9* prisoner I
I i 4^* >.^W^ Pi i ,
j aphony Sf ICecl ii
: HOPE :i
Copyrighted, 1304. 1808, by Henry Holt C* Coir.ptny J "
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CHAPTER XIII.
1 -w ' V the morning of toe day after
Jgl 1 Hint 011 which 1 swore my
j. ' . ' onth ngainst the Six I gave
.1 certain orders and then rested
In greater contentment thnn I had
known for some time. I was nt work,
and work, though it cannot cure love,
Is yet n narcotic to It. So that Sapt,
who grew feverish, marveled to see me
sprawling in an armchair in the sun
shine, listening to one of my friends
who sang mo amorous songs in a mel
low voice and Induced in me a pleas
ing melancholy. Thus was I engaged
when young Rupert Hentxau, who fear
ed neither man nor devil, and rode
through the demesne, where every tree
might hide a marksman for nil lie
knew, as though it had been the park
ni. Strelsau, cantered up to where I lay,
bowing with burlesque deference and
craving private speech with me in or
der to deliver n message from tlie
Duke of Strelsau. I made all with
draw, and then he said, seating himself
by me:
"The king Is In love. It seems."
"Not with life, my lord," said I,
smiling.
"It is well," he rejoined. "Come,
we are alone. Uassendyll"?
I rose to a sitting posture.
"What's tlie matter?" lie asked.
"I was about to call one of my gen
tlemen to bring your horse, my lord.
If you do not know how to address the
king, my brother must find another
messenger."
"Why keep lip tlie farce?" he asked,
negligently dusting ills boot with Ills
glove.
"Because it Is not finished yet, and
meanwhile I II choose my ovu nnnio."
"Oh, so hi' it! Yet I spoke 111 lovo
for you, fur Indeed you are a man aft
er my own heart."
"Having my poor hone ty," said I,
"uiuylie ! am. But that I keep faltb
with men and honor with women, may
lie I am, my lord."
lie darted a glance at me, a glance
?of anger.
"Is your mother deed?" said I.
"Aye, she's dead."
"She may thank tlod," aid I, and I
heard him curse me softly. "Well,
what's the message?" I continued.
I had touched liliu in the raw, for all
the world knew he had broken Ills
mother's heart, and his airy manner
was gon if the moment.
"The iiuae offers you more than 1
would," he growled. "A halter for
you, sire, was m.v suggestion. But ha
offers you safe conduct across the fron
tier and a million crowns."
"I prefer your offer, my lord, If I
am liound to one."
"You refuse?"
"Of course."
"I told Michael you would." And
the villain, his temper restored, gave
ine the sunniest of smiles. "The fact;
Is, between ourselves," he continued,
"Michael doesn't understand a gentle
mm."
I began to laugh.
"And you?" I asked
"I do," he said. "Well, well, the J
baiter be It."
"I'm sorry you won't live to see It," .
I observed.
"Fins his majesty tlone me the lionot'
to fasten a particular quarrel on me?"
"I would you were a few years older,
though."
"Oh, God gives years, but the devil
gives Increase," laughed he. "I can
hold my own."
"IIow is your prisoner?" I asked.
"The k"-~
"'Your prisoner."
"I forgot you.- wishes, sire. Well, he
is alive."
lie rose to his feet. I Imitated him.
Then came the most audacious thing
I have known in my life. My friends
were some thirty jards away. Rupert
called to u groom to bring him hit
liorse and dismissed the fellow with u
crown. The horse stood near. I stood
still, suspecting nothing. Rupert made
its though to mount. Then he suddenly
turned to me. his left hand resting on
his belt, his right outstretched.
?sfihake hands," he said.
