I beg pardon?"

"It is not unusual for a young man in search of adventure to follow thelady of his choice from place to place. She came but recently, Irecall. "

"You think I knew her before and followed her to Edelweiss?"

"I am not quite sure whether you have been in Warsaw lately. There is agap in your movements that I can't account for. "

King became serious at once. He saw that it was best to be frank withthis keen old man. 

"Baron Dangloss, I don't know just what you are driving at, but I'llset you straight so far as I'm concerned. I never saw that girl untilthe day before yesterday. I never spoke to her until to-day. "

"She smiled on you quite familiarly from her window casement_yesterday_, " said Dangloss coolly. 

"She laughed at me, to be perfectly candid. But what's all this about?Who is she? What's the game? I don't mind confessing that I have afeeling she is not what she claims to be, but that's as far as I'vegot. "

Dangloss studied the young man's face for a moment and then came to asudden decision. He leaned forward and smiled sourly. 

"Take my advice: do not play with fire, " he said enigmatically. 

"You--you mean she's a dangerous person? I can't believe that, Baron. "

"She has dangerous friends out in the world. I don't mean to say shewill cause you any trouble here--but there is a hereafter. Mind you, I'mnot saying she isn't a good girl, or even an adventuress. On thecontrary, she comes of an excellent family--in fact, there were noblemenamong them a generation or two ago. You know her name?"

"No. I say, this is getting interesting!" He was beaming. 

"She is Olga Platanova. Her mother was married in this city twenty-fiveyears ago to Professor Platanova of Warsaw. The Professor was executedlast year for conspiracy. He was one of the leaders of a greatrevolutionary movement in Poland. They were virtually anarchists, as youhave come to place them in America. This girl, Olga, was his secretary. His death almost killed her. But that is not all. She had a sweetheartup to fifteen months ago. He was a prince of the royal blood. He wouldhave married her in spite of the difference in their stations had it notbeen for the intervention of the Crown that she and her kind hate sowell. The young man's powerful relatives took a hand in the affair. Hewas compelled to marry a scrawny little duchess, and Olga was warnedthat if she attempted to entice him away from his wife she would bepunished. She did not attempt it, because she is a virtuous girl--ofthat I am sure. But she hates them all--oh, how she hates them! Heruncle, Spantz, offered her a home. She came here a month ago, broken-spirited and sick. So far, she has been exceedingly respectful toour laws. It is not that we fear anything from her; but that we areobliged to watch her for the benefit of our big brothers across theborder. Now you know why I advised you to let the fire alone. "

King was silent for a moment, turning something over in his head. 

"Baron, are you sure that she is a Red?"

"Quite. She attended their councils. "

"She doesn't look it, 'pon my word. I thought they were the scum of theearth. "

"The kind you have in America are. But over here--oh, well, we never cantell. "

"I don't mind saying she interests me. She's pretty--and I have an ideashe's clever. Baron, let me understand you. Do you mean that this is apolite way of commanding me to have nothing to do with her?"

"You put it broadly. In the first place, I am quite sure she will havenothing to do with you. She loved the husband of the scrawny duchess. _You_, my good friend, handsome as you are, cannot interest her, believeme. "

"I daresay you're right, " glumly. 

"I am merely warning you. Young men of your age and temperamentsometimes let their fancies lead them into desperate predicaments. I'veno doubt you can take care of yourself, but--" he paused, as if verymuch in doubt. 

"I'm much obliged. And I'll keep my eyes well opened. I suppose there'sno harm in my going to the shop to look at a lot of rings andknick-knacks he has for sale?"

"Not in the least. Confine yourself to knick-knacks, that's all. "

"Isn't Spantz above suspicion?"

"No one is in my little world. By the way, I am very fond of yourfather. He is a most excellent gentleman and a splendid shot. "

Truxton stared harder than ever. "What's that?"

"I know him quite well. Hunted wild boars with him five years ago inGermany. And your sister! She was a beautiful young girl. They were atCarlsbad at the time. Was she quite well when you last heard?"

"She was, " was all that the wondering brother could say. 

"Well, come in and see me at the tower. I am there in the mornings. Comeas a caller, not as a prisoner, that's all. " The Baron cackled at hislittle jest. "_Au revoir!_ Till we meet again. " They were shaking handsin the friendliest manner. "Oh, by the way, you were good enough tochange your mind to-day about the personal attractiveness of our ladies. Permit me to observe, in return, that not a few of our mostdistinguished beauties were good enough to make inquiries as to youridentity. "

He left the American standing at the head of the steps, gazing after hisretreating figure with a look of admiration in his eyes. 

Truxton fared forth into the streets that night with a greater zest inlife than he had ever known before. Some thing whispered insistently tohis fancy that dreariness was a thing of the past; he did not have towhistle to keep up his spirits. They were soaring of their own accord. 

He did not know, however, that a person from the secret service waswatching his every movement. Nor, on the other hand, is it at all likelythat the secret service operative was aware that he was not the onlyshadower of the blithe young stranger. 

A man with a limp cigarette between his lips was never far from the sideof the American--a man who had stopped to pass the time of day withWilliam Spantz, and who, from that hour was not to let the young man outof his sight until another relieved him of the task. 

CHAPTER IV

TRUXTON TRESPASSES

He went to bed that night, tired and happy. To his revived spirits andhis new attitude toward life in its present state, the city had suddenlyturned gay and vivacious. Twice during the evening he passed Spantz'sshop. It was dark, upstairs and down. He wondered if the unhappy Olgawas looking at him from behind the darkened shutters. But even if shewere not--la, la! He was having a good time! He was gay! He was seeingpretty women in the cafés and the gardens! Well, well, he would see herto-morrow--after that he would give proper heed to the Baron's warning!An anarchist's daughter!

He slept well, too, with never a thought of the Saturday express whichhe had lain awake on other nights to lament and anathematise. Bright andearly in the morning he was astir. Somehow he felt he had been sleepingtoo much of late. 

There was a sparkle in his eyes as he struck out across town afterbreakfast. He burst in upon Mr. Hobbs at Cook's. 

"Say, Hobbs, how about the Castle to-day--in an hour, say? Can you takea party of one rubbernecking this A. M. ? I like you, Hobbs. You are thebest interpreter of English I've ever seen. I can't help understandingyou, no matter how hard I try not to. I want you to get me into theCastle grounds to-day and show me where the duchesses dawdle and thecountesses cavort. I'm ashamed to say it, Hobbs, but since yesterdayI've quite lost interest in the middle classes and the component partsthereof. I have suddenly acquired a thirst for champagne--in otherwords, I have a hankering for the nobility. Catch the idea? Good! Thenyou'll guide me into the land of the fairies? At ten?"

"I'll take you to the Castle grounds, Mr. King, all right enough, sir, and I'll tell you all the things of interest, but I'll be 'anged, sir, if I've got the blooming nerve to introduce you to the first ladies ofthe land. That's more than I can ever 'ope to do, sir, and--"

"Lord bless you, Hobbs, don't look so depressed. I don't ask you topresent me at court. I just want to look at the lilacs and thegargoyles. That's as far as I expect to carry my invasion of the dreamworld. "

"Of course, sir, you understand there are certain parts of the Park notopen to the public. The grotto and the playgrounds and the Basin ofVenus--"

"I'll not trespass, so don't fidget, Hobbs. I'll be here for you atten. "

Mr. Hobbs looked after the vigorous, happy figure as it swung down thestreet, and shook his head mournfully. Turning to the solitary clerk whodawdled behind the cashier's desk he remarked with more feeling than washis wont:

"He's just the kind of chap to get me into no end of trouble if I give'im rope enough. Take it from me, Stokes, I'll have my hands full of 'imup there this morning. He's charged like a soda bottle; and you neverknow wot's going to happen unless you handle a soda bottle verycareful-like. "

Truxton hurried to the square and across it to the shop of the armourer, not forgetting, however, to look about in some anxiety for the excellentDangloss, who might, for all he knew, be snooping in the neighbourhood. Spantz was at the rear of the shop, talking to a customer. The girl wasbehind the counter, dressed for the street. 

She came quickly out to him, a disturbed expression in her face. As hedoffed his hat, the smile left his lips; he saw that she had beenweeping. 

"You must not come here, Mr. King, " she said hurriedly, in low tones. "Take your broadsword this morning and--please, for my sake, do not comeagain. I--I may not explain why I am asking you to do this, but I meanit for your good, more than for my own. My uncle will be out in amoment. He knows you are here. He is listening now to catch what I amsaying to you. Smile, please, or he will suspect--"

"See here, " demanded King, smiling, but very much in earnest, "what'sup? You've been crying. What's he been doing or saying to you? I'll givehim a--"

"No, no! Be sensible! It is nothing in which you could possibly take ahand. I don't know you, Mr. King, but I am in earnest when I say that itis not safe for you to come here, ostensibly to buy. It is too easilyseen through--it is--"

"Just a minute, please, " he interrupted. "I've heard your story fromBaron Dangloss. It has appealed to me. You are not happy. Are you introuble? Do you need friends, Miss Platanova?"

"It is because you would be a friend that I ask you to stay away. Youcannot be my friend. Pray do not consider me bold for assuming so much. But I know--I know _men_, Mr. King. The Baron has told you all aboutme?" She smiled sadly. "Alas, he has only told you what he knows. But itshould be sufficient. There is no place in my life for you or any oneelse. There never can be. So, you see, you may not develop your romancewith me as the foundation. Oh, I've heard of your quest of adventure. Ilike you for it. I had an imagination myself, once on a time. I lovedthe fairy books and the love tales. But not now-not now. There is noromance for me. Nothing but grave reality. Do not question me! I can sayno more. Now I must be gone. I--I have warned you. Do not come again!"

"Thanks, for the warning, " he said quietly. "But I expect to come inoccasionally, just the same. You've taken the wrong tack by trying tofrighten me off. You see, Miss Platanova, I'm actually looking forsomething dangerous--if that's what you mean. "

"That isn't all, believe me, " she pleaded. "You can gain nothing bycoming. You know who I am. I cannot be a friend--not even anacquaintance to you, Mr. King. Good-bye! Please do not come again!"

She slipped into the street and was gone. King stood in the doorway, looking after her, a puzzled gleam in his eyes. Old Spantz was coming upfrom the rear, followed by his customer. 

"Queer, " thought the American. "She's changed her tactics rathersuddenly. Smiled at me in the beginning and now cries a bit because I'mtrying to return the compliment. Well, by the Lord Harry, she shan'tscare me off like--Hello, Mr. Spantz! Good morning! I'm here for thesword. "

The old man glared at him in unmistakable displeasure. Truxton begancounting out his money. The customer, a swarthy fellow, passed out ofthe door, turning to glance intently at the young man. A meaning lookand a sly nod passed between him and Spantz. The man halted at thecorner below and, later on, followed King to Cook's office, afterward tothe Castle gates, outside of which he waited until his quarryreappeared. Until King went to bed late that night this swarthy fellowwas close at his heels, always keeping well out of sight himself. 

"I'll come in soon to look at those rings, " said King, placing the noteson the counter. Spantz merely nodded, raked in the bills withoutcounting them, and passed the sword over to the purchaser. 

"Very good, sir, " he growled after a moment. 

"I hate to carry this awful thing through the streets, " said King, looking at the huge weapon with despairing eye. Inwardly, he was cursinghimself for his extravagance and cupidity. 

"It belongs to you, my friend. Take it or leave it. "

"I'll take it, " said Truxton, smiling indulgently. With that he pickedup the weapon and stalked away. 

A few minutes later he was on his way to the Castle grounds, accompaniedby the short-legged Mr. Hobbs, who, from time to time, was forced toremove his tight-fitting cap to mop a hot, exasperated brow, so swiftwas the pace set by long-legs. The broadsword reposed calmly on a deskunder the nose of a properly impressed young person named Stokes, cashier. 

Hobbs led him through the great Park gates and up to the lodge of JacobFraasch, the venerable high steward of the grounds. Here, to King's utterdisgust, he was booked as a plain Cook's tourist and mechanicallyadvised to pay strict attention to the rules which would be explained tohim by the guide. 

"Cook's tourist, eh?" muttered King wrathfully as they ambled down theshady path together. He looked with disparaging eye upon the plainlittle chap beside him. 

"It's no disgrace, " growled Hobbs, redder than ever. "You're inside thegrounds and you've got to obey the rules, same as any tourist. Rightthis way, sir; we'll take a turn just inside the wall. Now, on yourleft, ladies and--ahem!--I should say--ahem!--sir, you may see thefirst turret ever built on the wall. It is over four hundred years old. On the right, we have--"

"See here, Hobbs, " said King, stopping short, "I'm damned if I'll letyou lecture me as if I were a gang of hayseeds from Oklahoma. "

"Very good, sir. No offence. I quite forgot, sir. "

"Just _tell_ me--don't lecture. "

For three-quarters of an hour they wandered through the spaciousgrounds, never drawing closer to the Castle than permitted by therestrictions; always coming up to the broad driveway which marked theborder line, never passing it. The gorgeous beauty of this historic oldpark, so full of traditions and the lore of centuries, wrought strangefancies and bold inclinations in the head of the audacious visitor. Hefelt the bonds of restraint; he resented the irksome chains ofconvention; he murmured against the laws that said he should not stepacross the granite road into the cool forbidden world beyond--the worldof kings. Hobbs knew he was doomed to have rebellion on his hands beforelong; he could see it coming. 

"When we've seen the royal stables, we'll have seen everything of anyconsequence, " he hastened to say. "Then we'll leave by the upper gatesand--"

"Hobbs, this is all very beautiful and very grand and very slow, " saidKing, stopping to lean against the moss-covered wall that encircled thepark within a park: the grounds adjoining the grotto. "Can't I hop overthis wall and take a peep into the grotto?"

"By no means, " cried Hobbs, horrified. "That, sir, is the mostproscribed spot, next to the Castle itself. You _can't_ go in there. "

King looked over the low wall. The prospect was alluring. The pool, thetrickling rivulets, the mossy banks, the dense shadows: it was maddeningto think he could not enter!

"I wouldn't be in there a minute, " he argued. "And I might catch aglimpse of a dream-lady. Now, I say, Hobbs, here's a low place. I couldjump--"

"Mr. King, if you do that I am ruined forever. I am trusted by thesteward. He would cut off all my privileges--" Hobbs could go nofurther. He was prematurely aghast. Something told him that Mr. Kingwould hop over the wall. 

"Just this once, Hobbs, " pleaded his charge. "No one will know. "

"For the love of Moses, sir, I--" Hobbs began to wail. Then he groanedin dismal horror. King had lightly vaulted the wall and was grinningback at him from the sacred precincts--from the playground ofprincesses. 

"Go and report me, Hobbs, there's a good fellow. Tell the guards Iwouldn't obey. That will let you out, my boy, and I'll do the rest. ForHeaven's sake, Hobbs, don't burst! You'll explode sure if you hold inlike that much longer. I'll be back in a minute. "

He strode off across the bright green turf toward the source of all thisenchantment, leaving poor Mr. Hobbs braced against the wall, weak-kneedand helpless. If he heard the frantic, though subdued, whistles and theagonized "hi!" of the man from Cook's a minute or two later, he gave noheed to the warning. A glimpse behind might have shown him the error ofhis ways, reflected in the disappearance of Hobbs's head below the topof the wall. But he was looking ahead, drinking in the forbiddenbeauties of this fascinating little nook of nature. 

Never in all his wanderings had he looked upon a more inviting spot thanthis. He came to the edge of the deep blue pool, above which could beseen the entrance to the Grotto. Little rivulets danced down through thecrannies in the rocks and leaped joyously into the tree-shaded pool. Below and to the right were the famed Basins of Venus, shimmering in thesunlight, flanked by trees and banks of the softest green. On theirsurface swam the great black swans he had heard so much about. Through awide rift in the trees he could see the great, grey Castle, half a mileaway, towering against the dense greens of the nearby mountain. Thepicture took his breath away. He forgot Hobbs. He forgot that he was;trespassing. Here, at last, was the Graustark he had seen in his dreams, had come to feel in his imagination. 

Regardless of surroundings or consequences, he sat down upon the neareststone bench, and removed his hat. He was hot and tired and the air wascool. He would drink it in as if it were an ambrosial nectar in--and, moreover, he would also enjoy a cigarette. Carefully he refrained fromthrowing the burnt-out match into the pool below: even such as he couldfeel that it might be desecration. As he leaned back with a sigh ofexquisite ease and a splendid exhalation of Turkish smoke, a small, imperious voice from somewhere behind broke in upon his primaryreflections. 

"What are you doing in here?" demanded the voice. 

Truxton, conscious of guilt, whirled with as much consternation as if hehad been accosted by a voice of thunder. He beheld a very small boystanding at the top of the knoll above him, not thirty feet away. Hisface was quite as dirty as any small boy's should be at that time ofday, and his curly brown hair looked as if it had not been combed sincethe day before. His firm little legs, in half hose and presumably whiteknickers, were spread apart and his hands were in his pockets. 

King recognised him at once, and looked about uneasily for theattendants whom he knew should be near. It is safe to say that he cameto his feet and bowed deeply, even in humility. 

"I am resting, your Highness, " he said meekly. 

"Don't you know any better than to come in here?" demanded the Prince. Truxton turned very red. 

"I am sorry. I'll go at once. "

"Oh, I'm not going to put you out, " hastily exclaimed the Prince, comingdown the slope. "But you are old enough to know better. The guards mightshoot you if they caught you here. " He came quite close to thetrespasser. King saw the scratch on his nose. "Oh, I know you now. Youare the gentleman who picked up my crop yesterday. You are an American. "A friendly smile illumined his face. 

"Yes, a lonely American, " with an attempt at the pathetic. 

"Where's your home at?"

"New York. Quite a distance from here. "

"You ever been in Central Park?"

"A thousand times. It isn't as nice as this one. "

"It's got amilies--no, I don't mean that, " supplemented the Prince, flushing painfully. "I mean--an-i-muls, " very deliberately. "Our parkhas no elephunts or taggers. When I get big I'm going to set out a fewin the park. They'll grow, all right. "

"I've shot elephants and tigers in the jungle, " said Truxton. "I tellyou they're no fun when they get after you, wild. If I were you I'd set'em out in cages. "

"P'raps I will. " The Prince seemed very thoughtful. 

"Won't you sit down, your Highness?"

The youngster looked cautiously about. "Say, do you ever go fishing?" hedemanded eagerly. 

"Occasionally. "

"You won't give me away, will you?" with a warning frown. "Don't youtell Jacob Fraasch. He's the steward. I--I know a fine place to fish. Would you mind coming along? Look out, please! You're awful big andthey'll see you. I don't know what they'd do to us if they ketched us. It would be dreadful. Would you mind sneaking, mister? Make yourselflittle. Right up this way. "

The Prince led the way up the bank, followed by the amused American, whostooped so admirably that the boy, looking back, whispered that it was"just fine. " At the top of the knoll, the Prince turned into a littleshrub-lined path leading down to the banks of the pool almost directlybelow the rocky face of the grotto. 

"Don't be afraid, " he whispered to his new friend. "It ain't very deep, if you should slip in. But you'd scare the fish away. Gee, it's a greatplace to catch 'em. They're all red, too. D'you ever see red fish?"

Truxton started. This was no place for him! The Prince had a right topoach on his own preserves, but a grown man to be caught in the act oflanding the royal goldfish was not to be thought of. He hung back. 

"I'm afraid I won't have time, your Highness. A friend is waiting for meback there. He--"

"It's right here, " pleaded the Prince. "Please stop a moment. I--I don'tknow how to put the bait on the pin. I just want to catch a couple. Theywon't bite unless there's worms on the hook. I tried 'em. Look at 'em!Goodness, there's lots of 'em. Nobody can see us here. Please, mister, fix a worm for me. "

The man sat down behind a bush and laughed joyously. The eager, appealing look in the lad's eyes went to his heart. What was a goldfishor two? A fish has no feeling--not even a goldfish. There was noresisting the boyish eagerness. 

"Why, you're a real boy, after all. I thought being a prince might havespoiled you, " he said. 

"Uncle Jack says I can always be a prince, but I'll soon get over beinga boy, " said Prince Bobby sagely. "You _will_ fix it, won't you?"

King nodded, conscienceless now. The Prince scurried behind a big rockand reappeared at once with a willow branch from the end of whichdangled a piece of thread. A bent pin occupied the chief end in view. Heunceremoniously shoved the branch into the hands of his confederate, andthen produced from one of his pockets a silver cigarette box, which hegingerly opened to reveal to the gaze a conglomerate mass of angle wormsand grubs. 

"A fellow gets awful dirty digging for worms, doesn't he?" hepronounced. 

"I should say so, " agreed the big boy. "Whose cigarette case is this?"

"Uncle Caspar's--I mean Count Halfont's. He's got another, so he won'tmiss this one. I'm going to leave some worms in it when I put it back inhis desk. He'll think the fairies did it. Do you believe in fairies?"

"Certainly, Peter, " said Truxton, engaged in impaling a stubborn worm. 

"My name isn't Peter, " said the Prince coldly. 

"I was thinking of Peter Pan. Ever hear of him?"

"No. Say, you mustn't talk or you'll scare 'em away. Is it fixed?" Hetook the branch and gingerly dropped the hook into the dancing pool. Inless time than it requires to tell it he had a nibble, a bite and acatch. There never was a boy so excited as he when the scarlet nibblerflew into the shrubbery above; he gasped with glee. Truxton recoveredthe catch from the bushes and coolly detached the truculent pin. 

"I'll have 'em for dinner, " announced the Prince. 

"Are you going to catch a mess?" queried the man, appalled. 

"Sure, " said Bobby, casting again with a resolute splash. 

"Are you not afraid they'll get onto you if you take them to theCastle?" asked the other diplomatically. "Goldfish are a deadgive-away. "

"Nobody will scold 'cept Uncle Jack, and he won't know about it. He'sprob'ly gone away by this time. " King noticed that his lip trembledsuddenly. 

"Gone away?"

"Yes. He was banished this morning right after breakfast. " Theannouncement began with a tremor but ended with imperial firmness. 

"Great Scott!" gasped the other, genuinely shocked. 

"I banished him, " said the Prince ruefully. "But, " with a fine smile, "Idon't think he'll go. He never does. See my sign up there?" He pointedto the rocks near the grotto. "I did it with Hugo's shoe blacking. "

A placard containing the important announcement, "NO FISHING ALOUD"stared down at the poachers from a tree trunk above. There was nothingvery peremptory in its appearance, but its designer was sufficientlyimpressed by the craftiness it contained. 

"I put it up so's people wouldn't think anybody--not even me--would dareto fish here. Oh, look!" The second of his ruddy mess was flopping inthe grass. Again Truxton thought of Mr. Hobbs, this time with anxiousglances in all directions. 

"Where do they think you are, your Highness?"

"Out walking with my aunt. Only she met Count Vos Engo, and while theywere talking I made a sneak--I mean, I stole away. "

"Then they'll be searching for you in all parts of the--" began Truxton, coming to his feet. "I really must be going. Please excuse me, your--"

"Oh, don't go! I'll not let 'em do anything to you, " said the Princestaunchly. "I like Americans better than anybody else, " he went on withdeft persuasiveness. "They ain't--aren't afraid of anything. They're notcowards. "

Truxton sat down at once. He could not turn tail in the face of such anexalted opinion. 

"I'm not supposed to ever go out alone, " went on the Princeconfidentially. "You see, they're going to blow me up if they get achance. "

"Blow you up?"

"Haven't you heard about it? With dynamite bums--bombs. Yes, sir! That'sthe way they do to all princes. " He was quite unconcerned. Truxton'slook of horror diminished. No doubt it was a subterfuge employed tosecure princely obedience, very much as the common little boy is broughtto time by mention of the ubiquitous bogie man. 

"That's too bad, " commiserated Truxton, baiting the pin once more. 

"It's old Count Marlanx. He's going to blow me up. He hated my motherand my father, so I guess he hates me. He's turrible, Uncle Casparsays. "

King was very thoughtful for a moment. Something vivid yet fleeting hadshot through his brain--something that he tried to catch and analyse, but it was gone before he could grasp its significance. He looked withnew interest upon this serene, lovable little chap, who was growing up, like all princes, in the shadow of disaster. 

Suddenly the fisherman's quick little ears caught a sound that causedhim to reveal a no-uncertain agitation. He dropped his rod incontinentlyand crawled to the opening in the shrubbery, peering with alarmed eyesdown the path along the bank. 

"What is it? A dynamiter?" demanded Truxton uneasily. 

"Worse'n that, " whispered his royal Highness. "It's Aunt Loraine. Gee!"To King's utter dismay, the Prince scuttled for the underbrush. 

"Here!" he called in consternation. The Prince stopped, shamefaced onthe instant. "I thought you were going to protect me. "

"I shall, " affirmed Bobby, manfully resuming his ground. "She's comingup the path. Don't run, " he exclaimed scornfully, as Truxton started forthe rocks. "She can't hurt you. She's only a girl. "

"All right. I won't run, " said the big culprit, who wished he had thepower to fly. 

"And there's Saffo and Cors over there watching us, too. We're caught. I'm sorry, mister. "

On the opposite bank of the pool stood two rigid members of the RoyalGuard, intently watching the fishers. King was somewhat disturbed by thefact that their rifles were in a position to be used at an instant'snotice. He felt himself turning pale as he thought of what might havehappened if he had taken to flight. 

A young lady in a rajah silk gown, a flimsy panama hat tilted well overher nose, with a red feather that stood erect as if always in a state ofsurprise, turned the bushes and came to a stop almost at King's elbow. He had time to note, in his confusion, that she was about shoulder-highalongside him, and that she was staring up into his face with amazedgrey eyes. Afterward he was to realise that she was amazingly pretty, that her teeth were very white and even, that her eyes were the mostbeautiful and expressive he had ever seen, that she was slender andimperious, and that there were dimples in her checks so fascinating thathe could not gather sufficient strength of purpose to withdraw his gazefrom them. Of course, he did not see them at the outset: she was notsmiling, so how could he?

The Prince came to the rescue. "This is my Aunt Loraine, Mr. --Mr. --" heswallowed hard and looked helpless. 

"King, " supplied Truxton, "Truxton King, your Highness. " Then with allthe courage he could produce, he said to the beautiful lady: "I'm asguilty as he. See!" He pointed ruefully to the four goldfish, which hehad strung upon wire grass and dropped into the edge of the pool. 

She did not smile. Indeed, she gave him a very severe look. "How cruel!"she murmured. "Bobby, you deserve a sound spanking. You are a verynaughty little boy. " She spoke rapidly in French. 

"He put the bait on, " said Bobby, also in French. Here was treachery!

Truxton delivered himself of some French. "Oh, I say, your Highness, yousaid you'd pardon me if I were caught. "

"I can't pardon you until you are found guilty, " said the Prince inEnglish. 

"Please put those poor little things back in the pool, Mr. King, " saidthe lady in perfect English. 

"Gladly--with the Prince's permission, " said King, also in English. ThePrince looked glum, but interposed no imperial objection. Instead hesuddenly shoved the cigarette box under the nose of his dainty relative, who at that unpropitious instant stooped over to watch King's awkwardattempt to release the fishes. 

"Look at the worms, " said the Prince engagingly, opening the box with asnap. 

"Oh!" cried the young lady, starting back. "Throw them away! the hornedthings!"

"Oh, they can't bite, " scoffed the Prince. "See! I'm not afraid of 'em. Look at this one. " He held up a wriggler and she fled to the rock. Shehappened to glance at Truxton's averted face and was conscious of abroad grin; whereupon she laughed in the quick staccato ofembarrassment. 

It must be confessed that King's composure was sorely disturbed. In thefirst place, he had been caught in a most reprehensible act, and in thesecond place, he was not quite sure that the Prince could save him fromignominious expulsion under the very eyes--and perhaps direction--ofthis trim and attractive member of the royal household. He found himselfblundering foolishly with the fishes and wondering whether she was aduchess or just a plain countess. Even a regal personage might jump atthe sight of angle worms, he reflected. 

He glanced up, to find her studying him, plainly perplexed. 

"I just wondered in here, " he began guiltily. "The Prince captured medown there by the big tree. "

"Did you say your name is Truxton King?" she asked somewhat sceptically. 

"Yes, your--yes, ma'am, " he replied. "Of New York. "

"Your father is Mr. Emerson King? Are you the brother of Adele King?"

Truxton stared. "Have you been interviewing the police?" he asked beforehe thought. 

"The police? What have you been doing?" she cried, her eyes narrowing. 

"Most everything. The police know all about me. I'm a spotted character. I thought perhaps they had told you about me. "

"I asked if you were Adele's brother. "

"I am. "

"I've heard her speak of her brother Truxton. She said you were in SouthAmerica. "

He stared the harder. Could he believe his ears?

She was regarding him with cool, speculative interest. "I wonder if youare he?"

"I think I am, " he said, but doubtfully. "Please pardon my amazement. Perhaps I'm dreaming. At any rate, I'm dazed. "

"We were in the convent together for two years. Now that I observe youclosely, you _do_ resemble her. We were very good friends, she and I. "

"Then you'll intercede for me?" he urged, with a fervent glance in thedirection of the wall. 

She smiled joyously. He realised then and there that he had never seensuch beautiful teeth, nor any creature so radiantly beautiful, for thatmatter. 

"More than that, " she said, "I shall assist you to escape. Come!"

He followed her through the shrubbery, his heart pounding violently. ThePrince, who trotted on ahead, had mentioned a Count. Was she married?Was she of the royal blood? What extraordinary fate had made her thefriend of his sister? He looked back and saw the two guardsmen crossingthe bridge below, their eyes still upon him. 

"It's very good of you, " he said. She glanced back at him, a quaintsmile in her eyes. 

"For Adele's sake, if you please. Trespassing is a very serious offencehere. How did you get in?"

"I hopped in, over the wall. "

"I'd suggest that you do not hop out again. Hopping over the walls isnot looked upon with favour by the guards. "

He recalled the distressed Mr. Hobbs. "The man from Cook's tried torestrain me, " he said in proper spirit. "He was very much upset. "

"I dare say. You are a Cook's tourist, I see. How very interesting!Bobby, Uncle Jack is waiting to take you to see the trained dogs at theeastern gate. "

The Prince gave a whoop of joy, but instantly regained his dignity. 

"I can't go, auntie, until I've seen him safe outside the walls, " hesaid firmly. "I said I would. "

They came to the little gate and passed through, into a winding paththat soon brought them to a wide, main-travelled avenue. A light brokein upon Truxton's mind. He had it! This was the wonderful CountessMarlanx! No sooner had he come to that decision than he was forced toabandon it. The Countess's name was Ingomede and she already had beenpointed out to him. 

"I suppose I shall have to recall Uncle Jack from exile, " he heard thePrince saying to the beautiful lady. Truxton decided that she was notmore than twenty-two. But they married very young in these queer oldcountries--especially if they happened to be princes or princesses. Hewanted to talk, to ask questions, to proclaim his wonder, but discreetlyresolved that it was best to hold his tongue. He was by no means sure ofhimself. 

Be that as it may, he was filled with a strange rejoicing. Here was awoman with whom he was as sure to fall in love as he was sure that thesun shone. He liked the thought of it. Now he appreciated thedistinction between the Olga Platanova type and that which representedthe blood of kings. There _was_ a difference! Here was the truePatrician!

The Castle suddenly loomed up before them--grey and frowning, not morethan three hundred yards away. He was possessed of a wild desire to walkstraight into the grim old place and proclaim himself the feudal owner, seizing everything as his own--particularly the young woman in the rajahsilk. People were strolling in the shady grounds. He felt the instantinfection of happy indolence, the call to luxury. Men in gay uniformsand men in cool flannels; women in the prettiest and daintiest offrocks--all basking in the playtime of life, unmindful of the toil thatfell to the Sons of Martha out in the sordid world. 

"Do you think you can find your man from Cook's?" she asked. 

"Unless he has gone and jumped into the river, your--madam. In anyevent, I think I may safely find my way out. I shall not trouble you togo any farther. Thank you for overlooking my indiscretion. Thank you, mydear little Prince, for the happiest experience of my life. I shallnever forget this hour. " He looked boldly into her eyes, and not at thePrince. "Have you ever been in New York?" he asked abruptly. 

He was not at all sure whether the look she gave him was one ofastonishment or resentment. At any rate, it was a quick glance, followedby the palpable suppression of words that first came to her lips, andthe substitution of a very polite:

"Yes, and I love it. " He beamed. The smile that came into her eyesescaped him. If he could have seen it, his bewilderment; would have beensadly increased. 

"Say!" whispered the Prince, dropping back as if to impart a gravesecret. "See that man over there by the fountain, Mr. King?"

"Bobby!" cried the lady sharply. "Good-bye, Mr. King. Remember me toyour sister when you write. She--"

"That's Aunt Loraine's beau, " announced the Prince. 

"That's Count Eric Vos Engo. " Truxton's look turned to one of interestat once. The man designated was a slight, swarthy fellow in the uniformof a colonel. He did not appear to be particularly happy at the moment. 

The American observed the lady's dainty ears. They had turned a delicatepink. 

"May I ask who--" began Truxton timidly. 

"She will know if you merely call me Loraine. "

"So long, " said the Prince. 

They parted company at once, the Prince and the lady in the rajah silkgoing toward the Castle, King toward the gates, somewhat dazed and by nomeans sure of his senses. He came down to earth after he had marchedalong on air for some distance, so to speak, and found himself decidingthat she was a duchess here, but Loraine at school. What a wonderfulplace a girl's school must be! And his sister knew her--knew a lady ofhigh degree!

"Hobbs!" he called, catching sight of a dejected figure in front of thechief steward's door. 

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Mr. Hobbs sullenly. 

"It is, Hobbs--very much me. I've been fishing with royalty and chattingwith the nobility. Where the devil have _you_ been?"

"I've been squaring it with old man Fraasch. I'm through with you, sir. No more for me, not if I know--"

"Come along, Hobbs, " said the other blithely, taking Hobbs by the arm. "The Prince sent his love to you. "

"Did he mention Cook's?" gasped Hobbs. 

"He certainly did, " lied Truxton. "He spoke of you most kindly. Hewondered if you could find time to come around to-morrow. "

CHAPTER V

THE COMMITTEE OF TEN

It has been said before that Truxton King was the unsuspecting object ofinterest to two sets of watchers. The fact that he was under thesurveillance of the government police, is not surprising when weconsider the evident thoroughness of that department; but that he shouldbe continually watched by persons of a more sinister cast suggests amystery which can be cleared up by visiting a certain underground room, scarce two blocks from the Tower of Graustark. It goes without sayingthat corporeal admittance to this room was not to be obtained easily. Infact, one must belong to a certain band of individuals; and, in order tobelong to that band, one must have taken a very solemn pledge of eternalsecrecy and a primal oath to devote his life to certain purposes, goodor evil, according to his conscience. By means of the friendly Sesamethat has opened the way for us to the gentler secrets, we are permittedto enter this forbidding apartment and listen in safety to the uglybusiness of the Committee of Ten. 

There were two ways of reaching this windowless room, with its lowceilings and dank airs. If one had the secret in his possession, hecould go down through the mysterious trap door in the workshop ofWilliam Spantz, armourer to the Crown; or he might come up through ahidden aperture in the walls of the great government sewer, which randirectly parallel with and far below the walls of the quaint oldbuilding. One could take his choice of direction in approaching thishole in the huge sewer: he could come up from the river, half a mileaway, or he could come down from the hills above if he had the courageto drop through one of the intakes. 

It is of special significance that the trap door in Spantz's workshopwas reserved for use by the armourer and his more fastidiouscomrades--of whom three were women and one an established functionary inthe Royal Household. One should not expect ladies to traverse a sewer ifoilier ways are open to them. The manner of reaching the workshop wasnot so simple, however, as you might suppose. The street door was out ofthe quest ion, with Dangloss on the watch, day and night. As much as canbe said for the rear door. It was necessary, therefore, that the favoredfew should approach the shop by extraordinary paths. For instance, twoof the women came through friendly but unknown doors in the basements ofadjoining houses, reaching the workshop by the narrow stairs leading upfrom a cobwebby wine-cellar next door. Spantz and Olga Platanova, ofcourse, were at home in the place. All of which may go to prove thatwhile ten persons comprised the committee, at least as many more of theshopkeepers in that particular neighbourhood were in sympathy with theirsecret operations. 

So cleverly were all these means of approach concealed and so stealthythe movements of the Committee, that the existence of this undergroundroom, far below the street level, was as yet unsuspected by the police. More than that, the existence of the Committee of Ten as an organisationwas unknown to the department, notwithstanding the fact that it had beenworking quietly, seriously for more than a year. 

The Committee of Ten represented the brains and the activity of a rabidcoterie in Edelweiss, among themselves styled the Party of Equals. Inplain language, they were "Reds. " Less than fifty persons in Graustarkwere affiliated with this particular community of anarchists. For morethan a year they had been preparing themselves against the all-importanthour for public declaration. Their ranks had been augmented byoccasional recruits from other lands; their literature was circulatedstealthily; their operations were as secret as the grave, so far as theoutside world was concerned. And so the poison sprung up and thrivedunhindered in the room below the street, growing in virulence and powerunder the very noses of the vaunted police of Edelweiss, slowlydeveloping into a power that would some day assert itself withdiabolical fury. 

There were men and women from Axphain and Dawsbergen in this seed circlethat made Edelweiss its spreading ground. They were Reds of the mostdangerous type--silent, voiceless, crafty men and women who built wellwithout noise, and who gave out nothing to the world from which theyexpected to take so much. 

The nominal leader was William Spantz, he who had a son in the Prince'shousehold, Julius Spantz, the Master-of-arms. Far off in the hills abovethe Danube there lived the real leader of this deadly group--the IronCount Marlanx, exile from the land of his birth, hated and execrated byevery loyal Graustarkian, hating and execrating in return with a tenfoldgreater venom. Marlanx, the man who had been driven from wealth andpower by the sharp edict of Prince Robin's mother, the lamented Yetive, in the days of her most glorious reign, --this man, deep in his ragingheart, was in complete accord with the desperate band of Reds whopreached equality and planned disaster. 

Olga Platanova was the latest acquisition to this select circle. A wordconcerning her: she was the daughter of Professor Platanova, one timeoculist and sociologist in a large German University. He had been one ofthe most brilliant men in Europe and a member of a noble family. Therewas welcome for him in the homes of the nobility; he hobnobbed, so tospeak, with the leading men of time Empire. The Platanova home in Warsawwas one of the most inviting and exclusive in that great, city. Theprofessor's enthusiasm finally carried him from the conservative pathsin which he had walked; after he had passed his fiftieth year he becamean avowed leader among the anarchists and revolutionists in Poland, hisnative state. Less than a year before the opening of this tale he wasexecuted for treason and conspiracy against the Empire. 

His daughter, Olga, was recognised as one of the most beautiful andcultured young women in Warsaw. Her suitors seemed to be without number;nor were they confined to the student and untitled classes with whom shewas naturally thrown by force of circumstance. More than one lordlyadventurer in the lists of love paid homage to her grace and beauty. Finally there came one who conquered and was beloved. He was the son ofa mighty duke, a prince of the blood. 

It was true love for both of them. The young prince pledged himself tomarry her, despite all opposition; he was ready to give up his nobleinheritance for the sake of love. But there were other forces greaterthan a young man's love at work. The all-powerful ruler of an Empirelearned of this proposed mesalliance and was horrified. Two weeksafterward the prince was called. The will of the Crown was made known tohim and--he obeyed. Olga Platanova was cast aside but not forgotten. Hebecame the husband of an unloved, scrawny lady of diadems. When thesituation became more than he could bear he blew out his brains. 

When Olga heard the news of his death she was not stricken by grief. Shecried out her joy to a now cloudless sky, for he had justified the greatlove that had been theirs and would be theirs to the end of time. 

From a passive believer in the doctrines of her father and his circleshe became at once their most impassioned exponent. Over night shechanged from a gentle-hearted girl into a woman whose breast flamed witha lust for vengeance against a class from which death alone could freeher lover. She threw herself, heart and soul, into the deliberations andtransactions of the great red circle: her father understood and yet wasamazed. 

Then he was put to death by the class she had come to hate. One morestone in the sepulchre of her tender, girlish ideals. When the time cameshe travelled to Graustark in response to the call of the Committee ofTen; she came prepared to kill the creature she would be asked to kill. And yet down in her heart she was sore afraid. 

She was there, not to kill a man grown old in wrongs to her people, butto destroy the life of a gentle, innocent boy of seven!

There were times when her heart shrank from the unholy deed she had beenselected to perform; she even prayed that death might come to her beforethe hour in which she was to do this execrable thing in behalf of thehumanity she served. But there was never a thought of receding from thebloody task set down for her--a task so morbid, so horrid that even themost vicious of men gloated in the satisfaction that they had not beenchosen in her place. Weeks before she came to Graustark Olga Platanovahad been chosen by lot to be the one to do this diabolical murder. Shedid not flinch, but came resolute and ready. Even the men in theCommittee of Ten looked upon the slender, dark-eyed girl with an awethat could not be conquered. She had not the manner of an assassin, andyet they knew that she would not draw back; she was as soft and as sweetas the Madonnas they secretly worshipped, and yet her heart was steeledto a purpose that appalled the fiercest of them. 

On a Saturday night, following the last visit of Truxton King to thearmourer, the Committee of Ten met in the underground room to hear thelatest word from one who could not be with them in person, but wasalways there in spirit--if they were to believe his most zealousutterances. The Iron Count Marlanx, professed hater of all that was richand noble, was the power behind the Committee of Ten. The assassinationof the little Prince and the overthrow of the royal family awaited hispleasure: he was the man who would give the word. 

Not until he was ready could anything be done, for Marlanx had promisedto put the Committee of Ten in control of this pioneer community when itcame under the dominion of anarchists. 

Alas, for the Committee of Ten! The wiliest fox in the history of theworld was never so wily as the Iron Count. Some day they were to findout that he was using them to pull his choicest chestnuts from the fire. 

The Committee was seated around the long table in the stifling, breathless room, the armourer at the head. Those who came by way of thesewer had performed ablutions in the queer toilet room that once hadbeen a secret vault for the storing of feudal plunder. What air therewas came from the narrow ventilator that burrowed its ways up to theshop of William Spantz, or through the chimney-hole in the ceiling. Olga Platanova sat far down the side, a moody, inscrutable expression inher dark eyes. She sat silent and oppressed through all the acrid, bitter discussions which carried the conclave far past the midnighthour. In her heart she knew that these men and women were alreadythinking of her as a regicide. It was settled--it was ordained. AtSpantz's right lounged Peter Brutus, a lawyer--formerly secretary to theIron Count and now his sole representative among these people. He was adark-faced, snaky-eyed young man, with a mop of coarse black hair thathung ominously low over his high, receding forehead. This man was thechosen villain among all the henchmen who came at the beck and call ofthe Iron Count. 

Julius Spantz, the armourer's son, a placid young man of goodly physicalproportions, sat next to Brutus, while down the table ranged others deepin the consideration of the world's gravest problems. One of the womenwas Madame Drovnask, whose husband had been sent to Siberia for life;and the other, Anna Cromer, a rabid Red lecturer, who had been drivenfrom the United States, together with her amiable husband: an assassinof some distinction and many aliases, at present foreman in charge ofone of the bridge-building crews on the new railroad. 

Every man in the party, and there were eight, for Olga was not a memberof the Ten, wore over the lower part of his face a false black beard ofhuge dimensions. Not that they were averse to recognition amongthemselves, but in the fear that by some hook or crook Dangloss or hisagents might be able to look in upon them--through stone walls, as itwere. They were not men to belittle the powers of the wonderful Baron. 

As it sat in secret conclave, the Committee of Ten was asinister-looking group. 

Brutus was speaking. "The man is a spy. He has been brought here fromAmerica by Tullis. Sooner or later you will find that I am right. "

"It is best to keep close watch on him, " advised one of the men. "Weknow that he is in communication with the police and we know that hevisits the Castle, despite his declaration that he knows no one there. To-day's experience proves that. I submit that the strictest caution beobserved where he is concerned. "

"We shall continue to watch his every movement, " said William Spantz. "Time will tell. When we are positive that he is a detective and that heis dangerous, there is a way to stop his operations. "

His son grinned amiably as he swept his finger across his throat. Theold man nodded. 

"Dangloss suspects more than one of us" ventured Brutus, his gazetravelling toward Olga. There was lewd admiration in that steady glance. "But we'll fool the old fox. The time will soon be here for the blowthat frees Graustark from the yoke. She will be the pioneer among ourestates, we the first of the individuals in equality; here the home seatof perfect rulership. There is nothing that can stop us. Have we not themost powerful of friends? Who is greater and shrewder than CountMarlanx? Who could have planned and perfected an organization sosplendid? Will any one dispute this?"

He had the floor, and having the floor means everything to a Red. Forhalf an hour he spoke with impassioned fervour, descanting furiously onthe amazing virtues of his wily master and the plans he had arranged. Itappeared in the course of his remarks that Marlanx had friends andsupporters in all parts of Graustark. Hundreds of men in the hills, including honest shepherds and the dishonest brigands who thrived onthem, coal miners and wood stealers, hunters and outlaws were ready todo his bidding when the time was ripe. Moreover, Marlanx had beensuccessful in his design to fill the railway construction crews with theriff-raff of all Europe, all of whom were under the control of leaderswho could sway them in any movement, provided it was against law andorder. As a matter of fact, according to Brutus, nearly a thousandaliens were at work on the road, all of them ready to revolt the instantthe command was given by their advisers. 

Something that the Committee of Ten did not know was this: those alienworkmen were no less than so many hired mercenaries in the employ of theIron Count, brought together by that leader and his agents for the solepurpose of overthrowing the Crown in one sudden, unexpected attack, whereupon Count Marlanx would step in and assume control of thegovernment. They had been collected from all parts of the world to dothe bidding of this despised nobleman, no matter to what lengths hemight choose to lead them. Brutus, of course, knew all this: hiscompanions on the Committee were in complete ignorance of the truemotives that brought Marlanx into their operations. 

With a cunning that commands admiration, the Iron Count deliberatelysanctioned the assassination of the little Prince by the Reds, knowingthat the condemnation of the world would fall upon them instead of uponhim, and that his own actions following the regicide would at once stamphim as irrevocably opposed to anarchy and all of its practices!

In the course of his remarks, Peter Brutus touched hastily upon thesubject of the little Prince. 

"He's not very big, " said he, with a laugh, "and it won't require a verybig bomb to blow him to smithereens. He will--"

"Stop!" cried Olga Platanova, springing to her feet and glaring at himwith dilated eyes. "I cannot listen to you! You shall not speak of it inthat way! Peter Brutus, you are not to speak of--of what I am to do!Never--never again!"

They looked at her in amazement and no little concern. Madame Drovnaskwas the first to speak, her glittering eyes fastened upon the drawn, white face of the girl across the table. 

"Are you going to fail? Are you weakening?" she demanded. 

"No! I am not going to fail! But I will not permit any one to jest aboutthe thing I am to do. It is a sacred duty with me. But, MadameDrovnask--all of you, listen--it is a cruel, diabolical thing, just thesame. Were it not in behalf of our great humanity, I, myself, shouldcall it the blackest piece of cruelty the world has ever known. Theslaughter of a little boy! A dear, innocent little boy! I can see thehorror in all of your faces! You shudder as you sit there, thinking ofthe thing I am to do. Yes, you are secretly despising me, yourinstrument of death! I--I, a girl, I am to cast the bomb that blows thisdear little body to pieces. I! Do you know what that means? Even thoughI am sure to be blown to pieces by the same agent, the last thing Ishall look upon is his dear, terrified little face as he watches me hurlthe bomb. Ah!"

She shuddered violently as she stood there before them, her eyes closedas if to shut out the horrible picture her mind was painting. Therewere other white faces and ice-cold veins about the table. The sneer onAnna Cromer's face deepened. 

"She will bungle it, " came in an angry hiss from her lips. 

Olga's lids were lifted. Her dark eyes looked straight into those of theolder woman. 

"No, " she said quietly, her body relaxing, "I shall not bungle it. "

William Spantz had been watching her narrowly, even suspiciously. Nowhis face cleared. 

"She will not fail, " he announced calmly. "Let there be no apprehension. She is the daughter of a martyr. Her blood is his. It will flow in thesame cause. Sit down, Olga, my dear. We will not touch upon this subjectagain--until--"

"I know, uncle, " she said quietly, resuming her seat and her attitude ofindifference. 

The discussion went back to Truxton King. "Isn't it possible that he ismerely attracted by the beauty of our charming young friend here?"ventured Madame Drovnask, after many opinions had been advancedrespecting his interest in the shop and its contents. "It is a habitwith Americans, I am told. "

"Miss Platanova is most worthy of the notice of any man, " agreed Brutus, with an amiable leer. Olga seemed to shrink within herself. It was plainthat she was not a kindred spirit to these vicious natures. 

"It is part of his game, " said Julius Spantz. "He knows Olga's past; heis waiting for a chance to catch her off her guard. He may even go sofar as to make pretty love to you, cousin, in the hope that--no offence, my dear, no offence!" Her look had silenced him. 

"Mr. King is not a spy, " she said steadily. 

"Well, " concluded William Spantz, "we are safe if we take no chanceswith him. He must be watched all the time. If we discover that he iswhat some of us think he is, there is a way to end his usefulness. "

"Let him keep away from the shop downstairs, " said Peter Brutus, with asidelong glance at the delicate profile of the girl down the table. 

She smiled suddenly, to the amazement of her sinister companions. 

"Have no fear, Brutus. When he hears that you object, he will be verypolite and give us a wide berth, " she said. Peter flushed angrily. 

"He doesn't mean any good by you, " he snapped. "He'll fool youand--poof! Away he goes, rejoicing. "

She still smiled. "You have a very good opinion of me, Peter Brutus. "

"Well, " doggedly, "you know what men of his type think of shopgirls. They consider them legitimate prey. "

"And what, pray, do men of your type think of us?" she asked quietly. 

"Enough of this, " interposed William Spantz. "Now, Brutus, what doesCount Marlanx say to this day two weeks? Will he be ready? On that daythe Prince and the Court are to witness the unveiling of the Yetivememorial statue in the Plaza. It is a full holiday in Graustark. No manwill be employed at his usual task and--"

Brutus interrupted him. "That is the very day that the Count has askedme to submit to the Committee. He believes it to be the day of all days. Nothing should go amiss. We conquer with a single blow. By noon of thatday, the 26th of July, the Committee of Ten will be in control of theState; the new regime will be at hand. A new world will be begun, withEdelweiss as the centre, about which all the rest shall revolve. We--theCommittee of Ten--will be its true founders. We shall be glorifiedforever--"

"We've heard all this before, Brutus, " said Julius Spantz unfeelingly, "a hundred times. It's talk, talk, talk! What we need now is action. Arewe sure that the Count will be prepared to do all that he says he willon the 26th of July? Will he have his plans perfected? Are his forcesready for the stroke?"

"Positively. They await the word. That's all I can say, " growled Peter. "The death of the Prince is the signal for the overthrow of the presentgovernment and the establishment of the new order of equal humanity. "

"After all, " mused Julius, Master-at-arms in the Castle, "it is morehumane to slay the Prince while he is young. It saves him from a longlife of trouble and fear and the constant dread of the very thing thatis to happen to him now. Yes, it is best that it should come soon. " Downin his heart, Julius loved the little Prince. 

For an hour longer the Committee discussed plans for the eventful day. Certain details were left for future deliberations; each person had hispart to play and each one was settled in his or her determination thatnothing should go amiss. 

The man they feared was Dangloss. They did not fear God!

When they dispersed for the night, it was to meet again three days hencefor the final word from Marlanx, who, it seems, was not so far away thatcommunication with him was likely to be delayed. A sword hung over thehead of Truxton King, an innocent outsider, and there was a prospectthat it would fall in advance of the blow that was intended to startlethe world. Olga Platanova was the only one who did not look upon thesprightly American as a spy in the employ of the government--adangerously clever spy at that. 

Up in the distant hills slept the Iron Count, dreaming of the day whenhe should rule over the new Graustark--for he would rule!--a smile onhis grizzled face in reflection of recent waking thoughts concerning thepunishment that should fall swiftly upon the assassins of the belovedPrince Robin. 

He would make short shrift of assassins!

CHAPTER VI

INGOMEDE THE BEAUTIFUL

A light, chilling drizzle had been falling all evening, pattering softlyupon the roof of leaves that covered the sidewalks along Castle Avenue, glistening on the lamp-lit pavements and blowing ever so gently in thefaces of those who walked in the dripping shades. Far back from theshimmering sidewalks, surrounded by the blackest of shadows, andapproached by hedge-bordered paths and driveways, stood the mansionsoccupied by the nobility of this gay little kingdom. A score or more ofancient palaces, in which the spirit, of modern aggression had wroughtinterior changes but had left the exteriors untouched, formed thisaristocratic line of homes. Here were houses that had been built in thefifteenth century, --great, square, solemn-looking structures, grown greyand green with age. 

There were lights in a thousand windows along this misty, royalroad--lights that reflected the pleasures of the rich and yet caused noenvy in time hearts of the loyal poor. 