T 1-owed, and did as he had foreseen
?? put my hands behind me. Quicker
than thought his left hand darted out
at me an 1 a small dagger flashed in
the air. He struck me in the left shout
?tier. Had 1 not swerved It had been ;
tay heart. With u cry I staggered hack
"Without touching the stirrup he leaped
Vipon his horse and was off like an ar
row, pursued by cries and revolver
shots?the last as useless as the first?
and I sank into my chair, bleeding pro
fusely, us 1 watched the devil's brat
disappear down the long avenue. My
friends surrounded me, and then 1
fainted.
1 fujipt.se that I was put to bed and
-there *<?y unconscious or half conscious
for many hours, for it was night when
I awoke to my full miud and found
Fritz beside me. I was weak and
weary, but be bade me be of good
cheer, saying that my wound would
soon faeal and that meanwhile all had
gone well, for Johann, the keeper, had
iaJk-n into the snare we had laid for
him and was even now in the house.
??And the queer thing Is," pursued
Fritz, "that I fancy he's not altogether
worry to find himself here. He seems to
think that wheu Rlack Michael lias
brought .iff IiIh roup, withe es of how
It wn ? effected saving, of course, the
t'i\ themselves?will uot be at it pre
mium."
Tills l.lea argued a shrewdness In
our captive which led me to build
hopes on his assistance. I ordered
hi 111 to be brought in at once. Sapt
conducted him and set him in a chair
by my bedside. He was sullen and
afraid, but, to say truth, after young
Rupert's exploit we also hail our fears,
and If he got as fur us possible from
Supt's formidable six shooter Sapt
kept him us fur as he could front me.
Moreover, when he came in his hands
were bound, but that I would not suf
fer.
I need not stay to recount the safe
guards and rewards we promised the
fellow all of which were honorably
observed and pnld, so that he lives
now In prosperity (though where I
may not mention)?and we were the
more free Inasmuch as we soon learn
ed that he was rather a weak man
than a wicked and had acted through
out this matter more from fear of the
duke and of his own brother Max than
for any love of what was done. Itut
he bad persuaded ull of his loyalty
and, though not iu their secret coun
sels, was yet, by his knowledge of
their dispositions within the castle,
able to lay bare before us the very
heart of their devices. And here, In
brief. Is his story:
Itelow the level of the ground 11^ the
castle, approached by a flight of stone
steps which abutted on the end of the
drawbridge, were situate two small
rooms, i'iir out or uie rock itseir. The
outer of the two had no windows, hut
was always lighted with candles; the
Inner had one square window, which
gave upon the moat. In this Inner
room there lay always, day and night,
three of the Six. and the Instructions
of J?uke Michael were that on any at
tack being made 011 t'ae outer room
the three were to defend the door of
It so long as they could without risk
to themselves. Hut so s ou as the door
should he In danger of being forced
then Uupcrt Ilentzau or Detehard (for
one of these two was always there)
should leave the others to hold It as
long as they could and himself pass
hit 1 t' e Inner room and without more
ado kill the king, who lay there, well
treated, indeed, hut without weapons
and with his anus confined in tine
steel chains, which did not allow him
to move his elbow more than three
Inches from his shoulder. Thus be
fore the outer door were stormed the
king would lie dead. And Ills body?
For his body would be evidence us
damning us himself.
"Nay, sir," said Johauti, "his high
ness has thought of that. While the
two hold the outer room the one who
has killed the king unlocks the bars
In Hie square window (they turn on 11
hinge). The window now gives 110
light, for Its mouth Is choked by a
great pipe of earthenware, and this
pipe, which Is large enough to let pass
through it the body of a man, passes
into the moat, coming to an end im
mediately ubove the surface of the
water, so that there is no perceptible
Interval between water and pipe. The
king being dead, his murderer swiftly
ttes u weight to the body and, dragging
it to tlie wtmlow, raises it by a pulley
(for lest the weight should prove too
great I M'tchard has provided ouei till
It Is level with the mouth of the pipe.
He inserts the feet lu the pipe and
pushes the body down. Silently, with
out splash or sound, it falls into the
water and theuee to the bottom of the
niont, which is twenty feet deep there
abouts. This done, the murderer cries
loudly. "All's well!' and himself slides
down the pipe; and the others, if they
can and the attack is not too hot,
run to the Inner room and. seeking a
moment's delay, bar the door and In
their turn slide down. And though the
king rises not from the bottom, they
rise a id swim round to the other side,
where the orders are for men to wait
them with ropes, to haul them out. and
horses. And here, if things go ill, the
duke will Join tlieni and seek safety
by riding; but If all gis's well tlie.v will
return to the castle and have their
enemies in a trap. That, sir. is the
plan of his highness for the dis]?isal
of the king ill case of need. But it Is
not to lie used till the last. for. as we
all kuow, he is not minted to kill the
king unless he can, before or soon aft
er. kill you a1 a, sir. Now. sir. I have
spoktn the truth, as tiod Is my wit
ness, and 1 pray you to shield me from
tlie vengeance of Duke Michael; for if,
after he knows what I have done, 1
fall into his hands 1 shall prav for one
thing out of all the world- a speedy
death, and that 1 shall not obtain from
blm!"
The fellow's story was rudely told,
but our questions supplemented his
narrative. What he had told us ap
plied to an armed attack, but If sus
picions were aroused and there came
overwhelming force ?such; for In
stance. as I, the king, could bring?the
Idea of resistance would be abandoned.
The king would be quietly murdered
end slid down the pipe. And?here
comes an Ingenious touch?one of the
Six would take his place In the cell and
on the entrance of the searchers loud
ly demand release and redress, and
Michael, being summoned, would eon
fess to tin sty action, but lie would say
the man bail angered hint by seeking
the favor of a lady In the castle (this
was Antoinette de Maubanl. and he
| had confined him there, as he conceived
I"* us I,or l of Zemin had right to do.
But he was l.o-.v on receiving his apol
ogy content to l"t liltn go an! so end
the gossip wide' to his highness' an
noyance, b 1 nr' en ? mcernlng a pris
oner In '/.? i 'a i ol ha I given his vis
I. ir? ttu t le of this Inquiry. The
\ sitors, I allied, would re'ire. and Ml
? ' -I coo ' at !> leisure i! pose of the
I I sly of the king.
I- lit, I I : .1 I in my bed looked
r ?! a one un ith.-r In h -rror anil be
v 'Iderment at the cruelty and cunning
{ of the plan, Wle-tlier I went In peace
or In war. openly at the head of u
, e . ;.s or ?- by a stealthy assault,
i the king *Id be dead before I could
come n;-:?r him. If Michael were
sti i a: ! overcame iu.v party there
, would be un end, but If I were stronger
I I sh mid have no way to punish him, no
means of proving any guilt In him
without proving my own guilt also.
On the other li.ind. I should he left as
king (ah, for a moment my pulse quick
enedi. and It would be for the future
to witness the final struggle between
him and me, lie seemed to have made
triumph possible and ruin Impossible.
At the worst he would stand whore he
hail Ntood before I crossed his path?
with but one man between him and the
throne, und that man an Impostor. At
best there would be none left to stand
against him. I had begun to think that
Black Michael was overfond of leav
ing the fighting to his friends, hut now
I acknowledged that the brains, If not
the arms, of the conspiracy were his.