Almost in the centre of the imposing line stood the home of the Duke ofPerse, Minister of Finance, flanked on either side by structures as grimand as gay as itself, yet far less significant in their generation. Heredwelt the most important man in the principality, not excepting thedevoted prime minister himself. Not that Perse was so well beloved, butthat he held the destinies of the land in Midas-like fingers. More thanthat, he was the father of the far-famed Countess Marlanx, the mostglorious beauty at the Austrian and Russian courts. She had gone forthfrom Graustark as its most notable bride since the wedding day of thePrincess Yetive, late in the nineties. Ingomede, the beautiful, hadjourneyed far to the hymeneal altar; the husband who claimed her was ahated, dishonoured man in his own land. They were married in Buda Pesth. All Europe pitied her at the time; there was but one form of prophecy asto her future. There were those who went so far as to say that herfather had delivered her into the hands of a latter-day Bluebeard, whowhisked her off into the highlands many leagues from Vienna. 

She was seen no more in the gay courts for a year. Then, of a sudden, she appeared before them all, as dazzlingly beautiful as ever, but witha haunting, wistful look in her dark eyes that could not be mistaken. The old Count found an uneasy delight in exhibiting her to the worldonce more, plainly as a bit of property that all men were expected tolook upon with envy in their hearts. She came up out of the sombrehills, freed from what must have been nothing less than captivity inthat once feudal castle, to prove to his world that she thrived in spiteof prophetic babblers. They danced from court to court, grotesquelymis-mated, deceiving no one as to the true relations that existedbetween them. She despised him without concealment; he took pride inshowing that he could best resent her attitude by the most scrupulousdevotion, so marked that its intent could not be mistaken. 

Then the Duke of Perse resumed his residence in Edelweiss, opening theold palace once more to the world. His daughter, after the death of thePrincess, began her extended visits to the home of her girlhood. So longas the Princess was alive she remained away from Edelweiss, reluctant tomeet the friend who had banished her husband long before the weddingday in Buda Pesth. Now she came frequently and stayed for weeks at atime, apparently happy during these escapes from life in the greatcapitals. Here, at least, she was free from the grim old man whosecountess she was; here, all was sweet and warm and friendly, deliciouscontrast to the cold, bitter life she knew on the Danube. 

Without warning she came and without farewells she left Edelweiss on theoccasion of these periodical visits. No word was ever spoken concerningher husband, except on the rare occasions when she opened her heart tothe father who had bartered her into slavery for the sake of certainsocial franchises that the Iron Count had at his disposal. The outsideworld, which loved her, never heard of these bitter passages betweenfather and child. Like Cinderella, she sometimes disappeared from joyousthings at midnight; the next heard of her, she was in Vienna, or atSchloss Marlanx. 

If the Duke of Perse repented of his bargain in giving his daughter tothe Iron Count, he was never known to intimate as much. He lovedIngomede in his own, hard way. No doubt he was sorry for her. It is afact that she was sorry for him. She could read his bitter thoughts moreclearly than he suspected. 

Of late she came more frequently to Edelweiss than before. She was seenoften at the Castle; no court function was complete without the presenceof this lovely noblewoman; no _salon_ worth while unless graced by herwit and her beauty. 

John Tullis was always to remember the moment when he looked upon thisexquisite creature for the first time. That was months ago. After thathe never ceased being a secret, silent worshipper at her transientshrine. 

Ten o'clock on this rainy night: A carriage has drawn up before thelower gates to the Perse grounds, and a tall, shadowy figure leaves itto hurry through the shrub lined walks to the massive doors. A watchmanin the garden salutes him. The tall figure dips his umbrella inresponse, characteristically laconic. A footman lifts his hand to hisforelock at the top of the steps and throws open the doors withoutquestion. This visitor is expected, it is plain to be seen; acircumstance which may or may not explain the nervousness that attendshim as he crosses the broad hall toward the library. 

Tullis had long since ceased to be a welcome visitor in the home of theDuke of Perse. The men were openly unfriendly to each other. The Dukeresented the cool interference of the sandy-haired American; on theother hand, Tullis made no effort to conceal his dislike, if notdistrust, of the older man. He argued--with unofficial and somewhatpersonal authority, --that a man who could trade his only child forselfish ends might also be impelled to sacrifice his country's interestswithout cramping his conscience. 

The Countess was alone in the long, warm-tinted library. She stoodbefore the dying embers in the huge old fireplace, her foot upon one ofthe great iron dogs. Her smiling face was turned toward the door as heentered. 

"It is good of you to come, " she said, as they shook hands warmly. "Doyou know it is almost a year since you last came to this house?"

"It would be a century, Countess, if I were not welcomed in other houseswhere I am sure of a glimpse of you from time to time and a word now andthen. Still, a year's a year. The room hasn't changed so far as I cansee. The same old tiger-skin there, the rugs, the books, thepictures--the leopard's skin here and the--yes, the lamp is just whereit used to be. 'Pon my soul, I believe you are standing just as you werewhen I last saw you here. It's uncanny. One might think you had notmoved in all these months!"

"Or that it has been a minute instead of a year, " she supplemented. Hisquick, involuntary glance about him did not escape her understanding. "The Duke has gone to Ganlook to play Bridge with friends, " she said atonce. "He will not return till late. I have just telephoned--to makesure. " Her smile did more than to reassure him. 

"Of course, you will understand how impossible it is for me to comehere, Countess. Your father, the Duke, doesn't mince matters, and I'mnot quite a fool. " Tullis squinted at the fire. 

"Do you think ill of me for asking you to come to-night?"

"Not at all, " he said cheerfully, "so long as you are quite sure thatyour father is in Ganlook. He would be perfectly justified in kicking meout if he were to catch me here. And as I'm rather cumbersome and he'ssomewhat venerable, I don't like to think of the jar it would be to hissystem. But, so long as he isn't here, and I am, why shouldn't I draw upa chair before the fire for you, and another for myself, with thecigarettes and a world between us, to discuss conditions as they are, not as they might be if we were discovered? Shall I? Good! I defy anyone's father to get me out of this chair until I am ready to relinquishit voluntarily. "

"I suppose you superintended the 'going-to-bed' of Prince Robin beforeyou left the Castle?" she said, lying back in the comfortable chair andstretching her feet out to the fire. He handed her a match and watchedher light the long, ridiculously thin cigarette. 

"Yes. I never miss it, Countess. The last thing he does, after sayinghis prayers, is to recall me from exile. He wouldn't be happy if hecouldn't do that. He says amen and hops into bed. Then he grins in a farfrom imperial way and announces that he's willing to give me anotherchance, and please won't I tell him the latest news concerningJack-the-giant-killer. He asked me to-night if I thought you'd mind ifhe banished your father. They've had a children's quarrel, I believe. Ifyou do mind, I am to let him know: he won't banish him. He's very fondof you, Countess. " She laughed gaily. 

"He is a dear boy. I adore him. I think I quite understand why you aregiving up your life to him. At first I wasn't sure. "

"You thought I expected to gain something by it, is not that so? Well, there are a great many people who think so still--your father amongthem. They'll never understand. I don't blame them, for, I declare toyou, I don't fully appreciate it myself. John Tullis playing nurse andstory-teller to a seven-year-old boy, to the exclusion of everythingelse, is more than I can grasp. Somehow, I've come to feel that he'smine. That must be the reason. But you've heard me prate on this subjecta hundred times. Don't let me start it again. There's something else youwant to talk to me about, so please don't encourage me to tell all thewonderful things he has said and done to-day. "

"It is of the Prince that I want to speak, Mr. Tullis, " she said, suddenly serious. "I don't care to hear whether he stubbed his toeto-day or just how much he has grown since yesterday, but I do want totalk very seriously with you concerning his future--I might say hisimmediate future. "

He looked at her narrowly. 

"Are you quite serious?"

"Quite. I could not have asked you to come to this house for anythingtrivial. We have become very good friends, you and I. Too good, perhaps, for I've no doubt there are old tabbies in Edelweiss who are provoked tocriticism--you know what I mean. Their world is full of imaginaryaffairs, else what would there be left for old age? But we are goodfriends and we understand why we are good friends, so there's the end tothat. As I say, I could not have asked so true a friend into the houseof his enemy for the mere sake of having my vanity pleased by hisobedience. "

"I am quite sure of that, " he said. "Are you in trouble, Countess? Isthere anything I can do?"

"It has to do with the Prince, not with me, " she said. "And yet I am introuble--or perhaps I should say, I am troubled. "

"The Prince is a sturdy little beggar, " he began, but she lifted herhand in protest. 

"And he has sturdy, loyal friends. That is agreed. And yet--" shepaused, a perplexed line coming between her expressive eyes. 

John Tullis opened his own eyes very wide. "You don't mean to say thathe is--he is in peril of any sort?"

She looked at him a long time before speaking. He could feel that shewas turning something over in her mind before giving utterance to thethought. 

At last she leaned nearer to him, dropping the ash from her cigaretteinto the receiver as she spoke slowly, intensely. "I think he is inperil--in deadly peril. "

He stared hard. "What do you mean?" he demanded, with an involuntaryglance over his shoulder. She interpreted that glance correctly. 

"The peril is not here, Mr. Tullis. I know what you are thinking. Myfather is a loyal subject. The peril I suggest never comes toGraustark. "

She said no more but leaned forward, her face whiter than its wont. Hefrowned, but it was the effect of temporary perplexity. Gradually themeaning of her simple, though significant remark filtered through hisbrain. 

"Never comes to Graustark?" he almost whispered. "You don't--you can'tmean your--your husband?"

"I mean Count Marlanx, " she said steadily. 

"He means evil to Prince Robin? Good Heavens, Countess, I--I can'tbelieve it. I know he is bitter, revengeful, and all that, but--"

"He is all that and more, " she said. "First, you must let me impress youthat I am not a traitor to his cause. I could not be that, for thesufficient reason that I only suspect its existence. I am not in anysense a part of it. I do not _know_ anything. I only feel. I dare sayyou realise that I do not love Count Marlanx--that there is absolutelynothing in common between us except a name. We won't go into that. I--"

"I am overjoyed to hear you say this, Countess, " he said very seriously. "I have been so bold on occasion as to assert--for your private ear, ofcourse--that you could not, by any freak of nature, happen to care forCount Marlanx, whom I know only by description. You have laughed at myso-called American wit, and you have been most tolerant. Now, I feelthat I am justified. I'm immeasurably glad to hear you confess that youdo not love your husband. "

"I cannot imagine any one so stupid as to think that I do love CountMarlanx, for that matter, that he loves me. Still, I am relieved to hearyou say that you are glad. It simplifies the present for us, and that iswhat we are to discuss. "

"You are very, very beautiful, and young, and unhappy, " he saidirrelevantly, a darker glow in his cheeks. She smiled serenely, withouta trace of diffidence or protest. 

"I can almost believe it, you say it so convincingly, " she said. For amoment she relaxed luxuriantly into an attitude of physical enjoyment ofherself, surveying her toe-tips with a thoughtfulness that comprehendedmore; and then as abruptly came back to the business of the moment. "Youmust not spoil it all by saying it too fervently, " she went on with asmile of warning. He gave a short laugh of confusion and sank back inthe chair. 

"You have never tried to make love to me, " she went on. "That's what Ilike about you. I think most men are silly, not because I am so veryyoung, but because my husband is so ridiculously old. Don't you thinkso? But, never mind! I see you are quite eager to answer--that's enough. Take another cigarette and--listen to what I am going to say. " Hedeclined the cigarette with a shake of his head. 

After a moment she went on resolutely: "As I said before, I do not knowthat my suspicions are correct. I have not even breathed them to myfather. He would have laughed at me. My husband is a Graustarkian, evenas I am, but there is this distinction between us: he despisesGraustark, while I love her in every drop of my blood. I know that inhis heart he has never ceased to brew evil for the throne that disgracedhim. He openly expresses his hatred for the present dynasty, and hasmore than once said in public gatherings that he could cheerfully assistin its utter destruction. That, of course, is commonly known inGraustark, where he is scorned and derided. But he is not a man to servehis hatred with mere idle words and inaction. " She stopped for a moment, and then cried impulsively: "I must first know that you will notconsider me base and disloyal in saying these things to you. After all, he is my husband. "

He saw the faint curl of her lip. "Before that, " he argued simply, "youwere a daughter of Graustark. You were not born to serve a cause thatmeans evil to the dear land. Graustark first made you noble; you can'tgo back on that, you know. Don't let your husband degrade you. I thinkyou can see how I feel about it. Please believe that I know you can dono wrong. "

"Thank you, " she said, returning the look in his earnest grey eyes withone in which the utmost confidence shone. "You are the only man to whomI feel sure that I can reveal myself and be quite understood. It isn'tas if I had positive facts to divulge, for I have not; they aresuspicions, fears, that's all, but they are no longer vague shapes tome; they mean something. "

"Tell me, " he said quietly. He seemed to square his broad shoulders andto set his jaw firmly, as if to resist physical attack. She knew she hadcome with her fears to a man in whose face it was declared that he couldlaugh at substance as well as shadow. 

"I am seeing you here in this big room, openly, for the simple reasonthat if I am being watched this manner of meeting may be abovesuspicion. We may speak freely here, for we cannot be heard unless weraise our voices. Don't betray surprise or consternation. The eyes ofthe wall may be better than its ears. "

"You don't mean to say you are being watched here in your father'shouse?" he demanded. 

"I don't know. This I do know: the Count has many spies in Edelweiss. Heis systematically apprised of everything that occurs at court, in thecity, or in the council chamber. So you see, he is being well served, whether to an evil purpose or to satisfy his own innate curiosity, I donot know. He has reports almost daily, --voluminous things, partly incipher, partly free, and he is forever sending men away on secret, mysterious missions. Understand, I do not know that he is actuallyplanning disaster to Graustark. Day before yesterday I saw his secretaryin the streets--a man who has been in his employ for five years or moreand who now pretends to be a lawyer here. His name is Brutus. I spokewith him. He said that he had left the Count six weeks ago in Vienna, determined to set out for himself in his chosen profession. He knows, ofcourse, that I am not and never have been in the confidences of myhusband. I asked him if it was known in Edelweiss that he had served theCount as secretary. He promptly handed me one of his business cards, onwhich he refers to himself as the former trusted and confidentialsecretary of Count Marlanx. Now, I happen to know that he is still in myhusband's service, --or was no longer ago than last week. "

"My dear Countess, he may be serving him legitimately as an attorney. There would be nothing strange in that. "

"But he is still serving him as confidential secretary. He is here for apurpose, as my husband's representative. I have not been asleep allthese months at Schloss Marlanx. I have seen and heard enough toconvince me that some great movement is on foot. My intelligence tellsme that it has to do with Graustark. As he wishes the Prince no good, itmust be for evil. " "But there is nothing he can do. He has no followinghere. The Prince is adored by the people. Count Marlanx would not besuch a fool as to--"

"He is no fool, " she interrupted quickly. "That's why I am afraid. If heis plotting against the Crown, you may depend upon it he is laying hisplans well. John Tullis, that man is a devil--a devil incarnate. " Sheturned her face away. 

A spasm of utter repugnance crossed her face; she shuddered so violentlythat his hand went forth to clutch the fingers that trembled on the armof the chair. He held them in his firm grasp for a moment. They lookedinto each other's eyes and he saw the flicker of undisguised horror inhers. An instant later she was herself again. Withdrawing her hand, sheadded, with a short laugh of derision: "Still I did not expect heaven, so why complain. "

"But you are an angel, " he blurted out. 

"I don't believe the Count will agree to that, " she said, with areflective twinkle in her dark eyes. "He has not found me especiallyangelic. If you imagine that I cannot scratch back, my dear friend, youare very much mistaken. I have had the pleasure of giving him more thanone bad half hour. You may be sure he has never called me an angel. Quite the other thing, I assure you. But we are straying from thepoint. "

"Wait a moment, please, " he commanded. "I want to say to you here andnow: you are the gentlest, loveliest woman I have ever known. I don'tsay it idly. I mean it. If you gave him half as good as he sent, Irejoice in your spirit. Now, I want to ask if you expect to go back tolive with the da--with him. "

"That, Mr. Tullis, is hardly a matter I can discuss with you, " she saidgently, and he was not offended. 

"Perhaps not, Countess, but now is the time for you to decide the issue. Why should you return to Castle Marlanx? Why keep up the farce--or Imight say, tragedy--any longer? You love Graustark. You love the Prince. You betray them both by consorting with their harshest foe. Oh, I couldtell you a thousand reasons why--"

"We haven't time for them, " she interrupted, with mock despair in herface. "Besides, I said we cannot discuss it. It requires no learnedargument to move me, one way or the other. I can decide for myself. "

"You should divorce him, " he said harshly. 

She laughed easily, softly. "My good friend, if I did that, I'd loseyour friendship. " He opened his lips to remonstrate, but suddenly caughtthe undercurrent of the naive remark. 

"By Jove, " he said, his eyes glowing, "you must not risk finding me tooobtuse. "

"Bravo!" she cried. "You are improving. "

"I could provide a splendid substitute for the friendship you speak of, "he said coolly. 

"Poof! What is that to me? I could have a hundred lovers--but, ach, friends are the scarcest things in the world. I prefer friendship. Itlasts. There! I see disapproval in your face! You Americans are soliteral. " She gazed into the fireplace for a moment, her lips parted ina whimsical smile. He waited for her to go on; the words were on hertongue's end, he could tell. "A divorce at twenty-five. I believe thatis the accepted age, isn't it? If one gets beyond that, she--but, enoughof this!" She sprang to her feet and stood before him, the flash dyingin her eyes even as it was born that he might see so briefly. "Wediverge! You must go soon. It is best not to be seen leaving here at avery late hour--especially as my father is known to be away. I am afraidof Peter Brutus. He is here to watch--_everybody_. "

She was leaning against the great carved mantel post, a tall, slender, lissome creature, exquisitely gowned in rarest Irish lace, her bare neckand shoulders gleaming white against the dull timbers beyond, the faintglow from the embers creeping up to her face with the insistence of amaiden's flush. He gazed in rapt admiration, his heart thumping likefury in his great breast. She was little more than a girl, this wife ofold Marlanx, and yet how wise, how clever, how brilliant she was!

A face of unusual pallor and extremely patrician in its modelling, surmounted by a coiffure so black that it could be compared only toebony--black and almost gleaming with the life that was in it. It camelow on her forehead, shading the wondrous dark eyes--eyes that were adeep yellowish green in their division between grey and black, eyes thatwere soft and luminous and unwaveringly steadfast, impelling in theirpower to fascinate, yet even more dangerously compassionate when put tothe test that tries woman's vanity. 

There were diamonds on her long, tapering fingers, and a rope of pearlsin her hair. A single wide gold band encircled her arm above the elbow, an arm-band as old as the principality itself, for it had been worn bytwenty fair ancestors before her. The noblewomen of Graustark never worebracelets on their wrists; always the wide chased gold band on the upperarm. There was a day, not so far back in history, when they wore bandson their ankles. 

She was well named Ingomede, the Beautiful. 

A soft, almost imperceptible perfume, languorous in its appeal to thesenses, exuded from this perfect creation; added to this, the subtle, unfailing scent of young womanhood; the warm, alive feel of her presencein the atmosphere; a suggestion of something sensuous, clean, pure, delicious. The undescribable. 

"Does Baron Dangloss know this man Brutus?" asked Tullis, arising tostand beside her. A sub-conscious, triumphant thrill shot through him asan instantaneous flash of his own physical superiority over this girl'shusband came over him. He was young and strong and vital. He could feelthe sensation of being strong; he tingled with the glory of it. He wasthirty-five, Marlanx seventy. He wondered if Marlanx had ever been asstrong as he. 

"I don't know, " she said thoughtfully. "I have not spoken to himconcerning Brutus. Perhaps he knows. The Baron is very wise. Let me tellyou how I happen to know that Peter Brutus is still serving CountMarlanx and why I think his presence signifies a crisis of some sort. "Tullis stood facing the great fireplace, his back to the hail. Heobserved that she looked toward the doors quite as often as she lookedat him; it struck him that she was extremely cautious despite herapparent ease. 

Her voice, always low and even, second lower still. "In the first place, I have a faithful friend in one of the oldest retainers at SchlossMarlanx. His daughter is my maid. She is here with me now. The old mancame to see Josepha one day last week. He had accompanied Count Marlanxto the town of Balak, which is in Axphain, a mile beyond the Graustarkline. Peter Brutus was with my husband in Balak for two days. They werecloseted together from morning till night in the house where Marlanxwas stopping. At the end of two days Brutus went away, but he carriedwith him a vast sum of money provided by my husband. It was given outthat he was on his way to Serros in Dawsbergen, where he expected topurchase a business block for his master. Marlanx waited another day inBalak, permitting Josepha's father to come on to Edelweiss with amessage for me and to see his daughter. He--"

"And Josepha's father saw Brutus in Edelweiss?"

"No. But he did see him going into Balak as he left for Edelweiss thatmorning. He wore a disguise, but Jacob says he could not be mistaken. Moreover, he was accompanied by several men whom he recognised asGraustark mountaineers and hunters of rather unsavoury reputation. Theyleft Brutus at the gates of Balak and went off into the hills. All thishappened before I knew that Peter was living in Edelweiss. When I sawhim here, I knew at once that his presence meant something sinister. Ican put many things together that once puzzled me--the comings andgoings of months, the secret reports and consultations, the queerlooking men who came to the Castle, the long absences of my husband andmy--my own virtual imprisonment--yes, imprisonment. I was not permittedto leave the castle for days at a time during his absences. "

"Surely you will not go back again"--he began hotly. 

"Sh!" She put a finger to her lips. A man-servant was quietly crossingthe hall just off the library. "He is a new man. I do not like hisappearance. "

"Do you think he heard us or observed anything? I can make short work ofhim if--" He paused significantly. She smiled up into his face. 

"He did not hear anything. We've frightened him off, if he intended toplay the eavesdropper. " The servant had disappeared through a door atthe end of the hall. 

"Then there were the great sums of money that my husband sent off fromtime to time, and the strange boxes that came overland to the castle andlater went away again as secretly as they came. Mr. Tullis, I amconfident in my mind that those boxes contained firearms and ammunition. I have thought it all out. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that Ican almost see those firearms stored away in the caves and cabinsoutside of Edelweiss, ready for instant use when the signal comes. "

"God! An uprising? A plot so huge as that?" he gasped, amazed. It isfortunate that he was not facing the door; the same servant, passingonce more, might have seen the tell-tale consternation in his eyes. "Itcannot be possible! Why, Dangloss and his men would have scented it longago. "

"I have not said that I am sure of anything, remember that. I leave itto you to analyse. You have the foundation on which to work. I'd adviseyou to waste no time. Something tells me that the crisis is near athand. "

"Why should Josepha's father tell these things to you?"

"Because, if you will pardon my frankness, I have protected his daughteragainst Count Marlanx. He understands. And yet he would not betray atrust imposed upon him even by the Count. He has only told me what anyone else might have seen with his own eyes. Wait! The new servant is inthe hall again. " She clapped her hands sharply and called out "Franz!"

The new man appeared in the doorway almost on the instant. "You mayreplenish the fire, Franz. " The man, a sallow, precise fellow, crosseddeliberately and poked the half dead fire; with scrupulous care heselected two great chunks of wood from the hopper near by and laid themon the coals, the others watching his movements with curious interest. There was nothing about the fellow to indicate that he was other thanwhat he pretended to be. 

"Isn't it strange that we should have fires in July?" she askedcasually. "The mountain air and the night fogs make it absolutelynecessary in these big old houses. "

"We had a jolly fire in the Prince's room when I left the Castle. Ourmonarch is subject to croup, you see. "

"That is all, Franz. " The man bowed and left the room. "What do youthink of him?" she asked, after a moment. 

"He has a very bad liver, " was all Tullis deigned to offer in response. The Countess stared for a moment and then laughed understandingly. "Ithink he needs a change. "

"I have a strange feeling that he is but one of a great many men who arein Edelweiss for the purposes I mentioned before. Now I have a favour toask of you. Will you take this matter up with Baron Dangloss as if onyour own initiative? Do not mention me in any way. You can understandwhy I ask this of you. Let them believe that the suspicions are yours. Itrust you to present them without involving me. "

"Trust me, my dear Countess. I am a very diplomatic liar. You need haveno fear. I shall find a quick way of getting my friend Dangloss on theright track. It may be a wild goose chase, but it is best to be on thesafe side. May I now tell you how greatly I appreciate your confidencein--"

She stopped him with a glance. "No, you may not tell me. There isnothing more to be said. "

"I think I understand, " he said gently. 

"Let us change the subject. I have uttered my word to the wise. Eh bien!It may not be so bad as I think. Let us hope so, at least. "

"I have a vague notion that you'd rejoice if we should catch your ogreand chop his head off, " said he, coolly lighting a fresh cigarette. Sheliked his assurance. He was not like other men. 

Glancing up at his sandy thatch, she said, with a rueful droop at thecorners of her mouth, a contradictory smile in her eyes: "I shallrejoice more if you do not lose your head afterwards. "

"_Double entendre_?"

"Not at all. "

"I thought, perhaps, you referred to an unhappy plight that alreadycasts its shadow before, " he said boldly. "I may lose everything else, my dear Countess, but _not_ my head. "

"I believe you, " she said, strangely serious. "I shall remember that. "

She knew this man loved her. 

"Sit down, now, and let us be comfy. We are quite alone, " she addedinstantly, a sudden confusion coming over her. "First, will you give methat box of candy from the table? Thank you so much for sending it tome. How in the world do you manage to get this wonderful New York candyall the way to Graustark? It is quite fresh and perfectly delicious. "

"Oh, Fifth Avenue isn't so far away as you think, " he equivocated. "It'sjust around the corner--of the world. What's eight or nine thousandmiles to a district messenger boy? I ring for one and he fetches thecandy, before you can wink your eye or say Jack Robinson. It's amarvellous system. "

He watched her white teeth set themselves daintily in the rich nougat;then the red lips closed tranquilly only to open again in a smile ofrapture. For reasons best known to himself, he chose not to risk losingthe thing he had vowed not to lose. He turned his head--and carefullyinspected the end of his cigarette. A wholly unnecessary precaution, asany one might have seen that it was behaving beautifully. 

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she studied his averted face inthat brief instant. When he turned to her again, she was resting herhead against the back of the chair, and her eyes were closed as if inexquisite enjoyment of the morsel that lay behind her smiling lips. 

"Are you enjoying it?" he asked. 

"Tremendously, " she replied, opening her eyes slowly. 

"'Gad, I believe you are, " he exclaimed. She sat up at once, and caughther breath, although he did not know it. His smile distinctly upset hertranquillity. 

"By the way, " he added, as if dismissing the matter, "have you forgottenthat on Tuesday we go to the Witch's hut in the hills? Bobby hasdingdonged it into me for days. "

"It will be good fun, " she said. Then, as a swift afterthought: "Be surethat the bodyguard is strong--and true. "

CHAPTER VII

AT THE WITCH'S HUT

The next morning, before setting forth to consult the minister of policeat the Tower, he called up the Perse palace on the telephone and askedfor the Countess, to tell her in so many words that he had been followedfrom her door to the very gates of the Castle grounds. Not by one manalone, for that would have excited suspicion, but by half a dozen atleast, each one taking up the surveillance in the most casual manner asthe watcher before him left off. Tullis was amazed by the cunning whichmasked these proceedings; there was a wily brain behind it. 

The Duke's secretary answered the call. Tullis was completely bowledover by the curt information that the Countess Marlanx had leftEdelweiss before six that morning, to join her husband, who was shootingwild boars with a party in Axphain. 

"When does she return?" demanded the American, scarcely believing hisears. She had said nothing of this the night before. What could it mean?

"I do not know, sir. "

"In a day or two?"

"She took sixteen trunks, sir, " was the laconic reply, as if that toldthe story in full. 

"Well, I'm damned!"

"I beg pardon, sir!"

"I beg _your_ pardon. Good morning. "

 * * * * *

In the meantime, our excellent young friend, Truxton King, was having asorry time of it. It all began when he went to the Cathedral in thehope of seeing the charming aunt of the little Prince once more. Notonly did he attend one service, but all of them, having been assuredthat the royal family worshipped there quite as regularly and asreligiously as the lowliest communicant. She did not appear. 

More than all this, he met with fresh disappointment when he ambled downto the armourer's shop. The doors were locked and there was no sign oflife about the shuttered place. The cafés were closed on this day ofrest, so there was nothing left for him to do but to slink off to hisroom in the Regengetz, there to read or to play solitaire and to cursethe progress of civilisation. 

Monday was little better than Sunday. Hobbs positively refused to escorthim to the Castle grounds again. No amount of bribing or browbeatingcould move the confounded Englishman from his stand. He was willing totake him anywhere else, but never again would he risk a personallyconducted tour into hot waters royal. Mr. King resigned himself to apurely business call at the shop of Mr. Spantz. He looked long, with asomewhat shifty eye, at the cabinet of ancient rings and necklaces, andthen departed without having seen the interesting Miss Platanova. If theold man observed a tendency to roam in the young man's eye, he did notbetray the fact--at least not so that any one could notice. Truxtondeparted, but returned immediately after luncheon, vaguely inclined todecide between two desirable rings. After a protracted period ofindecision, in which Olga remained stubbornly out of sight, he announcedthat he could not make up his mind, and would return later for anotherinspection. 

At his room in the hotel, he found a note addressed to himself. It didnot have much to say, but it meant a great deal. There was no signature, and the handwriting was that of a woman. 

"_Please do not come again_. " That was all. 

He laughed with a fine tone of defiance and--went back to the shop atfive o'clock, just to prove that nothing so timid as a note could stophim. This, however, was after he had taken a long walk down CastleAvenue, with a supplementary stroll of little incident outside the grim, high walls that enclosed the grounds. If any one had told him that hewas secretly hoping to find a crevasse through which he could invadeparadise, I make no doubt he would have resented the imputation soundly. On the occasion of this last visit to the shop, he did not stay long, but went away somewhat dazed to find himself the possessor of a ring hedid not want and out of pocket just thirty dollars, American. Havingcome to the conclusion that knight-errantry of that kind was not onlyprofligate but distinctly irritating to his sense of humour, he lookedup Mr. Hobbs and arranged for a day's ride in the mountains. 

"You'll oblige me, Mr. Hobbs, by removing that band from your cap. Iknow you're an interpreter. It's an insult to my intelligence to have itflaunted in my face all day long. I'll admit you're what you say youare, so take it off before we start out to-morrow. "

And so, minus the beguiling insignia of office, Mr. Hobbs led hishypercritical patron into the mountain roads early the next morning, both well mounted and provided with a luncheon large enough to restorethe amiability that was sure to flag at mid-day unless sustained byunæsthetic sandwiches and beer. 

The day was bright and clear, warm in the valley where the city lay, cooler to cold as one mounted the winding roads that led past the loftyMonastery of St. Valentine, sombre sentinel among the clouds. 

A part of Edelweiss is built along the side of the mountain, its narrowstreets winding upward and past countless terraces to the very base ofthe rocky, jagged eminence at whose top, a full mile above the lastsprinkling of houses, stands the isolated, bleak Monastery. The viewfrom these upper streets, before one enters the circuitous and hiddenMonastery road that winds afar in its climb, is never to be forgotten bythe spectator, no matter how often he traverses the lofty thoroughfares. As far as the eye can reach, lies the green valley, through which windsthe silvery river with its evergreen banks and spotless whitehouses-greens and whites that almost shame the vaunted tints of oldIreland as one views them from the incoming steamers. Immediately belowone's feet lies the compact little city, with its red roofs and greenchimney pots, its narrow streets and vivid awnings, its wide avenues andthe ancient Castle to the north. To the south, the fortress and thebridges; encircling the city a thick, high wall with here and thereenormous gates flanked by towers so grim and old that they seem ready totopple over from the sheer fatigue of centuries. A soft, Indian summerhaze hangs over the lazy-lit valley; it is always so in the summer time. 

Outside the city walls stretch the wheat-fields and the meadows, thevineyards and orchards, all snug in the nest of forest-crowned hills, whose lower slopes are spotted with broken herds of cattle and the moremobile flocks of sheep. An air of tranquillity lies low over the entirevista; one dozes if he looks long into this peaceful bowl of plenty. 

From the distant passes in the mountains to the east and north come thedull intonations of dynamite blasts, proving the presence of thatdisturbing element of progress which is driving the railroad through theunbroken heart of the land. 

It is a good three hours' ride to the summit of Monastery Mountain. And, after the height has been attained, one does not care to linger longamong the chilly, whistling crags, with their snow-crevasses and bitterwinds; the utter loneliness, the aloofness of this frost-crowned crestappals, disheartens one who loves the fair, green things of life. In theshelter of the crags, at the base of the Monastery walls, looking outover the sunlit valley, one has his luncheon and his snack of spiritsquite undisturbed, for the monks pay no heed to him. They are nothospitable, neither are they unfriendly. One seldom sees them. 

Truxton King and Mr. Hobbs were not long in disposing of their lunch. Itwas too cold for comfort in their draughty dining-room, and they werenot invited to enter the inhospitable gates. In half an hour they werewending their way down the north side of the peak by gradually decliningroads, headed for the much-talked-of home of the Witch in Ganlook Gap, some six miles from Edelweiss as the crow flies, but twice that distanceover the tortuous bridle paths and post roads. 

It was three o'clock when they clattered down the stone road and up tothe forbidding vale in which lurked, like an evil, guilty thing, thelog-built home of that ancient female who made no secret of herpractices in witchcraft. The hut stood back from the mountain road ahundred yards or more, at the head of a small, thicket-grown recess. 

A low, thatched roof protruded from the hill against which the hut wasbuilt. As a matter of fact, a thin chimney grew out of the earthitself, for all the world like a smoking tree stump. The hovel was asqualid, beggary thing that might have been built over night somewhereback in the dark ages. Its single door was so low that one was obligedto stoop to enter the little room where the dame had been holding forthfor three-score years, 'twas said. This was her throne-room, herdining-room, her bed-chamber, her all, it would seem, unless one hadbeen there before and knew that her kitchen was beyond, in the side ofthe hill. The one window, sans glass, looked narrowly out upon an oddopening in the foliage below, giving the occupant of the hut anunobstructed view of the winding road that led up from Edelweiss. Thedoor faced the Monastery road down which the two men had just ridden. Asfor the door yard, it was no more than a pebbly, avalanche-swept openingamong the trees and rocks, down which in the glacial age perhaps athousand torrents had leaped, but which was now so dry and white andlifeless that one could only think of bones bleached and polished by asun that had sickened of the work a thousand years ago. 

This brief, inadequate description of the Witch's hut is given inadvance of the actual descent of the personally conducted gentleman forthe somewhat ambiguous reason that he was to find it not at all asdescribed. 

The two horsemen rode into the glen and came plump upon a smalldetachment of the royal guard, mounted and rather resolute in their lackof amiability. 

"Wot's this?" gasped Mr. Hobbs, drawing rein at the edge of the pebblydooryard. 

"Soldiers, I'd say, " remarked Mr. King, scowling quite glumly frombeneath the rim of his panama. "Hello!" His eyes brightened and his hatcame off with a switch. "There's the Prince!"

"My word, " ejaculated Mr. Hobbs, and forthwith began to ransack hispockets for the band which said he was from Cook's. 

Farther up the glen, in fact at the very door of the Witch's hut, weregathered a small but rather distinguished portion of the royalhousehold. It was not difficult to recognise the little Prince. He wasstanding beside John Tullis; and it is not with a desire to speak ill ofhis valour that we add: he was clutching the slackest part of thatgentleman's riding breeks with an earnestness that betrayed extremetrepidation. Facing them, on the stone door-step, was the Witch herself, a figure to try the courage of a time-tried hero, let alone thesusceptibilities of a small boy in knickers. Behind Tullis and thePrince were several ladies and gentlemen, all in riding garments and allmore or less ill at ease. 

Truxton King's heart swelled suddenly; all the world grew bright againfor him. Next to the tall figure of Colonel Quinnox, of the Royal Guard, was the slim, entrancing lady of his most recent dreams--the Prince'saunt! The lady of the grotto! The lady of the goldfish conspiracy!

The Countess Marlanx, tall and exquisite, was a little apart from theothers, with Baron Dangloss and young Count Vos Engo--whom Truxton wasready to hate because he was a recognised suitor for the hand of theslim, young person in grey. He thought he had liked her beyond increasein the rajah silk, but now he confessed to himself that he was mistaken. He liked her better in a grey riding habit. It struck him sharply, as hesat there in the saddle, that she would be absolutely and adorablyfaultless in point lace or calico, in silk or gingham, low-neck or high. He was for riding boldly up to this little group, but a veryobjectionable lieutenant barred the way, supported in no small measureby the defection of Mr. Hobbs, who announced in a hoarse, agitatedwhisper that he's "be 'anged if he'd let any man make a fool of himtwice over. "

The way was made easy by the intervention of the alert young woman ingrey. She caught sight of the restricted adventurers--or one of them, tobe quite accurate--and, after speeding a swift smile of astonishment, turned quickly to Prince Bobby. 

A moment later, the tall stranger with the sun-browned face was thecentre of interest to the small group at the door. He bowed amiably tothe smiling young person in grey and received a quick nod in response. As he was adventuring what he considered to be a proper salute for thePrince, he observed that a few words passed between the lad's aunt andJohn Tullis, who was now surveying him with some interest. 

The Prince broke the ice. 

"Hello!" he cried shrilly, his little face aglow. 

"Hello!" responded the gentleman, readily. 

John Tullis found himself being dragged away from the Witch's doortoward the newcomer at the bottom of the glen. Mr. Hobbs listened withdeepening awe to the friendly conversation which resulted in TruxtonKing going forward to join the party in front of the hut. He came alongin the rear, after having tethered the tired horses, not quite sure thathe was awake. The Prince had called him Mr. Cook, had asked him how hisSons were, all of which was highly gratifying when one pauses toconsider that he had got his cap band on upside down in his excitement. He always was to wonder how the little monarch succeeded in reading thetitle without standing on his head to do so. 

Truxton was duly presented to the ladies and gentlemen of the party byJohn Tullis, who gracefully announced that he knew King's parents in NewYork. Baron Dangloss was quite an old friend, if one were to judge bythe manner in which he greeted the young man. The lady in grey smiled sosweetly and nodded so blithely, that Tullis, instead of presenting Kingto her as he had done to the Countess Marlanx and others, merely said:

"And you know one another, of course. " Whereupon she flushed veryprettily and felt constrained to avoid Truxton's look of inquiry. He didnot lose his wits, but vowed acquiescence and assumed that he knew. 

As a result of the combined supplications of the entire party, the oldwoman grudgingly consented to take them into her hovel, where, inexchange for small pieces of silver, she would undertake certainmanifestations in necromancy. 

Truxton King, scarcely able to believe his good fortune, crowded intothe loathsome, squalid room with his aristocratic companions, managing, with considerable skill, to keep close beside his charming friend. Theystood back while the others crowded up to the table where the hagoccupied herself with the crystal ball. 

Never had Truxton looked upon a creature who so thoroughly vindicatedthe life-long reliance he had put in the description of witches given bythe fairy-tale tellers of his earliest youth. She had the traditionalhook-nose and peaked chin, the glittering eyes, the thousand wrinklesand the toothless gums. He looked about for the raven and the cat, butif she had them, they were not in evidence. At a rough guess, hecalculated her age at one hundred years. A youth of extreme laziness, who Baron Dangloss said was the old woman's grandson, appeared to be herman-of-all-work. He fetched the old woman's crystal, placed stools forthe visitors, lighted the candles on the table, occupying no less than aquarter of an hour in performing these simple acts, so awkward that atleast two of his observers giggled openly and whispered their opinions. 

"Gruesome lady, isn't she?" whispered King. 

"I shall dream of her for months, " whispered the lady in grey, shuddering. 

"Are you willing to have her read your future in that ball?"

"Do you really think she can tell?"

"I once had a fortune-teller say that I would be married before I wastwenty-three, " he informed her. She appeared interested. 

"And were you?"

"No. But she did her part, you know--the fortune-teller, I mean. "

"She warned you. I see. So it really wasn't her fault. " She was watchingthe preparations at the table with eager eyes, her lips parted and herbreath coming quick through excitement. 

"Would you mind telling me how I am to address you?" whispered King. They were leaning against the mud-plastered wall near the little window, side by side. The whimsical smile that every one loved to see was on hislips, in his eyes. "You see, I'm a stranger in a strange land. Thataccounts for my ignorance. "

"You must not speak while she is gazing into the crystal, " she warned, after a quick, searching glance at his face. He could have sworn that hesaw a gleam of concern in her eyes, followed instantly by a twinkle thatmeant mischief. 

"Please consider my plight, " he implored. "I can't call you AuntLoraine, you know. "

She laughed silently and turned her head to devote her entire attentionto the scene at the table. Truxton King was in a sudden state oftrepidation. Had he offended her? There was a hot rush of blood to hisears. He missed the sly, wondering glance that she gave him out of thecorner of her eye a moment later. 

Although it was broad daylight, the low, stuffy room would have beenpitch dark had it not been for the flickering candles on the tablebeside the bent, grey head of the mumbling fortune-teller, whose bonyfingers twitched over and about the crystal globe like wigglingserpents' tails. The window gave little or no light and the door wasclosed, the grinning grandson leaning against it limply. The picture wasa weird, uncanny one, despite the gay, lightsome appearance of thevisitors. The old woman, in high, shrill tones, had commanded silence. The men obeyed with a grim scepticism, while the women seemed reallyawed by their surroundings. 

The Witch began by reading the fortune of John Tullis, who had beenpushed forward by the wide-eyed Prince. In a cackling monotone sherambled through a supposititious history of his past, for the chief partso unintelligible that even he could not gainsay the statements. Later, she bent her piercing eyes upon the Prince and refused to read hisfuture, shrilly asserting that she had not the courage to tell whatmight befall the little ruler, all the while muttering something aboutthe two little princes who had died in a tower ages and ages ago. Seeingthat the boy was frightened, Tullis withdrew him to the background. TheCountess Marlanx, who had returned that morning to Edelweiss asmysteriously as she had left, came next. She was smiling derisively. 

"You have just returned from a visit to some one whom you hate, " beganthe Witch. "He is your husband. You will marry again. There is afair-haired man in love with you. You are in love with him. I can seetrouble--"

But the Countess deliberately turned away from the table, her cheeksflaming with the consciousness that a smile had swept the circle behindher graceful back. 

"Ridiculous, " she said, and avoided John Tullis's gaze. "I don't care tohear any more. Come, Baron You are next. "

Truxton King, subdued and troubled in his mind, found himself studyinghis surroundings and the people who went so far to make theminteresting. He glanced from time to time at the delicate, eager profileof the girl beside him; at the soft, warm cheek and the caressing brownhair; at the little ear and the white slim neck of her--and realisedjust what had happened to him. He had fallen in love; that was the plainupshot of it. It had come to pass, just as he had hoped it would in hisdearest dreams. He was face to face with the girl of royal blood thatthe story books had created for him long, long ago, and he was doingjust what he had always intended to do: falling heels over head andhopelessly in love with her. Never had he seen hair grow so exquisitelyabout the temples and neck as this one's hair--but, just to confound hisbudding singleness of interest, his gaze at that instant wandered offand fell upon something that caused him to stare hard at a certain spotfar removed from the coiffure of a fair and dainty lady. 

His eye had fallen upon a crack in the door that led to the kitchen, although he had no means of knowing that it was a kitchen. To hisamazement, a gleaming eye was looking out upon the room from beyondthis narrow crack. He looked long and found that he was not mistaken. There was an eye, glued close to the opposite side of the rickety door, and its gaze was directed to the Countess Marlanx. 

The spirit of adventure, recklessness, bravado--whatever you may chooseto call it--flared high in the soul of this self-despised outsider. Hecould feel a strange thrill of exaltation shooting through his veins; heknew as well as he knew anything that he was destined to createcommotion in that stately crowd, even against his better judgment. Thedesire to spring forward and throw open the door, thus exposing aprobable con-federate, was stronger than he had the power to resist. Even as he sought vainly to hold himself in check, he became consciousthat the staring eye was meeting his own in a glare of realisation. 

Without pausing to consider the result of his action, he sprang acrossthe room, shouting as he did so that there was a man behind the door. Grasping the latch, he threw the door wide open, the others in the roomlooking at him as if he were suddenly crazed. 

He had expected to confront the owner of that basilisk eye. There wasnot a sign of a human being in sight. Beyond was a black little room, atthe back of which stood an old cooking stove with a fire going and akettle singing. He leaped through, prepared to grasp the mysteriouswatcher, but, to his utter amazement, the kitchen was absolutely empty, save for inanimate things. His surprise was so genuine that it was notto be mistaken by the men who leaped to his side. He had time to notethat two of them carried pistols in their hands, and that Tullis andQuinnox had placed themselves between the Prince and possible danger. 

There was instant commotion, with cries and exclamations from all. Quickas the others were, the old woman was at his side before them, snarlingwith rage. Her talon-like fingers sunk into his arm, and her gaze wentdarting about the room in a most convincing way. Some minutes passedbefore the old woman could be quieted. Then King explained his action. He swore solemnly, if sheepishly, that he could not have been mistaken, and yet the owner of that eye had vanished as if swallowed up by themountain. 

Baron Dangloss was convinced that the young man had seen the eye. Without compunction he began a search of the room, the old woman lookingon with a grin of glee. 

"Search! Search!" she croaked. "It was the Spirit Eye! It is looking atyou now, my fine baron! It finds you, yet cannot be found. No, no! Oh, you fools! Get out! Get out! All of you! Prince or no Prince, I fear younot, nor all your armies. This is my home! My castle! Go! Go!"

"There was a man here, old woman, " said the Baron coolly. "Where is he?What is your game? I am not to be fooled by these damnable tricks ofyours. Where is the man?"

She laughed aloud, a horrid sound. The Prince clutched Tullis by the legin terror. 

"Brace up, Bobby, " whispered his big friend, leaning down to comforthim. "Be a man!"

"It--it's mighty hard, " chattered Bobby, but he squared his littleshoulders. 

The ladies of the party had edged forward, peering into the kitchen, alarm having passed, although the exclamation "boo!" would have playedhavoc with their courage. 

"I swear there was some one looking through that crack, " protested King, wiping his brow in confusion. "Miss--er--I should say--_you_ could haveseen it from where you stood, " he pleaded, turning to the lady in grey. 

"Dear me, I wish I had, " she cried. "I've always wanted to see some onesnooping. "

"There is no window, no trap door, no skylight, " remarked the Baron, puzzled. "Nothing but the stovepipe, six inches in diameter. A mancouldn't crawl out through that, I'm sure. Mr. King, we've come upon areal mystery. The eye without a visible body. "

"I'm sure I saw it, " reiterated Truxton. The Prince's aunt was actuallylaughing at him. But so was the Witch, for that matter. He didn't mindthe Witch. 

Suddenly the old woman stepped into the middle of the room and began towave her hands in a mysterious manner over an empty pot that stood onthe floor in front of the stove. The others drew back, watching her withthe greatest curiosity. 

A droning song oozed from the thin lips; the gesticulations grew inweirdness and fervor. Then, before their startled eyes, a thin film ofsmoke began to rise from the empty pot. It grew in volume until the roomwas quite dense with it. Even more quickly than it began, itdisappeared, drawn apparently by some supernatural agency into the draftof the stove and out through the rickety chimney pipe. Even Danglossblinked his eyes, and not because they were filled with smoke. 

A deafening crash, as of many guns, came to their ears from the outside. With one accord the entire party rushed to the outer door, a wild laughfrom the hag pursuing them. 

"There!" she screamed. "There goes all there was of him! And so shallwe all go some day. Fire and smoke!"

Not one there but thought on the instant of the Arabian nights and thegenii who went up in smoke--those never-to-be-forgotten tales of wonder. 

Just outside the door stood Lieutenant Saffo of the guard, his hand tohis cap. He was scarcely distinguishable, so dark had the day become. 

"Good Lord!" shouted Tullis. "What's the matter? What has happened?"

"The storm, sir, " said Saffo. "It is coming down the valley like thewind. " A great crash of thunder burst overhead and lightning dartedthrough the black, swirling skies. 

"Very sudden, sir, " added Mr. Hobbs from behind. "Like a puff of wind, sir. "

The Witch stood in the door behind them, smiling as amiably as it waspossible for her to smile. 

"Come in, " she said. "There's room for all of you. The spirits havegone. Ha, ha! My merry man! Even the eye is gone. Come in, yourHighness. Accept the best I can offer--shelter from the hurricane. I'veseen many, but this looks to be the worst. So it came sudden, eh? Ha, ha!"

The roar of wind and rain in the trees above seemed like a howl ofconfirmation. Into the hovel crowded the dismayed pleasure-seekers, followed by the soldiers, who had made the horses fast at the first signof the storm. 

Down came the rain in torrents, whisked and driven, whirled and shot bythe howling winds, split by the lightning and urged to greater glee bythe deafening applause of the thunder. Apple carts in the skies!

Out in the dooryard the merry grandson of the Witch was dancing as ifpossessed by revelling devils. 

CHAPTER VIII

LOOKING FOR AN EYE

"Washing the dead men's bones, " was the remark King made a few minuteslater. The storm was at its height; the sheets of rain that swept downthe pebbly glen elicited the gruesome sentence. He stood directly behindthe quaking Loraine, quite close to the open door; there is no doubtthat the observation was intended for her ears, maliciously orotherwise. 

She gave him an awed glance, but no verbal response. It was readily tobe seen that she was terrified by the violence of the mountain tornado. As if to shame him for the frivolous remark, she suddenly changed herposition, putting herself behind him. 

"I like that, " he remonstrated, emboldened by the elements. "You leaveme in front to be struck by the first bolt of lightning that comesalong. And I a stranger, too. "

"Isn't it awful?" she murmured, her fingers in her ears, her eyestightly closed. "Do you think we'll be struck?"

"Certainly not, " he assured her. "This is a charmed spot. It's a frolicof her particular devils. She waves her hand: all the goblins andthunder-workers in this neck of the woods hustle up to see what's thematter. Then there's an awful rumpus. In a minute or two she'll wave herhand and--presto! It will stop raining. But, " with a distressed look outinto the thick of it, "it would be a beastly joke if lightning shouldhappen to strike that nag of mine. I'd not only have to walk to town, but I'd have to pay three prices for the brute. "

"I think she's perfectly--ooh!--perfectly wonderful. Goodness, that wasa crash! Where do you think it struck?"

"If you'll stand over here a little closer I'll point out the tree. See?Right down the ravine there? See the big limb swaying? That's the place. The old lady is carrying her joke too far. That's pretty close home. Stand right there, please. I won't let it rain in on you. "

"You are very good, Mr. King. I--I've always thought I loved a storm. Ooh! But this is too terrible! Aren't you really afraid you'll bestruck? Thanks, ever so much. " He had squared himself between her andthe door, turning his back upon the storm: but not through cowardice, asone might suppose. 

"Don't mention it. I won't mind it so much, don't you know, if I getstruck in the back. How long ago did you say it was that you went toschool with my sister?"

All this time the Witch was haranguing her huddled audience, cursing thesoldiers, laughing gleefully in the faces of her stately, scornfulguests, greatly to the irritation of Baron Dangloss, toward whom sheshowed an especial attention. 

Tullis was holding the Prince in his arms. Colonel Quinnox stood beforethem, keeping the babbling, leering beldame from thrusting her faceclose to that of the terrified boy. Young Vos Engo glowered at TruxtonKing from the opposite side of the room. Mr. Hobbs had safely ensconcedhimself in the rear of the six guardsmen, who stood near the door, readyto dash forth if by any chance the terrified horses should succeed inbreaking away. 

The Countess Marlanx, pale and rigid, her wondrous eyes glowing withexcitement, stood behind John Tullis, straight and strong, like a stormspirit glorying in the havoc that raged about her. Time and again sheleaned forward to utter words of encouragement in the ear of the littlePrince, never without receiving a look of gratitude and surprise fromhis tall protector. 

And all this time the goose-herd grandson of the Witch was dancing hiswild, uncanny solo in the thick of the brew, an exalted grin on hisface, strange cries of delight breaking from his lips: a horridspectacle that fascinated the observers. 

With incredible swiftness the storm passed. Almost at its height, therecame a cessation of the roaring tempest; the downpour was checked, thethunder died away and the lightning trickled off into faint flashes. Thesky cleared as if by magic. The exhibition, if you please, was over!

Even the most stoical, unimpressionable men in the party looked at eachother in bewilderment and--awe, there was no doubt of it. The glare thatDangloss bent upon the hag proved that he had been rudely shaken fromhis habitual complacency. 

"It is the most amazing thing I've ever seen, " he said, over and overagain. 

The Countess Marlanx was trembling violently. Tullis, observing this, tried to laugh away her nervousness. 

"Mere coincidence, that's all, " he said. "Surely you are notsuperstitious. You can't believe she brought about this storm?"

"It isn't that, " she said in a low voice. "I feel as if a grave personaldanger had just passed me by. Not danger for the rest of you, but for mealone. That is the sensation I have: the feeling of one who has steppedback from the brink of an abyss just in time to avoid being pushed over. I can't make you understand. See! I am trembling. I have seen no morethan the rest of you, yet am more terrified, more upset than Robin, poor child. Perhaps I am foolish. I _know_ that something dreadfulhas--I might say, touched me. Something that no one else could have seenor felt. "

"Nerves, my dear Countess. Shadows! I used to see them and feel themwhen I was a lad no bigger than Bobby if left alone in the dark. It is agrown-up fear of goblins. You'll be over it as soon as we are outside. "

Ten minutes later the cavalcade started down the rain-swept road towardthe city, dry blankets having been placed across the saddles occupied bythe ladies and the Prince. The Witch stood in her doorway, laughinggleefully, inviting them to come often. 