"Does the king know this?" I asked,
"I und my brother," answered Jo
hann, "put up the pipe under the or
ilm-j nf mi' I.i ir*il lit' 11 mi ty.ii ii Hi' \v:m
on guard that clay, and the king asked
m.v lord what It meant. 'Faith,' he an
swered, with his airy laugh, 'it's a new
Improvement on the ladder of Jacob,
whereby, as you have read, sire, men
pass from earth to heaven. We thought
it not meet that your majesty should
go, In ease, sire, you must go, by the
common route. S > we have made you 1
a pretty private passage, where the1
rulgar cannot stare at you or iucont- j
nice e your passage. That, sire. Is the
int'.'iilng of that pipe.' And he laughed
and l> >wed and prayed the king's leave I
to replenish the king's glass, for the
king \.as at supper. And the king.;
though he is a brave man, as are ull of \
bis house, grew red and then white as
he looked on the pipe and at the merry j
clevil wl. i mocked him. Ah. sir,"?and |
the fellow shuddered "it is not easy j
to si -p quiet in tiie castle of Zoudu, j
for all of them would as soon cut a
man's throat as play a game at cards,
and my Lord ltupert would choose it
sooner for a pastime than any other."
'Jhe man ceased, and 1 bade Fritz
take him away and have him carefully
guarded, and, turning to him, 1 added:
"If any one asks you if there is a
prisoner lie Zencla you may answer
'Yes.' Hut if any asks who the prison
er Is, do uot answer. For all my prom
ises will uot save you if any man here
learns from you the truth as to the
prisoner in Zenda. I'll kill you like a
dog if the th.ug ice so muc h as breathed
within the house!"
Then when he was gone I looked at
Sapt.
"It is a hard nut," said I.
"So hard," said he, shaking his griz
zled head, "that, as 1 think, this time
u -Jit year ts like to tlud you still king
of lturitauia!" and he broke out iuto
curses ou Michael's cunning.
I lay back ou my pillows.
"There seem to me," 1 observed, "to
be two ways by which the king can
come out of Zenchc alive. One is by
treac hery in the duke's followers."
"You can leave that out," said Sapt.
"I hope not" 1 rejoined, "because
the other I was about to uieutiou Is?
by a miracle from heaven!"
tUAPTKU XIV.
3 "w* T would have surprised the
1 K'Hxl people of Rurltaula to
know of the foregoing talk,
? for, according to the official
reports, I had suffered a grievous and
dangerous hurt from an accidental
spear thrust received in the course of
my sport. I caused the bulletins to be
I of a very serious character and created
I great public excitement, whereby three
things occurred?first, I gravely offend
ed the medical faculty of Ptrels.au by
refusing to summon to my bedside any
of them save a young man, a friend of
1'rlti's, whom we could trust: second
ly, I received word from Marshal Stra
kencz that my orders seemed to have
no more weight than his and that the
Princess l lavlu was leaving for Tar
Jenhi <in under his unwilling escort
(news whereat I strove not be glad
and proud), and. thirdly, my brother,
the Duke of Strelsau, although too
well Informed to believe the aeeount i
of t' ? origin of my siekness, was yet j
persuaded by the reports and by my j
seeming Inactivity that I was In truth
Incapable of action and that toy life
was In s into danger. This I learned
from the man Johanu. v. bom I was1
compelled to trust ami send hack to
Zenda. where, by the way, Rupert
llentzau had ldui soundly flogged for
daring to smirch the morals of Zenda
by staying out all night. This, from
Rupert, Johann deeply resented, and
the duke's approval of It did more to
bind the keeper to my side than all
niy promises.
On Klavia's arrival I cannot dwell.
Her Joy at finding me up and well In
stead of on my hack and fighting with ;
death makes a picture that even now
dances before my eyes till they grow
too dim to see It, and her repronehes
that I had not trusted even her must
txcuse the means I took to quiet them.
In truth, to have her with me once
more was like a taste of heaven to a
damned soul, the sweeter for the inev
itable doom that was to follow, and I
rejoiced In being able to waste two
whole days with her. Ami when I hail
wasted two day i the 1 Mike of Strelsau
am need a bunting party.
The stroke was n ?ar now. for Sapt
a:: I I nf.er anxious consultations bad
r"s '* e l that we t.:st risk a blow, our
r TM!on icing cl iche! ty Johaim's
n ? ? s t1 t the bin" ? ponlced. pale
. 'ai l<| an l that his health was break
do 4 ?' Vr I r ?'orous contiue
i. cat. ','inr. n 101 m. be hi' kins or no
' . ti y i]! " ell die swiftly and as
I -s ?' ? itl- .nan from bullet or
i as i 't bis I '- out In n cellar,
dot tire t made prompt action ild
la tie t' of til* king.
I ;? a lay o vu )? oit of view It srew
i and :ore acres- ;ry, for Stra
k tinted on me the need of a
s" V rinrrle to, and tuy own lnollna
II i s - rrotnled him with such terrible
Ins fence that I feared for my resolu
tl in. I ile net believe that I should
lia\" done the deed I dreamed of, hut
I mi.rlit have come to flight, and my
Right would have ruined the cause.
It is perhaps as strange a thing as
has ever been III tbe history of a coun
try that the king's brother and the
king's personator in a time of profound
outward peace near a placid tudis
turbed country town, under semblance
of amity, should wage a desperate war
for the person and life of the king.
Yet such was the struggle that begun
now between Z.enda and Tarlenheim
When I look hack on the time I seem
to myself to have been half mad. Sapt
lias told me that I suffered no Interfer
ence and listened to no remonstrances,
and if ever a king of Iiuritania ruled
like a despot I was In those days the
num. jjOok wuere 1 would. I saw notn
ing tluit made life sweet to me, and I
took my life In my band and carried
It carelessly, as a man dangles an old
glove. At first they strove to guard
me, t > keep me sale, to persuade me
not to expose myself, but when they
saw how I was set there grew up
among them, whether they knew the
truth or not, a feeling that fate ruled
the issue and that I must he left to
play my game with Michael my own
way.
l.ate ni xt night I rose from table,
where Flavla ha I sat by me, and con
ducted her to the door of her apart
ments. There I kissed her hand and
hade her sleep s mail and wake to hap
py days. Then I changed my clothes
ao 1 went out. Sapt and Fritz were
waiting for me with three men and the
horses. Over his saddle Sapt carried
a long coil of rope, and both were
heavily armed. 1 had with me a
short stout cudgel and a long knife.
Making a circuit, we avoided the town
and in an hour found ourselves slowly
mounting t ie hill that led to the cas
tie of Zeuda. The night was dark and
very stormy, gusts of wind aud spits
of rain caught us us we breasted the
incline, and the great trees moaned
aud sighed. When we came to a thick
clump about a quarter of a mile from
j the castle we bade our three friends
1 hide there with the horses. Sapt had
a whistle, and they could rejoin us In
a few moments if danger came, hut up
till now we had mot no one. I hoped
that Michael was still off his guard,
believing me to he safe in bed. How
ever that might he, we gained the top
of the hill without accident and found
ourselves on the edge of the moat
where it sweeps under the road, sep
arating the old castle from it. A tree
stood on the edge of the hank, aud
Sapt silently aud diligently set to
make fast the rope. I stripped off my
bovits, took a pull at a flask of brandy,
loosened the knife in its sheath and
took the cudgel between my teeth.
Then 1 shook hands with my friends,
not heeding a last look of entreaty
from Fritz, and laid hold of the rope.
I was going to have a look at Jacob's
ladder.
flently I lowered myself into the wa
ter. Though the night were wild, the
day hod Wen warm and bright and
the water was not cold. 1 struck out
and began to swim round the great
wall3 which frowned above me. I
coultl see only three yards ahead. I
had then good hopes of not being seen
as I crept along close under the damp,
moss grown masonry. There were
lights from the new part of the castle
on the other side, and now and again
I heard laughter and merry shouts. I
fancied I recognized young Itupert
lleutzau's ringing tones and pictured
him flushed with wine.
Recalling my thoughts to the busi
ness In hand, I rested a moment. If
Johann's description were right, 1 must
be near the window now. Very slowly
I moved, and out of the darkness ahead
loomed a shape. It was the | ipe, curv
ing from the window to the water.