"Come again, your Highness, " she croaked sarcastically. 

"The next time I come, it will be with a torch to burn you alive!"shouted back Dangloss. To Tullis he added: "'Gad, sir, they did well toburn witches in your town of Salem. You cleared the country of them, thepests. "

Darkness was approaching fast among the sombre hills; the great pass wasenveloped in the mists and the gloaming of early night. In a compactbody the guardsmen rode close about Prince Robin and his friend. Ingomede had urged this upon Tullis, still oppressed by the feeling ofdisaster that had come over her in the hovel. 

"It means something, my friend, it means something, " she insisted. "Ifeel it--I am sure of it. " Riding quite close beside him, she added inlower tones: "I was with my husband no longer ago than yesterday. Do youknow that I believe it is Count Marlanx that I feel everywhere about menow? _He_--his presence--is in the air! Oh, I wish I could make you feelas I do. "

"You haven't told me why you ran away on Sunday, " he said, abruptly, dismissing her argument with small ceremony. 

"He sent for me. I--I had to go. " There was a new, strange expression inher eyes that puzzled him for a long time. Suddenly the solution came:she was completely captive to the will of this hated husband. Therealisation brought a distinct, sickening shock with it. 

Down through the lowering shades rode the Prince's party, swiftly, evengaily by virtue of relaxation from the strain of a weird half hour. Noone revealed the slightest sign of apprehension arising from themysterious demonstration in which nature had taken a hand. 

Truxton King was holding forth, with cynical good humour, for thebenefit, if not the edification of Baron Dangloss, with whom herode--Mr. Hobbs galloping behind not unlike the faithful Sancho ofanother Quixote's day. 

"It's all tommy-rot, Baron, " said Truxton. "We've got a dozen stagewizards in New York who can do all she did and then some. That smokefrom the kettle is a corking good trick--but that's all it is, take myword for it. The storm? Why, you know as well as I do, Baron, that shecan't bring rain like that. If she could, they'd have her over in theUnited States right now, saving the crops, with or without water. Thatwas chance. Hobbs told me this morning it looked like rain. By the way, I must apologise to him. I said he was a crazy kill-joy. The thing thatpuzzles me is what became of the owner of that eye. I'll stake my lifeon it, I saw an eye. 'Gad, it looked right into mine. Queerest feelingit gave me. "

"Ah, that's it, my young friend. What became of the eye? Poof! And it isgone. We searched immediately. No sign. It is most extraordinary. "

"I'll admit it's rather gruesome, but--I say, do you know I've a mind tolook into that matter if you don't object, Baron. It's a game of somesort. She's a wily old dame, but I think if we go about it right we cancatch her napping and expose the whole game. I'm going back there in aday or two and try to get at the bottom of it. That confounded eyeworries me. She's laughing up her sleeve at us, too, you know. "

"I should advise you to keep away from her, my friend. Granted she hastricked us: why not? It is her trade. She does no harm--except thatshe's most offensively impudent. And I rather imagine she'll resent yourinvestigation, if you attempt it. I can't say that I'd blame her. " TheBaron laughed. 

"Baron, it struck me a bit shivery at the time, but I want to say to younow that the eye that I saw at the crack was not that of an idle peeper, nor was it a mere fakir's substitute. It was as malevolent as the deviland it glared--do you understand? Glared! It didn't _peep!_"

Truxton King, for reasons best known to himself, soon relapsed into athoughtful, contemplative silence. Between us, he was sorely vexed anddisappointed. When the gallant start was made from the glen of "deadmen's bones, " he found that he was to be cast utterly aside, quitecompletely ignored by the fair Loraine. She rode off with young CountVos Engo without so much as a friendly wave of the hand to him. He saidit over to himself several times: "not even a friendly wave of herhand. " It was as if she had forgotten his existence, or--mercifulPowers! What was worse--as if she took this way of showing him hisplace. Of course, that being her attitude, he glumly found hisplace--which turned out rather ironically to be under the eye of apolice officer--and made up his mind that he would stay there. 

Vos Engo, being an officer in the Royal Guard, rode ahead by order ofColonel Quinnox. Truxton, therefore, had her back in view--at rather avexing distance, too--for mile after mile of the ride to the city. Notso far ahead, however, that he could not observe every movement of herlight, graceful figure as she swept down the King's Highway. She was aperfect horsewoman, firm, jaunty, free. Somehow he knew, without seeing, that a stray brown wisp of hair caressed her face with insistentadoration: he could see her hand go up from time to time to brush itback--just as if it were not a happy place for a wisp of hair. Perhaps--he shivered with the thought of it--perhaps it even caressedher lips. Ah, who would not be a wisp of brown hair!

He galloped along beside the Baron, a prey to gloomy considerations. What was the use? He had no chance to win her. That was for story-booksand plays. She belonged to another world--far above his. And even beyondthat, she was not likely to be attracted by such a rude, ungainly, sunburned lout as he, with such chaps about as Vos Engo, or thatwhat's-his-name fellow, or a dozen others whom he had seen. Confound itall, she was meant for a prince, or an archduke. What chance had he?

But she was the loveliest creature he had ever seen. Yes; she was thegolden girl of his dreams. Within his grasp, so to speak, and yet hecould not hope to seize her, after all. Was she meant for that popinjayyouth with the petulant eye and the sullen jaw? Was he to be the luckyman, this Vos Engo?

The Baron's dry, insinuating voice broke in upon the young man'sthoughts. "I think it's pretty well understood that she's going tomarry him. " The little old minister had been reading King's thoughts; hehad the satisfaction of seeing his victim start guiltily. It was on thetip of Truxton's tongue to blurt out: "How the devil did you know what Iwas thinking about?" But he managed to control himself, asking instead, with bland interest:

"Indeed? Is it a good match, Baron?"

The Baron smiled. "I think so. He has been a trifle wild, but I believehe has settled down. Splendid family. He is desperately in love, as youmay have noted. "

"I hadn't thought much about it. Is she in love with him?"

"She sees a great deal of him, " was the diplomatic answer. 

Truxton considered well for a minute or two, and then bluntly asked:

"Would you mind telling me just who she is, Baron? What is her name?"

Dangloss was truly startled. He gave the young man a quick, penetratingglance; then a set, hard expression came into his eyes. 

"Do you mean, sir, that you don't know her?" he asked, almost harshly. 

"I don't know her name. "

"And you had the effrontery to--My excellent friend, you amaze me. Ican't believe it of you. Why, sir, how dare you say this to me? I knowthat Americans are bold, but, by gad, sir, I've always looked upon themas gentlemen. You--"

"Hold on, Baron Dangloss, " interrupted Truxton, very red in the face. "Don't say it, please. You'd better hear my side of the story first. Shewent to school with my sister. She knows me, but, confound it, sir, sherefuses to tell me who she is. Do you think that is fair? Now, I'lltell you how it came about. " He related the story of the goldfish andthe pinhook. The Baron smiled comfortably to himself, a sphinx-likeexpression coming into his beady eyes as he stared steadily on ahead;her trim grey back seemed to encourage his admiring smile. 

"Well, my boy, if she elects to keep you in the dark concerning hername, it is not for me to betray her, " he said at the end of therecital. "Ladies in her position, I dare say, enjoy these littlemysteries. If she wants you to know, she'll tell you. Perhaps it wouldbe well for you to be properly, officially presented to her hi--to theyoung lady. Your countryman, Mr. Tullis, will be glad to do so, I fancy. But let me suggest: don't permit your ingenuousness to get the better ofyou again. She's having sport with you on account of it. We all know herpropensities. "

It was dusk when they entered the northern gates. Above the Castle, Kingsaid good-bye to Tullis and the Countess, gravely saluted the sleepyPrince, and followed Mr. Hobbs off to the heart of the city. He was hotwith resentment. Either she had forgotten to say good-bye to him or hadwilfully decided to ignore him altogether; at any rate, she entered thegates to the Castle grounds without so much as an indifferent glance inhis direction. 

Truxton knew in advance that he was to have a sleepless, unhappy night. 

In his room at the hotel he found the second anonymous letter, unquestionably from the same source, but this time printed in crude, stilted letters. It had been stuck under the door, together with someletters that had been forwarded from Teheran. 

"_Leave the city at once. You are in great danger. Save yourself_!"

This time he did not laugh. That it was from Olga Platanova he made nodoubt. But why she should interest herself so persistently in hiswelfare was quite beyond him, knowing as he did that in no sense had heappealed to her susceptibility. And what, after all, could she mean by"great danger"? "Save yourself!" He sat for a long time considering thesituation. At last he struck the window sill a resounding thwack withhis fist and announced his decision to the silent, disinterested wallopposite. 

"I'll take her advice. I'll get out. Not because I'm afraid to stay, butbecause there's no use. She's got no eyes for me. I'm a plainimpossibility so far as she's concerned. It's Vos Engo--damn little rat!Old Dangloss came within an ace of speaking of her as 'her Highness. 'That's enough for me. That means she's a princess. It's all very nice innovels, but in real life men don't go about picking up any princess theyhappen to like. No, sir! I might just as well get out while I can. Shetreated me as if I were a yellow dog to-day--after I'd been damnedagreeable to her, too, standing between her and the lightning. I mighthave been struck. I wonder if she would have been grateful. No; shewouldn't. She'd have smiled her sweetest, and said: "wasn't it lucky?"

He picked up the note once more. "If I were a storybook hero, I'd stickthis thing in my pocket and set out by myself to unravel the mysterybehind it. But I've chucked the hero job for good and all. I'm going tohand this over to Dangloss. It's the sensible thing to do, even if itisn't what a would-be hero in search of a princess aught to do. What'smore, I'll hunt the Baron up this very hour. Hope it doesn't get Olgainto trouble. "

He indulged in another long spell of thoughtfulness. "No, by George, I'll not turn tail at the first sign of danger. I'll stay here andassist Dangloss in unravelling this matter. And I'll go up to thatWitch's hole before I'm a day older to have it out with her. I'll findout where the smoke came from and I'll know where that eye went to. " Hesighed without knowing it. "By Jove, I'd like to do something to showher I'm not the blooming duffer she thinks I am. "

He could not find Baron Dangloss that night, nor early the next day. Hobbs, after being stigmatised as the only British coward in the world, changed his mind and made ready to accompany King to the hovel inGanlook Gap. 

By noon the streets in the vicinity of the Plaza were filled withstrange, rough-looking men, undeniably labourers. 

"Who are they?" demanded King, as they rode past a particularly sullen, forbidding crowd at the corner below the city hail. 

"There's a strike on among the men who are building the railroad, " saidHobbs. "Ugly looking crowd, eh?"

"A strike? 'Gad, it's positively homelike. "

"I heard a bit ago that the matter has been adjusted. They go back towork to-morrow, slight increase in pay and a big decrease in work. Theywere to have had their answer to-day. Mr. Tullis, I hear, wasinstrumental in having the business settled without a row. "

"They'd better look out for these fellows, " said King, very soberly. "Idon't like the appearance of 'em. They look like cut-throats. "

"Take my word for it, sir, they are. They're the riff-raff of allEurope. You should have seen them of a Sunday, sir, before the orderwent out closing the drinking places on that day. My word, they took thetown. There was no living here for the decent people. Women couldn't goout of their houses. "

"I hope Baron Dangloss knows how to handle them?" in some anxiety. "Bythe way, remind me to look up the Baron just as soon as we get back totown this evening. "

"If we ever get back!" muttered the unhappy Mr. Hobbs. Propheticlamentation!

In due time they rode into the sombre solitudes of Ganlook Gap and up tothe Witch's glen. Here Mr. Hobbs balked. He refused to adventure fartherthan the mouth of the stony ravine. Truxton approached the hovel alone, without the slightest trepidation. The goose-herd grandson was driving aflock of geese across the green bowl below the cabin. The Americancalled out to him and a moment later the youth, considerably excited, drove his geese up to the door. He could understand no English, norcould Truxton make out what he was saying in the native tongue. Whilethey were vainly haranguing each other the old woman appeared at theedge of the thicket above the hut. Uttering shrill exclamations, shehurried down to confront King with blazing eyes. He fell back, momentarily dismayed. Her horrid grin of derision brought a flush to hischeek; he faced her quite coolly. 

"I'll lay you a hundred gavvos that the kettle and smoke experiment is afake of the worst sort, " he announced, after a somewhat lengthy appealto be allowed to enter the hut as a simple seeker after knowledge. 

"Have it your own way! Have it your own way!" she cackled. 

"Tell you what I'll do; if I can't expose that trick in ten minutes, I'll make you a present of a hundred gavvos. "

She took him up like a flash, a fact which startled and disconcerted himnot a little. Her very eagerness augured ill for his proposition. Still, he was in for it; he was determined to get inside the hut and solve themystery, if it were possible. Exposure of the Witch would at leastattract the interest if not the approval of a certain young lady inpurple and fine linen. That was surely worth while. 

With a low, mocking bow, the shrivelled hag stood aside and motioned forhim to precede her into the hovel. He looked back at Mr. Hobbs. Thatgentleman's eyes seemed to be starting from his head. 

"A hundred gavvos is a fortune not easily to be won, " said the old dame. "How can I be sure that you will pay me if you lose?"

"It is in my pocket, madam. If I don't pay, you may instruct yourexcellent grandson to crack me over the head. He looks as though he'd doit for a good deal less money, I'll say that for him. "

"He is honest--as honest as his grandmother, " cried the old woman. Shebestowed a toothless grin upon him. "Now what is it you want to do?"

They were standing in the centre of the wretched living-room. Thegoose-boy was in the door, looking on with strangely alert, questioningeyes, ever and anon peering over his shoulder toward the spot whereHobbs stood with the horses. He seldom took his gaze from the face ofthe old woman, a rat-like smile touching the corners of his fuzz-linedlips. 

"I want to go through that kitchen, just to satisfy myself of one or twothings. " King was looking hard at the crack in the kitchen door. Suddenly he started as if shot. 

The staring, burning eye was again looking straight at him from thejagged crack in the door!

"I'll get you this time, " he shouted, crossing the room in two eagerleaps. The door responded instantly to his violent clutch, swung openwith a bang, and disclosed the interior of the queer little kitchen. 

The owner of that mocking, phantom eye was gone!

Like a frantic dog, Truxton dashed about the little kitchen, looking inevery corner, every crack for signs of the thing he chased. At last hepaused, baffled, mystified. The old woman was standing in the middle ofthe outer room, grinning at him with what was meant for complacency, butwhich struck him at once as genuine malevolence. 

"Ha, ha!" she croaked. "You fool! You fool! Search! Smell him out! Allthe good it will do you! Ha, ha!"

"By gad, I _will_ get at the bottom of this!" shouted Truxton, stubbornrage possessing him. "There's some one here, and I know it. I'm not sucha fool as to believe--Say! What's that? The ceiling! By the eternal, that scraping noise explains it! There's where the secret trap-dooris--in the ceiling! Within arm's reach, at that! Watch me, old woman!I'll have your spry friend out of his nest in the shake of a lamb'stail. "

The hag was standing in the kitchen door now, still grinning evilly. Shewatched the eager young man pound upon the low ceiling with athree-legged stool that he had seized from the floor. 

"I don't see how he got up there so quickly, though. He must be likegreased lightning. "

He was pounding vigorously on the roughly boarded ceiling when thesharp voice of the old woman, raised in command, caused him to lower thestool and turn upon her with gleaming, triumphant eyes. The look he sawin her face was sufficient to check his enterprise for the moment. Hedropped the stool and started toward her, his arms extended to catch herswaying form. The look of the dying was in her eyes; she seemed to becrumpling before him. 

He reached her in time, his strong arms grasping the frail, bent figureas it sank to the floor. As he lifted her bodily from her feet, intentupon carrying her to the open air, her bony fingers sank into his armwith the grip of death, and--could he believe his ears!--a low, mockinglaugh came from her lips. 

Down where the pebbly house-yard merged into the mossy banks, Mr. Hobbssat tight, still staring with gloomy eyes at the dark little hut up theglen. His sturdy knees were pressing the skirts of the saddle with afirmness that left no room for doubt as to the tension his nerves wereunder. Now and then he murmured "My word!" but in what connection it isdoubtful if even he could tell. A quarter of an hour had passed sinceKing disappeared through the doorway: Mr. Hobbs was getting nervous. 

The shiftless, lanky goose-herd came forth in time, and lazily drove hisscattered flock off into the lower glen. 

The horses were becoming impatient. To his extreme discomfort, not tosay apprehension, they were constantly pricking their ears forward andsnorting in the direction of the hovel; a very puzzling circumstance, thought Mr. Hobbs. At this point he began to say "dammit, " and with somesense of appreciation, too. 

Presently his eye caught sight of a thin stream of smoke, rather blackthan blue, arising from the little chimney at the rear of the cabin. His eyes flew very wide open; his heart experienced a sudden throblessmoment; his mind leaped backward to the unexplained smoke mystery of theday before. It was on the end of his tongue to cry out to his unseenpatron, to urge him to leave the Witch to her deviltry and come alonghome, when the old woman herself appeared in the doorway--alone. 

She sat down upon the doorstep, pulling away at a long pipe, her hoodedface almost invisible from the distance which he resolutely held. Hefelt that she was eyeing him with grim interest. For a few minutes hewaited, a sickening doubt growing up in his soul. A single glance showedhim that the chimney was no longer emitting smoke. It seemed to him thatthe old woman was losing all semblance of life. She was no more than ablack, inanimate heap of rags piled against the door-jamb. 

Hobbs let out a shout. The horses plunged viciously. Slowly the bundleof rags took shape. The old woman arose and hobbled toward him, leaningupon a great cane. 

"Whe--where's Mr. King?" called out Hobbs. 

She stopped above him and he could see her face. Mr. Hobbs was chilledto the bone. Her arm was raised, a bony finger pointing to the treetopsabove her hovel. 

"He's gone. Didn't you see him? He went off among the treetops. Youwon't see him again. " She waited a moment, and then went on, in mostingratiating tones: "Would you care to come into my house? I can showyou the road he took. You--"

But Mr. Hobbs, his hair on end, had dropped the rein of King's horse andwas putting boot to his own beast, whirling frantically into the paththat led away from the hated, damned spot! Down the road he crashed, pursued by witches whose persistence put to shame the efforts of thosefamed ladies of Tam O'Shanter in the long ago; if he had looked over hisshoulder, he might have discovered that he was followed by a riderlesshorse, nothing more. 

But a riderless horse is a gruesome thing--sometimes. 

CHAPTER IX

STRANGE DISAPPEARANCES

The further adventures of Mr. Hobbs on this memorable afternoon arequickly chronicled, notwithstanding the fact that he lived an age whilethey were transpiring, and experienced sensations that would still befresh in his memory if he lived to be a hundred. 

He was scarcely well out of sight of the cabin when his conscience beganto smite him: after all, his patron might be in dire need of hisservices, and here he was, fleeing from an old woman and a whiff ofsmoke! Hobbs was not a physical coward, but it took more than a mile ofhard-ridden conscience to bring his horse to a standstill. Then, withhis heart in his mouth, he slowly began to retrace his steps, walkingwhere he had galloped a moment before. A turn in the road brought him inview of something that caused him to draw rein sharply. A hundred yardsahead, five or six men were struggling with a riderless bay horse. 

"My Gawd!" ejaculated Hobbs. "It's _his_ horse! I might have known!"

He looked eagerly for his patron. There was no sign of him, so Hobbsrode slowly forward, intent upon asking the woodmen--for such theyappeared to be--to accompany him to the glen, now but a short distanceahead. 

As he drew nearer, it struck him forcibly that the men were not what hehad thought them to be. They were an evil-looking lot, more like thestrikers he had seen in the town earlier in the day. Even as he wasturning the new thought over in his mind, one of them stepped out ofthe little knot, and, without a word of warning, lifted his arm andfired point blank at the little Englishman. A pistol ball whizzed closeby his head. His horse leaped to the side of the road in terror, almostunseating him. 

But Hobbs had fighting blood in his veins. What is more to the point, hehad a Mauser revolver in his pocket. He jerked it out, and, despite asecond shot from the picket, prepared to ride down upon the party. Aninstant later half a dozen revolvers were blazing away at him. Hobbsturned at once and rode in the opposite direction, whirling to firetwice at the unfriendly group. Soon he was out of range and at leisure. He saw the futility of any attempt to pass them. The only thing left forhim to do was to ride as quickly as possible to the city and give thealarm: at the same time, to acquaint the police with the deliberateassault of the desperadoes. 

His mind was so full of the disaster to Truxton King--he did not doubtfor an instant that he had been destroyed by the sorceress--that he gavelittle thought to his own encounter with the rascals in the roadway. Hehad come to like the impetuous young man with the open purse and theopen heart. Despite his waywardness in matters conventional to the lastdegree he could not but admire him for the smile he had and the couragethat never failed him, even when the smile met the frown of rebuke. 

Riding swiftly through the narrow, sunless defile he was nearing thepoint where the road connected with the open Highway; from there on theway was easy and devoid of peril. Suddenly his horse swerved and leapedfuriously out of stride, stumbling, but recovering himself almostinstantaneously. In the same second he heard the sharp crack of afirearm, far down the unbroken ravine to his left. A second shot came, this time from the right and quite close at hand. His horse wasstaggering, swaying--then down he crashed, Hobbs swinging clear barelyin time to escape being pinioned to the ground. A stream of blood waspouring from the side of the poor beast. Aghast at this unheard ofwantonness, the little interpreter knew not which way to turn, but stoodthere dazed until a third shot brought him to his senses. The bulletkicked up the dust near his feet. He scrambled for the heavy underbrushat the roadside and darted off into the forest, his revolver in hishand, his heart palpitating like mad. Time and again as he fled throughthe dark thickets, he heard the hoarse shouts of men in the distance. Itdawned upon him at last that there had been an uprising of some kind inthe city--that there was rioting and murder going on--that these menwere not ordinary bandits, but desperate strikers in quest ofsatisfaction for grievances ignored. 

Night came and he dropped to the soft, dank earth, utterly exhausted andabsolutely lost for the time being in the pathless hills. 

At ten o'clock the next morning Colonel Quinnox and a company ofsoldiers, riding from the city gates toward the north in response to acall for help from honest herders who reported attacks and robberies ofan alarming nature, came upon the stiff, foot-sore, thorn-scratched Mr. Hobbs, not far from the walls of the town. The Colonel was not long ingrasping the substance of Hobbs's revelations. He rode off at once forthe Witch's hovel, sending Hobbs with a small, instructed escort to theCastle, where Baron Dangloss was in consultation with Mr. Tullis andcertain ministers. 

The city was peaceful enough, much to the surprise of Hobbs. Nodisturbance had been reported, said the guardsmen who rode beside him. Up in the hills there had been some depredations, but that was all. 

"All?" groaned Mr. Hobbs. "All? Hang it all, man, wot do you call all?You haven't heard 'alf all of it yet. I tell you, there's been the devilto pay. Wait till the Colonel comes back from Ganlook Gap. He'll havenews for you; take it from me, he will. That poor chap 'as gone up insmoke, as sure as my name's Hobbs. "

They met Baron Dangloss near the barracks, across the park from theCastle. He was in close, earnest conversation with John Tullis and CountHalfont, both of whom seemed to be labouring under intense excitement. Over by the arsenal the little Prince, attended by his Aunt Loraine andCount Vos Engo--with two mechanical guardsmen in the background--wasdeep in conversation with Julius Spantz, the master-of-arms. If he hadbeen near enough to hear, he might have learned that Prince Robin'sair-gun was very much out of order and needed attention at once. 

The arrival of Hobbs, a pitiful but heroic object, at once arrested theattention of every one. His story was heard by a most distinguishedaudience; in fact, Hobbs was near to exploding with his own suddenlyacquired importance. Not only were there dark, serious looks from themen in the party, and distressed exclamations from the most beautifulyoung lady in the world (he had always said that of her), but he had theextreme unction of bringing tears to the eyes of a prince, and ofhearing manfully suppressed sobs from the throat of the same augustpersonage. 

The looks that went round at the conclusion of his disjointed andoft-interrupted story, expressed something more than consternation. 

"There is nothing supernatural about King's disappearance, " said Tullissharply. "That's all nonsense. He had money about him and it perhapsturns out that there really was a man at the crack in the door--a cleverbrigand who to-day has got the better of our vain-glorious friend. Theshooting in the hills is more disturbing than this, to my mind. Gentlemen, you shouldn't lose any time in running these fellows down. Itwill mean trouble if it gets under way. They're an ugly lot. "

"This mystery coming on top of the other is all the more difficult tounderstand. I mean the disappearance of the Countess Marlanx, " saidBaron Dangloss, pulling at his imperial in plain perplexity. "But wemust not stop here talking. Will you come with me, Mr. Tullis, to theTower? I shall send out my best man to work on the case of the lady. Itis a most amazing thing. I still have hope that she will appear inperson to explain the affair. "

"I think not, " said Tullis gloomily. "This looks like abduction-foulplay, or whatever you choose to call it. She has never left her father'shouse in just this manner before. I believe, Baron, that Marlanx hastaken her away by force. She told me yesterday that she would never goback to him if she could help it. I have already given you my suspicionsregarding his designs upon the--ahem!" Catching the eager gaze of thePrince, he changed the word "throne" to "treasury. " The Baron noddedthoughtfully. "The Countess attended the fête at Baron Pultz's lastnight, leaving at twelve o'clock. I said good-night to her at thefountain and watched her until she passed through the gate between theBaron's grounds and those of her father adjoining. She would not permitme to accompany her to the doors. Her maid had preceded her and waswaiting just beyond the gate--at least, so she says to-day. It is lessthan two hundred feet from the gate to Perse's doorsteps. Well, shenever crossed that space. Her maid waited for an hour near the ferneryand then came to the Baron's. The Countess has not been seen since shepassed through the gate in the wall. I say that she has been carriedaway. "

"The maid will be at my office at eleven with the Duke of Perse and thehouse servants. I have detailed a man to look up this fellow Brutus youspeak of, and to ascertain his whereabouts last night. Come, we will goto the Tower. The Duke is greatly distressed. He suspects foul play, Iam confident, but he will not admit that Marlanx is responsible. "

"But what about Mr. King?" piped up a small voice. 

"Colonel Quinnox has gone to look for him, Bobby, " began Tullis, frowning slightly. He was interested in but one human being at thatmoment. 

"I want the old Witch beheaded, " said the Prince. "Why don't you go, Uncle Jack? He's an American. He'd help you, I bet, if you were indanger. "

Tullis flushed. Then he patted Prince Robin's shoulder and said, with nolittle emotion in his voice:

"Perhaps I deserve the rebuke, Bobby, but you must not forget that thereis a lady in distress. Which would you have me do--desert the lady whomwe all love or the man whom we scarcely know?"

"The lady, " said Bobby promptly. "Hasn't she got a husband to look afterher? Mr. King has no friends, no relations, nothing. Aunt Loraine likeshim and so do I. "

"He's a fine chap, " asserted Hobbs, and afterward marvelled at his owntemerity. 

Loraine, her merry eyes now dark with anxiety, her cheeks white withresolution, turned upon John Tullis. "You might leave the rescue of theCountess to the proper authorities--the police, " she said calmly. "Ithink it is your duty as an American to head the search for Mr. King. IfCount Marlanx has spirited his wife away, pray, who has a better right?"

"But we are not sure that he--"

"We are sure that Mr. King is either dead or in dire need of help, " sheinterrupted hotly. He looked at her in surprise, swayed by two impulses. 

"Colonel Quinnox is quite competent to conduct the search, " he saidshortly. 

"But Colonel Quinnox has gone forth on another mission. He may be unableto give any of his time to the search for Mr. King. It is outrageous, John Tullis, to refuse help--"

"I don't refuse help, " he exclaimed. "They may take the whole army outto look for him, so far as I am concerned. But, I'll tell you this--Iconsider it my duty as a man to devote what strength I have to theservice of a _woman_ in trouble. That ends it! Come, Baron; we will goto the Tower. "

The amazed young woman looked at him with wide, comprehending eyes. Herlip trembled under the rebuke. Count Halfont intervened, hastilyproposing that a second party be sent out at once with instructions toraze the Witch's hut if necessary. 

"I shall be happy to lead the expedition, " said young Count Vos Engo, bowing deeply to the young lady herself. 

"You shall, Vos Engo, " said Halfont. "Prepare at once. Take ten men. Ishall report to General Braze for you. "

Tullis turned suddenly to the resentful girl. "Loraine, " he said gently, as the others drew away, "don't be hard with me. You don't understand. "

"Yes, I do, " she said stubbornly. "You are in love with her. "

"Yes; that's quite true. "

"A married woman!"

"I can't help it. I must do all I can for her. "

She looked into his honest eyes for a moment. 

"Forgive me, " she murmured, hanging her head. "What is Mr. King to us, after all?"

"He is simply paying for his foolhardiness. Americans do that the worldover. "

"Be careful that you do not pay for something worse than foolhardiness. "

"I think you may trust me. "

She smiled brightly up into his face. "Have your way, then. Rememberthat I am her friend, too. " Then she hurried off after the Prince andVos Engo, who was already giving instructions to an attentive orderly. 

"Poor Mr. King!" she said to the Prince, as they stood by watching thepreparations. "I am afraid, Bobby, he can't come to your circus thisweek. I sent the invitation this morning, early. He may never receiveit. Isn't it dreadful, Count Vos Engo?"

Count Vos Engo was politely concerned, but it should not be expectedthat, in his present state of mind regarding her, he could be seriouslygrieved by anything that might have happened to the rash American. 

The guard about the Prince was doubled: orders requiring the strictestcare of his person were issued by Count Halfont. By this time, it may besuspected, the suspicions of John Tullis had been communicated to menhigh in the government; no small amount of credence was attached tothem. Baron Dangloss began to see things in a different light; thingsthat had puzzled him before now seemed clear. His office was the busiestplace in Edelweiss. 

"It is not unreasonable to suspect that Marlanx, or some of his agents, having concluded that the Countess knew too much of their operations, and might not be a safe repository, decided to remove her before it wastoo late. Understand, gentlemen, I don't believe the Countess is insympathy with her husband's schemes--"

The Duke of Perse interrupted the doughty baron. "You assume a greatdeal, Baron, in saying that he has schemes inimical to the bestinterests of this country. "

"I fancy that your Grace will admit that your venerable son-in-law--who, if I mistake not, is some ten years your senior--has no great love forthe reigning power in Graustark. We will pass that, however, " said theBaron, pointedly. "We should be wise enough to guard against any move hemay make; it is imperative that we should not be caught napping. "

"I don't believe he has taken my daughter away by force. Why should hedo so? She goes to him voluntarily at the end of each visit. There is nocoercion. " He met John Tullis's stony gaze without flinching. "I insistthat she has been stolen by these brigands in the hills, to be held forransom. "

The stories of the maid, the footmen, the groundmen were all to theeffect that the Countess had not returned to her father's home afterleaving the fête next door. There were no signs of a struggle in thegarden, nor had there been the slightest noise to attract the attentionof the waiting maid. It was not impossible, after all, that she hadslipped away of her own accord, possessed of a sudden whim or impulse. 

The new man-servant, suspected by the Countess herself, passed throughthe examination creditably. Tullis, of course, had not yet told Danglossof the Countess's own suspicions concerning this man. They were a partof their joint secret. The American felt sure, however, that this manknew more of the night's work than he had told. He conveyed this beliefto Dangloss, and a close watch was set upon the fellow. More than onceduring the long afternoon John Tullis found himself wishing that he hadthat dare-devil, thoroughbred young countryman of his, Truxton King, beside him; something told him that the young man would prove a treasurein resourcefulness and activity. 

Late in the afternoon, a telegram was brought to Tullis which upset allof their calculations and caused the minister of police to swear softlyin pure disgust. It was from the Countess Marlanx herself, sent fromPorvrak, a station far down the railway, in the direction of Vienna. Itwas self-explanatory: "I am going to Schloss Marlanx, there to end mydays. There is no hope for me. I go voluntarily. Will you not understandwhy I am leaving Edelweiss? You must know. " It was signed "Ingomede. "

Tullis was dumbfounded. He caught the penetrating glance of Dangloss andflushed under the sudden knowledge that this shrewd old man alsounderstood why she was leaving Edelweiss. Because of _him!_ Because sheloved him and would not be near him. His heart swelled exultantly in thenext moment; a brave resolve was born within him. 

"We don't need a key to that, my boy, " said the Baron indulgently. "ButI will say that she has damned little consideration for you when shesteals away in the dead of night, without a word. In a ball dress, too. Unfeeling, I'd say. Well, we can devote our attention to Mr. King, who_is_ lost. "

"See here, Baron, " said Tullis after a moment, "I want you to give me acouple of good men for a few days. I'm going to Schloss Marlanx. I'llget her away from that place if I have to kill Marlanx and swing forit. "

At seven o'clock that night, accompanied by two clever secret servicemen, Tullis boarded the train for the West. A man who stood in thetobacconist's shop on the station platform smiled quietly to himself asthe train pulled out. Then he walked briskly away. It was Peter Brutus, the lawyer. 

A most alluring trap had been set for John Tullis!

The party that had gone to Ganlook Gap in charge of Count Vos Engoreturned at nightfall, no wiser than when it left the barracks at noon. Riding bravely, but somewhat dejectedly beside the handsome youngofficer in command was a girl in grey. It was her presence with thetroop that had created comment at the gates earlier in the day. No onecould understand why she was riding forth upon what looked to be adangerous mission. Least of all, Count Vos Engo, who had striven vainlyto dissuade her from the purpose to accompany the soldiers. 

Now she was coming home with them, silent, subdued, dispirited--evenmore so than she allowed the Count to see. 

"I was hateful to him yesterday, " she said penitently, as they rode intothe city. Vos Engo had been thinking of something else: the remarkdisturbed him. 

"He was very presumptuous-yesterday, " he said crossly. 

She transfixed him with a look meant to be reproachful. 

"That's why I managed the ticket for Bobby's circus, " she said, lookingahead with a genuinely mournful droop of her lip. "I was sorry for him. Oh, dear, oh, dear What will his poor mother say--and his sister?"

"We've done all we can, Loraine. Except to cable, " he added sourly. 

"Yes, I suppose so. Poor fellow!"

Colonel Quinnox and his men had been scouring the hills for bandits. They arrived at the Witch's cabin a few minutes after Vos Engo and hiscompany. Disregarding the curses of the old woman, a thorough search ofthe place was made. The forest, the ravine, the mountainside for a mileor more in all directions were gone over by the searchers. There wasabsolutely no sign of the missing man, nor was there the leastindication that there had been foul play. 

The old woman's story, reflected by the grandson, was convincing so faras it went. She said that the young man remained behind in the kitchento puzzle himself over the smoke mystery, while she went out to herdoorstep. The man with the horses became frightened when she went downto explain the situation to him. He fled. A few minutes later thegentleman emerged, to find his horse gone, himself deserted. Cursing, hestruck off down the glen in pursuit of his friend, and that was the lastshe saw of him. Not long afterward she heard shooting in the Gap andsent her grandson to see if anything could have happened to her latevisitor, who, it seems, owed her one hundred gavvos as a forfeit of somesort. 

The further prosecution of the search was left to Colonel Quinnox andhis men. Loraine, shuddering, but resolute, had witnessed the ransackingof the hut, had urged the arrest of the hag, and had come awaydisheartened but satisfied that the woman had told them the truth. Quinnox's theory was accepted by all. He believed that King had falleninto the hands of brigands and that a heavy ransom would be demandedfor his release. 

In a warm-tinted room at the Castle, later on in the evening, thePrince, in pajamas, was discoursing bravely on the idiosyncrasies ofFate. His only auditor was the mournful Loraine, who sat beside theroyal bed in which he wriggled vaguely. The attendants were far down theroom. 

"Never mind, Aunt Loraine, you can't help it. I'm just as sorry as youare. Say, are you in love with him?"

"In love with whom?"

"Mr. King. "

"Of course not, silly. What an absurd question. I do not know him atall. "

"That's all right, Aunt Loraine. I believe in love at first sight. He isa--"

"Bobby! Don't be foolish. How could I be in love with _him_?"

"Well, you can't help it sometimes. Even princes fall in love withoutknowing it. "

"I suppose so, " dreamily. 

"It's mighty hard to make up your mind which one you love best, though. Dr. Barrett's daughter in New York is awful nice, but I think she's--"

"She is twenty years older than you, Bobby, if you mean to say you arein love with her. "

"Well, but I'll grow up, auntie. Anyhow, Paula Vedrowski is not so oldas I. She is--"

"For heaven's sake, Bobby, do go to sleep!"

"Don't you care to hear about _my_ love affairs?"

"You are perfectly ridiculous!"

"All right for you, auntie. I shan't listen when you want to tell meabout yours. Gee, Uncle Jack listens, you bet. I wish he was here thisminute. Say, is he ever going to get married?" There was no answer. Hepeered over the top of the pillow. There were tears in his AuntLoraine's eyes. "Oh, say, auntie, darling, don't cry! I'll--I'll go tosleep, honest!"

She was not in love with Truxton King, but she was a fine, tender-hearted girl, who suffered because of the thing that had happenedto him and because she loved his sister. 

Over in the Hotel Regengetz, on a little table in the centre of theroom, lay a thick envelope with the royal arms emblazoned in the uppercorner. It contained an invitation to the private circus that had beenarranged for the little Prince, and it bore the name of Truxton King. 

Across the foot of the bed hung his evening clothes, laid out by afaithful and well-tipped house valet, snug and ready for instant use. 

But where was Truxton King?

CHAPTER X

THE IRON COUNT

When King, in the kindness of his heart, grasped the old woman to keepher from falling to the floor, he played directly into the hands of verymaterial agencies under her control. There was nothing ghostly or evenspiritual in the incidents that followed close upon the simulatedfainting spell of the fortune-teller. It has been said before that herbony fingers closed upon his arms in a far from feeble manner. He had notime for surprise at this sudden recovery; there was only time to see afiendish grin flash into her face. The next instant something struck himin the face; then with a fierce jerk this same object tightened abouthis neck. His attempt to yell out was checked before a sound could issuefrom his lips. 

It all came to him in a flash. A noose had been dropped over his head;as he was pulled backward, his startled, bulging eyes swept the ceiling. The mystery was explained, but in a manner that left him small room forsatisfaction. Above him a square opening had appeared in the ceiling;two ugly, bearded faces were leaning over the edge and strong hands weregrasping a thick rope. In a frenzy of fear and desperation he cast theold woman from him and tore violently at the rope. 

They were drawing hard from above; his toes were barely touching thefloor; he was strangling. Frantically he grasped the rope, liftinghimself from the floor in the effort to loosen the noose with his freehand. A hoarse laugh broke upon his dinning ears, the leering faces drewnearer; and then, as everything went black, a heavy, yet merciful blowfell upon his head. As consciousness left him, he felt himself rushingdizzily upward, grasped by powerful hands and whisked through theopening into air so hot and stiffling that his last thought was of thefires of Hell. 

Not many minutes passed before consciousness, which had been butpartially lost, returned to him. The ringing sensation remained in hishead, but he was no longer choking. The noose had been removed from hisneck; the rope itself was now serving as a bond for his hands and feet, a fact that impressed itself upon him when he tried to rise. For sometime he lay perfectly still, urging his senses into play: wonderingwhere he was and what had happened to him. 

It was pitch dark and the air was hot and close. Not a sound came to histhrobbing cars. With characteristic irrepressibility he began to swearsoftly, but articulately. Proof that his profanity was mild--one mightsay genteel--came in an instant. A gruff voice, startlingly near athand, interrupted him. 

"Spit it out, young feller! Swear like a man, not like a damn canarybird. "

Truxton tried hard to pierce the darkness, a strange thrill passingthrough his veins. The hidden speaker was unquestionably an American. 

"What the devil does all this mean?" demanded the captive. "Where am I?"

"It means business, and you're here, that's where you are, " was thesarcastic answer. 

"Are you an American?"

"No. I'm a Chinaman. "

"Oh, come off! Answer square. "

"Well, I was born in Newport. " As an afterthought: "Kentucky. "

"You're in a damned nice business, I'll say that for you, " growledTruxton. "Who is responsible for this outrage?"

He heard the man yawn prodigiously. "Depends on what you call anoutrage. "

"This is the damnedest high-handed outrage I've ever--"

"Better save your breath, young feller. You won't have it very long, sosave what you can of it. "

Truxton was silent for a moment, analysing this unique remark. "You meanI am to stop breathing altogether?"

"Something like that. "

"Why?"

"I don't know. "

"You don't know? Well, who does?"

"You'll find out when the boss gets good and ready. "

"You are a fine American!"

"Look here, young feller, I've been polite to you, so don't get gay. I'll come over there and kick your jaw in. "

"Come ahead. Anything to break the monotony. "

"Didn't you get enough of the hangman's knot and the sandbag? Want more, eh? Well, if I wasn't so darned comfortable I'd come over there and giveit to you. Now don't rile me!"

"I deserve to be kicked for being such a blithering fool as to get intothis mess. Come on and kick me. "

"You wanted to get a poke at the old man's eye, did ye? By thunder, that's like an American. Never satisfied to let things alone. See whatit got you into?"

"The old man's eye? What old man?"

"That's for you to find out, if you can. You've made a hell of a poorstart at it. "

"You're a good-natured scoundrel"

"Thanks for them kind words. "

"Well, what are you going to do with me? I don't like the air in here. It's awful. How long do I stay here?"

"Say, you're a gritty little man. I like your nerve. Too bad we ain't onthe same side. I'll tell you this: you won't be here long. How would theold girl down there put it? You're going on a long voyage. That's it. But first we'll get out of this rat hole, just as soon as them otherguys come back from the cave. You'll get fresh air purty soon. Now, don't talk any more. I'm through gossipin'!"

"How do you, an American, happen to be mixed up in a deal like this?"

"It's healthier work than makin' barrels at--I was goin' to say SingSing, but I hear they've changed the name. I prefer outdoor work. "

"Fugitive, eh?"

"You might call it that. I'm wanted in seven States. The demand for meis great. "

Truxton saw that he could get nothing out of the satirical rascal, sofell to speculating for himself. That he was still in the loft above thehovel was more or less clear to him. His mind, now active, ran back tothe final scene in the kitchen. The trap-door in the ceiling, evidentlya sliding arrangement, explained the mysterious disappearance of theowner of the eye; he had been whisked up through the aperture byconfederates and the trap-door closed before it could be discovered. Thesmoking kettle no longer puzzled him, now that he knew of the secretroom above the kitchen; a skilfully concealed blow-pipe could haveproduced the phenomenon. The space in which he was now lying, halfsuffocated, was doubtless a part of the cleverly designed excavation atthe back of the hovel, the lower half being the kitchen, the upper anactual gateway to the open air somewhere in the mountainside. 

That he had fallen into the hands of a band of conspirators was alsoquite clear to him. Whether they were brigands or more importantoperators against the Crown, he was, of course, in no position todecide. Time would tell. 

It was enough that they expected to kill him, sooner or later. This, initself, was sufficient to convince him that he was not to be held forransom, but to be disposed of for reasons best known to his captors. 

Like a shot the warning of Olga Platanova flashed into his brain. Here, then, was the proof that she actually knew of the peril he was in. Butwhy should he be an object of concern to these men, whoever they were?His guard had mentioned "the old man. " Good heavens, could he meanSpantz? The cold perspiration was standing on King's brow. Spantz! Herecalled the wickedness in the armourer's face. But why should Spantzwish him evil? Again intuition, encouraged by memory, supplied him witha possible, even plausible explanation. 

The Anarchists! The Reds! Olga was an avowed Anarchist; she was almost aprisoner in the house of her uncle. Truxton's guard sat up suddenly andfelt for his weapon when the captive let out a bitter oath ofunderstanding and rage. 

"By gad, they think I am a detective!" he added, light coming to himwith a rush. 

"What's that?" snapped the other. Truxton could almost feel the other'sbody grow tense despite the space between them. "Are you a detective?Are you? By God, if you are, I'll finish you up right here. You--"

"No! They're on the wrong scent. By Jove, the laugh's on old manSpantz. "

"Oho! So you _do_ know what's up, then? Spantz, eh? Well, what you'veguessed at or found out won't make much difference, my fine youngfellow. They've got you, and you'll be worse off than Danny Deever inthe mornin'! Hello! Here they come. Now we'll get out of this infernalbake-oven. Say, do you know, you've been cuddlin' up against a j'int ofwarm stove pipe for nearly an hour? Sh!"

The glimmer of a light came bobbing up from somewhere behind Truxton; hecould see the flickering shadows on the wall. Two men crept into theroom a moment later. One of them carried a lantern; the other turnedKing's body over with his foot. 

"You damned brute, " grated the captive. 

"Call him what you like, young feller, " said his first acquaintance. "Hecan't understand a word you say. Well, do we pull out?" This to the manwith the lantern. 

The roof was so low that they were compelled to stoop in moving about. Truxton saw that the three ruffians were great, brutal-faced fellows, with bared arms that denoted toil as well as spoils. 

"Immediate!" said the lantern bearer. "Come; we drag him to the cave. "

"Drag? Nix; we c'n carry him, pard. I'm not for draggin' him down thatpassage. Grab hold there, --you! Hey, get his feet, damn you!" The thirdman was reluctant to understand, but at last grasped the prisoner by thefeet, swearing in a language of his own. The Yankee desperado took hisshoulders, and together, with earnest grunts, they followed the manwith the lantern, Truxton knew not whither except that it was away fromthe wretched sweat-hole. 

He could see that they were crowding through a low, narrow passage, theearthen sides of which reeked with moisture. Twice they paused to rest, resuming the journey after a season of cursing, finally depositing himwith scant courtesy upon the rocky floor of what proved to be a rathercommodious cave. The breath was almost jarred from his body. He had thesatisfaction of driving his two heels viciously against the person ofthe man who had held them the last ten minutes, receiving a savage kickin return. 

Daylight streamed into this convenient "hole in the wall;" lying uponhis side, Truxton faced the opening that looked out upon the world. Hesaw nothing but blue sky. Near the opening, looking down as if into thevalley below, stood the tall, gaunt figure of a man, thin-shouldered andstooped. His back was to the captive, but King observed that the threemen, with two companions, who sat at the back of the cave, never removedtheir gaze from the striking figure outlined against the sky. 

Many minutes passed before the watcher turned slowly to take in thealtered conditions behind him. King saw that he was old; grey-haired andcadaverous, with sharp, hawk-like features. This, then, was the "oldman, " and he was not William Spantz. Unlike Spantz in every particularwas this man who eyed him so darkly, so coldly. Here was a highborn man, a man whose very manners bespoke for him years at court, a life spent inthe upper world, not among the common people. Truxton found himselfreturning the stare with an interest that brought results. 

"Your name is King, I believe, " came from the thin lips of the old man. The tones were as metallic as the click of steel. 

"Yes. May I inquire--"

"No, you may not inquire. Put a gag in his mouth. I don't care to hearanything from him. Gag him and cut the rope from his feet. He may walkfrom now on. "

Three men sprang to do his bidding. 

King felt in that instant that he was looking for the first time uponthe features of the Iron Count, Marlanx the dishonoured. He lay therehelpless, speechless for many minutes, glancing at this cruel tyrant. Into his soul sank the conviction that no mercy would come from thisman, this hater of all men; justice would play no part in the final, sickening tragedy. It was enough that Marlanx suspected him of being inthe way; to be suspected was to be condemned. The whole, hellishconspiracy flashed through his brain. He closed his eyes with the horrorof it all. 

Here was Marlanx on Graustark soil, conniving with cutthroats, commanding them without opposition. What could it mean except aswift-growing menace to the Crown--to the little Prince. 

Marlanx was speaking. Truxton looked up, as at an executioner. The lean, cruel face of that beautiful girl's husband was not far from his own;the fiery eyes were burning into his. The Iron Count sat upon a bouldernear his feet. 

"So you are the Quixote who would tilt at invisible windmills, eh? Iremember you quite well. We have met before. Perhaps you remembermeeting my eye in Dame Babba's cabin--twice, I think. You remember, Isee. Ha, ha! You were very slow not to have caught such an old man. Youwere near to it the first time, but--you missed it, eh? I thought youmight have seen my heels as I disappeared. I dare say you are wonderingwhat I intend to do with you, now that I have you. Well, I am not theman to mince words. Mr. King, you are quite young, but the good dieyoung. I am very old, you observe. I will not say that you are to dieto-night or to-morrow or any day, for I do not know. I am going to sendyou to a court. Not an ordinary court, Mr. King, but one of extremeperspicacity. I fancy you will die before long. We can spare you. I donot approve of meddlers. It seems to be quite settled that you are apolice agent. Be that as it may, I imagine our little court of lastresort will take no chances, one way or the other. A man or two, more orless, will not be counted a year from now. "

The steady, cruel eyes fascinated King. He knew that he was in desperatestraits, that he had one chance in a million to escape, and yet he foundhimself held by the spell of those eyes, drinking in certain metallicmonotones as if hypnotised. 

"I am glad you called again at my temporary abode, Mr. King. Americansare always welcome: the sooner they come, the sooner it's over. It mayinterest you to know that I am very partial to Americans. Were I acannibal, I could eat them with relish. If I had my way, all Americansshould be in heaven. The earth surely is not good enough nor big enoughfor them, and hell is already overcrowded. Yes, " reflectively pressinghis nose with a bony forefinger, "I love the Americans dearly. I shouldenjoy a similar visit from Mr. John Tullis. Although, I may say, heseems to be choosing another way of testing my hospitality. I expect himto visit me in my humble castle before many days. I should like to havehim remain there until his dying day. " There was a deep significance inhis smile. King shuddered. His gaze followed the gaunt, spidery old manas he returned to the opening for another long survey of the valleybelow. Night was falling; the sky was growing darker, and the wind wasrising. Marlanx's sharp features were not so distinguishable when hereturned to the boulder. The men in the cave had not spoken except inwhispers. They appeared to be living in abject fear of this grim oldnobleman. 

"Night is coming. I must say farewell, my bold young friend. My way liesto the north. This is merely a land of promise to me. You go southward, to the city of Edelweiss. But not through the gates; oh, no! There areother ways, as you will find. If you should, by any chance, escape thejurisdiction of the court I am sending you to, I sincerely trust you mayhonour me with another visit here. I come often to the hovel in theglen. It is the only friendly house I know of in all Graustark. Some dayI may be able to recompense its beauteous mistress. My good friends, Dangloss, and Halfont, and Braze--and Tullis, whom I know only byreputation--are, as yet, unaware of my glorious return to Graustark, else they would honour me with their distinguished presence. Some day Imay invite them to dine with me. I shall enjoy seeing them eat of thehumble pie I can put before them. Good-bye, my brave Sir Galahad; I maynever see you again. "

With a courtly bow he turned from the tense-muscled captive and directedhis final instructions to the men. "Take him at once to the city, but beon your guard. A single false move now means utter ruin for all of us. Our affairs go so well at present that we cannot afford to offend DameFortune. She smiles on us, my men. Take this fool to the house on theMonastery road. There you will turn him over to the others. It is forthem to drag the truth from his lips. I'd suggest, dear Mr. King, thatyou tell them all you know before they begin the dragging process. It isa very unpleasant way they have. " With a curt nod to the men, he strodeout through the mouth of the cave and was gone. Dusk had settled downupon mountain and valley; a thin fog swam high in the air above. One ofthe men cut the rope that bound Truxton's feet. 

"Get up, " said the Newport man. "We've got to be movin'. How'd you likethe old man? Smart bug, ain't he? Say, he'll throw the hooks into themguys down in Edelweiss so hard one of these days that they won't comeout till they rot out. "

Still gagged and somewhat dizzy, King was hurried off into the narrowmountain path, closely surrounded by the five men. 

"They tell me your friend, the Cook guy, got plugged down in the Gapwhen he tried to duck this afternoon, " volunteered the Yankeeunconcernedly. 

Hobbs shot? King's eyes suddenly filled with tears, a great wave of pityand shame rushing to his heart. Poor Hobbs! He had led him into this; togratify a vain-glorious whim, he had done the little Englishman todeath. 

The silent, cautious march down the valley, through the Gap and alongthe ridge carried them far into the night. King knew that they wereskirting the main roads, keeping to the almost hidden trails of themountaineers. They carried no light, nor did they speak to each other, except in hoarse whispers. In single file they made their way, theprisoner between them, weary, footsore and now desperate in the fullrealisation of his position. Being gagged, he could make no appeal tothe one man who might befriend him--his villainous countryman. Itoccurred to him--grim thought--that the astute Marlanx had consideredthat very probability, and had made it impossible for him to resort tothe cupidity of the hireling. 

At last, when he could scarcely drag his feet after him, they came to ahalt. A consultation followed, but he could not understand a word. Thismuch he knew: they were in the hills directly above the northern gates. Two of the men went forward, moving with extreme caution. In half anhour they returned and the march was resumed. 

Their next halt came sooner than he expected. The vague, black shadow ofa lightless house loomed up before them. In a twinkling he was hustledacross the road and into a door. Then down a flight of stairs, throughpitchy darkness, guided by two of the men, a whispered word of advicenow and then from the Yankee saving him from perilous stumbles. He wasjerked up sharply with a command to stand still. A light flashedsuddenly in his face, blinding him for the moment. Voices in eager, quick conversation came to his ears long before his eyes could take inthe situation. 

Soon he saw that they were in a broad, bare cellar; three men in heavyblack beards were in earnest conversation with several of his captors;all were gesticulating fiercely. 

His Newport companion enlightened him, between puffs of the pipe he wasstruggling with. "Here's where we say good-bye, young fellow. We turnyou over to these gents, whoever they are. I'm sort of out of it whenthey get to jabberin' among themselves. I can understand 'em when theytalk slow, but, say, did you ever hear a flock of Union Square sparrowschirp faster than them fellers is talkin' now? Nix. You go into thevillage gay with these Schwabs by the sewer line, I guess. " Truxtonpricked up his ears. "The old man has had a hole chopped in the sewerhere, they tell me, and it's a snap to get into the city. Not very cleanor neat, but it gets you there. Well, so long! They're ready, I see. They don't monkey long when they've got a thing to do. I'd advise younot to be too stubborn when they get you to headquarters; it may goeasier with you. I'm not so damned bad, young feller. It's just thebusiness I'm in--and the company. "

King felt a thrill of real regard for the rascal. He nodded his thanksand tried to smile. The fellow grinned and slapped him on the shoulder, unobserved by the others. In another moment his guardianship wastransferred; he was being hurried across the cellar toward an opendoorway. Down a few stone steps he was led by the bearded crew, and thenpushed through a hole in what appeared to be a heavy brick wall. Herealised at once where he was. The gurgle of running water, the odor offoul airs came up to him. It was the great sewer that ran from the hillsthrough the heart of the city, flushed continuously by a divertedmountain stream that swept down from above. 

He was wading in cold water over a slippery bottom, tightly held by twomen, the third going ahead with the lantern. Always ahead loomed theblack, opaque circle which never came nearer, never grew smaller. It wasthe ever receding wall of darkness. 

He did not know how long they traversed the chill sewer in this fashion. In time, however, the water got deeper; rats began to scurry along thesides of the circle or to swim frantically on in front of thedisturbers. The smells were sickening, overpowering. Only excitement, curiosity, youth--whatever you may care to term it-kept him up andgoing. The everlasting glory of youth never ends until old age hasprovided the surfeit of knowledge; the strife to see ahead, to find outwhat is to be, to know, --that is youth. Youth dies when curiosity ends. The emotion is even stronger than the dread of what may lie beyond inthe pallid sea of uncertainty. 

His bones were chilled and creaking with fatigue. He was remorselesslyhungry. There was water, but he could not drink it. 

At last the strange journey ended. They came to a niche in the slimywall. Up into this the men climbed, dragging him after them. The manabove was cautiously tapping on what appeared to be solid masonry. ToKing's surprise a section of the wall suddenly opened before them. Hewas seized from above by strong hands and literally jerked through thehole, his companions following. Up narrow steps, through a sour-smellingpassage and--then, into a long, dimly lighted room, in the centre ofwhich stood a long table. 

He was not permitted to linger here for long, but passed on into a smallroom adjoining. Some one, speaking in English, told him to sit down. Thegag was removed from his stiff, inflamed mouth. 

"Fetch him some water, " said a voice that he was sure he recognised--ahigh, querulous voice. 

"Hello, Spantz, " articulated Truxton, turning to the black-bearded, bentfigure. 

There was an instance of silence. Then Spantz spoke, with a soft laugh:"You will not know so much to-morrow, Herr King. Give him the water, man. He has much to say to us, and he cannot talk with a dry throat. "

"Nor an empty stomach, " added King. He drank long of the pitcher thatwas held to his lips. 

"This is not the Regengetz, " growled a surly voice. 

"You mean, I don't eat?"

"Not at midnight, my friend. "

"It seems to be an all-night joint. "

"Enough, " cried Spantz. "Bring him out here. The others have come. "

King was pushed out into the larger room, where he was confronted by acrowd of bewhiskered men and snaky-eyed women with most intellectualnose-glasses. It required but a glance to convince him that the whiskerswere false. 

For nearly an hour he was probed with questions concerning his businessin Edelweiss. Threats followed close upon his unsatisfactory answers, though they were absolutely truthful. There was no attempt made todisguise the fact that they were conspiring against the government; infact, they were rather more open than secretive. When he thought of itafterward, a chill crept over him. They would not have spoken so openlybefore him if they entertained the slightest fear that he would ever bein a position to expose them. 

"We'll find a way to make you talk to-morrow, my friend. Starving is notpleasant. "

"You would not starve me!" he cried. 

"No. You will have the pleasure of starving yourself, " said a thin-eyedfellow whom he afterward knew as Peter Brutus. 

He was thrown back into the little room. To his surprise andgratification, the bonds on his wrists were removed. Afterward he was toknow that there was method in this action of his gaolers: his own utterimpotency was to be made more galling to him by the maddening knowledgethat he possessed hands and feet and lungs--and could not use them!

He found a match in his box and struck it. There was no article offurniture. The floor was bare, the walls green with age. He had afeeling that there would be rats; perhaps lizards. A search revealed thefact that his purse, his watch and his pocket-knife were missing. Another precious match showed him that there were no windows. A chimneyhole in the ceiling was, perhaps, the only means by which fresh aircould reach this dreary place. 

"Well, I guess I'm here to stay, " he said to himself. He sat down withhis back to the wall, despair in his soul. A pitiful, weak smile came tohim in the darkness, as he thought of the result of his endeavour to"show off" for the benefit of the heartless girl in rajah silk. "What anass I am, " he groaned. "Now she will never know. "

Sleep was claiming his senses. He made a pillow of his coat, commendedhimself to the charity of rats and other horrors, and stretched hisweary bones upon the relentless floor. 

"No one will ever know, " he murmured, his last waking thought being of adear one at home. 

CHAPTER XI

UNDER THE GROUND

Day and night were the same to the occupant of the little room. Theypassed with equal slowness and impartial darkness. Five days that hecould account for crawled by before anything unusual happened to breakthe strain of his solitary, inexplicable confinement. He could tell whenit was morning by the visit of a bewhiskered chambermaid with a deepbass voice, who carried a lighted candle and kicked him intowakefulness. The second day after his incarceration began, he was givenfood and drink. It was high time, for he was almost famished. Thereafter, twice a day, he was led into the larger room and given asurprisingly hearty meal. Moreover, he was allowed to bathe his face andhands and indulge in half an hour's futile stretching of limbs. Afterthe second day few questions were asked by the men who had originallyset themselves up as inquisitors. At first they had treated him with aharshness that promised something worse, but an incident occurred on theevening of the second day that changed the whole course of theirintentions. 

Peter Brutus had just voiced the pleasure of the majority by urging thenecessity for physical torture to wring the government's secrets fromthe prisoner. King, half famished, half crazed by thirst, had beenlistening to the fierce argument through the thin door that separatedthe rooms. He heard the sudden, eager movement toward the door of hiscell, and squared himself against the opposite wall, ready to fight tothe death. Then there came a voice that he recognised. 

A woman was addressing the rabid conspirators in tones of deadlyearnestness. His heart gave a bound. It was the first time since hisincarceration that he had heard the voice of Olga Platanova, she who hadwarned him, she who still must be his friend. Once more he threw himselfto the floor and glued his ear to the crack; her voice had not thestrident qualities of the other women in this lovely company. 

"You are not to do this thing, " she was saying. King knew that she stoodbetween her companions and the door. "You are not to touch him! Do youhear me, Peter Brutus? All of you?"

There followed the silence of stupefaction, broken at last by a voicewhich he recognised as that of old man Spantz. 

"Olga! Stand aside!"

"No! You shall not torture him. I have said he is no spy. I still sayit. He knows nothing of the police and their plans. He has not beenspying upon us. I am sure of it. "

"How can you be sure of it?" cried a woman's voice, harsh and strident. 

"He has played with you, " sneered another. 

"I will not discuss the point. I know he is not what you say he is. Youhave no right to torture him. You have no right to hold him prisoner. "

"God, girl, we cannot turn him loose now. He must never go free again. He must die. " This was from Spantz. 

"We cannot release him, I grant you, " she said, and Truxton's heartsank. "Not now, but afterward, yes. When it is all over he can do noharm. But, hear me now, all of you. If he is harmed in any way, if he ismaltreated, or if you pursue this design to starve him, I shall notperform my part of the work on the 26th. This is final. "

For a full minute, it seemed to King, no one spoke. 

"You cannot withdraw, " exclaimed Peter Brutus. "You are pledged. You aresworn. It is ordained. "

"Try me, and see if I will not do as I say. He is to be treated kindlyso long as we hold him here and he is to be released when the committeeis in power. Then he may tell all that he knows, for it will be of noavail. He cannot escape, that you know. If he were a spy I would offerno objection to your methods. He is an American gentleman, a traveller. I, Olga Platanova, say this to you. It is not a plea, not a petition; itis an ultimatum. Spare him, or the glorious cause must suffer by mydefection. "

"Sh! Not so loud, girl! He can hear every word you say!"

"Why should it matter, madam? He is where he can do no harm to ourcause. Let him hear. Let him understand what it is that we are doing. Are we ashamed of our duty to the world? If so, then we are criminals, not deliverers. I am not ashamed of what God wills me to do. It ishorrible, but it is the edict of God. I will obey. But God does notcommand us to torture an innocent man who happens to fall into ourhands. No! Let him hear. Let him know that I, Olga Platanova, am to hurlthe thing that is to destroy the life of Prince Robin. I am not afraidto have him know to-day what the world will know next week. Let him hearand revile me now, as the world will do after it is over and I am gone. The glory will be mine when all the people of this great globe arejoined to our glorious realm. Then the world will say that OlgaPlatanova was not a beast, but a deliverer, a creator! Let him hear!"

The listener's blood was running cold. The life of Prince Robin! Anassassination! "The thing that will destroy!" A bomb! God!

For half an hour they argued with her, seeking to turn her from thestand she had taken; protesting to the last stage, cursing her for asentimental fool. Then they came to terms with her. Truxton King owedhis life to this strange girl who knew him not at all, but who believedin him. He suffered intensely in the discovery that she was, in the end, to lend herself to the commission of the most heartless and diabolicalof crimes--the destruction of that innocent, well-worshipped boy ofGraustark. 

"You must be in love with this simple-minded American, who comes--"Peter Brutus started to say at one stage of the discussion, when thefrail girl was battling almost physically with her tormentors. 

"Stop! Peter Brutus, you shall not say that! You know where my lovelies! Don't say that to me again, you beast!" she had cried, and Brutuswas silenced. 

Truxton was brought into the room a few minutes later. He was white withemotion as he faced the Committee of Ten. Before a word could beaddressed to him he blurted out:

"You damned cowards! Weak as I am, I would have fought for you, MissPlatanova, if I could have got through that door. Thank you for what youhave done to convince these dogs! I would to God I could save you fromthis thing you are pledged to do. It is frightful! I cannot think it ofyou! Give it up! All of you, give this thing up! I will promisesecrecy--I will never betray what I have heard. Only don't do this awfulthing! Think of that dear little boy--"

Olga Platanova cried out and covered her eyes with her hands, murmuringthe words "dear little boy" over and over again. She was led from theroom by William Spantz. Peter Brutus stood over King, whose arms wereheld by two stalwart men. 

"Enough!" he commanded. "We spare you, not for her sake, but for thesake of the cause we serve. Hear me: you are to be held here a prisoneruntil our plans are consummated. You will be properly fed and cared for. You have heard Miss Platanova say that she will cook the food for youherself, but you are not to see her. Do not seek to turn her from herpurpose. That you cannot do. She is pledged to it; it is irrevocable. Wehave perhaps made a mistake in bringing you here: it would have been farwiser to kill you in the beginning, but--"

King interrupted him. "I haven't the least doubt that you will kill mein the end. She may not be here to protect me after--after theassassination. "

"She is prepared to die by the same bomb that slays the Prince, " was allthat Brutus would say in response to this, but King observed the slylook that went round amongst them. He knew then that they meant to killhim in the end. 

Afterward, in his little room, he writhed in the agony of helplessness. The Prince, his court, the government--all were to be blasted to satisfythe end of this sickening conspiracy. Loraine! She, too, was doomed! Hegroaned aloud in his misery and awe. 

Food and water came after that, but he ate and drank little, sodepressed had he become. He sought for every means of escape thatsuggested itself to him. The walls, the floors, the doors, the stairwayto the armourer's shop--all were impassable, so carefully was heguarded. From time to time he heard inklings of the plot which was toculminate on the fatal 26th; he did not get the details in particular, but he knew that the bomb was to be hurled at the Prince near theentrance to the plaza and that Marlanx's men were to sweep over thestricken city almost before the echo died away. 

There was a telegraph instrument in the outer room. He could hear itticking off its messages day and night, and could hear the discussion ofreports as they came in or went out. It soon became clear to him thatthe wire connected the room with Marlanx's headquarters near Balak inAxphain, a branch instrument being stationed in the cave above theWitch's hut. He marvelled at the completeness of the great conspiracy;and marvelled more because it seemed to be absolutely unknown to theomnipresent Dangloss. 

On his third night he heard the Committee discussing the failure of oneof Marlanx's most cunning schemes. The news had come in over the wireand it created no small amount of chagrin among the Red conspirators. That one detail in their mighty plot should go contrary to expectationsseemed to disturb them immeasurably. King was just beginning to realisethe stupendous possibilities of the plot; he listened for every detailwith a mind so fascinated by horror that it seemed hardly able to graspthe seriousness of his own position. 

It seemed that Marlanx deemed it necessary--even imperative--to thewelfare of the movement, that John Tullis should be disposed ofsummarily before the crucial chapter in their operations. Truxton heardthe Committee discussing the fiasco that attended his first attempt todraw the brainy, influential American out of the arena. It was clearthat Marlanx suspected Tullis of a deep admiration for his wife, theCountess Ingomede; he was prepared to play upon that admiration for thesuccess of his efforts. The Countess disappeared on a recent night, leaving the court in extreme doubt as to her fate. Later a decoytelegram was sent by a Marlanx agent, informing Tullis that she had goneto Schloss Marlanx, never to return, but so shrewdly worded that hewould believe that it had been sent by coercion, and that she wasactually a prisoner in the hands of her own husband. Tullis was expectedto follow her to the Castle, bent on rescue. As a matter of fact, theCountess was a prisoner in the hills near Balak, spirited away from herown garden by audacious agents of the Iron Count. Tullis was swift tofall into the trap, but, to the confusion of the arch-plotter, he wasjust as swift to avoid the consequences. 

He left Edelweiss with two secret service men, bound for SchlossMarlanx. All unknown to him, a selected company of cutthroats were inwaiting for him on the hills near the castle. To the amazement of theconspirators, he suddenly retraced his tracks and came back to Edelweissinside of twenty-four hours, a telegram stopping him at Gushna, ahundred miles down the line. The message was from Dangloss and it was incipher. A trainman in the service of Marlanx could only say, inexplanation, that the American had smiled as he deciphered the dispatchand at once left the carriage with his men to await the up-train at sixo'clock. 

Peter Brutus repeated a message he had just received from Marlanx atBalak. It was to the effect that he had reason to believe that his wifehad managed, through an unknown traitor, to send word to the Tower thatshe was not at Schloss Marlanx, nor in any immediate danger. He felthimself supported in this belief by the obvious fact that no furtherefforts had been made by Tullis or the police since that day. Theauthorities apparently were inactive and Tullis was serenely secure atthe Royal Castle. The guard about the Prince, however, had been largelyincreased. 

Tullis was known to be re-organising the Royal Guard, supported by theministry to a man, it was said; not even the Duke of Perse opposed him. 

"The Count is more afraid of this man Tullis than of all the rest, "averred Peter Brutus. "He has reasons to hate and fear the Americans. That is why he desires the death of our prisoner. He has said, time andagain, over the wire that King will in some way escape and play thedeuce with our plans. It does not seem possible, however. We have himabsolutely secure, and Olga--well, you know how she feels about it. "

"I don't see why he should be so disturbed by Tullis, " growled one ofthe men. "He has no real authority at court and he is but one managainst an unseen army that will not strike until everything is ready. There can be no--"

"That is what I have said to my master, Julius, but he will not beconvinced. He says that he has had experience with one American, Lorry, and he knows the breed. Tullis has more power at court than the peoplethink. He is shrewd and strong and not to be caught napping. As a matterof fact, the Count says, Tullis has already scented danger in the airand has induced the ministry to prepare for an uprising. Of course, hecannot know of the dynamiting that is to open the way to success, but itis true that if anybody can upset our plans, it is this meddlingAmerican. He is a self-appointed guardian of the Prince and he is not tobe sneered at. The regents are puppets, nothing more. "

Julius Spantz agreed with Brutus. "I know that the guard is beingstrengthened and that certain precautions are being taken to preventthe abduction of the Prince. It is common rumour among the soldiers thatCount Marlanx will some day seek to overthrow the government and takethe throne. The air is full of talk concerning this far-distantpossibility. Thank God, it is to be sooner than they think. If Tullisand General Braze were given a month or two longer, I doubt if we couldsucceed. The blow must catch them unprepared. "

"This is the 22d, Saturday is the 26th. They can do nothing in fourdays, " said one of the women. 

"Count Marlanx will be ready on the 26th. He has said so. A new strikewill be declared on the railroad on the 25th and the strikers will be inthe city with their grievances. Saturday's celebration will bring menfrom the mountains and the mines to town. A single blow, and we havewon. " So spoke Brutus. 

"Then why all this fear of Tullis?" demanded Anna Cromer. 

"It is not like the Iron Count, " added Madame Drovnask with a sneer. 

Olga Platanova had not spoken. She was not there to talk. She was onlyto act on the 26th of July. She was the means to an end. 

"Well, fear or no fear, the Count lies awake trying to think of a way toentice him from the city before the 26th. It may be silly, madam, butCount Marlanx is a wiser man than any of us here. He is not afraid ofDangloss or Braze or Quinnox, but he is afraid of what he calls'American luck!' He is even superstitious about it. "

"We must not--we cannot fail, " grated William Spantz, and the cry wasreiterated by half a dozen voices. 

"The world demands success of us!" cried Anna Cromer. "We die forsuccess, we die for failure! It is all one!"

The next morning, after a sleepless night, Truxton King made his firstdetermined attempt to escape. All night long he had lain there thinkingof the horrid thing that was to happen on the black 26th. He counted thedays, the hours, the minutes. Morning brought the 23d. Only three daysmore! Oh, if he could but get one word to John Tullis, the man Marlanxfeared; if he could only break away from these fiends long enough toutter one cry of warning to the world, even with his dying gasp!

Marlanx feared the Americans! He even feared him, a helpless captive!The thrill of exultation that ran through his veins was but the genesisof an impulse that mastered him later on. 

He knew that two armed men stood guard in the outer room day and night. The door to the stairway leading into the armourer's shop was of ironand heavily barred; the door opening into the sewer was even moresecurely bolted; besides, there was a great stone door at the foot ofthe passage. The keys to these two doors were never out of thepossession of William Spantz; one of his guards held the key to thestairway door. His only chance lay in his ability to suddenly overpowertwo men and make off by way of the armourer's shop. 

When his little door was opened on the morning of the 23d, TruxtonKing's long, powerful figure shot through as if sped by a catapult. Theman with the candle and the knife went down like a beef, floored by ablow on the jaw. 

The American, his eyes blazing with hope and desperation, keptonward--to find himself face to face with Olga Platanova!

She was staring at him with frightened eyes, her lips apart, her handsto her breast. The tableau was brief. He could not strike her down. Witha curse he was turning to the man on the floor, eager to snatch the keysfrom his belt. A scream from her drawn lips held him; he whirled andlooked into the now haggard face of the girl he had consideredbeautiful. The penalty for her crime was already written there. She wasto die in three days!

"He has not the key!" she cried. "Nor have I. You have no chance toescape. Go back! Go back! They are coming!"

A key rattled in the door. When it swung open, two men stood in theaperture, both with drawn pistols. The girl leaped between them and thehelpless, defeated American. 

"Remember!" she cried. "You are not to kill him!"

Peter Brutus had risen from the floor, half dazed but furious. He made avicious leap at King, his knife ready for the lunge. 

"I'm glad it's you, " roared King, leaping aside. His fist shot out andagain Brutus went down. The men in the doorway actually laughed. 

"A good blow, even if it avails you nothing, " said one of them drily. "He is not an especial favorite with us. Return to your room at once. Miss Platanova, call your uncle. It is now necessary to bind thefellow's hands. They are too dangerous to be allowed to roam at large inthis fashion. "

All day long Truxton paced his little prison, bitterly lamenting hisill-timed effort. Now he would be even more carefully guarded. His handswere bound behind his back; he was powerless. If he had only waited!Luck had been against him. How was he to know that the guard with thekeys had gone upstairs when Olga brought his breakfast down? It wasfate. 

The 23d dragged itself into the past and the 24th was following in thegloomy wake of its predecessors. Two days more! He began to feel theapproach of madness! His own death was not far away. It would followthat of the Prince and of Olga Platanova, his friend. But he was notthinking of his own death; he was thinking of the Prince's life!

The atmosphere of suppressed excitement that characterised the hushedgatherings in the outer room did not fail to leave its impression uponhim; he knew there was murder in the hearts of these fanatics; he couldfeel the strain that held their hitherto vehement lips to tensewhisperings and mutterings. He could distinguish the difference betweenthe footsteps of to-day and those of yesterday; the tread was growinglighter, unconsciously more stealthy with each passing hour. 

Forty-eight hours! That was all!

Truxton found himself crying bitterly from time to time; not because hewas in terror but because he knew of the thing that hourly drew nearerdespite the fact that he knew!

Olga Platanova's voice was heard no more before the Committee of Ten. Something told him that she was being groomed and primed in an upstairsroom! Primed like a gun of war! He wondered if she could be praying forcourage to do the thing that had been set down for her to do. Food nowcame irregularly to him. She was no longer preparing it. 

She was making herself ready!

Early that night, as he lay with his ear to the crack of the door, heheard them discussing his own death. It was to come as soon as Olga hadgone to her reward! She was not there to defend him. Spantz had saidthat she was praying in her room, committing her soul to God! TruxtonKing suddenly pricked up his ears, attracted by a sentence that fellfrom the lips of one of the men. 

"Tullis is on his way to the hills of Dawsbergen by this time. He willbe out of the way on the 26th safe enough. "

"Count Marlanx was not to be satisfied until he had found the means todraw him away from Edelweiss, " said another. "This time it will worklike a charm. Late this afternoon Tullis was making ready to lead atroop of cavalry into the hills to effect a rescue. Sancta Maria! Thatwas a clever stroke! Not only does he go himself, but with him goes acaptain with one hundred soldiers from the fort. Ha, ha! Marlanx is afox! A very exceptional fox!"

Tullis off to the hills? With soldiers, to effect a rescue! Truxton satup, his brain whirling. 

"A wise fox!" agreed Peter Brutus, thickly. His lips were terriblyswollen from King's final blow. "Tullis goes off chasing ajack-o'-lantern in the hills; Marlanx sits by and laughs at the jokehe's played. It is good! Almost too good to be true. I wonder what ourfine prisoner will say to it when the new prisoner comes to keep himcompany over the 26th. "

CHAPTER XII

A NEW PRISONER ARRIVES

It was far past midnight when King was roused from the doze into whichhe had fallen, exhausted and disconsolate, an hour earlier. Sounds ofunusual commotion reached him from the outer room. Instantly he was wideawake, breathing heavily in the sudden overpowering fear that he hadslept for many hours and that the time had come for the conspirators togo forth. Was it the 26th?

Loud, quick commands came to his ears; the moving of eager footsteps;the drawing of bolts. 

"They are here at last, " he heard some one say. "God, this suspense hasbeen horrible. But they are here. "

"Stand ready, then, with the guns!" cried Peter Brutus. "It may be atrick, after all. Don't open that door down there, Spantz, until youknow who is on the outside. "

Then followed a long interval of dead silence. 

"It's all right, " came at last in the relieved, eager voice of PeterBrutus. "Clear the way, comrades. Give them room! By our Holy Father, this is a brave triumph. Ah!"

Heavy footsteps clogged into the room, accompanied by stertorousbreathing and no small amount of grunting from masculine throats. Doorswere closed, bolts shot, and then many voices let loose their flow ofeager exclamations. Not one, but three or four languages were spoken bythe excited, intense occupants of the outer room; King could, makenothing of what they said. Finally the sharp, incisive voice of WilliamSpantz broke through the babble, commanding silence. 

"Still unconscious, " he said, when some measure of order was secured. 

"Yes, " grunted one of the men, evidently a newcomer. "Since we left thehouse above the ramparts. No need for gags or bonds, but we used them, just the same. Now that we are here, what is to be done?"

"We will have our instructions to-morrow. The Count is to inform usbefore nightfall where she is to be removed to. Next week she is to goto Schloss Marlanx. " Brutus inserted a cruel, heartless laugh, and thenadded: "There she is to remain until he is quite ready to take her tonew apartments--in town. Trust the master to dispose of her properly. Heknows how to handle women by this time. "

A woman, thought Truxton. The Countess! They had brought her here fromBalak, after all. What a remorseless brute Marlanx must be to maltreathis beautiful wife as--Truxton did not complete the angry reflection. Words from the other side of the door checked the train of thought. 

"To my mind, she is more beautiful than his own wife, " observed AnnaCromer. "She will be a fine morsel for the Count, who has even castlonging eyes on so homely a mortal as I. "

"All women are alike to him, " said Spantz sententiously. "I hope she isnot to be left here for long. I don't like women about at a time likethis. No offence, Madame Drovnask. "

"She'll go to-morrow night, I'm sure, " said Peter. "I told the Count wecould not keep her here over the--over the 26th. You see, there is abare possibility that none of us may ever come back after the bomb ishurled. See? We don't want a woman to die of starvation down here, inthat event. I don't care what happens to the man in there. But the Countdoes not want this one to starve. Oh, no; not he. "

"We must put her in the room with the American for the present. You aresure he will take her away before Saturday? A woman's cries are mostdistressing. " It was Spantz who spoke. 

"I'll stop her crying, " volunteered Anna Cromer harshly. 

"I fancy you could, my dear, " agreed Spantz. They all laughed. 

"She's regaining her senses, " exclaimed one of the men. "Stand back, every one. Give her air. "

"Air?" cried Anna Cromer. "It's at a premium down here, Raoul. "

Presently the door to King's room was thrown open. He had got to hisfeet and was standing in the centre of the room, his eyes blinking inthe glare of light. 

"Holloh!" cried Peter Brutus, "you up, eh? We've got a fair lady foryou, my friend. Get back there, you dog! Keep in your corner. "

Truxton faced the ugly crowd beyond the door for a moment and then fellback to the corner to watch the proceedings with wondering, pityingeyes. 

"You are a fine bunch of human beings, " he blurted out, savage withdespair and rage. No one gave heed to the compliment. 

A man with a lighted candle entered first, holding the light above hishead. He was followed by two others, who supported the drooping, tottering figure of a woman. 

"Let her sit there against the wall, Drago. Julius, fetch in morecandles. She must not be left in the dark. _He_ says she is not to befrightened to death. Women are afraid of the dark--and strange dogs. Let there be light, " scoffed Peter Brutus, spitting toward King. 

"I'll get you for that some day, " grated the American, white with anger. Peter hesitated, then spat again and laughed loudly. 

"Enough!" commanded William Spantz. "We are not children. " Turning toKing he went on, a touch of kindness in his voice: "Cheer her if youcan. She is one of your class. Do not let the lights go out. "

Raising his hands, he fairly drove the others from the doorway. Aninstant later, King and his miserable, half-conscious companion werealone, locked in together, the fitful light from the candle on the floorplaying hide and seek in shadows he had not seen before during his ageof imprisonment. 

For a long time he stood in his corner, watching the figure huddledagainst the opposite wall. Her face was not plainly visible, her headhaving dropped forward until the chin nestled in the lace jabot at herthroat. A mass of tangled hair fell across her eyes; her arms hunglimply at her sides; small, modish riding hoots showed beneath the hemof her skin, forlorn in their irresoluteness. Her garments were sadlybedraggled; a pathetic breast rose and fell in choking sobs and gasps. 

Suddenly he started forward, his eyes wide and staring. He had seen thatgrey riding habit before! He had seen the hair!

Two eager steps he took and then halted, half way. She had heard him andwas raising her eyes, bewildered and wavering between dreamland andreality. 

"Great Jehovah!" he gasped, unbelieving. "You? My God, is it you?"

He dropped to his knees before her, peering into her startled eyes. Alook of abject terror crossed the tired, tear-stained face. She shrankaway from him, shivering, whimpering like a cowed child. 

"What is it? Where am I?" she moaned. "Oh, let me go! What have I done, that you should bring me here? Let me go, Mr. King! You are not sowicked as--"

"I? I bring you here?" he interrupted, aghast. Then he understood. Utterdismay filled his eyes. "You think that I have done this thing to you?God above us! Look! I, too, am a prisoner here. I've been here for days, weeks, years. They are going to kill me after to-morrow. And you thinkthat I have done this to you!"

"I don't know what--Oh, Mr. King, what does it all mean? Forgive me! Isee now. You are bound--you are suffering--you are years older. I seenow. But why is it? What have you done? What have I done?"

She was growing hysterical with terror. 

"Don't shrink from me, " he urged. "Try to calm yourself. Try to lookupon me as a friend--as a possible saviour. Lie quiet, do, for a littlewhile. Think it all out for yourself. "

He knelt there before her while she sobbed out the last agony of alarm. There were no tears in her eyes; racking sobs shook her slender body;every nerve was aquiver, he could see. Patiently he waited, never takinghis firm, encouraging gaze from her face. She grew calmer, morerational. Then, with the utmost gentleness, he persuaded her to rise andwalk about the little room with him. 

"It will give you strength and courage, " he urged. "Poor little girl!Poor little girl!"

She looked up into his face, a new light coming into her eyes. 

"Don't talk now, " he said softly. "Take your time. Hold to my arm, please. There! In a little while you'll be able to tell me all aboutit--and then we'll set about to find a way to escape these devils. We'lllaugh at 'em, after all. "

For five or ten minutes he led her back and forth across the room, verytenderly. At first she was faint and uncertain; then, as her strengthand wits came back to her, courage took the place of despair. She smiledwanly and asked him to sit down with her. 

"A way to escape, you said, " she murmured, as he dropped to her side. "Where are we? What is it all about?"

"Not so loud, " he cautioned. "I'll be perfectly candid with you. You'llhave to be very, very brave. But wait. Perhaps it will be easier for youto tell me what has happened to you, so far as you know. I can throwlight on the whole situation, I think. Tell me, please, in your own wayand time. We're in a sorry mess, and it looks black, but, this much Ican tell you: you are to be set free in a few days, unharmed. You mayrest easy. That much is assured. "

"And you?" she whispered, clutching his arm tightly, the swift thrill ofrelief dying almost as it was born. "What of you?"

"Oh, I'll get out all right, " he affirmed with a confidence he did notfeel. "I'm going to get you out of this or die in the attempt. Sh! Don'toppose me, " he went on whimsically. "I've always wanted to be a hero, and here's my chance. Now tell me what happened to you. "

Her piquant, ever-sprightly face had lost the arrogance that hadtroubled all his dreams of conquest. She was pale and shivering and sosorely distressed that he had it in his heart to clasp her in his armsas one might do in trying to soothe a frightened child. Her face grewcloudy with the effort to concentrate her thoughts; a piteous frownsettled upon her brow. 

"I'm not sure that I can recall everything. It is all so terrible--sounaccountable. It's like a dream that you try to remember and cannot. Finding you here in this place is really the strangest part of it. Icannot believe that I am awake. "

She looked long and anxiously into his face, her eyebrows drawn togetherin an earnest squint of uncertainty. "Oh, Mr. King, I have had such adreadful--dreadful time. Am I awake?"

"That's what I've been asking of myself, " he murmured. "I guess we'reboth awake all right. Nightmares don't last forever. "

Her story came haltingly; he was obliged to supply many of the detailsby conjecture, she was so hazy and vague in her memory. 

At the beginning of the narrative, however, Truxton was raised tounusual heights; he felt such a thrill of exaltation that for the momenthe forgot his and her immediate peril. In a perfectly matter-of-factmanner she was informing him that her search for him had not beenabandoned until Baron Dangloss received a telegram from Paris, statingthat King was in a hospital there, recovering from a wound in the head. 

"You can imagine what I thought when I saw you here a little while, ago, " she said, again looking hard at his face as if to make sure. "Wehad looked everywhere for you. You see, I was ashamed. That man fromCook's told us that you were hurt by--by the way I treated you the daybefore you disappeared, and--well, he said you talked very foolishlyabout it. "

He drew a long breath. Somehow he was happier than he had been before. "Hobbs is a dreadful ass, " he managed to say. 

It seems that the ministry was curiously disturbed by the eventsattending the disappearance of the Countess Ingomede. The deceptionpractised upon John Tullis, frustrated only by the receipt of a genuinemessage from the Countess, was enough to convince the authorities thatsomething serious was afoot. It may have meant no more than theassassination of Tullis at the hands of a jealous husband; or it mayhave been a part of the vast conspiracy which Dangloss now believed tobe in progress of development. 

"Development!" Truxton King had exclaimed at this point in hernarrative. "Good God, if Dangloss only knew what I know!"

There had been a second brief message from the Countess. She admittedthat she was with her husband at the Axphain capital. This message cameto Tullis and was to the effect that she and the Count were leavingalmost immediately for a stay at Biarritz in France. "Mr. King, " saidthe narrator, "the Countess lied. They did not go to Biarritz. I amconvinced now that she is in the plot with that vile old man. She mayeven expect to reign in Graustark some day if his plans are carried out. I saw Count Marlanx yesterday. He was in Graustark. I knew him by theportrait that hangs in the Duke of Perse's house--the portrait thatIngomede always frowns at when I mention it to her. So, they did not goto France. "

She was becoming excited. Her eyes flashed; she spoke rapidly. On themorning of the 23d she had gone for her gallop in the famous Ganlookroad, attended by two faithful grooms from the Royal stables. 

"I was in for a longer ride than usual, " she said, with suddenconstraint. She looked away from her eager listener. "I was nervous andhad not slept the night before. A girl never does, I suppose. "

He looked askance. "Yes?" he queried. 

She was blushing, he was sure of it. "I mean a girl is always nervousand distrait after--after she has promised, don't you see. "

"No, I don't see. "

"I had promised Count Vos Engo the night before that I--Oh, but itreally has nothing to do with the story. I--"

Truxton was actually glaring at her. "You mean that you had promised tomarry Count Vos Engo!" he stammered. 

"We will not discuss--"

"But did you promise to be his wife? Is he the man you love?" heinsisted. She stared at him in surprise and no little resentment. 

"I beg of you, Mr. King--" she began, but he interrupted her. 

"Forgive me. I'm a fool. Don't mind me. " He sank back against the wall, the picture of dejection. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I've got to die ina day or two, so what's the odds?"

"How very strangely you talk. Are you sure--I mean, do you think it isfever? One suffers so--"

He sighed deeply. "Well, that's over! Whew! It was a dream, by Jove!"

"I don't understand. "

"Please go on. "

She waited a moment and then, looking down, said very gently: "I'm sosorry for you. " He laughed, for he thought she pitied him because he hadawakened from the dream. 

Then she resumed her story, not to be interrupted again. He seemed tohave lost all interest. 

She had gone six or eight miles down the Ganlook road when she came upwith five troopers of the Royal Guard. It was a lonely spot at thejunction of the King's Highway and the road to the mines. One of thetroopers came forward and respectfully requested her to turn off intothe mine road until a detachment passed, in charge of a gang ofdesperadoes taken at the Inn of the Hawk and Raven the night before. Unsuspecting, she rode off into the forest lane for several hundredyards. 

It was a trap. The men were not troopers, but brigands gotten up in theuniform of the guard. Once away from the main highway, they madeprisoners of her and the two grooms. Then followed a long ride throughroads new to her. At noon they came to a halt while the rascals changedtheir clothing, appearing in their true garb, that of the mountaineer. Half dead with dread, she heard them discussing their plans; they spokequite freely in the presence of the well-beaten grooms, who were led toexpect death before many hours. It was the design of the bandits to maketheir way to the almost impregnable fastnesses in the hills ofDawsbergen, the wild principality to the south. There they could holdher against all hope of rescue, until an immense sum of money was paidover in ransom by her dispairing friends. 

When night came they were high in the mountains back of the Monastery, many hours ahead of any pursuit. They became stupidly careless, and thetwo grooms made a dash for freedom. One of them was killed, but theother escaped. She was afterward to recall that no effort was made torecapture him; they deliberately allowed him to escape, their cunningpurpose becoming only too apparent later on. 

Instead of hurrying on to Dawsbergen, they dropped swiftly down into thevalley above the city. No secret was made of the ruse they had employedto mislead the prospective pursuers. The rescue party, they sworejoyously, would naturally be led by John Tullis; he would go with allhaste to the Dawsbergen hills. The word of the trusty groom would betaken as positive proof that the captive was in that country. Sheshuddered as she listened to their exultant chuckles. It had been a mostcunningly conceived plan and it promised to result profitably for themin the end. 

Some time during the slow, torturing ride through the forest sheswooned. When she came to her senses she was in a dimly lighted room, surrounded by men. The gag had been removed from her mouth. She wouldhave shrieked out in her terror, had not her gaze rested upon the figureof a man who sat opposite, his elbows on the back of the chair which hestraddled, his chin on his arms. He was staring at her steadily, hisblack eyes catching her gaze and holding it as a snake holds the bird ithas charmed. 

She recognised the hard, hawk-like face. There could be no mistake. Shewas looking into the face that made the portrait of the Iron Count soabhorrent to her: the leathery head of a cadaver with eyes that lived. Aportrait of Voltaire, the likeness of a satyr, a suggestion ofSatan--all rushed up from memory's storehouse to hold her attention raptin contemplation of this sinister figure. 

He smiled. It was like the crumpling of soft leather. Then, with a wordto one of the men, he abruptly left the room. After that she broke downand cried herself into the sleep of exhaustion. 

All the next day she sat limp and helpless in the chair they had broughtto her. She could neither eat nor drink. Late in the afternoon Marlanxcame again. She knew not from whence he came: he stood before hersuddenly, as if produced by the magic of some fabled genie, smilingblandly, his hands clasped behind his back, his attitude one oflecherous calculation. 

Truxton King ground his teeth with rage and despair while she wasbreathlessly repeating the suave compliments that oozed from the lips ofthe tormentor. 

"He laughed when I demanded that he should restore me to my friends. Hechided me when I pleaded and begged for mercy. My questions were neveranswered. He only said that no harm was to come to me; I was merelytouching purgatory that I might better appreciate paradise when I cameto it. Oh, it was horrible! I thought I would go mad. Finally I calledhim a beast; I don't know what else I said. He merely smiled. Presentlyhe called one of the men into the room. He said something about a sewerand a hole in the ground. Then the man went out and I heard the clickingof a telegraph instrument. I heard certain instructions. I was to betaken to a certain place in the city at nightfall and kept there untilto-morrow night, when I am again to be removed by way of the river. Thatis all I know. Where am I, Mr. King? Oh, this dreadful place! Why are wehere--you and I?"

King's heart throbbed fiercely one more. He was looking straight intothe piteous, wondering eyes; his gaze fell to the parted, tremulouslips. A vast hunger possessed his soul. In that moment he could havelaid down his life for her, with a smile of rejoicing. 

Then he told her why she was there, why he was there--and of the 26th. The dreadful 26th!

Her eyes grew wide with horror and understanding; her bosom rose andfell rapidly with the sobs of suppressed terror. At last he had finishedhis stupefying tale; they sat side by side staring into each other'seyes, helpless, stricken. 

"God in heaven!" she repeated over and over again, in a piteous whisper. 

The candle flickered with feeble interest in the shadows that began togrow in the farthest corner. The girl drew closer to the side of thestrong yet powerless man. Their gaze went to the sputtering candle. Itwas going out and they would be in utter darkness. And yet neitherthought of the supply of fresh candles in the corner. 

King brought himself out of the strange lethargy with a jerk. It washigh time, for the light was going. 

"Quick!" he cried. "The candle! Light a fresh one. My hands are bound. "

She crept to the candles and joined the wicks. A new light grew as theold one died. Then she stood erect, looking down upon him. 

"You are bound. I forgot. "

She started forward, dropping to her knees beside him, an eager gleam inher eyes. "If I can untie the rope--will that help? Can you do anything?You are strong. There must be a way. There must be one little chance foryou--for us. Let me try. "

"By Jove, " he whispered admiringly, his spirits leaping to meet hers. "You've got pluck. You put new life in me. I--I was almost a--aquitter. "

"You have been here so long, " she explained quickly. "And tied all thesedays. " She was tugging at the knot. 

"Only since I gave that pleasant punch to Peter Brutus. "

"That shows what you can do, " she whispered warmly. "Oh, I wonder! Iwonder if we have a chance! Anyway, your arms will be free. I shall feelsafer if your arms are free. "

He sat with his back to her while she struggled with the stubborn knots. A delicious thrill of pleasure swept over him. She had said she wouldfeel safer if his arms were free! She was struggling, with many a tensestraining of delicate fingers, to undo the bonds which held himhelpless. The touch of her eager fingers, the closeness of her body, thewarmth of her breathing--he was beginning to hope that the effort mightbe prolonged interminably. 

At last, after many despairing tugs, the knot relaxed. "There!" shecried, sinking back exhausted. "Oh, how it must have hurt you! Yourwrists are raw!"

He suppressed the tactless impulse to say that he preferred a rope onthe wrists to one about his neck, realising that the jest could onlyshock and not amuse her under the present conditions. 

His arms were stiff and sore and hung like lead at his sides. Shewatched him, with narrowed eyes, while he stood off and tried to workblood and strength back into his muscles. 

"Do you think you can--can do anything now, Mr. King?" she asked, aftera long interval. 

He would not tell her how helpless he was, even with his hands free. Sohe smiled bravely and sought to reassure her with the most imposingboasts he could utter. She began to breathe easier; the light in hereyes grew brighter, more hopeful. 

"We must escape, " she said, as if it were all settled. 

"It cannot be to-night, " he gently informed her, a sickness attackingher heart. "Don't you think you'd better try to get some sleep?"

He prevailed upon her to lie down, with his coat for a pillow. In twominutes she was asleep. 

For an hour or more he sat there, looking sorrowfully at the tired, sweet face, the utmost despair in his soul. At last he stretched himselfout on the floor, near the door, and as he went to sleep he prayed thatProvidence might open a way for him to prove that she was not dependingon him in vain. 

CHAPTER XIII

A DIVINITY SHAPES

It was pitch dark when he awoke. 

"By heaven, it was a dream, after all, " he murmured. "Well, thank Godfor that. She isn't in this damnable hole. And, " with a quickening ofthe blood, "she hasn't said she was going to marry Vos Engo. "

The sound of light breathing came to his ears. He sat up. His hands werefree. It had not been a dream. She _was_ lying over there asleep. Thecandle had burnt itself out, that was all. He crept softly across thefloor; in the darkness he found her, and touched the garments shewore--and drew back enthralled. A strange joy filled him; she was hisfor the time being. They were equals in this direful, unlovely place;royal prejudice stood for nothing here. The mad desire to pick her up inhis arms and hold her close came over him--only to perish as quickly asit flamed. What was he thinking of?

She stirred restlessly as he crept back to the door. The sharp, quickintake of her breath told him that she was awake. He stopped and uttersilence fell upon the room. 

A little moan escaped her lips: "Who is it? Why is it so dark? What--"

"It is I, " he whispered eagerly. "King. Don't be afraid. The candleburnt out while we were asleep. I did not intend to sleep. I'm sorry. Wecan't have a light now until some one comes in the morning. Don't beafraid. "

"I am afraid. Where are you?"

"Here!" He hastened to her side. As he came up she touched his facewith her hand timorously. He caught the wayward fingers in his own andheld them, drawing quite close to her. "It's all right, " he said. 

"Will they come soon?"

"I hope not--I mean, yes; it must be morning. "

"I loathe the dark, " she sighed. Presently her head dropped over againsthis shoulder and she was asleep again. 

"I don't give a damn if they never come, " thought Truxton King, intoxicated with bliss. 

Afraid to move for fear of disturbing her, he sat there for an hour ormore his back twisted and uncomfortable, but never so resolute. He wouldnot have moved for all the world. 

All this time his brain was working like mad in the new-found desire toperform miracles for the sake of this lovely, unattainable creature. Wasthere no way to foil these triumphant conspirators? He was forgettingthe Prince, the horrors of the 26th; he was thinking only of saving thisgirl from the fate that Marlanx had in store for her. Vos Engo may havehad the promise, but what could it profit him if Marlanx had the girl?

"I've got about as much chance as a snowball, " he reflected, courage anddecision growing stronger each moment. "I might just as well die one wayas another. If I could only catch 'em napping for a minute, I might turnthe trick. God, that would be--" he was lost in ecstatic contemplationof the glory that such an event would bring. 

Footsteps in the outer room recalled him to the bitter reality of theirposition. He awoke her and whispered words of encouragement into herbewildered ears. Then he put on his coat and threw himself on the floor, first wrapping the rope about his wrists to deceive the guard. 

A key turned in the padlock and the bolt was raised. Old man Spantzstood in the doorway, peering in at them. In surly tones Truxton repliedto his sharp query, saying that the candle had gone out while he slept. 

"It is noon, " said the old man irascibly. Then he came in and lighted acandle. 

"Noon of the 25th, " said Truxton bitterly. "In twenty-four hours it willbe all over, eh, Spantz?"

"At noon to-morrow, " said Spantz grimly. 

There were half a dozen men in the outer room, conversing in low, excited tones; the fervent gesticulations which usually marked theirdiscussions were missing, proving the constraint that had descended uponthem. One of them--it was Julius Spantz--brought in the food for theprisoners, setting it on the floor between them. 

"It is usually the duty of our friend Julius to feed me, " observedTruxton to his fellow-prisoner. "I dare say he won't mind if you relievehim of the task. "

"She can feed you if she likes, " growled Julius. 

"Julius?" queried the girl from the Castle, peering at the man. "NotJulius Spantz, of the armoury?"

"The same, " said Truxton. Julius laughed awkwardly and withdrew. "Son ofour distinguished host here. Permit me to present Herr William--"

"Enough, " snarled William Spantz, with a threatening movement towardKing. His manner changed completely, however, when he turned to addressthe young lady. "I beg to inform you, madam, that your stay in thisunwholesome place is to be brief. Pray endure it for the remainder ofthis day. To-night you will be removed to more pleasant quarters, thata friend has prepared for you. I may say to you, however, that it willhe necessary to place a gag in your mouth before you depart. This is tobe a critical night in our affairs. " He lifted an inspired gazeheavenward. "Let me assure you, madam, that the two gentlemen who are toconduct you to the Count's--to your new quarters, are considerate, kindly men; you need feel no further alarm. I am requested to tell youthis, so that you may rest easy for the balance of the day. As for you, my friend, " turning to Truxton and smiling ironically, "I deeply deplorethe fact that you are to remain. You may be lonesome in the dead hours, for, as you may imagine, we, your dearest friends, will be off about acertain business that is known to you, if I mistake not in believingthat you have listened at the door these many nights. When we nextgather in the room beyond, a new dispensation will have begun. You maybe interested then to hear what we have to say--out there. "

Truxton was silent for a moment, a sudden, swift thought flooding hisbrain. Controlling the quiver of anticipation in his voice, he tookoccasion to say:

"I only hope you'll not forget to come back. I should be lonesome, Spantz. "

"Oh, we'll not forget you. "

"I suppose not. By the way, would you mind telling me what has become ofyour niece?"

Spantz glared at him. "She does not meet with us now. My niece isconsecrating her every thought to the task that lies before her. Youwill not see her again. "

"It's an infernal shame, that's what it is, " exclaimed King, "to put itall upon that poor girl! God, I'd give ten years of my life to lead herout of this devil's mess. She's too good for--for that. It's--"

"She will be out of it, as you say, to-morrow, my excellent Samaritan. She knows. " There could be no mistake as to the meaning of the propheticwords. 

With a profound bow to the lady and a leer for King, he departed, bolting the door behind him. Instantly King was at her side. 

"An idea has come to me, " he whispered eagerly. "I think I see a way. ByGeorge, if it should only happen as I hope it may!"

"Tell me!" she insisted. 

"Not now. I must think it all out carefully. It won't do to get yourhopes up and then fail. "

Whatever the thought was that had come to him, it certainly had put newlife and hope into him. She nibbled at the unwholesome food, neverremoving her eyes from his tall, restless figure as he paced the floor, his brows knit in thought. Finally he sat down beside her, calmlyhelping himself to a huge slice of bread and a boiled carrot. 

"I've never liked carrots before. I love 'em now. I'm taking them for mycomplexion. "

"Don't jest, Mr. King. What is it you intend to do? Please tell me. Imust know. You heard what he said about taking me to the Count's. Hemeant Marlanx. I will die first. "

"No. I will die first. By the way, I may as well tell you that I wasn'tthinking altogether of how we are to escape. There was something else onmy mind. " He stopped and looked at her puzzled face. "Why should I saveyou from Marlanx just to have you hurry off and get married to Vos Engo?It's a mean thought, I know, " hastily, "and unworthy of a typical hero, but, just the same, I hate to think of you marrying some one--else. "

"Some one else?" she questioned, a pucker on her forehead. 

"Oh, I know I wouldn't have a ghost of a chance, even if there wasn't aVos Engo. It isn't that, " he explained. "I recognise the--er--differencein our stations and--"

"Are you crazy, Mr. King?"

"Not now. I was a bit touched, I think, but I'm over it now. I dare sayit was caused by excessive reading of improbable romances. Life rathertakes it out of a fellow, don't you know. It's all simple enough inbooks, but in--"

"What has all this got to do with your plan to escape?"

"Nothing at all. It merely has to do with my ambition to become a truehero. You see, I'm an amateur hero. Of course, this is good practice forme; in time, I may become an expert and have no difficulty in winning aduchess or even a princess. Don't misunderstand me. I intend to do all Ican toward rescuing you to-night. The point I'm trying to get at isthis: don't you think it's pretty rough on a hero to save the girl forsome other fellow to snap up and marry?"

"I think I begin to see, " she said, a touch of pink coming into hercheeks. 

"That's encouraging, " he said, staring gloomily at the food he had putaside. "You are quite sure you promised Vos Engo that you'd marry him?"

"No. I did not promise him that I'd marry him, " she said, leaning backand surveying him between narrowed lids. 

"I beg your pardon. You said you had promised--"

"You did not allow me time to finish. I meant to say that I had promisedto let him know in a day or two. That is all, Mr. King. " There was asuspicious tremor in her voice and her gaze wavered beneath hisunbelieving stare. 

"What's that?" he demanded. "You--you don't mean to say that--Oh, Lord!I wonder! I wonder if I have a chance--just a ghost of a chance?" Heleaned very close, incredulous, fascinated. "What is it that you aregoing to let him know? Yes or no?"

"That was the question I was considering when the brigands caught me, "she answered, meeting his gaze fairly. "I haven't thought of it since. "

"Of course, he is in your own class, " said Truxton glumly. 

She hesitated an instant, her face growing very serious. "Mr. King, hasno one told you my name--who I am?" she asked. 

"You are the Prince's aunt, that's all I know. "

"No more his aunt in reality than Jack Tullis is his uncle. I thoughtyou understood. "

"Who are you, then?"

"I am Jack Tullis's sister, a New Yorker bred and born, and I live notmore than two blocks from your--"

"For the love of--" he began blankly; then words failed him, which wasjust as well. He gulped twice, joy or unbelief choking him. The smilethat crept into her face dazzled him; he stared at her in speechlessamazement. "Then--then, you are not a duchess or a--" he began again. 

"Not at all. A very plain New Yorker, " she said, laughing aloud insudden hysteria. For some reason she drew quickly away from him. "Youare not disappointed, are you? Does it spoil your romance to--"

"Spoil it? Disappointed? No! By George, I--I can't believe that any suchluck--no, no, I don't mean it just that way! Let me think it out. Letme get it through my head. " He leaned back against the wall and devouredher with eager, disturbing eyes. "You are Tullis's sister? You livenear--Oh, I say, this is glorious!" He arose and took a turn about theroom. In some nervousness and uncertainty she also came to her feet, watching him wonderingly. He hurried back to her, a new light in hiseyes. She was very desirable, this slender, uncertain person in thecrumpled grey. 

"Miss Tullis, " he said, a thrill in his voice, "you are a princess, justthe same. I never was so happy in my life as I am this minute. It isn'tso black as it was. I thought I couldn't win you because you--"

"Win me?" she gasped, her lips parted in wonder. 