Miout two leet of its surface was dis
played. It was as big round as two
men. 1 was about to approach it when
1 saw something else, and my heart
stood still. Ti ? nose of a boat protrud
ed beyond the pipe ou the other side,
and. listening intently, I heard a slight
shuttle, as of a man shifting his posi
tion. Who was the man who guarded
Ma duel's invention? Was he awake or
was in- asleep? I felt if my knife were
ready and trod water. As I did so I
found bottom under my feet. The foun
dations of the castle extended some
fifteen inches, making a ledge, and I
stood on it. out of water from my arm
pits upward. Then 1 crouched aud
1 peered through the darkness under the
pipe, where, curving, it left a space.
There was a man in the boat. A rifle
lay by him I saw the gleam of the
barrel. Here was the sentinel! Ho sat
very still. I listened. He breathed
heavily, regularly, monotonously. By
heaven, he si it! Kneeling on the
shelf, 1 drew forward under the pipe
J till my face was within two feet of his.
[ He was a big man. 1 saw. It was Max
Holf. the brother of Johaun. My band
stole to my belt, an.l 1 drew out my
knife. Of all the deeds of my life I
I love tlie least to think of this, and
whether it was the act of a rnaj or a
traitor I will not ask. I said to myself,
"It Is war, and tlie kiug's life Is at
stake." And I raised myself from be
neath tb 1 pipe and stool up by the
taint, which lay moored by the ledge.
Holding my breath, 1 marked the spot
and raised my arm. The great fellow
stirred. lie op ued his eyes?wide,
wider. He gasped in terror at my face
and clutched at his rifle, l struck home.
i d I beard ' ;c < ao: is of a love song
from the op;. lie hank.
Leaving hi a vi re l>e lay, a hud
tiled ma ? , I tnruc.1 to "J. rub's I.ad
tier." My ti was siiort. This fel
low's turn ' watching might be over
directly, and relief would come. Lean
lug over the i ipo, I examined It from
the point it lit the water to the top- |
most extr< :.dty, where It passed, or 1
seemed to pass, through the masonry
of the wall. There was no break In
it, no chink. Iaroj ing on m.v knees,
I tested the under side. And my
breath went i]iiick and fast, for 011 this
lower side, where the pipe should have
clung dose to the masonry, there was
a gleam of light. That light must
coma from the cell of the king! I set
my shoulder against the pipe and ex
erted my strength. The chink widen
ed a very, very little, and hastily I
desisted. 1 had done euough to show
that the pipe was not fixed in the
masonry at the lower side.
Then I heard a voice?a harsh, grat
ing voice:
"Well, sire, If you have had enough
of my society I will leave you to re
pose, but I must fasten the little orna
ments first."
It was Detchard. I eauglit the Eng
lish accent In u moment.
u,o.,
fore wo part?"
The king's voice followed. It was
his. though it was faint and hollow,
different from the merry tones I had
heard in the glades of the forest.
"Pray my brother," said the king, "to ]
kill me. I am dying by inches here." I
"The duke does not desire your |
death, sire?yet," sneered Detchard.
"When he does, behold your patli to
heaven!"
The king answered: ? j
"So be it. And now, if your orders ]
allow It. prav leave me."
"May yon dream of paradise," said i
the rulBan
The light disappeared. T heard the
bolts of tin door run home. And then
1 heard th ? sobs of the king. He was
alone, as lie thought. Who dares mock
| at him?
I did not venture to sneak to him.
Th" risk of some exclamation escaping
him In surprise was too great. T dared t
do nothing that night, and my task
j now was to get myself away in safety j
and to earvv off the eareass of the
I dead man. To leave him tV re would
| tell too much. Casting loose the boat, j
I got In. The wind was blowing a
gale now. and there was little danger
j of oars being heard. I rowed swiftly
round to where my friends waited. I
had just reached the spot when a loud
whistle sounded over the moat be- !
hind me.