"Precisely. Now I'm looking at it differently. I don't mind telling youthat I'm in love with you--desperately in love. It's been so with meever since that day in the Park. I loved you as a duchess or a princess, and without hope. Now, I--I--well, I'm going to hope. Perhaps Vos Engohas the better of me just now, but I'm in the lists with him--with allof them. If I get you out of this place--and myself as well--I want youto understand that from this very minute I am trying to win you if itlies in the power of any American to win a girl who has suitors amongthe nobility. Will--will you give me a chance--just a ghost of a chance?I'll try to do the rest. "

"Are--are you really in earnest?" she murmured, composure flying to thewinds. 

"Yes; terribly so, " he said gently. "I mean every word of it. I do loveyou. "

"I--I cannot talk about it now, Mr. King, " she fluttered, moving awayfrom him in a sudden panic. Presently he went over to her. She wasstanding near the candle, staring down at the flame with a strangelypreoccupied expression in her eyes. 

"Forgive me, " he said. "I was hasty, inconsiderate. I--"

"You quite took my breath away, " she panted, looking up at him with aqueer little smile. 

"I know, " he murmured. 

Her troubled gaze resumed its sober contemplation of the flame. 

"How was I to tell--" she began, but checked herself. "Please, Mr. King, you won't say anything more to me about--about it, --just now, will you?Shall we talk of our plans for to-night? Tell me about them. "

He lowered his eyes, suddenly disheartened. "I only ask you to believethat I am desperately in earnest. "

"I cannot comprehend how--I mean, it is so very wonderful. You don'tthink me unappreciative, or mean, do you?"

"Of course not. You are startled, that's all. I'm a blundering fool. Still, you must agree that I was frightfully bowled over when I foundthat you were not what I thought. I couldn't hold back, that's all. ByJove, isn't it wonderful? Here I've been looking all over the world foryou, only to find that you've been living around the corner from me allthese years! It's positively staggering! Why, " with a sudden burst ofhis unquenchable buoyancy, "we might have been married two years ago andsaved all this trouble. Just think of it!"

She smiled. "I do like you, " she said warmly, giving him her hand. Hekissed it gallantly and stepped back--resolutely. 

"That's something, " he said with his humblest, most conquering smile. 

"You won't leave me to my fate because you think I'm going tomarry--some one else?"

He grew very sober. "Miss Tullis, you and I have one chance in athousand. You may as well know the truth. "

"Oh, I can't bear the thought of that dreadful old man, " she cried, abject distress in her eyes. 

He gritted his teeth and turned away. She went back to the corner, dullyrearranging the coat he had given her for comfort. She handled it with atenderness that would have astonished the garment had it been capable ofunderstanding. For a long time she watched him in silence as he paced toand fro like a caged lion. Twice she heard him mutter: "An Americangirl--good Lord, " and she found herself smiling to herself--the strange, vagrant smile that comes of wonder and self-gratification. 

Late in the afternoon--long hours in which they had spoken to each otherwith curious infrequency, each a prey to sombre thoughts--their door wasunlocked and Anna Cromer appeared before them, accompanied by two of themen. Crisply she commanded the girl to come forth; she wanted to talkwith her. 

She was in the outer room for the better part of an hour, listening toAnna Cromer and Madame Drovnask, who dinned the praises of the greatCount Marlanx into her ears until she was ready to scream. They bathedthe girl's face and brushed her hair and freshened her garments. Itoccurred to her that she was being prepared for a visit of theredoubtable Marlanx himself, and put the question plainly. 

"No, " said Anna Cromer. "He's not coming here. You are going to him. Hewill not be Count Marlanx after to-morrow, but Citizen Marlanx--one ofthe people, one of us. Ah, he is a big man to do this. "

Little did they know Marlanx!

"Julius and Peter will come for you to-night, " said Madame Drovnask, with an evil, suggestive smile. "We will not be here to say farewell, but, my dear, you will be one of us before--well, before many days havepassed. "

Truxton was beginning to tremble with the fear that she would not bereturned to their room, when the door was opened and she came in--mostgladly, he could see. The two women bade him a cool, unmistakable_Good-bye_, and left him in charge of the men who had just come downfrom the shop above. 

For half an hour Peter Brutus taunted him. It was all he could do tokeep his hands wrapped in the rope behind his back; he was thankful whenthey returned him to his cell. The time was not ripe for the dash he wasnow determined to make. 

"Get a little nap, if you can, " he said to Loraine, when the door waslocked behind him. "It won't be long before something happens. I've gota plan. You'll have your part to play. God grant that it may work outwell for us. You--you might pray if--if--"

"Yes, I _can_ pray, " she said simply. "I'll do my part, Mr. King. "

He waited a moment. "We've been neighbours in New York for years, " hesaid. "Would you mind calling me Truxton, --and for Adele's sake, too?"

"It isn't hard to do, Truxton. "

"Good!" he exclaimed. 

She rebelled at the mere thought of sleep, but, unfastening her collarand removing the jabot, she made herself a comfortable cushion of hiscoat and sat back in her corner, strangely confident that this strong, eager American would deliver her from the Philistines--this fightingAmerican with the ten days' growth of beard on his erstwhile merry face. 

Sometime in the tense, suffocating hours of the night they heard thesounds of many footsteps shuffling about the outer room; there werehoarse, guttural, subdued good-byes and well-wishes, the creaking ofheavy doors and the dropping of bolts. Eventually King, who had beenlistening alertly, realised that but two of the men remained in theroom--Peter Brutus and Julius Spantz. 

An hour crept by, and another, seemingly interminable King was fairlygroaning under the suspense. The time was slowly, too slowly approachingwhen he was to attempt the most desperate act in all this sanguinarytragedy--the last act for him, no doubt, but the one in which he was tosee himself glorified. 

There remained the chance--the slim chance that only Providenceconsiders. He had prayed for strength and cunning; she had prayed fordivine intervention. But, after all, Luck was to be the referee. 

He had told her of his plan; she knew the part she was to play. And ifall went well--ah, then! He took a strange lesson in the language ofGraustark: one sentence, that was all. She had whispered the translationto him and he had grimly repeated it, over and over again. "She hasfainted, damn her!" It was to be their "Open Sesame"--if all went well!

Suddenly he started to his feet, his jaws set, his eyes gleaming. Thetelegraph instrument was clicking in the outer room!

He had wrapped his handkerchief about his big right hand, producing asort of cushion to deaden the sound of a blow with the fist and toprotect his knuckles; for all his strength was to go into that onemighty blow. If both men came into the room, his chance was smaller;but, in either event, the first blow was to be a mighty one. 

Taking his position near the girl, who was crouching in real dismay, heleaned against the wall, his hands behind him, every muscle strained andtaut. 

The door opened and Julius Spantz, bewhiskered and awkward, entered. Hewore a raincoat and storm hat, and carried a rope in one of his hands. He stopped just inside the door to survey the picture. 

"Time you were asleep, " he said stupidly, addressing King. 

"I'd put you to sleep, Julius, if Miss Tullis could have managed tountie these infernal bonds, " said Truxton, with pleasant daring. 

"I don't tie lovers' knots, " grinned Julius, pleased with his own wit. "Come, madam, I must ask you to stand up. Will you put your ownhandkerchief in your mouth, or must I use force--ah, that's good! I'msorry, but I must wrap this cloth about--"

He did not complete the sentence, for he had come within range. Thewhole weight of Truxton King's body was behind the terrific blow thatlanded on the man's jaw. Loraine suppressed the scream that rose to herwhite lips. Julius Spantz's knees crumpled; he lunged against the walland was sliding down when King caught him in his arms. The man wasstunned beyond all power of immediate action. It was the work of aninstant to snatch the revolver from his coat pocket. 

"Guard the door!" whispered King to the girl, pressing the revolver intoher hand. "And shoot if you have to!"

A handkerchief was stuffed into the unconscious man's mouth; the longcoat and boots were jerked from his limp body before his hands and feetwere bound with the rope he carried; the bushy whiskers and wig wereremoved from his head and transferred in a flash to that of theAmerican. Then the boots, coat and hat found a new wearer. 

Peter Brutus was standing in the stairway, leading to the sewer, listening eagerly for sounds from either side. 

"Hurry up, Julius, " he called imperatively. "They are below with theboat. They have given the signal. "

The new Julius uttered a single sentence; that was all. If Peter heardthe noise attending the disposal of his comrade, he was justified inbelieving that the girl had offered some resistance. When a tall, grunting man emerged from the inner room, bearing the limp figure of agirl in a frayed raincoat, he did not wait to ask questions, but rushedover and locked the cell-door. Then he led the way down the narrowstairway, lighting the passage with a candle. His only reply to King'sguttural remark in the Graustark language was:

"Don't speak, you fool! Not a word until we reach the river. "

Down the steps they went to the opening in the wall of the sewer. There, before the bolts were drawn by Brutus, a series of raps were exchangedby men outside and the one who held the keys within. 

A moment later, the girl was being lowered through the hole into rough, eager arms. Brutus and his companion dropped through, the secret blockof masonry was closed, and off through the shallow waters of the sewerglided the party riverward in the noiseless boat that had come up toferry them. 

There were three men in the boat, not counting Truxton King. 

CHAPTER XIV

ON THE RIVER

No word was spoken during this cautious, extraordinary voyageunderground. The boat drifted slowly through the narrow channel, unlighted and practically unguided. Two of the men sat at the rowlocks, but the oars rested idly in the boat. With their hands they kept thecraft from scraping against the walls. 

The pseudo-Julius supported his charge in the stern of the boat; PeterBrutus sat in the bow, a revolver in his hand, his gaze bent upon theopaqueness ahead. A whispered word of encouragement now and then passedfrom the lips of the hopeful American into the ear of the almostpulseless girl, who lay up against his knee. 

"We'll do it--sure!" he whispered once, ever so softly. 

"Yes, " she scarcely, breathed, but he heard and was thrilled. The ropehad dropped from her arms; she had taken the handkerchief from her mouthat his whispered command. 

At last the boat crept out into the rainy, starless night. He drew theskirts of his own mackintosh over her shoulders and head. A subduedcommand came from the man in the bow; the oars slipped into the deep, black waters of the river; without a splash or a perceptible sound thelittle craft scudded toward midstream. The night was so inky black thatone could not see his hand before his face. 

At least two of the occupants opened up their throats and lungs andgulped in the wet, fresh air. Never had anything been so glorious toTruxton King as these first tremendous inhalations of pure, free air. She felt his muscles expand; his whole body grew stronger and morevital. Her heart was pounding violently against his leg; he could feelits throbs, he could hear the quick, eager panting of her breath. 

It was now that he began to wonder, to calculate against the plans oftheir silent escort. Whither were they bound? When would his chance cometo strike the final, surprising blow? Only the greatest effort atself-control kept him from ruining everything by premature action; hisexultation was getting the better of him. Coolness and patience weregreater assets now than strength and daring. 

The boat turned in mid-stream and shot swiftly up the river, past theblack fortress with its scattered sentry lights, where slept a garrisonin sweet ignorance of the tragedy that was to come upon them when thesun was high. The lights of the city itself soon peeped down into therain-swept waters; music from the distant cafés came faintly to the earsof the midnight voyagers. A safe haven at their very elbows, and yetunattainable. 

The occasional creak of an oar, a whispered oath of dismay, the heavybreathing of toilers, the soft blowing of the mist-that was all; noother sound on the broad, still river. It was, indeed, a night fit forthe undertaking at hand. 

Truxton began to chafe under the strain. His uneasiness was increased bythe certain conviction that before long they would be beyond the city, the walls of which were gradually slipping past He could not even somuch as guess at their destination. There was also the likelihood ofencountering reinforcements, sent out to meet the boatmen, or forprotection at the time of landing. A hundred doubts and misgivingsassailed him. To suddenly open fire on the rascals went against thegrain. A dashing, running fight on shore was more to his liking. Anill-timed move would foil them even as success was in their grasp. 

He considered their chances if he were to overturn the frail boat andstrike out for shore in the darkness. This project he gave up at once:he did not know the waters nor the banks between which they glided. Theywere past the walls now and rowing less stealthily. Before long theywould be in a position to speak aloud; it would be awkward for him. Thesituation was rapidly growing more and more desperate; the time was nearat hand when the final effort would have to be exerted. He slipped therevolver from his pocket; somehow he was unable to keep his teeth fromchattering; but it was through excitement, not fear. 

Suddenly the boat turned to the right and shot toward the unseen bank. They were perhaps half a mile above the city wall. Truxton's mind wasworking like a trip-hammer. He was recalling a certain nomad settlementnorth of the city, the quarters of fishermen, poachers andhorse-traders: a squalid, unclean community that lay under the wallsbetween the northern gates and the river. These people, he was not slowto surmise, were undoubtedly hand in glove with Marlanx, if not sosurely connected with the misguided Committee of Ten. This being the eveof the great uprising, it was not unlikely that a secret host lay hereawake and ready for the foul observance of the coming holiday; here, atleast, chafed an eager, vicious, law-hating community of mendicants andoutcasts. 

He had little time to speculate on the attitude of the denizens of thisunwholesome place. The prow of the boat grated on the pebbly bank, andPeter Brutus leaped over the edge into the shallow water. 

"Come on, Julius--hand her over to me!" he cried, making his way to thestern. 

As he leaned over the side to seize the girl in his arms, Truxton Kingbrought the butt of the heavy revolver down upon his skull. Brutusdropped across the gunwale with a groan, dead to all that was to happenin the next half hour or more. 

King was anxious to avoid the hullaballoo that shooting was sure tocreate on shore. Action had been forced upon him rather precipitously, but he was ready. Leaning forward, he had the two amazed oarsmen coveredwith the weapon. 

"Hands up! Quick!" he cried. Two pairs of hands went up, together withstrange oaths. Truxton's eyes had grown used to the darkness; he couldsee the men quite plainly. "What are you doing?" he demanded of Loraine, who, behind him, was fumbling in the garments of the unconscious Brutus. 

"Getting his revolver, " she replied, with a quaver in her voice. 

"Good!" he said exultantly. "Let's think a minute, " he went on. "Wedon't dare turn these fellows loose, even if we disarm them. They'llhave a crowd after us in two minutes. " Still, keeping the men covered, he cudgelled his brain for the means of disposing of them. "I have it. We must disarm them, tie them up and set 'em adrift. Do you mind gettingout into the water? It's ankle deep, that's all. I'll keep them coveredwhile you take their guns. "

"Nice way to treat a friend, " growled one of the men. 

"A friend? By George, it's my Newport acquaintance. Well, this is apleasure! I suppose you know that I'll shoot if you resist. Better takeit quietly. "

"Oh, you'll shoot, all right, " said the other. "I told them damn foolsthat a Yankee'd get the better of 'em, even if they ran a steam rollerover him two or three times. Say, you're a pippin! I'd like to take offmy hat to you. "

"Don't bother. I acknowledge the tribute. "

Loraine Tullis was in the water by this time. With nervous haste sheobeyed King's instructions; the big revolvers were passed back to him. 

"I've changed my mind, " said Truxton' suddenly. "We'll keep the boat. Get in, Miss Tullis. There! Now, push off, Newport. "

"What the devil--" began Newport, but King silenced him. The boat slowlydrifted out into the current. 

"Now, row!" he commanded. With his free hand he reached back and draggedthe limp Brutus into the boat. "'Gad, I believe he's dead, " he muttered. 

For five minutes the surly oarsmen pulled away, headed in the directionfrom which they came. 

"Can you swim?" demanded King. 

"Not a stroke, " gasped Newport. "Good Lord, pal, you're not going todump us overboard. It's ten feet deep along here. "

"Pull on your left, hard. That's right. I'm going to land you on theopposite shore-and then bid you a cheerful good-night. "

Two minutes later they ran up under the western bank of the stream, which at this point was fully three hundred yards wide. The nearestbridge was a mile and a half away and habitations were scarce, as hewell knew. Under cover of the deadly revolver, the two men dropped intothe water, which was above their waists; the limp form of Peter Brutuswas pulled out and transferred to the shoulders of his companions. 

"Good-night, " called out Truxton King cheerily. He had grasped theoars; the little boat leaped off into the night, leaving the cursingdesperadoes waist-deep in the chilly waters. 

"See you later, " sang out Newport, with sudden humour. 

"We'll go south, " said Truxton King to the girl who sat in the stern, clutching the sides of the boat with tense fingers. "I don't know justwhere we'll land, but it won't be up in Devil's Patch, you may restassured of that. Pardon me if I do not indulge in small talk andbonmots; I'm going to be otherwise employed for some time, Miss Tullis. Do you know the river very well?"

"Not at all, " she replied. "I only know that the barge docks are belowhere somewhere. I'm sure we can get into the city if we can find thedocks. Let me take the oars, too, Mr. King. I can row. "

"No. Please sit where you are and keep your eyes ahead. Can you seewhere we're going?"

"I can see the lights. We're in mid-stream, I think. It's so very darkand the wind is coming up in a gale. It's--it's going to storm. Don'tyou think we'd better try for a landing along the walls? They say theriver is very treacherous. " She was trembling like a leaf. 

"I'll row over to the east side, but I don't like to get too close tothe walls. Some one may have heard the shouts of our friends backthere. "

Not another word passed between them for ten or twelve minutes. Shepeered anxiously ahead, looking for signs of the barge dock, which laysomewhere along this section of the city wall. In time, of course, themarooned desperadoes might be expected to find a way to pursue them, or, at least, to alarm watchful confederates on the city side of the river. It was a tense, anxious quarter of an hour for the liberated pair. Sonear to absolute safety, and yet so utterly in the dark as to what thenext moment, might develop--weal or woe. 

At least the sound of rapidly working rowlocks came to the girl's ears. They were slipping along in the dense blackness beneath the walls, making as little noise as possible and constantly on the lookout for thelong, low dock. 

"They're after us, " grated Truxton, in desperation. "They've got word tofriends one way or another. By Jove! I'm nearly fagged, too. I can'tpull much farther. Hello! What's this?"

The side of the boat caromed off' a solid object in the water, almostspilling them into the wind-blown river. 

"The docks!" she whispered. "We struck a small scow, I think. Can youfind your way in among the coal barges?"

He paddled along slowly, feeling his way, scraping alongside the bigbarges which delivered coal from the distant mines to the docks alongthe river front. At last he found an opening and pushed through. Amoment later they were riding under the stern of a broad, cargolessbarge, plumb up against the water-lapped piles of the dock. 

Standing in the bow of the boat he managed to pull himself up over theslippery edge. It was the work of a second to draw her up after him. With an oar which he had thought to remove beforehand, he gave the boata mighty shove, sending it out into the stream once more. 

Then, hand in hand, they edged slowly, carefully along the gravel-strewndock, between vast piles of lumber and steep walls of coal. It was onlynecessary to find the railway company's runways leading into the yardsabove; in time of peace there was little likelihood that the entrancesto the dock would be closed, even at night. 

Loud curses came up from the river, proclaiming the fact that thepursuers had found the empty boat. Afterwards they were to learn that"Newport's" shouts had brought a boatload of men from the opposite bank, headed by the innkeeper, in whose place Loraine was to have encounteredMarlanx later on, if plans had not miscarried. She was to have remainedin this outside inn until after the sacking of the city on the followingday. The girl translated one remark that came up to them from theboatload of pursuers:

"The old man is waiting back there. He'll kill the lot of us if we don'tbring the girl. "

By this time King had located the open space which undoubtedly affordedroom for the transfer of cargoes from the dock to the company's yardsinside the walls. Without hesitation he drew her after him up this wide, sinister roadway. They stumbled on over the rails of the "dummy track, "collided with collier trucks, slipped on the soggy chutes, but all thewhile forged ahead toward the gates that so surely lay above them. 

The pursuers were trying for a landing, noisily, even boisterously. Itstruck Truxton as queer that these men were not afraid of alarming thewatchmen on the docks or the man at the gate above. Suddenly it came tohim that there would be no one there to oppose the landing of themiscreants. No doubt hundreds of men already had stolen through thesegates during the night, secreting themselves in the fastnesses of thecity, ready for the morrow's fray. It is no small wonder that heshuddered at the thought of it. 

There was no one on the wharf--at least, no one in sight. They rushed upthe narrow railway chutes and through one of the numerous gateways thatopened out upon the barge docks. No one opposed them; no one wasstanding guard. From behind came the sound of rushing footsteps. Lightning flashed in the sky and the rumble of thunder broke over thedesolate night. 

"They'll see us by the lightning, " gasped Truxton, almost ready to dropfrom faintness and exhaustion. He was astounded, even alarmed, to findthat his strength had been so gravely depleted by confinement and lackof nourishment. 

They were inside the city walls. Ahead of them, in that labyrinth offilthy streets lay the way to the distant square. His arm was now abouther waist, for she was half-fainting; he could hear her gasping andmoaning softly, inarticulate cries of despair. Switch-lights blinked inthe distance. Off to the right of them windows showed lights; the clangof a locomotive bell came to them as from a great distance. 

Their progress was abruptly halted by the appearance of a man ahead, standing like a statue in the middle of the network of tracks. Theystumbled toward him, not knowing whether he was friend or foe. One lookinto their faces, aided by the flare of a yardman's lantern, and thefellow turned tail and fled, shouting as he did so. 

Following a vivid flash of lightning, two shots were fired by the menwho were now plunging up through the gates, a hundred yards or moreaway. The same flash of lightning showed to King the narrow, muddystreet that stretched ahead of them, lined with low, ugly houses of anondescript character. Instead of doing the obvious thing, he turnedsharply to the left, between the lines of freight cars. Their progresswas slow; both were ready to drop; the way was dark and unknown tothem. 

At last they came to the end of their rope: they were literally upagainst the great city wall! They had reached the limits of the railwayyards and were blocked on all sides by they knew not how many rows ofcars. Somewhere off to the right there were streets and houses andpeople, but they did not have the strength to try to reach them. 

A car door stood open in front of them. He waited for a second flash oflightning to reveal to him the nature of its interior. It was quiteempty. Without hesitation he clambered in and pulled her up after him. They fell over, completely fagged. 

A few minutes later the storm broke. He managed to close the dooragainst the driving torrents. 

She was sobbing plaintively, poor, wet, bedraggled sweetheart--he calledher that, although she did not hear him. 

"We've fooled them, " he managed to whisper, close to her ear. "Theywon't look here. You're safe, Loraine. 'Gad, I'd like to see any one getyou away from me now. "

She pressed his arm, that was all. He found himself wondering whatanswer she would give to Vos Engo when he took her to him to-morrow. To-morrow! This was the 26th! Would there be a to-morrow for any ofthem--for Vos Engo, for Tullis, for the Prince? For _her_?

"There will be time to warn them in the morning, " he thought, dulled byfatigue. "We can't go on now. "

"Truxton, " he heard her saying, tremulously, "do you think we can doanything for them--the Prince and those who are with him? How can we liehere when there is so much to be done?"

"When the storm abates--when we are rested--we will try to get awayfrom here. Those devils know that I will give the alarm. They will havehundreds of men watching to head us off. It means everything to them. You see, I know their plans. But, Loraine, dear little girl, brave asyou are and willing as I am, we can't go on until we've pulled ourselvestogether. We're safe here for awhile. Later on, we'll try to steal up tothe city. They will be watching every approach to the Castle and to theTower, hoping to stop me in time. We must out-fox them again. It will beharder, too, little girl. But, if I don't do any more, I pledge you thatI'll save you from Marlanx. "

"Oh, I know you will. You must, Truxton. "

"I'd--I'd like to be sure that I am also saving you from Vos Engo. Ihate to think of you throwing yourself away on one of these blithering, fortune-hunting noblemen. " She pressed his arm again. "By Jove, it'sgreat fun being a hero, after all--and it isn't so difficult, if thegirl helps you as you helped me. It's too bad I couldn't do it all bymyself. I have always counted on rescuing you from an Ogre's castle orsomething of that sort. It's rather commonplace as it is, don't youthink?"

"I don't--know what--you're talking about, " she murmured. Then she wasfast asleep. 

The storm raged; savage bursts of wind rocked the little freight car;the rain hissed viciously against their frail hotel; thunder roared andlightning rent sky and earth. The weary night-farers slept withpandemonium dinning in their ears. 

He sat with his back against the side of the car, a, pistol in one hand, the other lying tenderly upon the drenched hair of the girl whose headrested upon his leg. She had slipped down from his shoulder; he did nothave the desire or the energy to prevent it. At his side lay thediscarded whiskers. Manfully as he had fought against the impellingdesire to sleep, he could not beat it off. His last waking thought wasof the effort he must make to reach Dangloss with the warning. 

Then the storm abated; the soft drip of rain from the eaves of the carbeat a monotonous tattoo in the pools below; the raw winds from themountains blew stealthily in the wake of the tornado, picking up thewaste that had been left behind only to cast it aside with a moan ofderision. 

Something stirred in the far end of the car. A still, small noise as ofsomething alive that moved with the utmost wariness. A heavy, breathingbody crept stealthily across the intervening space; so quietly that amouse could have made but little less noise. 

Then it stopped; there was not a sound inside the car except the deep, regular breathing of Truxton King. The girl's respiration was so faintthat one might have thought she did not breathe at all. Again the sly, cautious movement of a heavy body; the creaking of a joint or two, thesound of a creature rising from a crouching position to the upright;then the gentle rubbing of cloth, the fumbling of fingers in a stubbornpocket. 

An instant later the bluish flame of a sulphur match struggled for life, growing stronger and brighter in the hand of a man who stood above thesleepers. 

CHAPTER XV

THE GIRL IN THE RED CLOAK

Inside of an hour after the return of the frightened, quivering groomwho had escaped from the brigands in the hills, Jack Tullis was grantedpermission by the war department to take a hundred picked men with himin the effort to overtake and capture the abductors of his sister. Thedazed groom's story hardly had been told to the horrified brother beforehe was engaged in telephoning to General Braze and Baron Dangloss. Ahurried consultation followed. Other affairs that had been troubling theauthorities for days were forgotten in the face of this distressingcatastrophe; there was no time to be lost if the desperadoes were to beheaded before they succeeded in reaching the Dawsbergen passes withtheir lovely captive. Once there, it would be like hunting a needle in ahaystack; they could elude pursuit for days among the wild crags ofupper Dawsbergen, where none but outlaws lived, and fierce beaststhrived. 

Unluckily for the dearest hopes of the rescuing party, the miserablegroom did not reach the city until almost noon of the day following theabduction. He had lost his way and had wandered all night in theforests. When Miss Tullis failed to return at nightfall, her brother, having in mind the mysterious disappearance of Truxton King and theflight of Countess Ingomede, was preparing to set forth in search ofher. A telephone message from Ganlook, fifteen miles north of the city, came at seven o'clock, just as he was leaving the Castle. The speakerpurported to be the Countess Prandeville, a very estimable chatelainewho ruled socially over the grim old village of Ganlook. She informedTullis that his sister was with her for the night, having arrived in theafternoon with a "frightful headache. " She would look after the dearchild, of whom she was very fond, and would send her down in themorning, when she would surely be herself again. Greatly relieved, Tullis gave up his plan to ride off in quest of her; he knew the amiableCountess, and felt that his sister was in good hands. 

It was not until the return of the groom that he recalled the fact thatthe voice on the telephone was not quite like that of the Countess. Hehad been cleverly hoodwinked. Baron Dangloss, obtaining connection withthe Prandeville household in Ganlook, at once discovered that Lorainehad not been in the chateau in many days. 

The fierce, cock-robin baron was sadly upset. Three prominent personshad been stolen from beneath his nose, so to speak. He was besidehimself with rage and dismay. This last outrage was the climax. The oldman adored the sister of Jack Tullis; he was heartbroken and crushed bythe news of the catastrophe. For a while he worked as if in a daze; onlythe fierce spurring of Jack Tullis and Vos Engo, who believed himself tobe an accepted suitor, awoke him from an unusual state of lethargy. Itis even said that the baron shed tears without blowing his nose todiscredit the emotion. 

The city was soon to know of the fresh outrage at the hands of thebandits in the hills. Great excitement prevailed; there were manysincere lamentations, for the beautiful American girl was a greatfavourite--especially with those excellent persons who conducted bazaarsin the main avenues. Loraine, being an American, did not hesitate tovisit the shops in person: something that the native ladies neverthought of doing. Hundreds of honest citizens volunteered to join in asearch of the hills, but the distinction was denied them. 

The war department issued official notice to all merchants that theirplaces of business must be decorated properly against the holiday thatwould occur on the morrow. Shops were to be closed for two hours atmidday, during the ceremonies attending the unveiling of the Yetivemonument in the Plaza. The merchants might well give their time todecorating their shops; the soldiers could do all the searching and allthe fighting that was necessary. Strict orders, backed by method, wereissued to the effect that no one was to pass through the gates duringthe day, except by special permission from General Braze. 

Count Vos Engo was eager to accompany the expedition to Dawsbergen insearch of his wayward lady-love. Tullis, who liked the gay youngnobleman despite the reputation he had managed to live down, was willingthat he should be the one to lead the troops, but Colonel Quinnox flatlyrefused to consider it. 

"To-morrow's celebration in the city will demand the attendance of everynoble officer in the guard, " he said. "I cannot allow you to go, CountVos Engo. Your place is here, beside the Prince. Line officers may takecharge of this expedition to the hills; they will be amply able tomanage the chase. I am sorry that it happens so. The Royal Guard, to aman, must ride with the Prince to-morrow. "

Captain Haas, of the dragoons, was put in charge of the relief party, much to the disgust of Vos Engo; and at two o'clock in the afternoonthey were ready to ride away. The party was armed and equipped for abitter chase. Word had been sent to Serros, the capital of Dawsbergen, asking the assistance of Prince Dantan in the effort to overtake theabductors. A detachment, it was announced in reply, was to start fromSerros during the afternoon, bound for the eastern passes. 

Baron Dangloss rode to the southern gate with the white-faced, sufferingTullis. "We will undoubtedly receive a communication from the rascalsthis afternoon or to-morrow, " he said gloomily. "They will not be slowto make a formal demand for ransom, knowing that you and your sister arepossessed of unlimited wealth. When this communication arrives it maygive us a clue to their whereabouts; certainly as to their methods. Ifit should be necessary, Tullis, to apprise you of the nature of thisdemand, I, myself, will ride post haste to St. Michael's Pass, which youare bound to reach to-morrow after your circuit of the upper gaps. It ispossible, you see, that an open attack on these fellows may result inher--er--well, to be frank--her murder. Damn them, they'd do it, youknow. My place to-morrow is here in the city. There may be disturbances. Nothing serious, of course, but I am uneasy. There are many strangers inthe city and more are coming for the holiday. The presence of the Princeat the unveiling of the statue of his mother--God bless her soul!--is atremendous magnet. I would that you could be here to-morrow, JohnTullis; at Prince Robin's side, so to speak. "

"Poor little chap! He was terribly cut up when I told him I was going. He wanted to come. Had his little sword out, and all that. Said thecelebration could be postponed or go hang, either one. Look after himclosely to-morrow, Dangloss. I'd shoot myself if anything were to happento him. Marlanx is in the air; I feel him, I give you my word, I do!I've been depressed for days. As sure as there's a sun up yonder, thatold scoundrel is planning something desperate. Don't forget that we'vealready learned a few things regarding his designs. " He waited a momentbefore uttering his gravest fear. "Don't give him a chance to strike atthe Prince. "

"He wouldn't dare to do that!"

"He'd dare anything, from what I've heard of him. "

"You hate him because--"

"Go on! Yes, I hate him because he has made _her_ unhappy. Hello, who'sthis?"

A man who had ridden up to the gates, his horse covered with foam, wasdemanding admission. The warders halted him unceremoniously as Danglossrode forward. They found that he was one of the foremen in the employ ofthe railway construction company. He brought the disquieting news thatanother strike had been declared, that the men were ugly and determinedto tear up the track already laid unless their demands were considered, and, furthermore, that there had been severe fighting between the twofactions engaged on the work. He urgently implored Dangloss to sendtroops out to hold the rioters in check. Many of the men were demandingtheir pay so that they might give up their jobs and return to their ownlands. 

"What is your name?" demanded the harassed minister of police. 

"Polson, " replied the foreman. He lied, for he was no other than JohnCromer, the unsavoury husband of Anna Cromer, of the Committee of Ten. 

"Come with me, " said Dangloss. "We will go to General Braze. Good-byeand good luck, Tullis. "

The little baron rode back into the city, accompanied by the shifty-eyedCromer, while John Tullis sped off to the south, riding swiftly by theside of the stern-faced Captain Haas, an eager company of dragoonsbehind, a mountain guide in front. 

At that very moment, Loraine Tullis was comparing notes with TruxtonKing in the room beneath the armourer's shop; Count Marlanx was hidingin the trader's inn outside the northern gates; the abductors themselveswere scattered about the city, laughing triumphantly over the success ofthe ruse that had drawn the well-feared American away on a wild-goosechase to the distant passes of Dawsbergen. More than that: at fiveo'clock in the afternoon a second detachment of soldiers left the cityfor the scene of the riots in the construction camps, twenty miles away. 

Surely the well-laid plans of the Iron Count were being skilfullycarried out!

All afternoon and evening men straggled in from the hills andsurrounding country, apparently loth to miss the early excitementattending the ceremonies on the following day. Sullen strikers from thecamps came down, cursing the company but drinking noisy toasts to therailroad and its future. The city by night swarmed with revellingthousands; the bands were playing, the crowds were singing, and mobswere drinking and carousing in the lower end. The cold, drizzling rainthat began to blow across the city at ten o'clock did little towardchecking the hilarity of the revellers. Honest citizens went to bedearly, leaving the streets to the strangers from the hills and theriver-lands. Not one dreamed of the ugly tragedy that was drawing to aclimax as he slept the sleep of the just, the secure, theconscience-free. 

At three o'clock in the morning word flew from brothel to brothel, fromlodging house to lodging house, in all parts of the slumbering city; athousand men crept out into the streets after the storm, all animatedby one impulse, all obeying a single fierce injunction. 

They were to find and kill a tall American! They were to keep him or hiscompanion from getting in touch with the police authorities, or with theRoyal Castle, no matter what the cost!

The streets were soon alive with these alert, skulking minions. Everyapproach to the points of danger was guarded by desperate, heavily armedscoundrels who would not have hesitated an instant if it came to theirhands to kill Truxton King, the man with all their dearest secrets inhis grasp. In dark doorways lounged these apparently couchlessstrangers; in areaways and alleys, on doorsteps they found shelter; inthe main streets and the side streets they roamed. All the time they hadan eager, evil eye out for a tall American and a slender girl!

Dangloss's lynx-eyed constabulary kept close watch over these restless, homeless strangers, constantly ordering them to disperse, or to "moveon, " or to "find a bed, not a doorstep. " The commands were alwaysobeyed; churlishly, perhaps, in many instances, but never with physicalresistance. 

At five o'clock, a stealthy whisper went the rounds, reaching the ear ofevery vagabond and cutthroat engaged in the untiring vigil. Like smokethey faded away. The silent watch was over. 

The word had sped to every corner of the town that it was no longernecessary to maintain the watch for Truxton King. He was no longer in aposition to give them trouble or uneasiness!

The twenty-sixth dawned bright and cool after the savage storm from thenorth. Brisk breezes floated down from the mountain peaks; anunreluctant sun smiled his cheeriest from his seat behind the hills, warmly awaiting the hour when he could peep above them for a look intothe gala nest of humanity on the western slope. Everywhere there wasactivity, life, gladness and good humour. 

Gaudy decorations which had been torn away by the storm were cheerfullyreplaced; workmen refurbished the public stands and the Royal box in thePlaza; bands paraded the avenues or gave concerts in Regengetz Circus;troops of mounted soldiers and constabulary patroled the streets. Therewas nothing to indicate to the municipality that the vilest conspiracyof the age--of any age--was gripping its tentacles about the city ofEdelweiss, the smiling, happy city of mountain and valley. No one couldhave suspected guile in the laughter and badinage that masked the mannerof the men who were there to spread disaster in the bunting-cladthoroughfares. 

"I don't like the looks of things, " said Baron Dangloss, time and again. His men were never so alert as to-day and never so deceived. 

"There can't be trouble of any sort, " mused Colonel Quinnox. "Thesefellows are ugly, 'tis true, but they are not prepared for ademonstration. They are unarmed. What could they do against the troops, even though they are considerably depleted?"

"Colonel, we'll yet see the day when Graustark regrets the economy thathas cut our little army to almost nothing. What have we now, all told?Three hundred men in the Royal Guard. Less than six hundred in thefortress. I have a hundred policemen. There you are. To-day there arenearly two hundred soldiers off in the mountains on nasty business ofone sort or another. 'Gad, if these ruffians from the railroad possessedno more than pistols they could give us a merry fight. There must be athousand of them. I don't like it. We'll have trouble before the day'sover. "

"General Braze says his regulars can put down any sort of an uprising inthe city, " protested Quinnox. "In case of war, you know we have thetwenty thousand reserves, half of whom were regulars until two yearsago. "

"Perfectly true. Quinnox, it's your duty to take care of the Prince. You've done so in your family for fifteen generations. See to it thatPrince Robin is well looked after to-day, that's all. "

"Trust me for that, Baron, " said Quinnox with his truest smile. EvenMarlanx knew that he would have to kill a Quinnox before a Graustarkruler could be reached. 

By eleven o'clock the streets in the neighbourhood of the Plaza werepacked with people. All along Castle Avenue, up which the Prince was todrive in the coach of State, hung the proud, adoring burghers and theirfamilies: like geese to flock, like sheep to scatter. At twelve theCastle gates were to be thrown open for the brilliant cavalcade that wasto pass between these cheering rows of people. In less than a quarter ofan hour afterward, the Prince and his court, the noble ladies andgentlemen of Graustark, with the distinguished visitors from otherlands, would pass into the great square through Regengetz Circus. 

At the corner below the crowded Castle Café, in the north side of thesquare, which was now patroled by brilliant dragoons, two men met andexchanged the compliments of the day. One of them had just come up onhorseback. He dismounted, leaving the animal in charge of an urchin whosaw a gavvo in sight. This man was young and rather dashing inappearance. The other was older and plainly a citizen of someconsequence. 

"Well?" said the latter impatiently, after they had passed the time ofday for the benefit of the nearest on-lookers. The younger man, slappinghis riding boot with his crop, led the way to the steps of a houseacross the sidewalk. Both had shot a swift, wary glance at one of theupper windows. 

"Everything is ready. There will be no hitch, " said the horseman in lowtones. 

"You have seen Spantz?"

"Sh! No names. Yes. The girl is ready. "

"And the fortress?"

"Fifty men are in the houses opposite and others will go there--lateron. "

"We must keep the reserves out of the fortress. It would meandestruction if they got to the gun-rooms and the ammunition houses. "

"Is he here?" with a motion toward the upper window. 

"Yes. He came disguised as an old market woman, just after daybreak. "

"Well, here's his horse, " said the other, "but he'll have to change hisdress. It isn't a side saddle. " The young villain laughed silently. 

"Go up now to the square, Peter. Your place is there. "

If one had taken the time to observe, he might have seen that the youngman wore his hat well forward, and that his face was unnaturally white. We, who suspect him of being Peter Brutus, have reason to believe thatthere was an ugly cut on the top of his head and that it gave himexceeding pain. 

Shortly after half past eleven o'clock certain groups of men usurpedthe positions in front of certain buildings on the south side of thesquare. A score here, a half score there, others below them. Theyfavoured the shops operated by the friends of the Committee of Ten; theywere the men who were to take possession of the rifles that lay hiddenbehind counters and walls. Here, there, everywhere, all about the city, other instructed men were waiting for the signal that was to tell themto hustle deadly firearms from the beds of green-laden market wagons. Itwas all arranged with deadly precision. There could be no blunder. TheIron Count and his deputies had seen to that. 

Men were stationed in the proper places to cut all telephone andtelegraph wires leading out of the city. Others were designated to holdthe gates against fugitives who might seek to reach the troops in thehills. 

Marlanx's instructions were plain, unmistakable. Only soldiers andpolicemen were to be shot; members of the royal household were alreadydoomed, including the ministry and the nobles who rode with the royalcarriage. 

The Committee of Ten had said that there would not be another ministry, never another Graustark nobility; only the Party of Equals. The IronCount had smiled to himself and let them believe all that they preachedin secret conclave. But he knew that there would be another ministry, anew nobility and a new ruler, and that there would be _no Committee ofTen!_

Two thousand crafty mercenaries, skilled rioters and fighters from allparts of the world stood ready in the glad streets of Edelweiss to leapas one man to the standard of the Iron Count the instant he appeared inthe square after the throwing of the bomb. A well-organised, carefullyinstructed army of no mean dimensions, in the uniform of the lout andvagabond, would rise like a flash of light before the dazzled, panic-stricken populace, and Marlanx would be master. Without the callof drum or bugle his sinister soldiers of fortune would leap intopositions assigned them; in orderly, determined company front, led bychosen officers, they would sweep the square, the Circus and theavenues, up-town to the Castle, down-town to the fortress and therailway station, everywhere establishing the pennant of the man who hadbeen banished. 

The present dynasty was to end at one o'clock! So said Marlanx! Howcould Dangloss or Braze or Quinnox say him nay? They would be dead or inirons before the first shock of disaster had ceased to thrill. Theothers? Pah! They were as chaff to the Iron Count. 

The calm that precedes the storm fell upon the waiting throng; anominous silence spread from one end of the avenue to the other. For asecond only it lasted. The hush of death could not have been quieter normore impressive. Even as people looked at each other in wonder, thetumult came to its own again. Afterward a whole populace was to recallthis strange, depressing second of utter stillness; to the end of timethat sudden pall was spoken of with bated breath and in awe. 

Then, from the distant Castle came the sound of shouts, crawling up thelong line of spectators for the full length of the avenue to the eagerthrong in Regengetz Circus, swelling and growing louder as the news camethat the Prince had ridden forth from the gates. Necks were craned, rapteyes peered down the tree-topped boulevard, glad voices cried outtidings to those in the background. The Prince was coming!

Bonny, adorable Prince Robin!

Down the broad avenue came the Royal Military Band, heading thebrilliant procession. Banners were flying; gold and silver standardsgleamed in the van of the noble cavalcade; brilliantly uniformedcuirassiers and dragoons on gaily caparisoned horses formed a gildedphalanx that filled the distant end of the street, slowly creeping downupon the waiting thousands, drawing nearer and nearer to the spot ofdoom. 

A stately, noble, inspiring procession it was that swept toward thePlaza. The love of the people for their little Prince welled up andoverflowed in great waves of acclamation. Pomp and display, gold andfine raiment were but the creation of man; Prince Robin was, to them, the choicest creation of God. He was their Prince!

On came the splendid phalanx of guardsmen, followed by rigid infantrymenin measured tread; the clattering of horses' hoofs, the beat of drums, the clanking of scabbards and the jangling of royal banners, rising evenabove the hum of eager voices. The great coach of gold, with its halfscore of horses, rolled sombrely beneath nature's canopy of green, surrounded on all sides by proud members of the Royal Guard. Word camedown the line that the Prince sat alone in the rear seat of the greatcoach, facing the Prime Minister and Countess Halfont. Two carriagesfrom the royal stables preceded the Prince's coach. In the first was theDuke of Perse and three fellow-members of the Cabinet; the secondcontained Baron Dangloss and General Braze. After the Prince came ascore or more of rich equipages filled with the beauty, the nobility, the splendour of this rich little court. 

The curtains in a house at the corner of the square parted gently. Ahawk-faced old man peered out upon the joyous crowd. His black eyesswept the scene. A grim smile crept into his face. He dropped thecurtains and walked away from the window, tossing a cigarette into agrate on the opposite side of the room. Then he looked at his watch. 

All of the bands in the square had ceased playing when the Castle gateswere opened for the royal procession: only the distant, rythmic beat ofa lively march came up from the avenue to the ears of this baleful oldman in the second-story front room of the home of apothecary Boltz. 

At the extreme outer side of Regengetz Circus a small group of men andwomen stood, white-faced and immovable, steadfastly holding a positionin the front rank of spectators. Shrinking back among this determinedcoterie was the slender, shuddering figure of Olga Platanova, haggard-faced, but with the light of desperation in her eyes. 

As the procession drew nearer, the companions of this wretched girlslunk away from her side, losing themselves in the crowd, leaving her todo her work while they sought distant spots of safety. Olga Platanova, her arms folded beneath the long red cloak she wore, remained where theyhad placed her and--waited!

CHAPTER XVI

THE MERRY VAGABOND

The man who stood in the middle of the freight-car, looking down inwonder at the fugitives, was a tall vagabond of the most picturesquetype. No ragamuffin was ever so tattered and torn as this rakishindividual. His clothes barely hung together on his lank frame; he wasbarefoot and hatless; a great mop of black hair topped his shrewd, rugged face; coal-black eyes snapped and twinkled beneath shaggy browsand a delighted, knowing grin spread slowly over his rather boyishcountenance. He was not a creature to strike terror to the heart of anyone; on the contrary, his mischievous, sprightly face produced animpression of genuine good humour and absolute indifference to the harshthings of life. 

Long, thin lips curled into a smile of delicious regard; his sides shookwith the quiet chuckle of understanding. He did not lose his smile, evenwhen the match burned his finger tips and fell to the floor of the car. Instead, the grin was broader when he struck the second match andresumed his amused scrutiny of his fellow-lodgers. This time hepractised thrift: he lighted a cigarette with the match before tossingit aside. Then he softly slid the car door back in its groove and lookedout into the moist, impenetrable night. A deep sigh left his smilinglips; a retrospective langour took possession of his long frame; hesighed again, and still he smiled. 

Leaning against the side of the door this genial gypsy smoked inblissful silence until the stub grew so short that it burned his alreadysinged fingers. He was thinking of other days and nights, and of manymaids in far-off lands, and of countless journeys in which he, too, hadhad fair and gentle company--short journeys, yes, but not to beforgotten. Ah, to be knight of the road and everlasting squire to theGoddess of Love! He always had been that--ever since he could remember;he had loved a hundred briefly; none over long. It was the only way. 

Once more he turned to look upon the sleeping pair. This time he lightedthe stub of a tallow candle. The tender, winning smile in his dark eyesgrew to positive radiance. Ah, how he envied this great, sleepingwayfarer! How beautiful his mistress! How fortunate the lover! And howthey slept--how tired they were! Whence had they come? From what distantland had they travelled together to reach this holiday-garnished city inthe hills? Vagabonds, tramps! They were of his world, a part of hisfamily; he knew and had loved a hundred of her sisters, he was one of ahundred-thousand brothers to this man. 

Why should he stay here to spoil their waking hour? The thought came tohim suddenly. No; he would surrender his apartment to them. He was freeand foot-loose; he could go elsewhere. He _would_ go elsewhere. 

Softly he tip-toed to his own corner of the car, looking over hisshoulder with anxious eyes to see that his movements did not disturbthem. He gathered up his belongings: an ancient violin case, a stoutwalking stick, a goodly sized pack done up in gaudy cloth, a well-wornpair of sandals with long, frayed lacings. As gently he stole back tothe door. Here he sat down, with his feet hanging outside the car. Then, with many a sly, wary glance at his good comrades, he put on hissandals and laced them up the leg. He tossed a kiss to the sleepinggirl, his dark gypsy face aglow with admiration and mischief, and wasabout to blow out the light of his candle. Then he changed his mind. Hearose and stood over them again, looking long and solemnly at the faceof the sleeping girl. Ah, yes, she was the most beautiful he had everseen--the very fairest. He had known her sisters, but-no, they were notlike this one. With a sly grimace of envy he shook his fist at the tallman whose leg served as a pillow for the tired head. 

The girl looked wan and tired--and hungry. Poor thing! Never had he seenone so sweet and lovely as she; never had he seen such a shockinglymuddy mackintosh, however, as the one she wore, never were hands sodirty as the slender ones which lay limp before her. With a determinedshake of his head and a new flash of the eye he calmly seated himselfand began to open his ragged pack. Once he paused, a startled look inhis face. He caught sight of the revolver at Truxton's side for thefirst time. The instant of alarm passed and a braver smile than evercame. Ah, here was a knight who would fight for his lady love! Goodfellow! Bravo!

At last his small store of food lay exposed. Without hesitation hedivided the pieces of smoked venison, giving one part to himself, two tothe sleepers; then the miller's bread and the cheese, and the bag ofdates he had bought the day before. He tied up his own slender portionand would have whistled for the joy of it all had he not bethoughthimself in time. 

From one of his pockets he drew out tobacco and cigarette papers. Withhis back planted up against the wall of the car, his legs crossed andhis feet wiggling time to the inward tune he sang, he calmly rolled halfa dozen cigarettes and placed them, one by one, beside the feast. Onematch from his thin supply he placed alongside the cigarettes. Then helooked very doubtful. No; one might blow out. He must not be niggardly. So he kept two for himself and gave three to the guest at his banquet. 

Again he blew a kiss to the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Snuffinghis candle, he dropped to the ground and closed the door against allspying, uncivil eyes. 

The first grey of dawn was growing in the sombre east. He looked outover the tops of cars and sniffed the air. The rain was over. He knew. Atinge of red that none but the gypsy could have distinguished betrayedthe approach of a sunny day. Jauntily he swung off down the path betweenthe lines of cars, his fickle mind wavering between the joys of thecoming day and the memory of the loveliest Romany he had everencountered. 

Daybreak found him at the wharf gates. It was gloomy here and silent;the city above looked asleep and unfruitful. His heart was gay; helonged for company. Whimsical, careless hearted, he always obeyed theimpulse that struck him first. As he stood there, surveying the wet, deserted wharf, it came to him suddenly that if he went back and playedone soft love-song before the door of the car, they might invite him tojoin them in the breakfast that the genie had brought. 

His long legs were swift. In five minutes he was half way down the lineof cars, at the extreme end of which stood the happy lodging place ofhis heart's desire. Then he paused, a dubious frown between his eyes. No! he said, slapping his own cheek soundly; it would not be fair! Hewould not disturb them, not he! How could he have thought of such athing. _Le bon Dieu!_ Never! He would breakfast alone!

Coming to an empty flat car, direct from the quarries, he resolutelyseated himself upon its edge, and, with amiable resignation, set aboutdevouring his early meal, all the while casting longing, almostappealing glances toward the next car but one. Busy little switchengines began chugging about the yards; the railroad, at least, wasexhibiting some signs of life. Here and there the crews were "snaking"out sections and bumping them off to other parts of the gridiron; a carhere, a car there--all aflounder, but quite simple to this merrywanderer. He knew all about switching, he did. It did not cause him theleast uneasiness when a sudden jar told him that an engine had beenattached to the distant end of the string in which he breakfasted. Norwas he disturbed when the cars began to move. What cared he? He wouldride in his dining-car to the objective switch, wherever that was, andno doubt would find himself nearer the main freight depot, with littleor no walking to do on his journey to the square. 

But the "string" was not bound for another track in the yards; it was onits way to the main line, thence off through the winding valley intostrange and distant lands. 

Sir Vagabond, blissfully swinging his heels and munching his venison, smiled amiably upon the yard men as he passed them by. So genial was thesmile, so frank the salutation, that not one scowled back at him orhurled the chunk of coal that bespeaks a surly temper. Down through themaze of sidetracks whisked the little train, out upon the main line witha thin shriek of greeting, past the freight houses--it was then that SirVagabond sat up very straight, a look of mild interest in his eyes. Interest gave way to perplexity, perplexity to concern. What's this?Leaving the city? He wasted no time. This would never do! Clutching hisbelongings to his side, he vaulted from one hand, nimbly and with thegracefulness of wide experience, landing safely on his feet at theroadside. 

There he stood with the wry, dazed look of a man who suddenly findshimself guilty of arrant stupidity, watching the cars whiz past on theirway to the open country. Just ahead was the breach in the wall throughwhich all trains entered or left the city. Into that breach shot thetrain, going faster and faster as it saw the straight, clear trackbeyond. He waited until the tail end whisked itself out of sight in thecut below the city walls, and then trudged slowly, dejectedly in theopposite direction, his heart in his boots. He was thinking of theluckless pair in the empty "box. "

Suddenly he stopped, his chin up, his hands to his sides. A hearty pealof laughter soared from his lips. He was regarding the funny side of thesituation. The joke was on them! It was rich! The more he thought oftheir astonishment on awaking, the more he laughed. He leaned against acar. 

His immense levity attracted attention. Four or five men approached himfrom the shadows of the freight houses, ugly, unsmiling fellows. Theydemanded of him the cause of his unseemly mirth. With tears in his merryblack eyes he related the plight of the pretty slumberers, dwelling moreor less sentimentally on the tender beauty of the maiden fair. Theyplied him with questions. He described the couple--even glowingly. Thenthe sinister fellows smiled; more than that, they clapped each other onthe back and swore splendidly. He was amazed and his own good humourgave way to fierce resentment. What right had these ruffians to laugh atthe misfortunes of that unhappy maid?

A switchman came up, and one of the men, a lank American whom we shouldrecognise by the sound of his voice (having heard it before), askedwhither the train was bound and when it would first stop in its flight. 

"At the Poo quarries, seventeen kilometers down the line. They cut out afew empties there. She goes on to the division point after that. "

"Any trains up from that direction this morning?" demanded "Newport. "

"Not till this afternoon. Most of the crews are in the city for the--"But the switchman had no listeners beyond that statement. 

And so it was that the news spread over town at five o'clock thatTruxton King was where he could do no harm. It was well known that thetrain would make forty miles an hour down the steep grade into the lowervalley. 

Up into the city strolled Sir Vagabond, his fiddle in his hand, hisheart again as light as a feather. Some day--ah, some day! he would seeher again on the road. It was always the way. Then he would tell her howunhappy he had been--for a minute. She was so pretty, so very pretty! Hesighed profoundly. We see no more of him. 

When Truxton King first awoke to the fact that they were no longer lyingmotionless in the dreary yards, he leaped to his feet with a startledshout of alarm. Loraine sat up, blinking her eyes in half-consciouswonder. It was broad daylight, of course; the train was rattling throughthe long cut just below the city walls. With frantic energy he pulledopen the door. For a minute he stared at the scudding walls of stone soclose at hand, uncomprehendingly. Then the truth burst upon him withthe force of a mighty blow. He staggered back, his jaw dropping, hiseyes glaring. 

"What the dev--Great God, Loraine! We're going! We're moving!" he criedhoarsely. 

"I know it, " she gasped, her body rocking violently with the swaying ofthe wild, top-heavy little car. 

"Great Scott! How we're pounding it! Fifty miles an hour. Where are we?"he cried, aghast. He could scarcely keep his feet, so terrific was thespeed and so sickening the motion. 

She got to her feet and lurched to his side. "Don't fall out!" shealmost shrieked. He drew back with her. Together they swayed like reedsin a windstorm, staring dizzily at the wall before them. 

Suddenly the train shot out into the open, farm-spattered valley. Truxton fell back dumbfounded. 

"The country!" he exclaimed. "We've been carried away. I--I can'tbelieve my senses. Could we have slept--what a fool, what an idiot! Godin heaven! The Prince! He is lost!" He was beside himself with anguishand despair, raging like a madman, cursing himself for a fool, a dog, amurderer!

Little less distressed than her companion, Loraine Tullis still had thegood sense to keep him from leaping from the car. He had shouted to herthat he must get back to the city; she could go on to the next town andfind a hiding place. He would come to her as soon as he had given thealarm. 

"You would be killed, " she cried, clutching his arm fiercely. "You nevercan jump, Truxton. See how we are running. If you jump, I shall follow. I won't go on alone. I am as much to blame as you. "

The big, strong fellow broke down and cried, utterly disheartened. 

"Don't cry, Truxton, please don't cry!" she pleaded. "Something willhappen. We must stop sometime. Then we can get another train back, ortelegraph, or hire a wagon. It must be very early. The sun is scarcelyup. Do be brave! Don't give up!"

He squared his shoulders. "You put me to shame!" he cried abjectly. "I'm--I'm unnerved, that's all. It was too much of a blow. After we'dgot away from those scoundrels so neatly, too. Oh, it's maddening! I'llbe all right in a minute. You plucky, plucky darling!"

The train whirled through a small hamlet without even slackening itsspeed. Truxton endeavoured to shout a warning to two men who stood bythe gates; but they merely laughed, not comprehending. Then he undertookto arrest the attention of the engineer. He leaned from the door andshouted. The effort was futile, almost disastrous. A lurch came near tohurling him to the rocky road bed. Now and then they passed farmers onthe high road far above, bound for the city. They called out to them, but the cries were in vain. With every minute they were running fartherand farther away from the city of Edelweiss; every mile was adding tothe certainty of the doom which hung over the little Prince and hispeople. 

A second small station flew by. "Ronn: seven kilometers to Edelweiss. "He looked at her in despair. 

"We're going faster and faster, " he grated. "This is the fastest trainin the world, Loraine, bar none. "

Just then his gaze alighted on the pathetic breakfast and the wanderingcigarettes. He stared as if hypnotised. Was he going mad? An instantlater he was on his hands and knees, examining the mysterious feast. Shejoined him at once; no two faces ever before were so puzzled andperplexed. 

"By heaven!" he exclaimed, drawing her away from the spot in quickalarm, comprehension flooding his brain. "I see it all! We've beendeliberately shanghaied! We've been bottled up here, drugged, perhaps, and shipped out of town by fast freight--no destination. Don't touchthat stuff! It's probably full of poison. Great Scott! What a clevergang they are! And what a blithering idiot they have in me to deal with. Oh, how easy!"

Whereupon he proceeded to kick the unoffending breakfast, cigarettes andall, out of the car door. To their dying day they were to believe thatthe food had been put there by agents of the great conspirator. Itreadily may be surmised that neither of them was given to sensibledeductions during their astounding flight. If they had thought twice, they might have seen the folly of their quick conclusions. Marlanx's menwould not have sent Loraine off in a manner like this. But thedistracted pair were not in an analytical frame of mind just then; thatis why the gentle munificence of Sir Vagabond came to a barren waste. 

Mile after mile flew by. The unwilling travellers, depressed beyonddescription, had given up all hope of leaving the car until it reachedthe point intended by the wily plotters. To their amazement, however, the speed began to slacken perceptibly after they had left the city tenor twelve miles behind. Truxton was leaning against the side of thedoor, gloomily surveying the bright, green landscape. For some timeLoraine had been steadying herself by clinging to his arm. They had castoff the unsightly rain coats and other clumsy articles. Once, throughsheer inability to control his impulses, he had placed his arm about herslim waist, but she had gently freed herself. Her look of reproach wassufficient to check all future impulses of a like nature. 

"Hello!" said he, coming out of his bitter dream. 

"We're slowing up. " He looked out and ahead. "No station is in sight. There's a bridge down the road a bit--yes, there's our same old river. By George!" His face was a study. 

"What is it?" she cried, struck by his sudden energy of speech. 

"They're running slow for the bridge. Afraid of the floods. D'ye see? Ifthey creep up to it as they do in the United States when they'recautious, we'll politely drop off and--'Pon my soul, she's coming downto a snail's pace. We can swing off, Loraine. Now's our chance!"

The train was barely creeping up to the bridge. He clasped her in thestrong crook of his left arm, slid down to a sitting position, andboldly pushed himself clear of the car, landing on his feet. Staggeringforward with the impetus he had received, he would have fallen exceptfor a mighty effort. A sharp groan escaped his lips as he lowered her tothe ground. She looked anxiously into his face and saw nothing there butrelief. 

The cars rumbled across the bridge, picked up speed beyond, andthundered off in the distance with never so much as a thought of the twowho stood beside the track and laughed hysterically. 

"Come along, " said the man briefly. "We must try to reach that stationback there. There I can telegraph in. Oh!" His first attempt to walkbrought out a groan of pain. 

He had turned his ankle in the leap to the ground. She was deeplyconcerned, but he sought to laugh it off. Gritting his teethdeterminedly, he led the way back along the track. 

"Lean on me, " she cried despairingly. 

"Nonsense, " he said with grim stubbornness. "I don't mind the pain. Wecan't stop for a sprained ankle. It's an old one I got playing football. We may have to go a little slow, but we'll not stop, my dear--not tillwe get word to Dangloss!"

She found a long, heavy stick for him; thereafter he hobbled withgreater speed and less pain. At a wagon-road crossing they paused torest, having covered two miles. The strain was telling on him;perspiration stood out in great drops upon his brow; he was beginning todespair. Her little cry of joy caused him to look up from the swollenankle which he was regarding with dubious concern. An oxcart wasapproaching from the west. 

"A ride!" she cried joyously. She had been ready to drop with fatigue;her knees were shaking. His first exclamation of joy died away in agroan of dismay. He laughed bitterly. 

"That thing couldn't get us anywhere in a week, " he said. 

"But it will help, " she cried brightly, an optimist by force ofnecessity. 

They stopped the cart and bargained for a ride to Ronn. The man was afarmer, slow and suspicious. He haggled. 

"The country's full of evil men and women these days, " he demurred. "Besides I have a heavy enough load as it is for my poor beasts. "

Miss Tullis conducted the negotiations, making the best of her year'sacquaintance with the language of the country. 

"Don't tell him why we are in such a hurry, " cautioned King. "He may bea Marlanx sympathiser. "

"You have nothing in your cart but melons, " she said to the farmer, peeping under the corner of the canvas covering. 

"I am not going through Ronn, but by the high road to Edelweiss, " heprotested. "A good ten kilometers. "

"But carry us until we come up with some one who can give us horses. "

"Horses!" he croaked. "Every horse in the valley is in Edelweiss by thistime. This is the great day there. The statue of--"

"Yes, yes, I know. We are bound for Edelweiss. Can you get us there intwo hours?"

"With these beasts, poor things? Never!"

"It will be worth your while. A hundred gavvos if you carry us to aplace where we can secure quicker transportation. "

In time she won him over. He agreed to carry them along the way, at hisbest speed, until they came up with better beasts or reached the citygates. It was the best he could do. The country was practically desertedon this day. At best there were but few horses in the valley; mostlyoxen. They climbed up to the seat and the tortuous journey began. Thefarmer trotted beside the wheel nearly all of the way, descanting warmlyin painful English on the present condition of things in the hills. 

"The rascals have made way with the beautiful Miss Tullis. She is theAmerican lady stopping at the Castle. You should see her, sir. Exceptingour dear Princess Yetive--God rest her soul--she is the most beautifulcreature Graustark has ever seen. I have seen her often. Not quite sogrand as the Countess Ingomede, but fairer, believe me. She is belovedby everyone. Many a kind and generous word has she spoken to me. Myonion beds are well known to her. She has come to my farm time andagain, sir, with the noble personages, while riding, and she has insecret bought my little slips of onions. She has said to me that sheadores them, but that she can only eat them in secret. Ah, sir, it is asad day for Graustark that evil has happened to her. Her brother, theysay, is off in the Dawsbergen hills searching for her. He is a grandman. "

His passengers were duly interested. She nudged the lugubrious Truxtonwhen the man spoke of the onions. "What a fibber! I hate onions. "

"She is to be married to the Count Vos Engo; a fine lad, sir. Now she isgone, I don't know what he will do. Suicide, mayhap. Many is the time Ihave cautioned her not to ride in the hills without a strong guard. These bandits are getting very bold. "

"Do you know the great Count Marlanx?" demanded King, possessed of asudden thought. The man faced him at the mention of the name, asuspicious gleam in his eyes. 

"Count Marlanx!" he snorted. Without another word, he drew the beasts toa standstill. There was no mistaking the angry scowl. "Are you friendsof that snake? If you are, get out of my cart. "

"He's all right, " cried Truxton. "Tell him who we are, Loraine, and whywe _must_ get to the city. "

Five minutes later, the farmer, overcome by the stupendous news, waslashing his oxen with might and main; the astonished beasts tore downthe road to Ronn so bravely that there seemed some prospect of getting atelegram through in time. All the way the excited countryman groaned andswore and sputtered his prayers. At Ronn they learned that the operatorhad been unable to call Edelweiss since seven o'clock. The wires weredown or had been cut. Truxton left a message to be sent to Dangloss incase he could get the wire, and off they started again for the citygates, having lost considerable time by the diverted mile or two. 

Not man, woman or child did they encounter as the miles crept by. Thecountry was barren of humanity. Ahead of them was the ascent to beconquered by oxen so old and feeble that the prospect was more thandubious. 

"If it should be that my team gives out, I will run on myself to givethe alarm, " cried the worthy, perspiring charioteer. "It shall not be!God preserve us!"

Three times the oxen broke down, panting and stubborn; as many times hethwacked them and kicked them and cursed them into action again. Theystumbled pitifully, but they _did_ manage to go forward. 

In time the city gates came in sight--far up the straight, narrow road. "Pray God we may not be too late, " groaned the farmer. "Damn the swinewho took their horses to town before the sun was up. Curse them forfools and imbeciles. Fools never get into heaven. Thank the good Lordfor that. "

It seemed to the quivering Americans that the gates were mocking them bydrawing farther away instead of coming nearer. 

"Are we going backward?" groaned Truxton, his hands gripping the side ofthe bounding seat. 

Near the gates, which were still open, it occurred to him in a singleflash of dismay that he and Loraine would be recognised and interceptedby Marlanx watchers. Between the fierce jolts of the great cart hemanaged to convey his fears to her. 

It was she who had the solution. They might succeed in passing the gatesif they hid themselves in the bed of the cart, underneath the thickcanvas covering. The farmer lifted the cloth and they crawled down amongthe melons. In this fashion they not only covered the remainder of thedistance, half stifled by the heat and half murdered by theuncomfortable position, but passed through the gates and were takenclattering down the streets toward the centre of town. 

"To the Tower!" cried the anxious Truxton. 

"Impossible!" shouted the farmer. "The streets are roped off and thecrowds are too great. "

"Then let us out as near to the Tower as possible, cried the other. 

"Here we are, " cried the driver, a few minutes later, pulling up hishalf dead oxen and leaping to the ground. He threw off the covering andthey lost no time in tumbling from their bed of melons to thecobble-stone pavement of a narrow alley into which he had turned forsafety. "Through this passage!" he gasped, hoarse with excitement. "TheTower is below. Follow me! My oxen will stand. I am going with you!" Hisrugged face was aglow. 

Off through the alley they hurried, King disdaining the pain his anklewas giving him. They came to the crowded square a few minutes later. Theclock in the Cathedral pointed to twelve o'clock and after! Thecatastrophe had not yet taken place; the people were laughing andsinging and shouting. They were in time. Everywhere they heard gladvoices crying out that the Prince was coming! It was the Royal band thatthey heard through dinning ears!

"Great God!" cried Truxton, stopping suddenly and pointing withtrembling hand to a spot across the street and a little below wherethey had pushed through the resentful, staring throng on the sidewalk. "There she is! At the corner! Stop her!"

He had caught sight of Olga Platanova. 

The first row of dragoons was already passing in front of her. Less thantwo hundred feet away rolled the royal coach of gold! All this flashedbefore the eyes of the distracted pair, who were now dashing franticallyinto the open street, disregarding the shouts of the police and thehowls of the crowd. 

"An anarchist!" shouted King hoarsely. He looked like one himself. "Thebomb! The bomb! Stop the Prince!"

Colonel Quinnox recognised this bearded, uncouth figure, and the flying, terrified girl at his heels. King was dragging her along by the hand. There was an instant of confusion on the part of the vanguard, a drawingof sabres, a movement toward the coach in which the Prince rode. 

Quinnox alone prevented the dragoons from cutting down the pallid madmanwho stumbled blindly toward the coaches beyond. He whirled his steedafter an astonished glance in all directions, shouting eager commandsall the while. When he reached the side of the gasping American, thatperson had stopped and was pointing toward the trembling Olga, who hadseen and recognised him. 

"Stop the coach!" cried King. Loraine was running frantically throughthe ranks of horsemen, screaming her words of alarm. 

The Duke of Perse leaped from his carriage and ran forward, shouting tothe soldiers to seize the disturbers. Panic seized the crowd. There wasa mad rush for the corner above. Olga Platanova stood alone, her eyeswide and glassy, staring as if petrified at the face of Truxton King. 

He saw the object in her wavering hand. With a yell he dashed for safetydown the seething avenue. The Duke of Perse struck at him as he passed, ignoring the frantic cry of warning that he uttered. A plain, white-faced farmer in a smock of blue was crossing the street withmighty bounds, his eyes glued upon the arm of the frail, terrifiedanarchist. If he could only arrest that palsied, uncertain arm!

But she hurled the bomb, her hands going to her eyes as she fell uponher knees. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE THROWING OF THE BOMB

The scene that followed beggars all powers of description. 

A score of men and horses lay writhing in the street; others crept awayscreaming with pain; human flesh and that of animals lay in the path ofthe frenzied, panic-stricken holiday crowd; blood mingled with the softmud of Regengetz Circus, slimy, slippery, ugly!

Rent bodies of men in once gaudy uniforms, now flattened and bruised inwarm, oozy death, were piled in a mass where but a moment before thewondering vanguard of troopers had clustered. For many rods in alldirections stunned creatures were struggling to their feet after thestupendous shock that had felled them. The clattering of frightenedhorses, the shouts and screams of men and women, the gruesome rush often thousand people in stampede--all in twenty seconds after the engineof death left the hand of Olga Platanova. 

Olga Platanova! There was nothing left of her! She had failed to do thedeed expected of her, but she would not hear the execrations of thosewho had depended upon her to kill the Prince. We draw a veil across thepicture of Olga Platanova after the bomb left her hand; no one may lookupon the quivering, shattered thing that once was a living, beautifulwoman. The glimpse she had of Truxton King's haggard face unnerved her. She faltered, her strength of will collapsed; she hurled the bomb in apanic of indecision. Massacre but not conquest!

Down in an alley below the Tower, a trembling, worn team of oxen stoodfor a day and night, awaiting the return of a master who was never tocome back to them. God rest his simple soul!

Truxton King picked himself up from the street, dazed, bewildered butunhurt. Everywhere about him mad people were rushing and screeching. Scarcely knowing what he did, he fled with the crowd. From behind himcame the banging of guns, followed by new shouts of terror. He knew whatit meant! The revolutionists had begun the assault on the paralysedminions of the government. 

Scores of Royal Guardsmen swept past him, rushing to the support of thecoach of gold. The sharp, shrill scream of a single name rose above thetumult. Some one had seen the Iron Count!

"Marlanx!"

He looked back toward the gory entrance to the Circus. There wasMarlanx, mounted and swinging a sabre on high. Ahead was the mass ofcarriages, filled with the white-faced, palsied prey from the Court ofGraustark. Somewhere in that huddled, glittering crowd were two beingshe willingly would give his own life to save. 

Foot soldiers, policemen and mounted guardsmen began firing into thecrowd at the square, without sense or discretion, falling back, nevertheless, before the well-timed, deliberate advance of themercenaries. From somewhere near the spot where Olga Platanova fell camea harsh, penetrating command:

"Cut them off! Cut them off from the Castle!"

It was his cue. He dashed into the street and ran toward the carriages, shouting with all his strength:

"Turn back! It is Marlanx! To the Castle!"

Then it was that he saw the Prince. The boy was standing on a seat onthe royal coach of state, holding out his eager little hands to someone in the thick of the crowd that surged about him. He was calling someone's name, but no one could have heard him. 

Truxton's straining eyes caught sight of the figure in grey thatstruggled forward in response to the cries and the extended hands. Hepushed his way savagely through the crowd; he came up with her as shereached the side of the coach, and with a shout of encouragement graspedher in his arms. 

"Aunt Loraine! Aunt Loraine!" He now heard the name the boy cried withall his little heart. 

Two officers struck at the uncouth, desperate American as he lifted thegirl from the ground and deliberately tossed her into the coach. 

"Turn back!" he shouted. A horseman rode him down. He looked up as theplunging animal's hoofs clattered about his head. Vos Engo, with drawnsword, was crowding up to the carriage door, shouting words of rejoicingat sight of the girl he loved. 

Somehow he managed to crawl from under the hoofs and wheels, not withoutthumps and bruises, and made his way to the sidewalk. The coach hadswung around and the horses were being lashed into a gallop for theCastle gates. 

He caught a glimpse of her, holding the Prince in her arms, her white, agonised face turned toward the mob. Distinctly he heard her cry:

"Save him! Save Truxton King!"

From the sidewalks swarmed well-armed hordes of desperadoes, firingwildly into the ranks of devoted guardsmen grouped in the avenue tocover the flight of their royal charge. Truxton fled from the dangerzone as fast as his legs would carry him. Bullets were striking allabout him. Later on he was to remember his swollen, bitterly painfulankle; but there was no thought of it now. He had played football withthis same ankle in worse condition than it was now--and he had playedfor the fun of it, too. 

He realised that his life was worth absolutely nothing if he fell intothe hands of the enemy. His only chance lay in falling in with somesane, loyal citizen who could be prevailed upon to hide him until theworst was over. There seemed no possibility of getting inside the Castlegrounds. He had done his duty and--he laughed bitterly as he thought ofit--he had been ridden down by the men he came to save. 

Some one was shouting his name behind in the scurrying crowd. He turnedfor a single glance backward. Little Mr. Hobbs, pale as a ghost, his capgone, his clothing torn, was panting at his elbow. 

"God save us!" gasped Hobbs. "Are you alive or am I seeing all thebloody ghosts in the world?"

"I'm alive all right, " cried King. "Where can we go? Be quick, Hobbs!Think! Don't sputter like that. I want to be personally conducted, anddamned quick at that. "

"Before God, sir, I 'aven't the idea where to go, " groaned Hobbs. "It'sdreadful! Did you see what the woman did back there--"

"Don't stop to tell me about it, Hobbs. Keep on running. Go ahead of me. I'm used to following the man from Cook's. "

"Right you are, sir. I say, by Jove, I'm glad to see you--I am. You cameright up out of the ground as if--"

"Is there no way to get off this beastly avenue?" panted King. "They'reshooting back there like a pack of wild men. I hate to think of what'sgoing on. "

"Dangloss will 'ave them all in the jug inside of ten minutes, take myword--"

"They'll have Dangloss hanging from a telephone; pole, Hobbs! Don'ttalk! Run!"

Soldiers came riding up from behind, turning to fire from their saddlesinto the throng of cutthroats, led by the grim old man with the bloodysabre. In the centre of the troop there was a flying carriage. The Dukeof Perse was lying back in the seat, his face like that of a dead man. Far ahead rattled the royal coach and the wildly flying carriages ofstate. 

"The Prince is safe!" shouted King joyously. "They'll make it! ThankGod!"

Colonel Quinnox turned in his saddle and searched out the owner of thatstirring voice. 

"Come!" he called, drawing rein as soon as he caught sight of him. 

Even as King rushed out into the roadway a horseman galloped up from thedirection of the Castle. He pulled his horse to his haunches almost ashe was riding over the dodging American. 

"Here!" shouted the newcomer, scowling down upon the young man. "Swingup here! Quick, you fool!"

It was Vos Engo, his face black with fury. Quinnox had seized the handof Mr. Hobbs on seeing help for King and was pulling him up before him. There was nothing for Truxton to do but to accept the timely help of hisrival. An instant later he was up behind him and they were off after thelast of the dragoons. 

"If you don't mind, Count, I'll try my luck, " grated the American. Holding on with one arm, he turned and fired repeatedly in the directionof the howling crowd of rascals. 

"Ride to the barracks gates, Vos Engo!" commanded Colonel Quinnox. "Beprepared to admit none but the Royal Reserves, who are under standingorders to report there in time of need. "

"God grant that they may be able to come, " responded the Count. Over hisshoulder he hissed to his companion. "It was not idle heroics, myfriend, nor philanthropy on my part. I was commanded to come and fetchyou. She would never have spoken to me again if I had refused. "

"She? Ah, yes; I see. Good! She did not forget me!" cried Truxton, hisheart bounding. 

"My own happiness depends on my luck in getting you to safety, " raspedthe Count. "My life's happiness. Understand, damn you, it is not for youthat I risk my life. "

"I understand, " murmured Truxton, a wry smile on his pale lips. "Youmean, she is going to pay you in some way for picking me up, eh? Well, I'll put an end to that. I'll drop off again. Then you can ride on andtell her--I wouldn't be a party to the game. Do you catch my meaning?"

"You would, eh?" said the Count angrily. "I'd like to see you drop offwhile we're going at this--"

"I've got my pistol in the middle of your back, " grated Truxton. "Slowup a bit or I'll scatter your vertebræ all over your system. Pull up!"

"As you like, " cried Vos Engo. "I've done my part. Colonel Quinnox willbear witness. " He began pulling his horse down. "Now, you are quite freeto drop off. "

Without a word the American swung his leg over and slid to the ground. "Thanks for the lift you've given me, " he called up to the astonishedofficer. 

"Don't thank me, " sang out his would-be saviour as he put spur to hishorse. 

It is a lamentable thing to say, but Truxton King's extraordinarysacrifice was not altogether the outgrowth of heroism. We have not beencalled upon at any time to question his courage; we have, on the otherhand, seen times when he displayed the most arrant foolhardiness. I defyany one to prove, however, that he ever neglected an opportunity tobetter himself by strategy at the expense of fortitude. Therefore, it isnot surprising that even at such a time as this we may be called upon torecord an example of his spectacular cunning. 

Be sure of it, he did not decide to slide from Vos Engo's horse until hesaw a way clear to better his position, and at the same time to lessenthe glory of his unpleasant rescuer. 

Less than a hundred yards behind loped a riderless horse; the dragoonwho had sat the saddle was lying far back in the avenue, a bullet in hishead. Hobbling to the middle of the road, the American threw up hishands and shouted briskly to the bewildered animal. Throwing his earsforward in considerable doubt, the horse came to a standstill close athand. Five seconds later King was in the saddle and tearing along in thewake of the retreating guard, his hair blowing from his forehead, hisblood leaping with the joy of achievement. 

Mr. Hobbs afterward informed him that Count Vos Engo's oaths were worthgoing miles to avoid. 

"We need such men as King!" cried Colonel Quinnox as he waited insidethe gates for the wild rider. A moment later King dashed through and themassive bolts were shot. 

As he pulled up in front of the steward's lodge to await the orders ofthe Colonel, the exultant American completed the soliloquy that beganwith the mad impulse to ride into port under his own sails. 

"I'll have to tell her that he did a fine thing in coming back for me, much as he hated to do it. What's more, I shan't say a word about hisbeastly temper. We'll let it pass. He deserves a whole lot for the parthe played. I'll not forget it. Too bad he had to spoil it all by talkingas he did. But, hang me, if he shall exact anything from her because hedid a thing he didn't want to do. I took a darned sight bigger chancethan he did, after all. Good Lord, what a mess I would have been in ifthe nag hadn't stopped! Whew! Well, old boy, you did stop, God blessyou. Colonel, " he spoke, as Quinnox came up, "do you think I can buythis horse? He's got more sense than I have. "

Small bodies of foot soldiers and policemen fighting valiantly againstgreat odds were admitted to the grounds during the next half hour. Scores had been killed by the fierce, irregular attack of therevolutionists; others had become separated from their comrades and wereeven now being hunted down and destroyed by the infuriated followers ofMarlanx. A hundred or more of the reserves reached the upper gatesbefore it occurred to the enemy to blockade the streets in thatneighbourhood. General Braze, with a few of his men, bloody andheartsick, was the last of the little army to reach safety in the Castlegrounds, coming up by way of the lower gates from the fortress, whichthey had tried to reach after the first outbreak, but had foundthemselves forestalled. 

The fortress, with all guns, stores and ammunition, was in the hands ofthe Iron Count and his cohorts. 

Baron Dangloss had been taken prisoner with a whole platoon of fightingconstables. This was the last appalling bit of news to reach thehorrified, disorganised forces in the Castle grounds. 

Citizens had fled to their homes, unmolested. The streets were empty, save for the armed minions of the Iron Count. They rushed hither andthither in violent detachments, seeking out the men in uniform, yellingand shooting like unmanageable savages. 

Before two o'clock the city itself was in the hands of the hated enemyof the Crown. He and his aliens, malefactors and all, were in completecontrol of the fortress, the gates and approaches, the Tower and thebloody streets. A thousand of them, --eager, yelling ruffians, --marchedto within firing distance of the Castle walls and held every approachagainst reinforcements. Except for the failure to destroy the Prince andhis counsellors, the daring, unspeakable plans of Count Marlanx had beenattended by the most horrifying results. He was master. There was noquestion as to that. The few hundred souls in the Castle grounds werelike rats in a trap. 

A wise as well as a cruel man was Marlanx. He lost no time in issuing amanifesto to the stunned, demoralised citizens of Edelweiss. Scores ofcriers went through the streets during the long, wretched afternoon, announcing to the populace that Count Marlanx had established himself asdictator and military governor of the principality--pending theabdication of the Prince and the beginning of a new and substantialregime. All citizens were commanded to recognise the authority of thedictator; none except those who disobeyed or resented this authoritywould be molested. Traffic would be resumed on the following Monday. Tradespeople and artisans were commanded to resume their occupationsunder penalty of extreme punishment in case of refusal. These and manyother edicts were issued from Marlanx's temporary headquarters in thePlaza--almost at the foot of the still veiled monument of the belovedPrincess Yetive. 

Toward evening, after many consultations and countless reports, Marlanxremoved his headquarters to the Tower. He had fondly hoped to be in theCastle long before this. His rage and disappointment over the stupidmiscarriage of plans left no room for conjecture as to the actual stateof his feelings. For hours he had raved like a madman. Every soldier whofell into his hands was shot down like a dog. 

The cells and dungeons in the great old tower were now occupied bybruised, defeated officers of the law. Baron Jasto Dangloss, crushed inspirit and broken of body, paced the blackest and narrowest cell of themall. The gall and wormwood that filled his soul was not to be measuredby words. He blamed himself for the catastrophe; it was he who hadpermitted this appalling thing to grow and burst with such sickeningresults. In his mind there was no doubt that Marlanx had completelyoverthrown the dynasty and was in full possession of the government. Hedid not know that the Prince and his court had succeeded in reaching theCastle, whose walls and gates were well-nigh impregnable to assault, even by a great army. If he had known this he might have rejoiced!

Late in the evening he received a visit from Marlanx, the new master. 

The Iron Count, lighted by a ghostly lantern in the hands of a man who, ten hours before, had been a prisoner within these very walls, came upto the narrow grating that served as a door and gazed complacently uponthe once great minister of police. 

"Well, " said Dangloss, his eyes snapping, "what is it, damn you?"

Marlanx stroked his chin and smiled. "I believe this is my old confrère, Baron Dangloss, " he remarked. "Dear me, I took you, sir, to be quiteimpeccable. Here you are, behind the bars. Will wonders never cease?"

Dangloss merely glared at him. 

The Iron Count went on suavely: "You heard me, Baron. Still, I do notrequire an answer. How do you like your new quarters? It may please youto know that I am occupying your office, and also that noble suiteoverlooking the Plaza. I find myself most agreeably situated. By theway, Baron, I seem to recall something to mind as I look at you. Youwere the kindly disposed gentleman who escorted me to the city gates afew years ago and there turned me over to a detachment of soldiers, who, in turn, conveyed me to the border. If I recall the occasion rightly, you virtually kicked me out of the city. Am I right?"

"You are!" was all that the bitter Dangloss said, without taking hisfierce gaze from the sallow face beyond the bars. 

"I am happy to find that my memory is so good, " said Marlanx. 

"I expect to be able to repeat the operation, " said Dangloss. 

"How interesting! You forget that history never repeats itself. "

"See here, Marlanx, what is your game? Speak up; I'm not afraid of you. Do you intend to take me out and shoot me at sunrise?"

"Oh, dear me, no! That would be a silly proceeding. You own vast estatesin Graustark, if I mistake not, just as I did eight or nine years ago. Well, I have come into my own again. The Crown relieved me of myestates, my citizenship, my honour. I have waited long to regain them. Understand me, Dangloss; I am in control now; my word is law. I do notintend to kill you. It is my intention to escort you to the border andkick you out of Graustark. See for yourself how it feels. Everything youpossess is to be taken away from you. You will be a wanderer on the faceof the earth--a pauper. All you have is here. Therein lies thedistinction: I had large possessions in other lands. I had friends and afollowing, as you see. You will have none of these, Baron. "

"A splendid triumph, you beast!"

"Of course, you'd much prefer being shot. "

"Not at all. Banish me, if you please; strip me of all I possess. ButI'll come back another day, Count Marlanx. "

"Ah, yes; that reminds me. I had quite forgotten to say that the firstten years of your exile are to be spent in the dungeons at SchlossMarlanx. How careless of me to have neglected to state that in thebeginning. In ten years you will be seventy-five, Baron. An excellenttime of life for one to begin his wanderings over the world which willnot care to remember him. "

"Do you expect me to get down on my knees and plead for mercy, youscoundrel?"

"I know you too well for that, my dear Baron. "

"Get out of my sight!"

"Pray do not forget that I am governor of the Tower at present. I go andcome as I choose. "

"God will punish you for what you have done. There's solace in that. "

"As you like, Baron. If it makes it easier for you to feel that God willtake a hand in my humble affairs, all well and good. I grant you thatdelectable privilege. "

Baron Dangloss turned his back upon his smiling enemy, his bodyquivering with passion. 

"By the way, Baron, would you care to hear all the latest news from theseat of war? It may interest you to know that the Castle is besieged inmost proper fashion. No one--"

"The Castle besieged? Then, by the Eternal, you did not take thePrince!"

"Not at all! He is in the Castle for a few hours of imaginary safety. To-night my men will be admitted to the grounds by friends who haveserved two masters for a twelve-month or longer. "

"Traitors in the Castle?" cried Dangloss in horror. He was now facingthe Count. 

"Hardly that, my dear sir. Agents, I should call them. Isn't itsplendid?"

"You are a--"

"Don't say it, Baron. Save your breath. I know what you would call me, and can save you the trouble of shouting it, as you seem inclined todo. "

"Thank God, your assassins not only failed to dynamite the boy, but yourdogs failed to capture him. By heaven, God _is_ with Prince Robin, afterall!"

"How exalted you seem, Baron! It is a treat to look at you. Oh, anotherthing: the Platanova girl was not _my_ assassin. "

"That's a lie!"

"You shall not chide me in that fashion, Baron. You are very rude. No;the girl was operating for what I have since discovered to be theCommittee of Ten, leading the Party of Equals in Graustark. To-morrowmorning I shall have the Committee of Ten seized and shot in the publicsquare. We cannot harbour dynamiters and assassins of that type. Thereare two-score or more of anarchist sympathisers here. We will cheerfullyshoot all of them--an act that you should have performed many days ago, my astute friend. It might have saved trouble. They are a dangerouselement in any town. Those whom I do not kill I shall transport to theUnited States in exchange for the Americans who have managed to losethemselves over here. A fair exchange, you see. Moreover, I hear thatthe United States Government welcomes the Reds if they are white insteadof yellow. Clever, but involved, eh? Well, good night, Baron. Sleepwell. I expect to see you again after the rush of business attending theadjustment of my own particular affairs. In a day or two I shall moveinto the Castle. You may be relieved to know that I do not expect tofind the time to kick you out of Graustark under a week or ten days. "

"My men: what of them? The brave fellows who were taken with me? Youwill not deprive--"

"In time they will be given the choice of serving me as policemen orserving the world as examples of folly. Rest easy concerning them. Ah, yes, again I have stupidly forgotten something. Your excellent friend, Tullis, will not re-enter Edelweiss alive. That is quite assured, sir. So you see, he will, after all, be better off than you. I don't blamehim for loving my wife. It was my desire to amicably trade my wife offto him for his charming sister, but the deal hangs fire. What a scowl! Idare say you contemplate saying something bitter, so I'll retire. Alittle later on I shall be chatting with the Prince at the Castle. I'llgive him your gentlest felicitations. "

But Marlanx was doomed to another disappointment before the night wasover. The Castle gates were not opened to his forces. Colonel Quinnoxapprehended the traitors in time to prevent the calamity. Ten hostlersin the Royal stables were taken redhanded in the attempt to overpowerthe small guard at the western gates. Their object was made plain by thesubsequent futile movement of a large force of men at that particularpoint. 

Prince Robin was safe for the night. 

CHAPTER XVIII

TRUXTON ON PARADE

Count Marlanx was a soldier. He knew how to take defeat and to bide histime; he knew how to behave in the hour of victory and in the moment ofrout. The miscarriage of a detail here and there in this vast, comprehensive plan of action did not in the least sense discourage him. It was no light blow to his calculations, of course, when the designs ofan organisation separate and distinct from his own failed in theirpurpose. It was part of his plan to hold the misguided Reds responsiblefor the lamentable death of Prince Robin. The people were to be givenswift, uncontrovertible proof that he had no hand in the unforeseentransactions of the anarchists, who, he would make it appear, had bycurious coincidence elected to kill the Prince almost at the very hourwhen he planned to seize the city as a conqueror. 

His own connection with the operations of the mysterious Committee ofTen was never to be known to the world. He would see to that. 

At nine o'clock on Sunday morning a small group of people gathered inthe square: a meeting was soon in progress. A goods-box stood overagainst the very spot on which Olga Platanova died. An old man beganharanguing the constantly growing crowd, made up largely of those whosecuriosity surpassed discreetness. In the group might have been seenevery member of the Committee of Ten, besides a full representation ofthose who up to now had secretly affiliated with the Party of Equals. Ared flag waved above the little, excited group of fanatics, close tothe goods-box rostrum. One member of the Committee was absent from this, their first public espousal of the cause. Later on we are to discoverwho this man was. Two women in bright red waists were cryingencouragement to the old man on the box, whose opening sentences were noless than an unchanted requiem for the dead martyr, Olga Platanova. 

In the midst of his harangue, the hand of William Spantz was arrested inone of its most emphatic gestures. A look of wonder and uncertainty cameinto his face as he gazed, transfixed, over the heads of his hearers inthe direction of the Tower. 

Peter Brutus was approaching, at the head of a group of aliens, allarmed and marching in ominously good order. Something in the face ofPeter Brutus sent a chill of apprehension into the very soul of the oldarmourer. 

And well it may have done so. 

"One moment!" called out Peter Brutus, lifting his hand imperatively. The speaker ceased his mouthings. "Count Marlanx desires the immediatepresence of the following citizens at his office in the Tower. I shallcall off the names. " He began with William Spantz. The name of each ofhis associates in the Committee of Ten followed. After them came a scoreof names, all of them known to be supporters of the anarchist cause. 

"What is the business, Peter?" demanded William Spantz. 

"Does it mean we are to begin so soon the establishing of the neworder--" began Anna Cromer, her face aglow. Peter smiled wanly. 

"Do not ask me, " he said, emphasising the pronoun. "I am only commandedto bring the faithful few before him. "

"But why the armed escort?" growled Julius Spantz, who had spent anunhappy twenty-four hours in bondage. 

"To separate the wheat from the chaff, " said Peter. "Move on, goodpeople, all you whose names were not called. " The order was to the fewtimid strangers who were there because they had nowhere else to go. Theyscattered like chaff. 

Ten minutes later every member of the Committee of Ten, except PeterBrutus, was behind lock and bar, together with their shiveringassociates, all of them dumbly muttering to themselves the awfulsentence that Marlanx had passed upon them. 

"You are to die at sunset. Graustark still knows how to punishassassins. She will make an example of you to-day that all creatures ofyour kind, the world over, will not be likely to forget in a century tocome. There is no room in Graustark for anarchy. I shall wipe it outto-day. "

"Sir, your promise!" gasped William Spantz. "We are your friends--thetrue Party of--"

"Enough! Do not speak again! Captain Brutus, you will send criers abroadto notify the citizens that I, Count Marlanx, have ordered the executionof the ringleaders in the plot to dynamite the Prince. At sunset, in thesquare. Away with the carrion!"

Then it was, and not till then, that the Committee of Ten found him out!Then it was that they came to know Peter Brutus! What were theirthoughts, we dare not tell: their shrieks and curses were spent againstinpenetrable floors and walls. Baron Dangloss heard, and, in time, understood. Even he shrank back and shuddered. 

It has been said that Marlanx was a soldier. There is one duty that thesoldier in command never neglects: the duty to those who fell whilefighting bravely for or against him. Sunday afternoon a force of men wasset to work burying the dead and clearing the pavements. Those of hisown nondescript army who gave up their lives on the 26th were buried inthe public cemeteries. The soldiers of the Crown, as well as themilitary police, were laid to rest in the national cemetery, withhonours befitting their rank. Each grave was carefully marked and arecord preserved. In this way Marlanx hoped to obtain his first footingin the confidence and esteem of the citizens. The unrecognisable corpseof Olga Platanova was buried in quicklime outside the city walls. Therewas something distinctly gruesome in the fact that half a dozen deepgraves were dug alongside hers, hours before death came to the wretcheswho were to occupy them. 

At three o'clock the Iron Count coolly sent messengers to the homes ofthe leading merchants and bankers of the city. They, with the priests, the doctors, the municipal officers and the manufacturers were commandedto appear before him at five o'clock for the purpose of discussing thewelfare of the city and its people. Hating, yet fearing him, they came;not one but felt in his heart that the old man was undisputed ruler oftheir destinies. Hours of horror and despair, a night and a day ofbitter reflection, had brought the trembling populace to the point ofseeing clearly the whole miserable situation. The reserves werepowerless; the Royal Guard was besieged and greatly outnumbered; thefortress was lost. There was nothing for them to do but temporise. Timealone could open the way to salvation. 

Marlanx stated his position clearly. He left no room for doubt in theirminds. The strings were in his hands: he had but to pull them. Thedesire of his life was about to be attained. Without hesitation heinformed the leading men of the city that he was to be the Prince ofGraustark. 

"I have the city, " he said calmly. "The farms and villages will fall inline. I do not worry over them. In a very short time I shall have theCastle. The question for you to decide for yourselves is this: will yoube content to remain here as thrifty, peaceable citizens, protectingyour fortunes and being protected by a man and not by a child. If not, please say so. The alternative is in the hands of the Crown. I am theCrown. The Crown may at any time confiscate property and banishmalcontents and disturbers. A word to the wise, gentlemen. Inside of aweek we will have a new government. You will not suffer under itsadministration. I should be indeed a fool to destroy the credit orinjure the integrity of my own dominion. But, let me say this, gentlemen, " he went on after a pause, in which his suavity gave way toharshness; "you may as well understand at the outset that I expect torule here. I will rule Graustark or destroy her. "

The more courageous in his audience began to protest against thehigh-handed manner in which he proposed to treat them. Not a fewdeclared that they would never recognise him as a prince of the realm. He waited, as a spider waits, until he thought they had gone far enough. Then he held up his hand and commanded silence. 

"Those of you who do not expect or desire to live under my rule--which, I promise you, shall be a wise one, --may leave the city for other landsjust as soon as my deputies have completed the formal transfer of allyour belongings to the Crown treasury--all, I say, even to the minutesttrifle. Permit me to add, in that connection, gentlemen: the transferwill not be a prolonged affair. "

They glared back at him and subsided into bitter silence. 

"I am well aware that you love little Prince Robin. Ha! You may notcheer here, gentlemen, under penalty of my displeasure. It is quiteright that you should, as loyal subjects, love your Prince, whoever hemay be. I shall certainly expect it. Now, respecting young master Robin:I have no great desire to kill him. "

He waited to see the effect of this brutal announcement. His hearersstiffened and--yes, they held their breath. 

"He has one alternative--he and his lords. I trust that you, as sensiblegentlemen, will find the means to convey to him your advice that heseize the opportunity I shall offer him to escape with his life. No onereally wants to see the little chap die. Let me interrupt myself to callto your attention the fact that I am punishing the anarchists at sunset. This to convince you that assassination will not be tolerated inGraustark. To resume: the boy may return to America, where he belongs. He is more of an American than one of us. I will give him free and safeescort to the United States. Certain of his friends may accompany him;others whom I shall designate will be required to remain here until Ihave disposed of their cases as I see fit. These conditions I shall setforth in my manifesto to the present occupant of the Castle. If hechooses to accept my kindly terms, all well and good. If not, gentlemen, I shall starve him out or blow the Castle down about his smart littleears. You shudder! Well, I can't blame you. I shudder myself sometimeswhen I think of it. There will be a great deal of royal blood, you know. Ah, that reminds me: It may interest you to hear that I expect toestablish a new nobility in Graustark. The present house of lords isobjectionable to me. I trust I may now be addressing at least a few ofthe future noble lords of Graustark. Good day, gentlemen. That is allfor the present. Kindly inform me if any of my soldiers or followersoverstep the bounds of prudence. Rapine and ribaldry will not betolerated. "

The dignitaries and great men of the city went away, dazed anddepressed, looking at each other from bloodshot eyes. Not one friend hadMarlanx in that group, and he knew it well. He did not expect them tosubmit at once or even remotely. They might have smiled, whereas theyfrowned, if they could have seen him pacing the floor of his office, themoment the doors closed behind their backs, clenching his hands andcursing furiously. 

At the Castle the deepest gloom prevailed. It was like a nightmare tothe beleaguered household, a dream from which there seemed to be noawakening. Colonel Quinnox's first act after posting his forces inposition to repel attacks from the now well-recognised enemy, was tomake sure of the safety of his royal master. Inside the walls of theCastle grounds he, as commander of the Royal Guard, ruled supreme. General Braze tore off his own epaulets and presented himself to Quinnoxas a soldier of the file; lords and dukes, pages and ministers, followedthe example of the head of the War Department. No one stood on thedignity of his position; no one does, as a rule, with the executionerstaring him in the face. Every man took up arms for the defence of theCastle, its Prince and its lovely women. 

Prince Robin, quite recovered from his fright, donned the uniform of aColonel of the Royal Dragoons, buckled on his jewelled sword, and, withboyish zeal, demanded Colonel Quinnox's reasons for not going forth toslay the rioters. 

"What is the army for, Colonel Quinnox?" he asked with impatient wonder. 

It was late in the afternoon and the Prince was seated in the chair ofstate, presiding over the hurriedly called Council meeting. Notablyabsent were Baron Dangloss and the Duke of Perse. Chief officers of theGuard and the commissioned men of the army were present--that is, all ofthem who had not gone down under the treacherous fire. 

"Your Highness, " said the Colonel bitterly, "the real army is outsidethe walls, not inside. We are a pitiful handful-less than three hundredmen, all told, counting the wounded. Count Marlanx heads an army ofseveral thousand. He--"

"He wants to get in here so's he can kill me? Is that so, ColonelQuinnox?" The Prince was very pale, but quite calm. 

"Oh, I wouldn't put it just that way, your--"

"Oh, I know. You can't fool me. I've always known that he wants to killme. But how can he? That's the question; how can he when I've got theRoyal Guard to keep him from doing it? He can't whip the Royal Guard. Nobody can. He ought to know that. He must be awful stupid. "

His perfect, unwavering faith in the Guard was the same that had grownup with every prince of Graustark and would not be gainsaid. A score ofhearts swelled with righteous pride and as many scabbards rattled asheels clicked and hands went up in salute. 

"Your Highness, " said Quinnox, with a glance at his fellow-officers, "you may rely upon it, Count Marlanx will never reach you until he hasslain every man in the Royal Guard. "

"And in the army--our poor little army, " added General Braze. 

"Thank you, " said the Prince. "You needn't have told me. I knew it. " Heleaned back in the big chair, almost slipping from the record books onwhich he sat, a brave scowl on his face. "Gee, I wish he'd attack usright now, " he said, with ingenuous bravado. 

The council of war was not a lengthy one. The storm that had arisen outof a perfectly clear sky was briefly discussed in all its phases. No manthere but realised the seriousness of the situation. Count Halfont, whoseemed ten years older than when we last saw him, addressed the Cabinet. 

"John Tullis is still outside the city walls. If he does not fall into atrap through ignorance of the city's plight, I firmly believe he will beable to organise an army of relief among the peasants and villagers. They are loyal. The mountaineers and shepherds, wild fellows all, andthe ones who have fallen into the spider's net. Count Marlanx has anarmy of aliens; they are not even revolutionists. John Tullis, if giventhe opportunity, can sweep the city clear of them. My only fear is thathe may be tricked into ambush before we can reach him. No doubt Marlanx, in devising a way to get him out of the city, also thought of the meansto keep him out. "

"We must get word to Tullis, " cried several in a breath. A dozen menvolunteered to risk their lives in the attempt to find the American inthe hills. Two men were chosen--by lot. They were to venture forth thatvery night. 

"My lords, " said the Prince, as the Council was on the point ofdissolving, "is it all right for me to ask a question now?"

"Certainly, Robin, " said the Prime Minister. 

"Well, I'd like to know where Mr. King is. "

"He's safe, your Highness, " said Quinnox. 

"Aunt Loraine is worried, that's all. She's sick, you see--awful sick. Do you think Mr. King would be good enough to walk by her window, so'sshe can see for herself? She's in the royal bedchamber. "

"The royal bedchamber?" gasped the high chamberlain. 

"I gave up my bed right off, but she won't stay in it. She sits in thewindow most of the time. It's all right about the bed. I spoke to nurseabout it. Besides, I don't want to go to bed while there's any fightinggoing on. So, you see, it's all right. Say, Uncle Caspar, may I take acrack at old Marlanx with my new rifle if I get a chance? I've beenpractising on the target range, and Uncle Jack says I'm a reg'larBuffalo Bill. "

Count Halfont unceremoniously hugged his wriggling grand-nephew. A cheerwent up from the others. 

"Long live Prince Robin!" shouted Count Vos Engo. 

Prince Robin looked abashed. "I don't think I could hit him, " he saidwith becoming modesty. They laughed aloud. "But, say, don't forget aboutMr. King. Tell him I want him to parade most of the time in front of mywindows. "

"He has a weak ankle, " began Colonel Quinnox lamely. 

"Very difficult for him to walk, " said Vos Engo, biting his lips. 

The Prince looked from face to face, suspicion in his eyes. It dawned onhim that they were evading the point. A stubborn line appeared betweenhis brows. 

"Then I command you, Colonel Quinnox, to give him the best horse in thestables. I want him to ride. "

"It shall be as you command, your Highness. "

A few minutes later, his grand-uncle, the Prime Minister, was carryinghim down the corridor; Prince Robin was perched upon the old man'sshoulder, and was a thoughtful mood. 

"Say, Uncle Caspar, Mr. King's all right, isn't he?"

"He is a very brave and noble gentleman, Bobby. We owe to his valour thelife of the best boy in all the world. "

"Yes, and Aunt Loraine owes him a lot, too. She says so. She's beencrying, Uncle Caspar. Say, has she just got to marry Count Vos Engo?"

"My boy, what put that question into your mind?"

"She says she has to. I thought only princes and princesses had to marrypeople they don't want to. "

"You should not believe all that you hear. "

Bobby was silent for twenty steps. Then he said: "Well, I think she'llmake an awful mistake if she lets Mr. King get away. "

"My boy, we have other affairs to trouble us at present without takingup the affairs of Miss Tullis. "

"Well, he saved her life, just like they do in story books, " protestedthe Prince. 

"Well, you run in and tell her this minute that Mr. King sends his loveto her and begs her to rest easy. See if it doesn't cheer her up a bit. "

"Maybe she's worried about Uncle Jack. I never thought about that, " hefaltered. 

"Uncle Jack will come out on top, never fear, " cried the old man. 

Half an hour later, Truxton King, shaven and shorn, outfitted andpolished, received orders to ride for twenty minutes back and forthacross the Plaza. He came down from Colonel Quinnox's rooms in theofficer's row, considerably mystified, and mounted the handsome baythat he had brought through the gates. Haddan, of the Guard, rode withhim to the Plaza, but could offer no explanation for the curiouscommand. 

Five times the now resentful American walked his horse across the Plaza, directly in front of the terrace and the great balconies. About himpaced guardsmen, armed and alert; on the outer edge of the parade grounda company of soldiers were hurrying through the act of changing theGuard; in the lower balcony excited men and women were walking back andforth, paying not the least attention to him. Above him frowned thegrey, lofty walls of the Castle. No one was in view on the upperbalcony, beyond which he had no doubt lay the royal chambers. He had themean, uncomfortable feeling that people were peering at him from remotewindows. 

Suddenly a small figure in bright red and gold and waving a tiny swordappeared at the rail of the broad upper gallery. Truxton blinked hiseyes once or, twice and then doffed his hat. The Prince was smilingeagerly. 

"Hello!" he called. Truxton drew rein directly below him. 

"I trust your Highness has recovered from the shock of to-day, " heresponded. "I have been terribly anxious. Are you quite well?"

"Quite well, thank you. " He hesitated for a moment, as if in doubt. Then: "Say, Mr. King, how's your leg?"

Truxton looked around in sudden embarrassment. A number of distressed, white-faced ladies had paused in the lower gallery and were staring athim in mingled curiosity and alarm. He instantly wondered if ColonelQuinnox's riding clothes were as good a fit as he had been led tobelieve through Hobbs and others. 

"It's--it's fine, thank you, " he called up, trying to subdue his voiceas much as possible. 

Bobby looked a trifle uncertain. His glance wavered and a queer littlewrinkle appeared between his eyes. He lowered his voice when he nextspoke. 

"Say, would you mind shouting that a little louder, " he called down, leaning well over the rail. 

Truxton flushed. He was pretty sure that the Prince was not deaf. Therewas no way out of it, however, so he repeated his communication. 

"It's all right, your Highness. "

Bobby gave a quick glance over his shoulder at one of the broad windows. Truxton distinctly saw the blinds close with a convulsive jerk. 

"Thanks! Much obliged! Good-bye!" sang out the Prince, gleefully. Hewaved his hand and then hopped off the chair on which he was standing. Truxton heard his little heels clatter across the stone balcony. For amoment he was nonplused. 

"Well, I'm--By Jove! I understand!" He rode off toward the barracks, hishead swimming with joy, his heart jumping like mad. At the edge of theparade ground he turned in his saddle and audaciously lifted his hat tothe girl who, to his certain knowledge, was standing behind thetell-tale blind. 

"Cheer up, Hobbs!" he sang out in his new-found exuberance as he rode upto the dismal Englishman, who moped in the shade of the stable walls. "Don't be down-hearted. Look at me! Never say die, that's my motto. "

"That's all very well, sir, " said Hobbs, removing the unlighted pipefrom his lips, "but you 'aven't got a dog and a parrot locked up in yourrooms with no one to feed them. It makes me sick, 'pon my soul, sir, tothink of them dying of thirst and all that, and me here safe and sound, so to speak. "

That night Haddan and a fellow-subaltern attempted to leave the Castlegrounds by way of the private gate in the western wall, only to bedriven back by careful watchers on the outside. A second attempt wasmade at two o'clock. This time they went through the crypt into thesecret underground passage. As they crawled forth into the blackest ofnights, clear of the walls, they were met by a perfect fusillade ofrifle shots. Haddan's companion was shot through the leg and arm and itwas with extreme difficulty that the pair succeeded in regaining thepassage and closing the door. No other attempt was made that night. Sunday night a quick sortie was made, it being the hope of the besiegedthat two selected men might elude Marlanx's watch-dogs during the meleethat followed. Curiously enough, the only men killed were the two whohad been chosen to run the gauntlet in the gallant, but ill-timedattempt to reach John Tullis. 

On Monday morning the first direct word from Count Marlanx came to theCastle. Under a flag of truce, two of his men were admitted to thegrounds. They presented the infamous ultimatum of the Iron Count. Inbrief, it announced the establishment of a dictatorship pending theformal assumption of the crown by the conqueror. With scant courtesy theIron Count begged to inform Prince Robin that his rule was at an end. Surrender would result in his safe conduct to America, the home of hisfather; defiance would just so surely end in death for him and all ofhis friends. The Prince was given twenty-four hours in which tosurrender his person to the new governor of the city. With theexpiration of the time limit mentioned, the Castle would be shelled fromthe fortress, greatly as the dictator might regret the destruction ofthe historic and well-beloved structure. No one would be spared if itbecame necessary to bombard; the rejection of his offer of mercy wouldbe taken as a sign that the defenders were ready to die for a lostcause. He would cheerfully see to it that they died as quickly aspossible, in order that the course of government might not be obstructedany longer than necessary. 

The defenders of the Castle tore his message in two and sent it back tohim without disfiguring it by a single word in reply. The scornfullaughter which greeted the reading of the document by Count Halfont didnot lose any of its force in the report that the truce-bearers carried, with considerable uneasiness, to the Iron Count later on. 

No one in the Castle was deceived by Marlanx's promise to provide safeconduct for the Prince. They knew that the boy was doomed if he fellinto the hands of this iniquitous old schemer. More than that, there wasnot a heart among them so faint that it was not confident of eventualvictory over the usurper. They could hold out for weeks againststarvation. Hope is an able provider. 

A single, distant volley at sunset had puzzled the men on guard at theCastle. They had no means of knowing that the Committee of Ten and itswretched friends had been shot down like dogs in the Public Square. Peter Brutus was in charge of the squad of executioners. 

Soon after the return of Marlanx's messengers to the Tower, a number ofcarriages were observed approaching in Castle Avenue. They were halted acouple of hundred yards from the gates and once more a flag of truce waspresented. There was a single line from Marlanx:

 "I am sending indisputable witnesses to bear testimony to the thoroughness of my conquest. 

 "MARLANX. "

Investigation convinced the captain of the Guard that the motley caravanin the avenue was made up of loyal, representative citizens from theimportant villages of the realm. They were admitted to the groundswithout question. 

The Countess Prandeville of Ganlook, terribly agitated, was one of thefirst to enter the haven of safety, such as it was. After her came themayors and the magistrates of a dozen villages. Count Marlanx's reasonfor delivering these people over to their friends in the Castle was atonce manifest. 

By the words of their mouths his almost complete mastery of thesituation was conveyed to the Prince's defenders. In every instance therepresentative from a village sorrowfully admitted that Marlanx's menwere in control. Ganlook, an ancient stronghold, had been taken withouta struggle by a handful of men. The Countess's husband was even nowconfined in his own castle under guard. 

The news was staggering. Count Halfont had based his strongest hopes onthe assistance that would naturally come from the villages. Moreover, the strangely commissioned emissaries cast additional gloom over thesituation by the report that mountaineers, herdsmen and woodchoppers inthe north were flocking to the assistance of the Iron Count, followed byhordes of outlaws from the Axphain hills. They were swarming into thecity. These men had always been thorns in the sides of the Crown'speace-makers. 

"It is worse than I thought, " said Count Halfont, after listening tothe words of the excited magistrates. "Are there no loyal men outsidethese walls?"

"Thousands, sir, but they are not organised. They have no leader, andbut little with which to fight against such a force. "

"It is hard to realise that a force of three or four thousanddesperadoes has the power to defy an entire kingdom. A city of 75, 000people in the hands of hirelings! The shame of it!"

Truxton King was leaning against a column not far from the little group, nervously pulling away at the pipe Quinnox had given him. As if impelledby a common thought, a half dozen pairs of eyes were turned in hisdirection. Their owners looked as quickly away, again moved by a commonthought. 

The Minister of Mines gave utterance to a single sentence that mightwell have been called the epitome of that shrewd, concentrated thought:

"There must be some one who can get to John Tullis before it is toolate. "

They looked at one another and then once more at the American who hadcome among them, avowedly in quest of adventure. 

CHAPTER XIX

TRUXTON EXACTS A PROMISE

Truxton King had been in a resentful frame of mind for nearlyforty-eight hours. In the first place, he had not had so much as asingle glimpse of the girl he now worshipped with all his heart. In thesecond place, he had learned, with unpleasant promptness, that Count VosEngo was the officer in command of the House Guard, a position asgravely responsible as it was honourable. The cordon about the Castlewas so tightly drawn in these perilous hours that even members of thehousehold were subjected to examination on leaving or entering. 

Truxton naturally did not expect to invade the Castle in search of thecrumb of comfort he so ardently desired; he did not, however, dream thatVos Engo would deny him the privilege of staring at a certain windowfrom a rather prim retreat in a far corner of the Plaza. 

He had, of course, proffered his services to Colonel Quinnox. TheColonel, who admired the Americans, gravely informed him that there wasno regular duty to which he could be assigned, but that he would expecthim to hold himself ready for any emergency. In case of an assault, hewas to report to Count Vos Engo. 

"We will need our bravest men at the Castle, " he had said. Truxtonglowed under the compliment. "In the meantime, Mr. King, regain yourstrength in the park. You show the effect of imprisonment. Youradventures have been most interesting, but I fancy they invite rest forthe present. "

It was natural that this new American should become an object oftremendous interest to every one in and about the Castle. The story ofhis mishaps and his prowess was on every lip; his timely appearance inRegengetz Circus was regarded in the light of divine intervention, although no one questioned the perfectly human pluck that brought itabout. Noble ladies smiled upon him in the park, to which they nowrepaired with timorous hearts; counts and barons slapped him on the backand doughty guardsmen actually saluted him with admiration in theireyes. 

But he was not satisfied. Loraine had not come forward with a word ofgreeting or relief; in fact, she had not appeared outside the Castledoors. Strangely enough, with the entire park at his disposal, he choseto frequent those avenues nearest the great balconies. More than once hevisited the grotto where he had first seen her; but it was not the same. The occasional crack of a rifle on the walls no longer fired him withthe interest he had felt in the beginning. Forty-eight hours had passedand she still held aloof. What could it mean? Was she ill? Had shecollapsed after the frightful strain?

Worse than anything else: was she devoting all of her time to Count VosEngo?

Toward dusk on Monday, long after the arrival of the refugees, he sat ingloomy contemplation of his own unhappiness, darkly glowering upon theunfriendly portals from a distant stone bench. 

A brisk guardsman separated himself from the knot of men at the Castledoors and crossed the Plaza toward him. 

"Aha, " thought Truxton warmly, "at last she is sending a message to me. Perhaps she's--no, she couldn't be sending for me to come to her. "

Judge his dismay and anger when the soldier, a bit shamefaced himself, briefly announced that Count Vos Engo had issued an order againstloitering in close proximity to the Castle. Mr. King was inside thelimit described in the order. Would he kindly retire to a more distantspot, etc. 

Truxton's cheek burned. He saw in an instant that the order was meantfor him and for no one else--he being the only outsider likely to comeunder the head of "loiterer. " A sharp glance revealed the fact that notonly were the officers watching the little scene, but others in thebalcony were looking on. 

Resisting the impulse to argue the point, he hastily lifted his hat tothe spectators and turned into the avenue without a word. 

"I am sorry, sir, " mentioned the guardsman earnestly. 

Truxton turned to him with a frank smile, meant for the group at thesteps. "Please tell Count Vos Engo that I am the last person in theworld to disregard discipline at a time like this. "

His glance again swept the balcony, suddenly becoming fixed on a couplenear the third column. Count Vos Engo and Loraine Tullis were standingthere together, unmistakably watching his humiliating departure. To saythat Truxton swore softly as he hurried off through the trees would beunnecessarily charitable. 

The next morning he encountered Vos Engo near the grotto. Twounsuccessful attempts to leave the Castle grounds had been made duringthe night. Truxton had aired his opinion to Mr. Hobbs after breakfast. 

"I'll bet my head I could get away with it, " he had said, doublyscornful because of a sleepless night. "They go about it like a lot ofchumps. No wonder they are chased back. "

Catching sight of Vos Engo, he hastened across the avenue and caught upto him. The Count was apparently deep in thought. 

"Good morning, " said Truxton from behind. The other whirled quickly. Hedid not smile as he eyed the tall American. "I haven't had a chance tothank you for coming back for me last Saturday. Allow me to say that itwas a very brave thing to do. If I appeared ungrateful at the time, I'msure you understood my motives. "

"The whole matter is of no consequence, Mr. King, " said the otherquietly. 

"Nevertheless, I consider it my duty to thank you. I want to get it outof my system. Having purged myself of all that, I now want to tell youof a discovery that I made last evening. "

"I am not at all interested. "

"You will be when I have told you, however, because it concerns you. "

"I do not like your words, Mr. King, nor the way in which you glare atme. "

"I'm making it easier to tell you the agreeable news, Count Vos Engo;that's all. You'll be delighted to hear that I thought of you nearly allnight and still feel that I have not been able to do you full justice. "

"Indeed?" with a distinct uplifting of the eyebrows. 

"Take your hand off your sword, please. Some other time, perhaps, butnot in these days when we need men, not cripples. I'll tell you what Ihave discovered and then we'll drop the matter until some other time. Wecan afford a physical delay, but it would be heartless to keep you inmental suspense. Frankly, Count, I have made the gratifying discoverythat you are a damned cur. "

Count Vos Engo went very white. He drew his dapper figure up to its fullheight, swelled his Robin Redbreast coat to the bursting point, andallowed his right hand to fly to his sword. Then, as suddenly, he foldedhis arms and glared at Truxton. 

"As you say, there is another and a better time. We need dogs as well asmen in these days. "

"I hope you won't forget that I thanked you for coming back lastSaturday. "

The Count turned and walked rapidly away. 

Truxton leaned against the low wall alongside the Allée. "I don't knowthat I've helped matters any, " he said to himself ruefully. "He'll notlet me get within half a mile of the Castle after this. If she doesn'tcome out for a stroll in the park, I fancy I'll never see her--Heigho! Iwish something would happen! Why doesn't Marlanx begin bombarding? It'sgetting devilish monotonous here. "

He strolled off to the stables, picking up Mr. Hobbs on the way. 

"Hobbs, " he said, "we've got to find John Tullis, that's all there is toit. " He was scowling fiercely at a most inoffensive lawn-mower in thegrass at the left. 

"I daresay, sir, " said Mr. Hobbs with sprightly decisiveness. "He's verymuch needed. "

"I'm going to need him before long as my second. "

"Your second, sir? Are you going to fight a duel?"

"I suppose so, " lugubriously. "It's too much to expect him to meet mewith bare fists. Oh, Hobbs, I wish we could arrange it for bare knucks!"He delivered a mighty swing at an invisible adversary. Hobbs's hat felloff with the backward jerk of surprise. 

"Oh, my word!" he exclaimed admiringly, "wot a punch you've got!"

Later on, much of his good humour was restored and his vanity pleased bya polite request from Count Halfont to attend an important council inthe "Room of Wrangles" that evening at nine. 

Very boldly he advanced upon the Castle a few minutes before theappointed hour. He went alone, that he might show a certain contempt forCount Vos Engo. Notwithstanding the fact that he started early enoughfor the Chamber, he was distressingly late for the meeting. 

He came upon Loraine Tullis at the edge of the Terrace. She was walkingslowly in the soft shadows beyond the row of lights on the lowergallery. King would have passed her without recognition, so dim was thelight in this enchanted spot, had not his ear caught the sound of awhispered exclamation. At the same time the girl stopped abruptly in thedarkest shadow. He knew her at a glance, this slim girl in spotlesswhite. 

"Loraine!" he whispered, reaching her side in two bounds. She put outher hands and he clasped them. A quick, hysterical little laugh camefrom her lips. Plainly, she was confused. "I've been dying for a glimpseof you. Do you think you've treated me--"

"Don't, Truxton, " she pleaded, suddenly serious. She sent a swift glancetoward the balconies. "You must not come here. I saw--well, you know. Iwas so ashamed. I was so sorry. "

He still held her hands. His heart was throbbing furiously. 

"Yes, they ordered me to move on, as if I were a common loafer, " hesaid, with a soft chuckle. "I'm used to it, however. They ran me out ofMeshed for taking snapshots; they banished me from Damascus, and theyall but kicked me out of Jerusalem--I won't say why. But where have youkept yourself? Why have you avoided me? After getting the Prince toparade me in front of your windows, too. It's dirt mean, Loraine. "

"I have been ill, Truxton--truly, I have, " she said quickly, uneasily. 

"See here, what's wrong? You are in trouble. I can tell by your manner. Tell me--trust me. "

"I am worried so dreadfully about John, " she faltered. 

"That isn't all, " he declared. "There's something else. What promise didyou make to Vos Engo last Saturday after--well, if you choose to recallit--after I brought you back to him--what did you promise him?"

"Don't be cruel, Truxton, " she pleaded. "I cannot forget all you havedone for me. "

"You told Vos Engo to ride back and pick me up, " he persisted. "He toldme in so many words. Now, I want a plain answer, Loraine. Did youpromise to reward him if he--well, if he saved me from the mob?"

She was breathlessly silent for a moment. "No, " she said, in a lowvoice. 

"What was it, then? I must know, Loraine. " He was bending over her, imperiously. 

"I am very--oh, so very unhappy, Truxton, " she murmured. He was on thepoint of clasping her in his arms and kissing her. But he thought betterof it. 

"I came near spoiling everything just now, " he whispered hoarsely. 

"What?"

"I almost kissed you, Loraine, --I swear it was hard to keep from it. That would have spoiled everything. "

"Yes, it would, " she agreed quickly. 

"I'm not going to kiss you until you have told me you love Vos Engo. "

"I--I don't understand, " she cried, drawing back and looking up into hisface with bewildered eyes. 

"Because then I'll be sure that you love me. "

"Be sensible, Truxton. "

"I'll know that you promised to love him if he'd save me. It's as clearas day to me. You _did_ tell him you'd marry him if he got me to a placeof safety. "

"No. I _refused_ to marry him if he did not save you. Oh, Truxton, I amso miserable. What is to become of all of us? What is to become of John, and Bobby--and you?"

"I--I think I'll kiss you now, Loraine, " he whispered almosttremulously. "God, how I love you, little darling!"

"Don't!" she whispered, resolutely pushing him away after a sweet secondof indecision. "I cannot--I cannot, Truxton dear. Don't ask me to--to dothat. Not now, please--not now!"

He stiffened; his hands dropped to his sides, but there was joy in hisvoice. 

"I can wait, " he said gently. "It's only a matter of a few days; andI--I won't make it any harder for you just now. I think I understand. You've--you've sort of pledged yourself to that--to him, and you don'tthink it fair to--well, to any of us. I'm including you, you see. I knowyou don't love him, and I know that you're going to love me, even if youdon't at this very instant. I'm not a very stupid person, after all. Ican see through things. I saw through it all when he came back for me. That's why I jumped from his horse and took my chances elsewhere. He dida plucky thing, Loraine, but I--I couldn't let it go as he intended itto be. Confound him, I would have died a thousand times over rather thanhave you sacrifice yourself in that way. It was splendid of you, darling, but--but very foolish. You've got yourself into a dreadful messover it. I've got to rescue you all over again. This time, thank theLord, from a Castle. "

She could not help smiling. His joyousness would not be denied. 

"How splendid you are!" she said, her voice thrilling with a tone thatcould not be mistaken. 

He put his hands upon her shoulders and looked down into the beautiful, upturned face, a genuinely serious note creeping into his voice when hespoke again. 

"Don't misconstrue my light-heartedness, dearest. It's a habit with me, not a fault. I see the serious side to your affair--as you view it. Youhave promised to marry Vos Engo. You'll have to break that promise. Hedidn't save me. Colonel Quinnox would have accomplished it, in anyevent. He can't hold you to such a silly pledge. You--you haven't by anychance told him that you love him?" He asked this in sudden anxiety. 

"Really, Truxton, I cannot discuss--"

"No, I'm quite sure you haven't, " he announced contentedly. "Youcouldn't have done that, I know. Now, I want you to make me a promisethat you'll keep. "

"Oh, Truxton--don't ask me to say that I'll be your--" She stopped, painfully embarrassed. 

"That will come later, " he said consolingly. "I want you to promise, onyour sacred word of honour, that you'll kiss no man until you've kissedme. "

"Oh!" she murmured, utterly speechless. 

"Promise!"

"I--I cannot promise that, " she said in tones almost inaudible. "I amnot sure that I'll ever--ever kiss anybody. How silly you are!"

"I'll make exception in the case of your brother--and, yes, the Prince. "

"I'll not make such a promise, " she cried. 

"Then, I'll be hanged if I'll save you from the ridiculous mess you'vegotten yourself into, " he announced with finality. "Moreover, you're notyet safe from old Marlanx. Think it over, my--"

"Oh, he cannot seize the Castle--it is impossible!" she cried in suddenterror. 

"I'm not so sure about that, " he said laconically. 

"What is it you really want me to say?" she asked, looking up withsudden shyness in her starry eyes. 

"That you love me--and me only, Loraine, " he whispered. 

"I will not say it, " she cried, breaking away from him. "But, " as sheran to the steps, a delicious tremor in her voice--"I _will_ considerthe other thing you ask. "

"Darling--don't go, " he cried, in eager, subdued tones, but she alreadywas half way across the balcony. In a moment she was gone. "Poor, harassed little sweetheart!" he murmured, with infinite tenderness. Fora long time he stood there, looking at the window through which she haddisappeared, his heart full of song. 

Then, all at once, he remembered the meeting. "Great Scott!" in dismay. "I'm late for the pow-wow. " A twisted smile stole over his face. "Iwonder how they've managed to get along without me. " Then he presentedhimself, somewhat out of breath, to the attendants at the south doors, where he had been directed to report. A moment later he was in theCastle of Graustark, following a stiff-backed soldier through mediævalhalls of marble, past the historic staircase, down to the door of thecouncil chamber. He was filled with the most delicious sensation of aweand reverence. Only in his dearest dreams had he fancied himself inthese cherished halls. And now he was there--actually treading the samemosaic floors that had known the footsteps of countless princes andprincesses, his nostrils tingling with the rare incense of fivecenturies, his blood leaping to the call of a thousand romances. The allbut mythical halls of Graustark--the sombre, vaulted, time-defyingcorridors of his fancy. Somewhere in this vast pile of stone was thegirl he loved. Each shadowy nook, each velvety recess, seemed to glowwith the wizardry of love-lamps that had been lighted with the buildingof the Castle. How many hearts had learned the wistful lesson in theseaged halls? How many loves had been sheltered here?

He walked on air. He pinched himself--and even then was not certain thathe was awake. It was too good to be true. 

He was ushered into a large, sedately furnished room. A score of menwere there before him--sitting or standing in attitudes of attention, listening to the words of General Braze. King's entrance was the signalfor an immediate transfer of interest. The General bowed most politelyand at once turned to Count Halfont with the remark that he had quitefinished his suggestions. The Prime Minister came forward to greet themomentarily shy American. King had time to note that the only man whodenied him a smile of welcome was Count Vos Engo. He promptly includedhis rival in his own sweeping, self-conscious smile. 

"The Council has been extolling you, Mr. King, " said the Prime Minister, leading him to a seat near his own. Truxton sat down, bewildered. "Wemay some day grow large enough to adequately appreciate the invaluable, service you have performed in behalf of Graustark. "

Truxton blushed. He could think of nothing to say, except: "I'm sorry tohave been so late. I was detained. "

Involuntarily he glanced at Vos Engo. That gentleman started, a curiouslight leaping into his eyes. 

"Mr. King, we have asked you here for the purpose of hearing the fullstory of your experiences during the past two weeks, if you will be sogood as to relate them. We have had them piecemeal. I need not tell youthat Graustark is in the deepest peril. If there is a single suggestionthat you can make that will help her to-night, I assure you that it willbe given the most grateful consideration. Graustark has come to know andrespect the resourcefulness and courage of the American gentleman. Wehave seen him at his best. "

"I have really done no more than to--er--save my own neck, " said Truxtonsimply. "Any one might be excused for doing the same. Graustark owes agreat deal more to Miss Tullis than it does to me, believe me, my lords. She had the courage, I the strength. "

"Be assured of our attitude toward Miss Tullis, " said Halfont in reply. "Graustark loves her. It can do no more than that. It is from MissTullis that we have learned the extent of your valorous achievements. Ah, my dear young friend, she has given you a fair name. She tells us ofa miracle and we are convinced. "

Truxton stammered his remonstrances, but glowed with joy and pride. 

"Here is the situation in a nutshell, " went on the Prime Minister. "Weare doomed unless succor reaches us from the outside. We have discusseda hundred projects. While we are inactive, Count Marlanx is gainingmore power and a greater hold over the people of the city. We have nomeans of communication with Prince Dantan of Dawsbergen, who is ourfriend. We seem unable to get warning to John Tullis, who, if giventime, might succeed in collecting a sufficient force of loyal countrymento harass and eventually overthrow the Dictator. Unless he is reachedbefore long, John Tullis and his combined force of soldiers will beambushed and destroyed. I am loth to speak of another alternative thathas been discussed at length by the ministers and their friends. TheDuke of Perse, from a bed of pain and anguish, has counselled us to takesteps in the direction I am about to speak of. You see, we are takingyou into our confidence, Mr. King. 

"We can appeal to Russia in this hour of stress. Moreover, we may expectthat help will be forthcoming. But we will have to make an unpleasantsacrifice. Russia is eager to take over our new issue of railway bonds. Hitherto, we have voted against disposing of the bonds in that country, the reason being obvious. St. Petersburg wants a new connecting linewith her possessions in Afghanistan. Our line will provide a most directroute--a cut-off, I believe they call it. Last year the Grand DukePaulus volunteered to provide the money for the construction of the linefrom Edelweiss north to Balak on condition that Russia be given theright to use the line in connection with her own roads to the Orient. You may see the advantage in this to Russia. Mr. King, if I send word tothe Grand Duke Paulus, agreeing to his terms, which still remain open tous, signing away a most valuable right in what we had hoped would be ourown individual property, we have every reason to believe that he willsend armed forces to our relief, on the pretext that Russia is defendingproperties of her own. That is one way in which we may oust CountMarlanx. The other lies in the ability of John Tullis to give battle tohim with our own people carrying the guns. I am confident that CountMarlanx will not bombard the Castle except as a last resort. He willattempt to starve us into submission first; but he will not destroyproperty if he can help it. I have been as brief as possible. LieutenantHaddan has told us quite lately of a remark you made which he happenedto overhear. If I quote him correctly, you said to the Englishman Hobbsthat you could get away with it, meaning, as I take it, that you couldsucceed in reaching John Tullis. The remark interested me, coming as itdid from one so resourceful. May I not implore you to tell us how youwould go about it?"

Truxton had turned a brick red. Shame and mortification surged withinhim. He was cruelly conscious of an undercurrent of irony in thePremier's courteous request. For an instant he was sorely crushed. A lowlaugh from the opposite side of the room sent a shaft to his soul. Helooked up. Vos Engo was still smiling. In an instant the American'sblood boiled; his manner changed like a flash; blind, unreasoningbravado succeeded embarrassment. 

He faced Count Halfont coolly, almost impudently. 

"I think I was unfortunate enough to add that your men were going aboutit--well, like amateurs, " he said, with a frank smile. "I meant nooffense. " Then he arose suddenly, adjusted his necktie with the utmost_sang froid_, and announced:

"I did say I could get to John Tullis. If you like, I'll startto-night. "

His words created a profound impression, they came so abruptly. The menstared at him, then at each other. It was as if he had read theirthoughts and had jumped at once to the conclusion that they were baitinghim. Every one began talking at once. Soon some one began to shake hishand. Then there were cheers and a dozen handshakings. Truxton grimlyrealised that he had done just what they had expected him to do. Hetried to look unconcerned. 

"You will require a guide, " said Colonel Quinnox, who had been studyingthe _degage_ American in the most earnest manner. 

"Send for Mr. Hobbs, please, " said Truxton. 

A messenger was sent post haste to the barracks. The news already wasspreading throughout the Castle. The chamber door was wide open and menwere coming and going. Eager women were peering through the doorway fora glimpse of the American. 

"There should be three of us, " said King, addressing the men about him. "One of us is sure to get away. "

"There is not a man here--or in the service--who will not gladlyaccompany you, Mr. King, " cried General Braze quickly. 

"Count Vos Engo is the man I would choose, if I may be permitted thehonour of naming my companion, " said Truxton, grinning inwardly with amalicious joy. 

Vos Engo turned a yellowish green. His eyes bulged. 

"I--I am in command of the person of his Royal Highness, " he stammered, suddenly going very red. 

"I had forgotten your present occupation, " said Truxton quietly. "Praypardon the embarrassment I may have caused you. After all, I think Hobbswill do. He knows the country like a book. Besides, his business in thecity must be very dull just now. He'll be glad to have the chance topersonally conduct me for a few days. As an American tourist, I mustinsist, gentlemen, on being personally conducted by a man from Cook's. "

They did not know whether to laugh or to treat it as a seriousannouncement. 

Mr. Hobbs came. That is to say, he was produced. It is doubtful if Mr. Hobbs ever fully recovered from the malady commonly known as stagefright. He had never been called Mr. Hobbs by a Prime Minister before, nor had he ever been asked in person by a Minister of War if he had afamily at home. Moreover, no assemblage of noblemen had evercondescended to unite in three cheers for him. Afterward Truxton Kingwas obliged to tell him that he had unwaveringly volunteered toaccompany him on the perilous trip to the hills. Be sure of it, Mr. Hobbs was not in a mental condition for many hours to even remotelycomprehend what had taken place. He only knew that he had been invited, as an English _gentleman_, to participate in a council of war. 

But Mr. Hobbs was not the kind to falter, once he had given his word;however hazy he may have been at the moment, he knew that he hadvolunteered to do something. Nor did it seem to surprise him when hefinally found out what it was. 

"We'll be off at midnight, Hobbs, " said Truxton, feeling in his pocketfor the missing watch. 

"As you say, Mr. King, just as you say, " said Hobbs with fineindifference. 

As Truxton was leaving the Castle ten minutes later, Hobbs having gonebefore to see to the packing of food-bags and the filling of flasks, abrisk, eager-faced young attendant hurried up to him. 

"I bear a message from his Royal Highness, " said the attendant, detaining him. 

"He should be sound asleep at this time, " said Truxton, surprised. 

"His Royal Highness insists on staying awake as long as possible, sir. It is far past his bedtime, but these are troublesome times, he says. Every man should do his part. Prince Robin has asked for you, sir. "

"How's that?"

"He desires you to appear before him at once, sir. "

"In--in the audience chamber?"

"In his bedchamber, sir. He is very sleepy, but says that you are tocome to him before starting away on your mission of danger. "

"Plucky little beggar!" cried Truxton, his heart swelling with love forthe royal youngster. 

"Sir!" exclaimed the attendant, his eyes wide with amazement andreproof. 

"I'll see him, " said the other promptly, as if he were granting theaudience. 

He followed the perplexed attendant up the grand staircase, acrossthickly carpeted halls in which posed statuesque soldiers of the RoyalGuard, to the door of the Prince's bedchamber. Here he was confronted byCount Vos Engo. 

"Enter, " said Vos Engo, with very poor grace, standing aside. Thesentinels grounded their arms and Truxton King passed into the royalchamber, alone. 

CHAPTER XX

BY THE WATER-GATE

It was a vast, lofty apartment, regal in its subdued lights. Anenormous, golden bed with gorgeous hangings stood far down the room. Sohuge was this royal couch that Truxton at first overlooked the figuresitting bolt upright in the middle of it. The tiny occupant called outin a very sleepy voice:

"Here I am, Mr. King. Gee, I hate a bed as big as this. They just makeme sleep in it. "

An old woman advanced from the head of the couch and motioned Truxton toapproach. 

"I am deeply honoured, your Highness, " said the visitor, bowing verylow. Through the windows he could see motionless soldiers standing guardin the balcony. 

"Come over here, Mr. King. Nurse won't let me get up. Excuse my nighty, will you, please? I'm to have pajamas next winter. "

Truxton advanced to the side of the bed. His eyes had swept the room insearch of the one person he wanted most to see of all in the world. Anold male servitor was drawing the curtains at the lower end of the room. There was no one else there, except the nurse. They seemed as much apart of the furnishings of this room as if they had been fixtures fromthe beginning. 

"I am sure you will like them, " said Truxton, wondering whether she weredivinely secreted in one of the great, heavily draped window recesses. She had been in this room but recently. A subtle, delicate, enchantingperfume that he had noticed earlier in the evening--ah, he would neverforget it. 

The Prince's legs were now hanging over the edge of the bed. His eyeswere dancing with excitement; sleep was momentarily routed. 

"Say, Mr. King, I wish I was going with you to find Uncle Jack. You willfind him, won't you? I'm going to say it in my prayers to-night andevery night. They won't hardly let me leave this room. It's rotten luck. I want to fight, too. "

"We are all fighting for you, Prince Robin. "

"I want you to find Uncle Jack, Mr. King, " went on Bobby eagerly. "Andtell him I didn't mean it when I banished him the other day. I reallyand truly didn't. " He was having difficulty in keeping back the tears. 

"I shall deliver the message, your Highness, " said Truxton, his heartgoing out to the unhappy youngster. "Rest assured of that, please. Go tosleep and dream that I have found him and am bringing him back to you. The dream will come true. "

"Are you sure?" brightening perceptibly. 

"Positively. "

"Americans always do what they say they will, " said the boy, his eyessnapping. "Here's something for you to take with you, Mr. King. It's mylucky stone. It always gives good luck. Of course, you must promise tobring it back to me. It's an omen. "

He unclasped his small fingers; in the damp palm lay one of thosepeculiarly milky, half-transparent pebbles, common the world over and ofvalue only to small, impressionable boys. Truxton accepted it withprofound gravity. 

"I found it last 4th of July, when we were celebrating out there in thepark. I'm always going to have a 4th of July here. Don't you lose it, Mr. King, and you'll have good luck. Baron Dangloss says it's theluckiest kind of a stone. And when you come back, Mr. King, I'm going toknight you. I'd do it now, only Aunt Loraine says you'd be worryingabout your title all the time and might be 'stracted from your mission. I'm going to make a baron of you. That's higher than a count inGraustark. Vos Engo is only a count. "

Truxton started. He looked narrowly into the frank, engaging eyes of theboy in the nighty. 

"I shall be overwhelmed, " he said. Then his hand went to his mouth inthe vain effort to cover the smile that played there. 

"My mother used to say that American girls liked titles, " said thePrince with ingenuous candor. 

"Yes?" He hoped that she was eavesdropping. 

"Nurse said that I was not to keep you long, Mr. King, " said the Princeruefully. "I suppose you are very busy getting ready. I just wanted togive you my lucky stone and tell you about being a baron. I won't haveany luck till you come back. Tell Mr. Hobbs I'm thinking of making him acount. You're awful brave, Mr. King. "

"Thank you, Prince Robin. May I--" he glanced uneasily at the distantnurse--"may I ask how your Aunt Loraine is feeling?"

"She acted very funny when I sent for you. I'm worried about her. "

"What did she do, your Highness?"

"She rushed off to her room. I think, Mr. King, she was getting ready tocry or something. You see, she's in trouble. "

"In trouble?"

"Yes. I can't tell you about it. "

"She's worried about her brother, of course--and you. "

"I just wish I could tell you--no, I won't. It wouldn't be fair, " Bobbysaid, checking himself resolutely. "She's awful proud of you. I'm sureshe likes you, Mr. King. "

"I'm very, very glad to hear that. "

Bobby had great difficulty in keeping his most secret impressions tohimself. In fact, he floundered painfully in an attack on diplomacy. 

"You should have seen her when Uncle Caspar came in to say you weregoing off to find her brother. She cried. Yes, sir, she did. She kissedme and--but you don't like to hear silly things about girls, do you?Great big men never do. "

"I've heard enough to make me want to do something very silly myself, "said Truxton, radiant. "I--I don't suppose I could--er--see your AuntLoraine for a few minutes?"

"I think not. She said she just--now, you mustn't mind her, Mr. King--she just couldn't bear it, that's all. She told me to say she'dpray for you and--Oh, Mr. King, I do hope she won't marry that otherman!"

Truxton bent his knee. "Your Highness, as it seems I am not to see her, and as you seem to be the very best friend I have, I should very muchlike to ask a great favour of you. Will you take this old ring of mineand wish it on her finger just as soon as I have left your presence?"

"How did you know she was coming in again?" in wide-eyed wonder. "Excuseme. I shouldn't ask questions. What shall I wish?" It was the old ringthat had come from Spantz's shop. The Prince promptly hid it beneath thepillow. 

"I'll leave that to you, my best of friends. "

"I bet it'll be a good wish, all right. I know what to wish. "

"I believe you do. Would you mind giving her something else from me?" Hehesitated before venturing the second request. Then, overswept by awarm, sweet impulse, he stepped forward, took the boy's face between hiseager hands, and pressed a kiss upon his forehead. "Give her that forme, will you, Prince Robin Goodfellow. "

Bobby beamed. "But I never kiss her _there!_"

"I shall be ten thousand times obliged, your Highness, if you willdeliver it in the usual place. "

"I'll do it!" almost shouted the Prince. Then he clapped his hand overhis mouth and looked, pop-eyed with apprehension, toward the nurse. 

"Then, good-bye and God bless you, " said Truxton. "I must be off. YourUncle Jack is waiting for me, up there in the hills. "

Bobby's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Mr. King, please give him my loveand make him hurry back. I--I need him awful!"

Truxton found Mr. Hobbs in a state bordering on collapse. 

"I say, Mr. King, it's all right to say we'll go, but how the deuce arewe to do it? My word, there's no more chance of getting out of the--"

"Listen, Hobbs: we're going to swim out, " said Truxton. He was engagedin stuffing food into a knapsack. Colonel Quinnox and Haddan had beenlistening to Hobbs's lamentations for half an hour, in King's room. 

"Swim? Oh, I say! By hokey, he's gone clean daffy!" Hobbs was eyeing himwith alarm. The others looked hard at the speaker, scenting a joke. 

"Not yet, Hobbs. Later on, perhaps. I had occasion to make a short tourof investigation this afternoon. Doubtless, gentlemen, you know wherethe water-gate is, back of the Castle. Well, I've looked it over--andunder, I might say. Hobbs, you and I will sneak under those slippery oldgates like a couple of eels. I forgot to ask if you can swim. "

"To be sure I can. _Under_ the gates? My word!"

"Simple as rolling off a log, " said Truxton carelessly. "The Cascadesand Basin of Venus run out through the gate. There is a space of atleast a foot below the bottom of the gate, which hasn't been opened infifty years, I'm told. A good swimmer can wriggle through, d'ye see?That lets him out into the little canal that connects with the river. Then--"

"I see!" cried Quinnox. "It can be done! No one will be watching at thatpoint. "

The sky was overcast, the night as black as ebony. The four men left theofficers' quarters at one o'clock, making their way to the historic oldgate in the glen below the Castle. Arriving at the wall, Truxton brieflywhispered his plans. 

"You remember, Colonel Quinnox, that the stream is four or five feetdeep here at the gate. The current has washed a deeper channel under theiron-bound timbers. The gates are perhaps two feet thick. For somethinglike seven or eight feet from the bottom they are so constructed thatthe water runs through an open network of great iron bars. Now, Hobbsand I will go under the gates in the old-clothes you have given us. Whenwe are on the opposite side we'll stick close by the gate, and you maypass our dry clothes out between the bars above the surface of thewater. Our guns, the map and the food, as well. It's very simple. Thenwe'll drop down the canal a short distance and change our clothes in theunderbrush. Hobbs knows where we can procure horses and he knows atrusty guide on the other side of the city. So long, Colonel. I'll seeyou later. "

"God be with you, " said Quinnox fervently. The four men shook hands andKing slipped into the water without a moment's hesitation. 

"Right after me, Hobbs, " he said, and then his head went under. 

A minute later he and Hobbs were on the outside of the gate, gasping forbreath. Standing in water to their necks, Quinnox and Haddan passed theequipment through the barred openings. There were whispered good-byesand then two invisible heads bobbed off in the night, wading in theswift-flowing canal, up to their chins. Swimming would have beendangerous, on account of the noise. 

Holding their belongings high above their heads, with their hearts intheir mouths, King and the Englishman felt their way carefully along thebed of the stream. Not a sound was to be heard, except the barking ofdogs in the distance. The stillness of death hung over the land. Sostill, that the almost imperceptible sounds they made in breathing andmoving seemed like great volumes of noise in their tense ears. 

A hundred yards from the gate they crawled ashore and made their way upover the steep bank into the thick, wild underbrush. Not a word had beenspoken up to this time. 

"Quietly now, Hobbs. Let us get out of these duds. 'Gad, they're likeice. From now on, Hobbs, you lead the way. I'll do my customary act offollowing. "

Hobbs was shivering from the cold. "I say, Mr. King, you're a wonder, that's wot you are. Think of going under those bally gates!"

"That's right, Hobbs, think of it, but don't talk. "

They stealthily stripped themselves of the wet garments, and, after noend of trouble, succeeded in getting into the dry substitutes. Then theylowered the wet bundles into the water and quietly stole off through thebrush, Hobbs in the lead, intent upon striking the King's Highway, amile or two above town. It was slow, arduous going, because of theextreme caution required. A wide detour was made by the cannyHobbs--wider, in fact, than the impatient American thought whollynecessary. In time, however, they came to the Highway. 

"Well, we've got a start, Hobbs. We'll win out, just as I said we would. Easy as falling off a log. "

"I'm not so blooming sure of that, " said Hobbs. He was recalling arecent flight along this very road. "We're a long way from being out ofthe woods. "

"Don't be a kill-joy, Hobbs. Look at the bright side of things. "

"I'll do that in the morning, when the sun's up, " said Hobbs, with asigh. "Come along, sir. We take this path here for the upper road. It'sa good two hours' walk up the mountain to Rabot's, where we get thehorses. "

All the way up the black, narrow mountain path Hobbs kept the lead. Kingfollowed, his thoughts divided between the blackness ahead and thesingle, steady light in a certain window now far behind. He had seen thelighted window in the upper balcony as he passed the Castle on the wayto the gate. Somehow he knew she was there saying good-bye and Godspeedto him. 

At four o'clock, as the sun reached up with his long, red fingers frombehind the Monastery mountain, Truxton King and Hobbs rode away fromRabot's cottage high in the hills, refreshed and sound of heart. Rabot'sson rode with them, a sturdy, loyal lad, who had leaped joyously at thechance to serve his Prince. Undisturbed, they rode straight for thepasses below St. Valentine's. Behind and below them lay the sleeping, restless, unhappy city of Edelweiss, with closed gates and unfriendly, sullen walls. There reigned the darkest fiend that Graustark, in all herhistory, had ever come to know. 

Truxton King had slipped through his fingers with almost ridiculousease. So simple had it been, that the two messengers, gloating in theprospect ahead, now spoke of the experience as if it were the mosttrivial thing in their lives. They mentioned it casually; that was all. 

Now, let us turn to John Tullis and his quest in the hills. It goeswithout saying that he found no trace of his sister or her abductors. For five days he scoured the lonely, mysterious mountains, dragging thetired but loyal hundred about at his heels, distracted by fear andanguish over the possible fate of the adored one. On the fifth day, alarge force of Dawsbergen soldiers, led by Prince Dantan himself, foundthe fagged, disspirited American and his half-starved men encamped in arocky defile in the heart of the wilderness. 

That same night a Graustark mountaineer passed the sentinels and broughtnews of the disturbance in Edelweiss. He could give no details. He onlyknew that there had been serious rioting in the streets and that thegates were closed against all comers. He could not tell whether therioters--most of whom he took to be strikers, had been subdued orwhether mob-law prevailed. He had been asked to cast his lot with thestrikers, but had refused. For this he was driven away from his home, which was burned. His wife and child were now at the Monastery, wheremany persons had taken refuge. 

In a flash it occurred to John Tullis that Marlanx was at the bottom ofthis deviltry. The abduction of Loraine was a part of his plan! PrinceDantan advised a speedy return to the city. His men were at the commandof the American. Moreover, the Prince himself decided to accompany thetroops. 

Before sunrise, the command, now five or six hundred strong, was pickingits way down the dangerous mountain roads toward the main highway. Fifteen miles below Edelweiss they came upon the company of soldierssent out to preserve order in the railroad camps. 

The officer in charge exhibited a document, given under the hand andseal of Baron Dangloss, directing him to remain in command of the campsuntil the strikers, who were unruly, could be induced to resume workonce more. This order, of course, was a forgery, designed to mislead thelittle force until Marlanx saw fit to expose his hand to the world. Ithad come by messenger on the very day of the rioting. The messengerbrought the casual word that the government was arresting and punishingthe lawless, and that complete order would hardly be established forseveral days at the outside. He went so far as to admit that an attempton the life of the Prince had failed. Other reports had come to thecamps, and all had been to the effect that the rioting was over. Thestrikers, it seemed, were coming to terms with their employers and wouldsoon take up the work of construction once more. All this sufficed tokeep the real situation from reaching the notice of the young captain;he was obeying orders and awaiting the return of the workmen. 

The relief that swept into the souls of the newly arrived company wasshort-lived. They had gone into camp, tired, sore and hungry, and werepreparing to take a long needed rest before taking up the last stage oftheir march toward the city. John Tullis was now in feverish haste toreach the city, where at least he might find a communication from themiscreants, demanding ransom. He had made up his mind to pay whateverthey asked. Down in his heart, however, there was a restless fear thatshe had not fallen into the hands of ordinary bandits. He could notbanish the sickening dread that she was in the power of Marlanx, to whomshe alone could pay the ransom exacted. 

Hardly had the men thrown themselves from their horses when the sound ofshooting in the distance struck their ears. Instantly the entire forcewas alert. A dozen shots were fired in rapid succession; then singlereports far apart. The steady beat of horses' feet was now plain to theattentive company. There was a quick, incisive call to arms; a squadstood ready for action. The clatter of hoofs drew nearer; a small groupof horsemen came thundering down the defile. Three minutes after thefiring was first heard, sentries threw their rifles to their shouldersand blocked the approach of the riders. 

A wild, glad shout went up from the foremost horseman. He had pulled hisbeast to its haunches almost at the muzzles of the guns. 

"Tullis!" he shouted, waving his hat. 

John Tullis ran toward the excited group in the road. He saw three men, one of whom was shouting his name with all the power in his lungs. 

"Thank God, we've found you!" cried the horseman, swinging to the grounddespite the proximity of strange rifles. "Put up your guns! We'refriends!"

"King!" exclaimed Tullis, suddenly recognising him. A moment later theywere clasping hands. 

"This is luck! We find you almost as soon as we set out to do so. Glorybe! You've got a fair-sized army, too. We'll need 'em--and more. "

"What has happened, King? Where have you been? We looked for you afteryour disap--"

"That's ancient history, " interrupted the other. "How soon can you getthese troops on the march? There's not a moment to be lost. "

"Good God, man, tell me what it is--what has happened? The Prince? Whatof him?" cried Tullis, grasping King's arm in the clutch of a vise. 

"He sends his love and rescinds the order of exile, " said King, smiling. Then seriously: "Marlanx has taken the city. It was all a game, thisgetting rid of you. He's superstitious about Americans. There wasbomb-throwing in the square and a massacre afterward. The Prince and allthe others are besieged in the Castle. I'll tell you all about it. Hobbsand I are the only men who have got away from the Castle alive. We leftlast night. Our object was to warn you in time to prevent an ambush. You've got to save the throne for Prince Robin. I'll explain as we goalong. I may as well inform you right now that there's a big force ofmen waiting for you in the ravine this side of the Monastery. We sawthem. Thank God, we got to you in time. You can now take 'em by surpriseand--whiff! They'll run like dogs. Back here a couple of miles we cameupon a small gang of real robbers. We had a bit of shooting and--Iregret to say--no one was bagged. I'd advise you to have this forcepushed along as rapidly as possible. I have a message from your sister, sir. "

"Loraine? Where is she, King?"

"Don't tremble like that, old man. She's safe enough--in the Castle. Oh, it was a fine game Marlanx had in his mind. "

While the troopers were making ready for the march, Truxton King andHobbs related their story to eager, horrified groups of officers. It maybe well to say that neither said more of his own exploits than wasabsolutely necessary to connect the series of incidents. Prince Dantanmarvelled anew at this fresh demonstration of Yankee courage andingenuity. King graphically narrated the tale from beginning to end. Thefull force of the amazing tragedy was brought home to the pale, half-dazed listeners. There were groans and curses and bitter cries ofvengeance. John Tullis was crushed; despair was written in his face, anguish in his eyes. 

What was to become of the Prince?

"First of all, Tullis, we must destroy these scoundrels who are lying inwait for you in the ravine, " said Prince Dantan. "After that you can bein a position to breathe easily while collecting the army of fightersthat Mr. King suggests. Surely, you will be able to raise a large anddetermined force. My men are at Prince Robin's disposal. Captain Haasmay command them as his own. I deplore the fact that I may not call uponthe entire Dawsbergen army. Marlanx evidently knows our laws. Our armycannot go to the aid of a neighbor. We have done so twice in half acentury and our people have been obliged to pay enormous indemnity. Butthere are men here. I am here. We will not turn back, Mr. Tullis. Mypeople will not hold me at fault for taking a hand in this. I shall sendmessengers to the Princess; she, of course, must know. "

The battalion, augmented by the misguided company from the desertedrailroad camps, moved swiftly into the defile, led by young Rabot. Truxton King rode beside the brother of the girl he loved, utteringwords of cheer and encouragement. 

"King, you _do_ put new courage into me. You are surcharged with hopeand confidence. By heaven, I believe we can drive out that damned beastand his dogs. We _will_ do it!"

"There's a chap named Brutus. I ask special permission to kill him. That's the only request I have to make. "

"I very strongly oppose the appeal to Grand Duke Paulus. We must actdecisively before that alternative is forced upon the unhappy Halfont. It was Perse's scheme, months ago. Perse! Confound him, I believe he hasworked all along to aid--"

"Hold on, Tullis, " interrupted King soberly. "I wouldn't say that if Iwere you. The Duke was wounded by the dynamiters and I understand helies on his bed and curses Marlanx from morning till night. He praysconstantly that his daughter may be freed from the old scoundrel. "

"The Countess Ingomede--has anything been heard from her?" asked Tullis. He had been thinking of her for days--and nights. 

"Well, nothing definite, " said King evasively. He was reminded at thismoment of his own love affair. Seized by the boldest impulse that hadever come to him, he suddenly blurted out: "Tullis, I love your sister. I have loved her from the beginning. All that has happened in the lastweek has strengthened my adoration. I think she cares for me, but, --but--"

"My dear Mr. King, I'm sorry--" began Tullis, genuinely surprised. 

"But it seems that she's promised to marry Vos Engo. I'll tell you howit happened. " Then he related the episode of the rout in Castle Avenue. "It's all wrong for her to marry that chap. If she hasn't been bulliedinto it before we get back to her, I'd like to know if you won't put astop to his damned impudence. What right has such a fellow as Vos Engoto a good American girl like Loraine? None whatever. Besides, I'm goingto fight him when we're through fighting Marlanx. I want you as mysecond. Can't say whether it will be swords, pistols or knuckles. I hopeyou'll oblige me. As a matter of fact, I had two primary objects inlooking you up out here in the hills. First, to ask you for Loraine;second, to engage you as my second. "

Tullis was silent for a while. Then he said, quite seriously: "King, Ihave looked with some favour upon Vos Engo. I thought she liked him. Heisn't a bad fellow, believe me. I want Loraine to be happy. As for thispromise to him, I'll talk that over with her--if God permits me to seeher again I shall allow her to choose, King. You or Vos Engo--the oneshe loves, that's all. As for seconding you, I am at your service. "

King beamed. "That means, I take it, that you want me to win at leastone of the contests. Well, " with his whimsical, irresistible smile, "itwon't be necessary to try for the other if Vos Engo shoots me in thisone. "

"You will never know the extent of my gratitude, King. You have savedher from a hellish fate. I shall be disappointed in her if she does notchoose you. I owe you a debt of gratitude almost as great for savingthat dear little boy of--ours. I shall not forget what you havedone--never!"

Early in the afternoon the force under Captain Haas was divided intothree companies, for strategic purposes. The plan to surprise and defeatthe skulkers in the ravine had been carefully thought out. Two strongcompanies struck off into the hills; the third and weakest of the triokept the road, apparently marching straight into the trap. Signals hadbeen arranged. At a given sign the three parties were to swoop down uponthe position held by the enemy. 

Several hours passed. The troop in the highroad prepared to camp justbelow the treacherous pass in which the ambush was known to be laid. Scouts had located the confident rascals in the ravines above thehighway. With the news that their prey was approaching, they were beingrapidly rushed into position at the head of the pass. 

Shortly before sunset the troop in the road began to advance, ridingresolutely into the ravine. Even as the gloating, excited desperadoesprepared to open fire from their hidden position at the head of thepass, their pickets came running in with the word that two large forceswere drawing in on them from the north and east. 

The trappers were trapped. They realised that they had beenout-generalled, and they understood their deficiencies. Not a man amongthem knew the finer points of warfare. They were thugs and roustaboutsand ill-omened fellows who could stab in the back; they were craven inthe face of an open peril. 

There were few shots fired. The men in ambuscade tried to escape to thefastnesses of the hills. Some of them stood ground and fought, only tobe mown down by the enemy; others were surrounded and made captive; butfew actually succeeded in evading the troopers. All were ready to suefor mercy and to proclaim their willingness to divert allegiance fromdictator to Crown. Herded like so many cattle, guarded like wolves, theywere driven city-ward, few if any of them exhibiting the slightestsymptom of regret or discomfiture. In fact, they seemed more thanphilosophic: they were most jovial. These were soldiers of fortune, inthe plainest sense. It mattered little with whom they were allied oragainst whom they fought, so long as the pay was adequate and prompt. 

Indeed, the leaders of the party--officers by grace of luckytosses--benignly proffered the services of themselves and men in themovement to displace Count Marlanx!

"He cannot hold out, " said the evil-faced captain in cool derision. "Hecannot keep his promises to us. So why should we cut our own throats?All we ask is transportation to Austria after the job's over. That'swhere most of us came from, your Excellencies. Count on us, if you needus. Down with Marlanx!"

"Long live Prince--" Three-fourths of them stopped there because theydid not even know the name of the little ruler. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE RETURN

From the highlands below the Monastery, Captain Haas and his men wereable to study the situation in the city. The impracticability of anassault on any one of the stubborn, well-guarded gates was at oncerecognised. A force of seven hundred men, no matter how well trained ordetermined, could not be expected to surmount walls that had oftenwithstood the attack of as many thousands. The wisdom of delaying untila few thousand loyal, though poorly armed countrymen could be broughtinto play against the city appealed at once to Prince Dantan and JohnTullis. 

Withdrawing to an unexposed cut in the hills, safe from the shells thatmight be thrown up from the fortress, they established their camps, strongly entrenched and practically invulnerable against any attack frombelow. Squads of men were sent without delay into the hills and valleysto call the panic-stricken, wavering farmers into the fold. John Tullisheaded the company that struck off into the well-populated Ganlookdistrict. 

Marlanx, as if realising the nature of the movement in the hills, begana furious assault on the gates leading to the Castle. The watchers inthe hills could see as well as hear the conflict that raged almost attheir feet, so to speak. They cheered like mad when the motley army ofthe usurper was frustrated in the attempt to take the main gates. Fromthe walls about the park, Quinnox's men, few as they were, sent suchdeadly volleys into the streets below that the hordes fell back andfound shelter behind the homes of the rich. With half an eye, one couldsee that the rascals were looting the palaces, secure from anyopposition on the part of the government forces; through the glasses, scattered crowds of men could be seen carrying articles from the houses;more than one of the mansions went up in flames as the day grew old andthe lust of the pillagers increased. 

The next morning, Captain Haas announced to his followers that Marlanxhad begun to shell the Castle. Big guns in the fortress were hurlinggreat shells over the city, dropping them in the park. On the otherhand, Colonel Quinnox during the night had swung three Gatling guns tothe top of the wall; they were stationed at intervals along the wall, commanding every point from which an assault might be expected. It was awell-known fact that there was no heavy ordnance at the Castle. All daylong, Marlanx's men, stationed in the upper stories of houses close tothe walls, kept up a constant rifle fire, their bullets being directedagainst the distant windows of the Castle. That this desultory fusillademet with scant response at the hands of Quinnox, was quite apparent tothe uneasy, champing watchers near the Monastery. 

"Marlanx will not begin the actual bombardment until he knows thatTullis is drawing together a formidable force, " prophesied PrinceDantan. 

"But when he does begin the real shelling, " mourned Truxton King, chafing like a lion under the deadly inaction. "I can't bear the thoughtof what it means to those inside the Castle. He can blow it to piecesover their heads. Then, from the house tops, he can pick them off likeblackbirds. It's awful! Is there nothing that we can do, Prince? Damn itall, I know we can force a gate. And if we once get in where thosecowardly dogs are lording it, you'll see 'em take the walls likesteeple-chasers. "

"My dear Mr. King, " said Prince Dantan calmly, "you don't know ColonelQuinnox and the House Guard. The Quinnoxs have guarded Graustark'srulers for I don't know how many generations. History does not go backso far, I fear. You may depend on it, there will be no living guardsmeninside those walls when Marlanx lays his hands on the Prince. "

That night recruits from the farms and villages began to straggle intothe camp. They were armed with rifles, ordinary shotguns and antique"blunderbusses;" swords, staves and aged lances. All were willing to diein the service of the little Prince; all they needed was a determined, capable leader to rally them from the state of utter panic. Theyreported that the Crown foragers might expect cheerful and plenteoustribute from the farmers and stock growers. Only the mountaineers werehostile. 

The army now grew with astonishing rapidity. The recruits were notfighting men in a military sense, but their hearts were true and theyhungered for the chance to stamp out the evil that lay at their feet. Bythe close of the second day nearly three thousand men were encampedabove the city. Late that night John Tullis rode into camp at the headof a great company from the Ganlook province. He had retaken the town ofGanlook, seized the fortress, and recruited the entire fighting strengthof the neighbourhood. More than that, he had unlimbered and conveyed tothe provisional camp two of the big guns that stood above the gates atthe fortress. There had been a dozen skirmishes between the regulars androving bands of desperadoes. A savage fight took place at Ganlook andanother in the gap below the witch's hut. In both of these sanguinaryaffrays the government forces had come off victorious, splendid omensthat did not fail to put confidence into the hearts of the men. 

Marlanx trained two of his big guns on the camp in the hills. From thefortress he threw many futile shells toward their place of shelter. Theydid no damage; instead of death, they brought only laughter to thescornful camp. Under cover of night, the two Ganlook cannons wereplanted in a position commanding the southeastern city gate. It was theplan of the new besiegers to bombard this gate, tearing it to pieceswith shot. When their force was strong enough offensively, an assaultwould be flung against this opening. Drill and discipline werenecessary, however, before the attempt could be made. In the presentchaotic, untrained condition of their forces, an assault would prove notonly ineffectual, but disastrous. Day after day the recruits were putthrough hard drill under the direction of the regular officers. Everyday saw the force increased. This made hard work for the drill-masters. The willingness of the recruits, however, lessened the taskconsiderably. 

The knowledge that Marlanx had no big guns except those stationed in thefortress was most consoling to Tullis and his friends. He could notdestroy the Castle gates with shells, except by purest chance. He coulddrop shells into the Castle, but to hit a gate twenty feet wide? Never!Field ordnance was unknown to this country of mountains. 

The Iron Count's inability to destroy the Castle gates made it feasiblefor the men in the hills to devote considerable more time to drill andpreparation than they might have sacrificed if the conditions were thereverse. They were confident that Quinnox could hold the Castle formany days. With all this in mind, Captain Haas and Prince Dantan beatdown the objections of the impatient Americans; the work of preparationagainst ignominous failure went on as rapidly as possible. Haas wouldnot attack until he was ready, or it became absolutely certain that themen at the Castle were in dire need. 

Signalling between the Castle and the hills had been going on for days. The absence of the "wigwag" system made it impossible to conveyintelligible messages. 

Truxton King was growing haggard from worry and loss of sleep. He couldnot understand the abominable, criminal procrastination. He was of arace that did things with a dash and on the spur of the moment. His soulsickened day by day. John Tullis, equally unhappy, but morephilosophical, often found him seated upon a rock at the top of theravine, an unlighted pipe in his fingers, his eyes intent upon the hazyCastle. 

"Cheer up, King. Our time will come, " he was wont to say. 

"I've just got to do something, Tullis. This standing around is killingme. " Again he would respond: "Don't forget that I love some one downthere, old man. Maybe she's worrying about me, as well as about you. "Once he gave poor Mr. Hobbs a frightful tongue-lashing and was afterwardmost contrite and apologetic. Poor Hobbs had been guilty of asking if hehad a headache. 

Truxton was assigned to several scouting expeditions, simply to providehim with action and diverting excitement. One of these expeditionsdetermined the impossibility of entering the city through the railroadyards because of the trestle-work and the barricade of freight cars atthe gap in the wall. 

They had been in camp for a week. The stategists had practically decidedthat the assault could be made within a day or two. All was inreadiness--or as near as it could be--and all was enthusiasm andexcitement. 

"If Haas puts it off another day I'm going to start a round robin, whatever that is, " said Truxton. As he said it to a Dawsbergen officerwho could not understand English, it is doubtful if that gentleman'spolite nod of acquiescence meant unqualified approval of the project. 

At first they had built no fires at night. Now the force was soformidable that this precaution was unnecessary. The air was chill andthere were tents for but a few of the troopers. The fires in the ravinealways were surrounded by great circles of men, eagerly discussing thecoming battle. At the upper end of the ravine were the tents of theofficers, Prince Dantan and John Tullis. The latter shared his with Kingand Mr. Hobbs. Up here, the circle about the kindly pile of burning logswas small, select and less demonstrative. Here they smoked in silencemost of the time, each man's thoughts delivered to himself. 

Above, on the jutting rock, sat the disconsolate, lovesick Truxton. Itwas the night before the proposed assault on the gates. The guns were inposition and the cannonading was to begin at daybreak. He was full ofthe bitterness of doubt and misgiving. Was she in love with Vos Engo?Was the Count's suit progressing favourably under the fire of the enemy?Was his undoubted bravery having its effect upon the waveringsusceptibilities of the distressed Loraine?

Here was he, Truxton King, idle and useless for more than a week, beyondrange of the guns of the foe, while down there was Vos Engo in the thickof it, at the side of the girl he loved in those long hours of peril, able to comfort her, to cheer her, to fight for her. It was maddening. He was sick with uncertainty, consumed by jealousy. His pipe was not outnow: he was smoking furiously. 

The sound of a voice in sharp command attracted his attention. One ofthe sentries in the road below the elbow of the ridge had stopped someone who was approaching the camp. There was a bright moon, and Truxtoncould see other pickets hurrying to join the first. A few moments laterthe trespassers were escorted through the lines and taken directly toheadquarters. A man and two women, King observed. Somewhat interested, he sauntered down from his lonely boulder and joined the group ofofficers. 

John Tullis was staring hard at the group approaching from the roadway. They were still outside the circle of light, but it was plain to allthat the newcomers were peasants. The women wore the short red skirtsand the pointed bonnets of the lower classes. Gaudy shawls covered theirshoulders. One was tall and slender, with a bearing that was notpeasant-like. It was she who held Tullis's intense, unbelieving gazeuntil they were well inside the fire-light. She walked ahead of hercompanions. Suddenly he sprang forward with a cry of amazement. 

It was the Countess Ingomede. 

Her arrival created a sensation. In a moment she was in the centre of anamazed circle of men. Tullis, after his first low, eager greeting at theedge of the fire circle, drew her near to the warmth-giving flames. Prince Dantan and Captain Haas threw rugs and blankets in a great heapfor her to sit upon. Every one was talking at once. The Countess wassmiling through her tears. 

"Make room for my maid and her father. They are colder and morefatigued than I, " she said, lifting her tired, glorious eyes to JohnTullis, who stood beside her. "We have come from Balak. They sufferedmuch, that I might enjoy the slender comforts I was so ready to sharewith them. "

"Thank God, you are here, " he said in low, intense tones. She could notmistake the fervour in his voice nor the glow in his eyes. Her wondrous, yellowish orbs looked steadily into his, and he was satisfied. They paidtribute to the emotion that moved him to the depths of his being. Loveleaped up to him from those sweet, tired eyes; leaped with the unerringforce of an electric current that finds its lodestone in spite of mortalwill. 

"I knew you were here, John. I am not going back to Count Marlanx. It isended. "

"I knew it would come, Ingomede. You will let me tell you how glad Iam--some day?"

"Some day, when I am truly, wholly free from him, John. I know what youwill say, and I think you know what I shall say in reply. " Bothunderstood and were exalted. No other word passed between them touchingupon the thing that was uppermost in their minds. 

Food was provided for the wayfarers, and Tullis's tent was made readyfor the Countess and her maid. 

"Truxton, " said he, "we will have to find other quarters for the night. I've let my apartment--furnished. "

"She's gloriously beautiful, John, " was all that Truxton said, puffingmoodily at his pipe. He was thinking of one more beautiful, however. "Isuppose you'd think it a favour if I'd pot Marlanx for you to-morrow. "

"It doesn't matter whether he's potted or not, my friend. She will notgo back to him. He will have to find another prisoner for hishousehold. "

Truxton's thoughts went with a shudder to the underground room and thefair prisoner who had shared it with him. The dread of what might havebeen the fate of Loraine Tullis--or what might still be in store forher--brought cold chills over him. He abruptly turned away and sat downat the outer edge of the group. 

The Countess's story was soon told. Sitting before the great fire, surrounded by eager listeners, she related her experiences. PrinceDantan was her most attentive listener. 

She had been seized on the night of the ball as she started across herfather's garden. Before sunrise she was well on her way to Balak, incharge of three of the Count's most faithful henchmen. As for themessages that were sent to Edelweiss, she knew nothing of them, exceptthe last, which she had managed to get through with the assistance ofJosepha's father. She was kept a close prisoner in a house just outsideof Balak, and came to learn all of the infamous projects of her husband. At the end of ten days her maid was sent to her from Edelweiss. Shebrought the news of the calamity that had befallen the city. It was thenthat she determined to break away from her captors and try to reach theMonastery of St. Valentine, where protection would be afforded her forthe time being. After several days of ardent persuasion, she and Josephaprevailed upon the latter's father to assist them in their flight. Notonly was he persuaded, but in the end he journeyed with them through thewildest country north of Ganlook. They were four days in covering thedistance, partly on foot, partly by horse. Near the city they heard ofthe presence of troops near the Monastery. Farmers' wives told them ofthe newly formed army and of its leaders. She determined to make herway to the camp of those who would destroy her husband, eager to givethem any assistance that her own knowledge of Marlanx's plans mightprovide. 

Many details are omitted in this brief recital of her story. Perhaps itis well to leave something to the imagination. 

One bit of information she gave created no end of consternation amongthe would-be deliverers of the city. It had the effect of making themall the more resolute; the absolute necessity for immediately regainingcontrol in the city was forced upon them. She told them that CountMarlanx had lately received word that the Grand Duke Paulus was likelyto intervene before many days, acting on his own initiative, in thebelief that he could force the government of Graustark to grant therailway privileges so much desired by his country. Marlanx realised thathe would have to forestall the wily Grand Duke. If he were in absolutecontrol of the Graustark government when the Russian appeared, he and healone would be in a position to deal with the situation. Unless theCastle fell into his hands beforehand, insuring the fall of the royalhouse and the ministry, the Grand Duke's natural inclination would be tofirst befriend the hapless Prince and then to demand recompense inwhatsoever form he saw fit. 

"The Grand Duke may send a large force of men across the border at anytime, " said the Countess in conclusion. "Count Marlanx is sure to make adecisive assault as soon as he hears that the movement has begun. He hadhopes of starving them out, thus saving the Castle from destruction, butas that seems unlikely, his shells will soon begin to rain in earnestupon the dear old pile. "

Truxton King was listening with wide open ears. As she finished thisdreary prediction he silently arose to his feet and, without a word toany one, stalked off in the darkness. Tullis looked after him and shookhis head sadly. 

"I'll be happy on that fellow's account when daybreak comes and we arereally at it, " he said to Prince Dantan, who knew something of King'saffliction. 

But Truxton King was not there at daybreak. When he strode out of thecamp that night, he left it behind forever. 

The unfortunate lack of means to communicate with the occupants of theCastle had been the source of great distress to Captain Haas. If thedefenders could be informed as to the exact hour of the assault from theoutside, they could do much toward its speedy success by making a fiercesortie from behind their own walls. A quick dash from the Castle groundswould serve to draw Marlanx's attention in that direction, diminishingthe force that he would send to check the onslaught at the gates. Butthere was no means of getting word to Colonel Quinnox. His two or threehundred men would be practically useless at the most critical period ofthe demonstration. 

Truxton King had all this in mind as he swung off down the mountainroad, having stolen past the sentries with comparative ease. He wassmiling to himself. If all went well with him, Colonel Quinnox would beable to rise to the occasion. If he failed in the daring mission he hadelected to perform, the only resulting harm would be to himself; theplans of the besiegers would not suffer. 

He knew his ground well by this time. He had studied it thoroughly fromthe forlorn boulder at the top of the ravine. By skirting the upperwalls, on the mountain side, he might, in a reasonably short space oftime, reach the low woodlands north of the Castle walls. The dangerfrom Marlanx's scouts outside the city was not great; they had beenscattered and beaten by Haas's recruiting parties. He stood in moredanger from the men he would help, they who were the watchful defendersof the Castle. 

It must have been two o'clock when he crossed the King's Highway, a mileor more above the northern gates, and struck down into the same thickundergrowth that had protected him and Hobbs on a memorable night notlong before. 

At three o'clock, a dripping figure threw up his hands obligingly andlaughed with exultation when confronted by a startled guardsman _inside_the Castle walls and not more than fifty yards from the water gates!

He had timed his entrance by the sound of the guardsman's footstep onthe stone protecting wall that lined the little stream. When he came tothe surface inside the water gate, the sentry was at the extreme end ofhis beat. He shouted a friendly cry as he advanced toward the man, calling out his own name. 

Ten minutes later he was standing in the presence of the haggard, nerve-racked Quinnox, pouring into his astonished ears the news of thecoming attack. While he was discarding his wet clothing for others, preparations for the sortie were getting under way. The Colonel lost notime in routing out the sleeping guardsmen and reserves, and in sendingcommands to those already on duty at the gates. The quick rattle ofarms, the rush of feet, the low cries of relief, the rousing of horses, soon usurped the place of dreary, deadly calm. 

When the sun peeped over the lofty hills, he saw inside the gates arestless, waiting company of dragoons, ready for the command to rideforth. Worn, haggard fellows, who had slept but little and who had eatenscarcely anything for three days; men who would have starved to death. Now they were forgetting their hunger and fatigue in the wild, exultantjoy of the prospect ahead. 

Meantime, King had crossed the grounds with Colonel Quinnox, on the wayto the Castle. He was amazed, almost stupefied by the devastation thatalready had been wrought. Trees were down; great, gaping holes in theground marked the spots where shells had fallen; the plaza was an almostimpassable heap of masonry and soil, torn and rent by huge projectiles. But it was his first clear view of the Castle itself that appalled theAmerican. 

A dozen or more balls had crashed into the façade. Yawning fissures, gigantic holes, marked the path of the ugly messengers from Marlanx. Nearly all of the windows had been wrecked by riflemen who shot from theroofs of palaces in and about the avenue. Two of the smaller minaretswere in ruins; a huge pillar in the lower balcony was gone; the terracehad been ploughed up by a single ricochetting shell. 

"Great God!" gasped King. "It is frightful!"

"They began bombarding yesterday afternoon. We were asked to surrenderat three o'clock. Our reply brought the shells, Mr. King. It wasterrible. "

"And the loss of life, Colonel?" demanded the other breathlessly. 

"After the first two or three shells we found places of shelter for thePrince and his friends. They are in the stone tower beyond the Castle, overlooking what still remains of the ancient moat. Ah, there are nofaltering hearts here, Mr. King. The most glorious courage instead. Count Vos Engo guards the Prince and the ladies of the household. Alas!it was hunger that we feared the most. To-day we should have resorted tohorse's flesh. There was no other way. We knew that relief would comesome day. John Tullis was there. We had faith in him and in you. And nowit is to-day! This shall be our day, thank God! Nothing can stand beforeus!"

"Tullis is very anxious about his sister, " ventured Truxton. Quinnoxlooked straight ahead, but smiled. 

"She is the pluckiest of them all. "

"Is she well?"

"Perhaps a trifle thin, sir, that is all. I dare say that is due toscarcity of nourishment, although the Prince and his closest associateswere the last to feel deprivation. "

"How does the Prince take all this, Colonel?"

"As any Prince of Graustark would, sir. There is no other way. It is inthe blood. "

"Poor little chap!"

"He will rejoice to know that you have found his lucky stone soeffective. The Prince has never wavered in his loyalty to that pebble, sir. "

Together they entered the Castle. Inside there were horrid signs ofdestruction, particularly off the balconies. 

"No one occupies the upper part of the Castle now, sir. "

Attendants sped to the tower, shouting the battle tidings. Nocompunction was felt in arousing the sleeping household. As a matter offact, there was no protest from the eager ladies and gentlemen whohurried forth to hear the news. 

The Prince came tumbling down the narrow iron stairs from his roomabove, shouting joyously to Truxton King. No man was ever so welcome. Hewas besieged with questions, handshakings and praises. Even the Duke ofPerse, hobbling on crutches, had a kindly greeting for him. Tearsstreamed down the old man's cheeks when King told him of his daughter'ssafe arrival in the friendly camp. 

Truxton picked the Prince up in his arms and held him close to hisbreast, patting his back all the while, his heart so full that he couldnot speak. 

"I knowed you'd come back, " Bobby kept crying in his ear. "Aunt Lorainesaid you wouldn't, but I said you would. I knowed it--I knowed it! Andnow you're going to be a baron, sure enough. Isn't he, Uncle Caspar?"

But Truxton was not listening to the eager prattle. He rememberedafterward that Bobby's hands and face were hot with fever. Just now hewas staring at the narrow staircase. Vos Engo and Loraine weredescending slowly. The former was white and evidently very weak. Heleaned on the girl for support. 

Count Halfont offered the explanation. "Vos Engo was shot last week, through the shoulder. He is too brave to give up, as you may see. Ithappened on the terrace. There was an unexpected fusilade from thehousetops. Eric placed himself between the marksmen and Miss Tullis. Abullet that might have killed her instantly, struck him in the shoulder. They were fleeing to the balcony. He fell and she dragged him to a placeof safety. The wound is not so serious as it might have been, but heshould be in bed. He, like most of us, has not removed his clothing infive days and nights. "

King never forgot the look in Loraine's eyes as she came down the steps. Joy and anguish seemed to combine themselves in that long, intense look. He saw her hand go to her heart. Her lips were parted. He knew she wasbreathing quickly, tremulously. 

The Prince was whispering in his ear: "Keep the lucky stone, Mr. King. Please keep it. It will surely help you. I gave her your kiss. She washappy--awful happy for awhile. 'Nen the Count he saved her from thebullet. But you just keep the lucky stone. " King put him down and walkeddirectly across to meet her at the foot of the steps. 

She gave him her hands. The look in her tired eyes went straight to hisheart. Vos Engo drew back, his face set in a frown of displeasure. 

"My brother?" she asked, without taking her gaze from his eyes. 

"He is well. He will see you to-day. "

"And you, Truxton?" was her next question, low and quavering. 

"Unharmed and unchanged, Loraine, " he said softly. "Tell me, did VosEngo stand between you and the fire from the--"

"Yes, Truxton, " she said, dropping her eyes as if in deep pain. 

"And you have not--broken your promise to him?"

"No. Nor have I broken my promise to you. "

"He is a brave man. I can't help saying it, " said the American, deeplines suddenly appearing in his face. Swiftly he turned to Vos Engo, extending his hand. "My hand, sir, to a brave man!"

Vos Engo stared at him for a moment and then turned away, ignoring thefriendly hand. A hot flush mounted to Loraine's brow. 

"This is a brave man, too, Eric, " she said very quietly. 

Vos Engo's response was a short, bitter laugh. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE LAST STAND

Soon after five o'clock, a man in the topmost window of the tower calleddown that the forces in the hills were moving in a compact body towardthe ridges below the southern gates. 

"Give them half an hour to locate themselves, " advised Truxton King. "They will move rapidly and strike as soon as the shells have levelledthe gates. The proper time for your sortie, Colonel, would be some timein advance of their final movement. You will in that way draw at least aportion of Marlanx's men away from the heart of the city. They will cometo the assistance of the gang bivouacked beyond the Duke of Perse'spalace. "

One hundred picked men were to be left inside the Castle gates with VosEngo, prepared to meet any flank movement that might be attempted. Threehundred mounted men were selected to make the dash down Castle Avenue, straight into the camp of the sharpshooters. It was the purpose of thehouse guard to wage a fierce and noisy conflict off the Avenue and thenretire to the Castle as abruptly as they left it, to be ready forMarlanx, should he decide to make a final desperate effort to seizetheir stronghold. 

King, fired by a rebellious zeal, elected to ride with the attackingparty. His heart was cold with the fear that he was to lose Loraine, after all. The fairy princess of his dreams seemed farther away from himthan ever. "I'll do what I can for the Prince, " he said to himself. "He's a perfect little brick. Damn Vos Engo! I'll make him repent thatinsult. Every one noticed it, too. She tried to smooth it over, but--oh, well, what's the use!"

The dash of the three hundred through the gates and down the avenue wasthe most spectacular experience in Truxton's life. He was up withQuinnox and General Braze, galloping well in front of the yelling troop. These mounted carbineers, riding as Bedouins, swept like thunder downthe street, whirled into the broad, open arena beyond the Duke's palace, and were upon the surprised ruffians before they were fully awake to thesituation. 

They came tumbling out of barns and sheds, clutching their rifles innerveless hands, aghast in the face of absolute destruction. It was allover with the first dash of the dragoons. The enemy, craven at theoutset, threw down their guns and tried to escape through the alleys andside streets at the end of the common. Firing all the time, theattacking force rode them down as if they were so many dogs. The few whostood their ground and fought valiantly were overpowered and madecaptive by Quinnox. Less than a hundred men were found in the camp. Instead of retreating immediately to the Castle, Quinnox, acting on thesuggestion of the exhilarated King, kept up a fierce, deceptive fire forthe benefit of the distant Marlanx. 

After ten or fifteen minutes of this desultory carnage, it was reportedthat a large force of men were entering the avenue from RegengetzCircus. Quinnox sent his chargers toward this great horde offoot-soldiers, but they did not falter as he had expected. On theyswept, two or three thousand of them. At their head rode five or sixofficers. The foremost was Count Marlanx. 

The cannons were booming now in the foothills. Marlanx, if he heardthem and realised what the bombardment meant, did not swerve from thepurpose at present in his mind. 

Quinnox saw now that the Iron Count was determined to storm the gates, and gave the command to retreat. Waving their rifles and shoutingdefiance over their shoulders, the dragoons drew up, wheeled andgalloped toward the gates. 

Truxton King afterward recalled to mind certain huge piles of freshearth in a corner of the common. He did not know what they meant at thetime of observation, but he was wiser inside of three minutes after thewhirlwind brigade dashed through the gates. 

Scarcely were the massive portals closed and the great steel barsdropped into place by the men who attended them, when a low, dullexplosion shook the earth as if by volcanic force. Then came thecrashing of timbers, the cracking of masonry, the whirring of a thousandmissiles through the air. Before the very eyes of the stunned, bewildered defenders, dismounting near the parade ground, the huge gatesand pillars fell to the ground. 

The gates have been dynamited!

Then it was that Truxton King remembered. Marlanx's sappers had beenquietly at work for days, drilling from the common to the gates. It wasa strange coincidence that Marlanx should have chosen this day for hisculminating assault on the Castle. The skirmish at daybreak had hurriedhis arrangements, no doubt, but none the less were his plans complete. The explosives had been laid during the night; the fuses reached to themouth of the tunnel, across the common. As he swept up the avenue at thehead of his command, hawk-faced and with glittering eyes, he snarled thecommand that put fire to the fuses. He was still a quarter of a mileaway when the gates crumbled. With short, shrill cries, scarcely humanin their viciousness, he urged his men forward. He and Brutus were thefirst to ride up to the great hole that yawned where the gates hadstood. Beyond they could see the distracted soldiers of the Princeforming in line to resist attack. 

A moment later his vanguard streamed through the aperture and faced thedeadly fire from the driveway. 

Like a stone wall the men under Quinnox stood their ground; a solid, defiant line that fired with telling accuracy into the struggling horde. On the walls two Gatling guns began to cackle their laugh of death. Andstill the mercenaries poured through the gap, forming in haphazard linesunder the direction of the maddened Iron Count. 

At last they began to advance across the grassy meadow. When one manfell under the fire of the Guardsmen, another rushed into his place. Three times the indomitable Graustarkians drove them back, and as oftendid Marlanx drag them up again, exalted by the example he set. 

"'Gad, he _is_ a soldier, " cried Truxton, who had wasted a half dozenshots in the effort to bring him down. "Hello! There's my friend Brutus. He's no coward, either. Here's a try for you, Brutus. "

He dropped to his knee and took deliberate aim at the frenzied henchman. The discovery that there were three bullets in Brutus's breast when hewas picked up long afterward did not affect the young man's contentionthat his was the one that had found the heart. 

The fall of Brutus urged the Iron Count to greater fury. His horse hadbeen shot from under him. He was on his feet, a gaunt demon, his back tothe enemy, calling to his men to follow him as he moved toward thestubborn row of green and red. Bullets hissed about his ears, but hegave no heed to them. More than one man in the opposing force watchedhim as if fascinated. He seemed to be absolutely bullet-proof. Therewere times when he stumbled and almost fell over the bodies of his ownmen lying in the path. 

By this time his entire force was inside the grounds. Colonel Quinnoxwas quick to see the spreading movement on the extreme right and left. Marlanx's captains were trained warriors. They were bent on flanking theenemy. The commander of the Guard gave the command to fall back slowlytoward the Castle. 

Firing at every step, they crossed the parade ground and then made aquick dash for the shelter of the long balconies. They held thisposition for nearly an hour, resisting each succeeding charge of the nowdevilish foe. Time and again the foremost of the attacking party reachedthe terrace, only to wither under the deadly fire from behind thebalustrades. Marlanx, down in the parade ground, was fairly pushing hismen into the jaws of death. There was no question as to the courage ofthe men he commanded. These were not the ruffians from all over theworld. They were the reckless, devil-may-care mountaineers and robbersfrom the hills of Graustark itself. 

Truxton King's chance to pay his debt to Vos Engo came after one of thefiercest, most determined charges. The young Count, who had transferredhis charges from the old tower to the strong north wing of the Castle, had been fighting desperately in the front rank for some time. Hisweakness seemed to have disappeared entirely. As the foe fell back inthe face of the desperate resistance, Vos Engo sprang down the stepsand rushed after them, calling others to join him in the attempt tocomplete the rout. Near the edge of the terrace he stopped. His leg gaveway under him and he fell to the ground. Truxton saw him fall. 

He leaped over the low balustrade, dropping his hot rifle, and dashedacross the terrace to his rival's assistance. A hundred men shot at him. Vos Engo was trying to get to his feet, his hand upon his thigh; he wasgroaning with pain. 

"It's my turn, " shouted the American. "I'll square it up if I can. Thenwe're even!"

He seized the wounded man in his strong arms, threw him over hisshoulder and staggered toward the steps. 

"Release me, damn you!" shrieked Vos Engo, striking his rescuer in theface with his fist. 

"I'm saving you for another day, " said King as he dropped behind thebalustrade, with his burden safe. A wild cheer went up from the lips ofthe defenders, scornful howls from the enemy. 

"I pray God it may be deferred until I am capable of defending myself, "groaned Vos Engo, glaring at the other with implacable hatred in hiseyes. 

"You might pray for my preservation, too, while you're at it, " saidTruxton, as he crept away to regain his rifle. 

There were other witnesses to Truxton's rash act. In a lofty window ofthe north wing crouched a white-faced girl and a grim old man. Thelatter held a rifle in his tense though feeble hands. They had beenthere for ten minutes or longer, watching the battle from their eerieplace of security. Now and then the old man would sight his rifle andfire. A groan of anger and dismay escaped his lips after each attempt tosend his bullet to the spot intended. The girl who crouched beside himwas there to designate a certain figure in the ever-changing mass ofhumanity on the bloody parade ground. Her clear eyes sought for andfound Marlanx; her unwavering finger pointed him out to the oldmarksman. 

She saw Vos Engo fall. Then a tall, well-known figure sprang into view, dashing toward her wounded lover. Her heart stopped beating. The bloodrushed to her eyes. Everything before her turned red--a horrid, blurringred. With her hands to her temples, she leaned far over the window ledgeand screamed--screamed words that would have filled Truxton King with anendless joy could he have heard them above the rattle of the rifles. 

"A brave act!" exclaimed the old man at her side. "Who is he?"

But she did not hear him. She had fallen back and was gaspingsupplication, her eyes set upon the old man's face with a stare thatmeant nothing. 

The corner of the building had shut out the picture; it was impossiblefor her to know that the man and his burden had reached the balcony insafety. Even now, they might be lying on the terrace, riddled bybullets. The concentrated aim of the enemy had not escaped her horrifiedgaze. The cheering did not reach her ears. 

The old man roused her from the stupor of dread. He called her nameseveral times in high, strident tones. Dully she responded. Standingbolt upright in the window she sought out the figure of Marlanx, andpointed rigidly. 

"Ah, " groaned the old man, "they will not be driven back this time! Theywill not be denied. It is the last charge! God, how they come! Our menwill be annihilated in--Where is he? Now! Ah, I see! Yes, that is he!He is near enough now. I cannot miss him!"

Marlanx was leading his men up to the terrace. A howling avalanche ofhumanity, half obscured by smoke, streamed up the slope. 

At the top of the terrace, the Iron Count suddenly stopped. His longbody stiffened and then crumpled like a reed. A score of heavy feettrampled on the fallen leader, but he did not feel the impact. 

A bullet from the north wing had crashed into his brain. 

"At last!" shrieked the old man at the window. "Come, Miss Tullis; mywork is done. "

"He is dead, your Grace?" in low, awed tones. 

"Yes, my dear, " said the Duke of Perse, a smile of relief on his face. "Come, let me escort you to the Prince. You have been most courageous. Graustark shall not forget it. Nor shall I ever cease thanking you forthe service you have rendered to me. I have succeeded in freeing myunhappy daughter from the vile beast to whom I sold her youth and beautyand purity. Come! You must not look upon that carnage!"

Together they left the little room. As they stepped into the narrow hallbeyond they realised that the defenders had been driven inside the wallsof the Castle. The crash of firearms filled the halls far below; adeafening, steady roar came up to them. 

"It is all over, " said the Duke of Perse, hobbling across the hall andthrowing open the door to a room opposite. 

A group of terrified women were huddled in the far corner of thespacious room. In front of them was the little Prince, a look of terrorin his eyes, but with the tiny sword clutched in his hand--a patheticfigure of courage and dread combined. The Duke of Perse held open thedoor for Loraine Tullis, but she did not enter. When he turned to call, she was half way down the top flight of stairs, racing through thepowder smoke toward the landing below. 

At every step she was screaming in the very agony of gladness:

"Stand firm! Hold them! Help is coming! Help is coming!"

A last look through the window at the end of the hail had revealed toher the most glorious of visions. 

Red and green troops were pouring through the dismantled gateway, theirhorses surging over the ugly ground-rifts and debris as if possessed ofthe fabled wings. 

She had seen the rear line in the storming forces hesitate and then turnto meet the whirlwind charge of the cavalrymen. Her brother was outthere and all was well. She was crying the joyous news from the head ofthe grand stairway when Truxton King caught sight of her. 

Smoke writhed about her slim, inspiriting figure. Her face shone throughthe drab fog like an undimmed star of purest light. He bounded up thesteps toward her, drawn as by magnet against which there was no suchthing as resistance. 

He was powder-stained and grimy; there was blood on his face and shirtfront. 

"You are shot, " she cried, clutching the post at the bend in the stairs. "Truxton! Truxton!"

"Not even scratched, " he shouted, as he reached her side. "It's notmy--" He stopped short, even as he held out his arms to clasp her to hisbreast. "It's some one else's blood, " he finished resolutely. She swayedtoward him and he caught her in his arms. 

"I love you--oh, I love you, Truxton!" she cried over and over again. Hewas faint with joy. His kisses spoke the adoration he would have criedout to her if emotion had not clogged his throat. 

"Eric?" she whispered at last, drawing back in his arms and looking upinto his eyes with a great pity in her own. "Is he--is he dead, Truxton?"

"No, " he said gently. "Badly hurt, but--"

"He will not die? Thank God, Truxton. He is a brave--oh, a very braveman. " Then she remembered her mission into this whirlpool of danger. "Go! Don't lose a moment, darling! Tell Colonel Quinnox that Jack hascome! The dragoons are--"

He did not hear the end of her cry. A quick, fierce kiss and he wasgone, bounding down the stairs with great shouts of encouragement. 

Leaderless, between the deadly fires, the mercenaries gave up the fightafter a brief stand at the terrace. Six hundred horsemen ploughedthrough them, driving them to the very walls of the Castle. Here theybroke and scattered, throwing down their arms and shouting for mercy. Itwas all over inside of twenty minutes. 

The Prince reigned again. 

 * * * * *

Nightfall brought complete restoration of order, peace and security inthe city of Edelweiss. Hundreds of lives had been lost in the terrificconflict of the early morning hours; hundreds of men lay on beds ofsuffering, crushed and bleeding from the wounds they had courted andreceived. 

"I knowed we'd whip them, " shouted the Prince, wriggling gleefully inJohn Tullis's straining embrace half an hour after the latter had riddenthrough the gate. Tears streamed down the big man's face. One arm heldthe boy, the other encircled the sister he had all but lost. In theMonastery of St. Valentine there was another woman, waiting for him tocome to her with the news of a glorious victory. Perhaps she was hopingand praying for the other news that he would bring her, who knows? If hecame to her with kisses, she would know without being told in so manywords. 

Truxton did not again see Loraine until late in the afternoon. He hadoffered his services to Colonel Quinnox and had worked manfully in theeffort to provide comfort for the wounded of both sides. General Brazewas at work with his men in the open city, clearing away the ugly signsof battle. The fortress and Tower were full of the prisoners of war. Baron Dangloss, pale, emaciated, sick but resolute, was free once moreand, with indomitable zeal, had thrown himself and his liberated men atonce into the work of rehabilitation. 

It was on the occasion of the Baron's first visit to the Prince, late inthe day, that Truxton saw the girl he worshipped. 

Prince Robin had sent for him to appear in the devastated state chamber. Publicly, in the presence of the Court and Ministry, the little rulerproclaimed him a baron and presented to him a great seal ring from amongthe ancient crown jewels. 

"Say, Mr. King, " said Bobby, after he had called the American quiteclose to him by means of a stealthy crooking of his finger, "would youmind giving me my lucky stone? I don't think you'll need it any longer. I will, I'm sure. You see a prince has such a lot of things to troublehim. Wars and murders and everything. "

"Thank you, Prince Robin, " said King, placing the stone in the littlehand. "I couldn't have got on without it. May it always serve you aswell. "

"Noblesse oblige, Baron, " said Prince Robin gravely. 

"Hello!" in an excited whisper. "Here's Baron Dangloss. He's been in hisown gaol!"

Truxton withdrew. Near the door he met Loraine. She had just entered theroom. There was a bright look of relief in her eyes. 

"Count Vos Engo has asked for you, Truxton, " she said in a low voice. Adelicate flush crept into her cheeks; a sudden shyness leaped into hereyes, and she looked away. 

"Loraine, have you told him?"

"Yes. I am so sorry for him. He is one of the bravest men I have everknown, Truxton dear. And, as it is with all men of his race, love knewno reason, no compromise. But I have made him see that I--that I cannotbe his wife. He knows that I love you. "

"Somehow, darling, I'm sorry for him. "

"He will not pretend friendship for you, dear, " she went on painfully. "He only wants to thank you and to apologise, as you did, not so longago. And he wants to ask you to release him from a certain obligation. "

"You mean our--our fight?"

"Yes. He is to lose his right arm, Truxton. You understand how it iswith him now. "

CHAPTER XXIII

"YOU WILL BE MRS. KING"

Late that night it was reported at the Castle that a large force of menwere encamped on the opposite side of the river. A hundred camp-fireswere gleaming against the distant uplands. 

"The Grand Duke Paulus!" exclaimed Count Halfont. "Thank God, he did notcome a day earlier. We owe him nothing to-day--but yesterday! Ah, hecould have demanded much of us. Send his messengers to me, ColonelQuinnox, as soon as they arrive in the morning. I will arise early. There is much to do in Graustark. Let there be no sluggards. "

A mellow, smiling moon crept up over the hills, flooding the laud with aserene radiance. Once more the windows in the Castle gleamed brightly;low-voiced people strolled through the shattered balconies; otherswandered about the vast halls, possessed by uncertain emotions, torn bythe conflicting hands of joy and gloom. In a score of rooms wounded menwere lying; in others there were dead heroes. At the barracks, standingdully against the distant shadows, there were many cots of suffering. And yet there was rejoicing, even among those who writhed in pain orbowed their heads in grief. Victory's wings were fanning the gloom away;conquest was painting an ever-widening streak of brightness across thedark, drear canvas of despair. 

In one of the wrecked approaches to the terrace, surrounded by fragmentsof stone and confronted by ugly destruction, sat a young man and aslender girl. There were no lights near them; the shadows were blackand forbidding. This particular end of the terrace had suffered most inthe fierce rain of cannon-balls. So great was the devastation here thatone attained the position held by the couple only by means of no littledaring and at the risk of unkind falls. From where they sat they couldsee the long vista of lighted windows and yet could not themselves beseen. 

His arm was about her; her head nestled securely against his shoulderand her slim hands were willing prisoners in one of his. 

She was saying "Truxton, dear, I did _not_ love Eric Vos Engo. I justthought it was love. I never really knew what love is until you cameinto my life. Then I knew the difference. That's what made it so hard. Ihad let him believe that I might care for him some day. And I _did_ likehim. So I--"

"You are sure--terribly sure--that I am the only man you ever reallyloved?" he interrupted. 

She snuggled closer. "Haven't I just told you that I didn't know what itwas until--well, until now?"

"You will never, never know how happy I am, Loraine!" he breathed intoher ear. 

"I hope I shall always bring happiness to you, Truxton, " she murmured, faint with the joy of loving. 

"You will make me very unhappy if you don't marry me to-morrow. "

"I couldn't think of it!"

"I don't ask you to think. If you do, you may change your mindcompletely. Just marry me without thinking, dearest. "

"I will marry you, Truxton, when we get to New York, " she said, but notvery firmly. He saw his advantage. 

"But, my dear, I'm tired of travelling. "

It was rather enigmatic. "What has that to do with it?" she asked. 

"Well, it's this way: if we get married in New York we'll have toconsider an extended and wholly obligatory wedding journey. If we getmarried here, we can save all that bother by bridal-tripping to NewYork, instead of away from it. And, what's more, we'll escape therice-throwing and the old shoes and the hand-painted trunk labels. Greater still: we will avoid a long and lonely trip across the ocean onseparate steamers. That's something, you know. "

"We _could_ go on the same steamer. "

"Quite so, my dear. But don't you think it would be nicer if we went asone instead of two?"

"I suppose it would be cheaper. "

"They say a fellow saves money by getting married. "

"I hate a man who is always trying to save money. "

"Well, if you put it that way, I'll promise never to save a cent. I'm ahorrible spendthrift. "

"Oh, you'll have to save, Truxton!"

"How silly we are!" he cried in utter joyousness. He held her close fora long time, his face buried in her hair. "Listen, darling: won't yousay you'll be my wife before I leave Graustark? I want you so much. Ican't go away without you. "

She hesitated. "When are you going, Truxton? You--you haven't told me. "

It was what he wanted. "I am going next Monday, " he said promptly. As amatter of fact, he had forgotten the day of the week they were nowliving in. 

"Monday? Oh, dear!"

"Will you?"

"I--I must cable home first, " she faltered. 

"That's a mere detail, darling. Cable afterward. It will beat us homeby three weeks. They'll know we're coming. "

"I must ask John, really I must, Truxton, " she protested faintly. 

"Hurray!" he shouted--in a whisper. "He is so desperately in love, hewon't think of refusing anything we ask. Shall we set it for Saturday?"

They set it for Saturday without consulting John Tullis, and then fellto discussing him. "He is very much in love with her, " she saidwistfully. 

"And she loves him, Loraine. They will be very happy. She's wonderful. "

"Well, so is John. He's the most wonderful man in all this world. "

"I am sure of it, " he agreed magnanimously. "I saw him talking with herand the Duke of Perse as I came out awhile ago. They were going to theDuke's rooms up there. The Duke will offer no objections. I think he'llpermit his daughter to select his next son-in-law. "

"How could he have given her to that terrible, terrible old man?" shecried, with a shudder. 

"She won't be in mourning for him long, I fancy. Nobody will talk ofappearances, either. She could marry Jack to-morrow and no one wouldcriticise her. "

"Oh, that would be disgusting, Truxton!"

"But, my dear, he isn't to have a funeral, so why not? They buried hisbody in quicklime this afternoon. No mourners, no friends, no tears!Hang it all, she's foolish if she puts on anything but red. "

"They can't be married for--oh, ever so long, " she said very primly. 

"No, indeed, " he said with alacrity. But he did not believe what hesaid. If he knew anything about John Tullis, it would not be "ever solong" before Prince Robin's friend turned Benedict and husband to themost noted beauty in all Graustark. 

"I shall be sorry to leave Graustark, " she said dreamily, after a longperiod of silent retrospection. "I've had the happiest year of my lifehere. "

"I've had the busiest month of my life here. I'll never again say thatthe world is a dull place. And I'll never advise any man to go out ofhis own home city in search of the most adorable woman in the world. She's always there, bless her heart, if he'll only look around a bit forher. "

"But you wouldn't have found me if you hadn't come to Graustark. "

"I shudder when I think of what might have happened to you, my PrincessSweetheart, if I hadn't come to Edelweiss. No; I would not have foundyou. " Feeling her tremble in his arms, he went on with whimsical goodhumour: "You would have been eaten up by the ogre long before this. Or, perhaps, you would have succeeded in becoming a countess. "

"As it is, I shall be a baroness. "

"In Graustark, but not in New York. That reminds me. You'll be more thana baroness--more than a princess. You will be a queen. Don't you catchthe point? You will be Mrs. King. "

 * * * * *

The Grand Duke Paulus was distinctly annoyed. He had travelled manymiles, endured quite a number of hardships, and all to no purpose. Whendawn came, his emissaries returned from the city with the lamentableinformation that the government had righted itself, that Marlanx'ssensational revolution was at an end, and that the regents would behighly honoured if his Excellency could overlook the distressinglychaotic conditions at court and condescend to pay the Castle a visit. The regents, the Prince and the citizens of Graustark desired theopportunity to express their gratitude for the manner in which he hadvoluntarily (and unexpectedly) come to their assistance in time oftrouble. The fact that he had come too late to render the invaluable aidhe so nobly intended did not in the least minimise the volume ofgratefulness they felt. 

The Grand Duke admitted that he was at sea, diplomatically. He was afifth wheel, so to speak, now that the revolution was over. Not so muchas the tip of his finger had he been able to get into the coveted pie. There was nothing for him to do but to turn round with his five thousandCossacks and march disconsolately across the steppes to an Imperialrailroad, where he could embark for home. However, he would visit theCastle in a very informal way, extend his congratulations, offer hisservices--which he knew would be declined with thanks--and profess hisunbounded joy in the discovery that Graustark happily was so able totake care of herself. Incidentally, he would mention the bond issue;also, he would find the opportunity to suggest to the ministry that hisgovernment still was willing to make large grants and stupendouspromises if any sort of an arrangement could be made by which the systemmight be operated in conjunction with branch lines of the Imperialroads. 

And so it was that at noon he rode in pomp and splendour through thecity gates, attended by his staff and a rather overpowering body-guard. His excuse for the early call was delicately worded. He said in hisreply to the message from the Count that it would give him greatpleasure to remain for some time at the Castle, were it not for the factthat he had left his own province in a serious state of unrest; it wasimperative that he should return in advance of the ever-possible andalways popular uprising. Therefore he would pay his respects to hisserene Highness, renew his protestations of friendship, extend hisfelicitations, and beg leave to depart for his own land without delay. 

As he rode from Regengetz Circus into Castle Avenue, a small knot ofAmerican tourists crowded to the curb and bent eager, attentive ears tothe words of a stubby little person whom we should recognise by hisaccent; but, for fear that there may be some who have forgotten him inthe rush of events, we will point to his cap and read aloud: "Cook'sInterpreter. "

Mr. Hobbs was saying: "The gentleman on the gray horse, ladies andgentlemen, is his _Highness_, the Grand Duke Paulus. He has come to payhis respects to his Serene Highness. Now, if you will kindly step thisway, I will show you the spot where the bomb was thrown. 'Aving been aneye-witness to the shocking occurrence, I respectfully submit that I, "etc. With a pride and dignity that surpassed all moderate sense ofappreciation, he delivered newly made history unto his charges, modestlywinding up his discourse with the casual remark that the Prince had butrecently appointed him twelfth assistant steward at the Castle, and thathe expected to assume the duties of this honorary position just as soonas Cook & Sons could find a capable man to send up in his place. 

The American tourists, it may be well to observe, arrived by the firsttrain that entered the city from the outside world. 

The audience was at two o'clock. Prince Robin was in a state oftremendous excitement. Never before had he been called upon to receive agrand duke. He quite forgot yesterday's battle in the face of this mostimposing calamity. More than that, he was in no frame of mind to enjoythe excitement attending the rehabilitation of the Castle; oppressed bythe approaching shadow of the great man, he lost all interest in whatwas going on in the Castle, about the grounds and among his courtiers. 

"What'll I do, Uncle Jack, if he asks any questions?" he mourned. Theywere dressing him in the robes of state. 

"Answer 'em, " said his best friend. 

"But supposin' I can't? Then what?"

"He won't ask questions, Bobby. People never do when a potentate is onhis throne. It's shockingly bad form. "

"I hope he won't stay long, " prayed Bobby, a grave pucker between hisbrows. He was a very tired little boy. His eyes were heavy with sleepand his lips were not very firm. 

"Count Halfont will look after him, Bobby; so don't worry. Just sit upthere on the throne and look wise. The regents will do the rest. Watchyour Uncle Caspar. When he gives the signal, you arise. That ends theaudience. You walk out--"

"I know all about that, Uncle Jack. But I bet I do something wrong. Thisthing of receiving grand dukes is no joke. 'Specially when we're soterribly upset. Really, I ought to be looking after the men who arewounded, attending to the funerals of--"

"Now, Bobby, don't flunk like that! Be a man!"

Bobby promptly squared his little shoulders and set his jaw. "Oh, I'mnot scared!" He was thoughtful for a moment. "But, I'll tell you, it'sawful lonesome up in that big chair, so far away from all your friends. I wish Uncle Caspar would let me sit down with the crowd. "

The Grand Duke, with all the arrogance of a real personage, was late. Itwas not for him to consider the conditions that distressed the Court ofGraustark. Not at all. He was a grand duke and he would take his owntime in paying his respects. What cared he that every one in the Castlewas tired and unstrung and sad and--sleepy? Any one but a grand dukewould have waited a day or two before requiring a royal audience. Whenhe finally presented himself at the Castle doors, a sleepy group ofattendants actually yawned in his presence. 

A somnolent atmosphere, still touched by the smell of gunpowder, greetedhim as he strode majestically down the halls. Somehow each person whobowed to him seemed to do it with the melancholy precision of one whohas been up for six nights in succession and doesn't care who knows it. 

No one had slept during the night just passed. Excitement and thesuffering of others had denied slumber to one and all--even to those whohad not slept for many days and nights. Now the reaction was upon them. Relaxation had succeeded tenseness. 

When the Grand Duke entered the great, sombre throne room, he wasconfronted by a punctiliously polite assemblage, but every eyelid was asheavy as lead and as prone to sink. 

The Prince sat far back in the great chair of his ancestors, his sturdylegs sticking straight out in front of him, utterly lost in the depthsof gold and royal velvet. Two-score or more of his courtiers and as manynoble ladies of the realm stood soberly in the places assigned them bythe laws of precedence. The Grand Duke advanced between the respectfullines and knelt at the foot of the throne. 

"Arise, your Highness, " piped Bobby, with a quick glance at CountHalfont. It was a very faint, faraway voice that uttered the graciouscommand. "Graustark welcomes the Grand Duke Paulus. It is my pleasureto--to--to--" a helpless look came into his eyes. He looked everywherefor support. The Grand Duke saw that he had forgotten the rehearsedspeech, and smiled benignly as he stepped forward and kissed the handthat had been extended somewhat uncertainly. 

"My most respectful homage to your Majesty. The felicitations of myemperor and the warmest protestations of friendship from his people. "

With this as a prologue, he engaged himself in the ever-pleasurable taskof delivering a long, congratulatory address. If there was one thingabove another that the Grand Duke enjoyed, it was the making of aspeech. He prided himself on his prowess as an orator and as anafter-dinner speaker; but, more than either of these, he gloried in hisability to soar extemporaneously. 

For ten minutes he addressed himself to the throne, benignly, comfortably. Then he condescended to devote a share of his preciousstore to the courtiers behind him. If he caught more than one of themyawning when he turned in their direction, he did not permit it todisturb him in the least. His eyes may have narrowed a bit, but that wasall. 

After five minutes of high-sounding platitudes, he again turned to thePrince. It was then that he received his first shock. 

Prince Robin was sound asleep. His head was slipping side-wise along thesatiny back of the big chair, and his chin was very low in the laces athis neck. The Grand Duke coughed emphatically, cleared his throat, andgrew very red in the face. 

The Court of Graustark was distinctly dismayed. Here was shocking stateof affairs. The prince going to sleep while a grand duke talked!

"His Majesty appears to have--ahem--gone to sleep, " remarked the GrandDuke tartly, interrupting himself to address the Prime Minister. 

"He is very tired, your Excellency, " said Count Halfont, very muchdistressed. "Pray consider what he has been through during the--"

"Ah, my dear Count, do not apologise for him. I quite understand. Ahem!Ahem!" Still he was very red in the face. Some one had laughed softlybehind his back. 

"I will awaken him, your Excellency, " said the Prime Minister, edgingtoward the throne. 

"Not at all, sir!" protested the visitor. "Permit him to have his sleepout, sir. I will not have him disturbed. Who am I that I should defeatthe claims of nature? It is my pleasure to wait until his Majesty's napis over. Then he may dismiss us, but not until we have cried: 'Long livethe Prince!'"

For awhile they stood in awkward silence, this notable gathering of menand women. Then the Prime Minister, in hushed tones, suggested that itwould be eminently proper, under the circumstances, for all present tobe seated. He was under the impression that His Serene Highness wouldsleep long and soundly. 

Stiff-backed and uncomfortable, the Court sat and waited. No onepretended to conceal the blissful yawns that would not be denied. Adrowsy, ineffably languid feeling took possession of the entireassemblage. Here and there a noble head nodded slightly; eyelids fell inthe silent war against the god of slumber, only to revive again withpainful energy and ever-weakening courage. 

The Prime Minister sat at the foot of the throne and nodded in spite ofhimself. The Minister of the Treasury was breathing so heavily that hisneighbor nudged him just in time to prevent something even morehumiliating. John Tullis, far back near the wall, had his head on hishand, bravely fighting off the persistent demon. Prince Dantan ofDawsbergen was sound asleep. 

The Grand Duke was wide awake. He saw it all and was equal to theoccasion. After all, he was a kindly old gentleman, and, once his momentof mortification was over, he was not above charity. 

Bobby's poor little head had slipped over to a most uncomfortableposition against the arm of the chair. Putting his finger to his lips, the Grand Duke tip-toed carefully up to the throne. With very gentlehands he lifted Bobby's head, and, infinitely tender, stuffed a thronecushion behind the curly head. Still with his finger to his lips, asplendid smile in his eyes, he tip-toed back to his chair. 

As he passed Count Halfont, who had risen, he whispered:

"Dear little man! I do not forget, my lord, that I was once a boy. Godbless him!"

Then he sat down, conscious of a fine feeling of goodness, folded hisarms across his expansive chest, and allowed his beaming eyes to restupon the sleeping boy far back in the chair of state. Incidentally, hedecided to delay a few days before taking up the bond question with theministry. The Grand Duke was not an ordinary diplomat. 

In one of the curtained windows, far removed from the throne, satTruxton King and Loraine Tullis. 

All about them people were watching the delicate little scene, smilingdrowsily at the Grand Duke's tender comedy. No one was looking at thetwo in the curtained recess. Her hand was in his, her head sank slowlytoward his inviting shoulder; her heavy lids drooped lower and lower, refusing to obey the slender will that argued against completesurrender. At last her soft, regular breathing told him that she wasasleep. Awaiting his opportunity, he tenderly kissed the soft, brownhair, murmured a gentle word of love, and settled his own head againstthe thick cushions. 

Everywhere they dozed and nodded. The Grand Duke smiled and blinked hislittle eyes. He was very wide awake. 

That is how he happened to see the Prince move restlessly and half openhis sleep-bound eyes. The Grand Duke leaned forward with his hand to hisear, and listened. He had seen the boy's lips move. From dreamland cameBobby's belated:

"Good-ni--ight. "

THE END