"Hello. Max!" I heard shouted.
I hailed isapt In a low tone. The
rope came down. I tied it round the
corpse and then went up it myself.
"Whistle you. too." I whispered, "for
onr men and haul in the line. No talk j
now."
They hauled up the body. Just as it
reached the road three men on horse- j
back swept round from the front of
the eastle. We saw them; but. being
on foot, we escaped their notice. But
we heard our men coming up with a
shout.
"The devil, but it's dark!" cried a
ringing voice.
It was young Rupert. A moment
later shots rang out. Our people had
met them. I started forward at a run,
Sapt and Fritz following me.
"Thrust, thrust!" cried Rupert again,
and a loud groan following told that
be himself was not behindhand.
"I'm done. Rupert!" cried a voice.
"They're three to oue. Save yourself!"
I ran on. holding my cudgel in my j
hand. Suddenly a horse came toward
me. A mau was on it, leaning over the
shoulder.
"Are you cooked, too, Krafstein?" he !
cried.
There was no answer.
I sprang to the horse's head. It was
/!upert Hentznu.
"At last!" I cried.
For we seemed to have him. He had
only his sword In his band. My men
were hot upon him. Sapt and Fritz
were running up. I had outstripped
them, but if they got close enough to
Are he must die or surrender.
"At last!" I cried.
"It's the play actor!" cried he. slash
ing at my cudgel. He cut it clean in
two. and. judging discretion better
than death. I ducked my head and
(I blush to telll scampered for my
life. The devil was in Rupert Hent
zau. for he put spurs to his horse, and
I, turning to look, saw him ride full
gallop to the edge of the moat and j
ieap in. while the shots cf i".r party
fell thick round him like bail. With
one gleam of moonlight we should
0
have riddled i im alls, hut In the
darkness he v n to i ? corner of tho
castle and -. i.. i fr .a our sight.
"The dev;( ? t. ; . him!" grinned Sapt.
"It's a p t I. "that he's a vil
lain. Whom 1 we got?"
We had I aueugrain and Krafstein.
They lay stiff and dead, and, conceal
; ment being no longer possible, we
| flung them, with Max. into the moat
and. drawing together in a compact
| body, rode off down the hill. And In
our midst went the bodies of four gal
! lant gentlemen. Thus we traveled
home, heavy at heart for the death of
our frieuds, sore uneasy concerning
j the king and cut to the quick that
; young Rupert had played yet another
I winning hand with us.
For my own part I was vexed and
angry that I had killed no man in
' open light, but only stabbed a knave In
, his sleep. And 1 did not love to hear
uupert can me a play actor.
CHAPTER XV.
1 JrniTAMA Is not In England
I j or the quarrel between Duke
fjktjI Michael urnl myself could not
1 ^yd?'j pave gone on. with the re
i.i.irkahle lucltlents which marked It.
without more public notice being di
re -tc 1 t > it. Duels w re frequent
among all the upper classes, and pri
vate q in'rels between great men kept
the old 1. .! of spreading to their
fr.en - .. ;.i dependents. Nevertheless,
after t :'t.- whi h I have just re
late ? - , its 1 ?_nn to circulate
that I ! -it It neve - ,u-y to be ou my
guartV
Tile dentil of the gentlemen Involved
eouhl not he hidden from their rela
tives. T Issued a stern order declaring
that dueling had attained unprecedent
ed li. c >e ithe chancellor drew up the
document for me. and very well he did
it . and firbidiing it save in the
gravest cases. 1 sent a public uml
stately apology to Michael, and he re
turned a deferential and courteous re
ply to me, for our one point of union
was?and it underlay all our differ
ences and induced an unwilling har
mony between our actions?that we
could neither of us afford to throw our
cards on the table. He, as well as I,
was a "play actor," and, hating one
another, we combined to dupe public
opinion. Unfortunately, however, the
necessity for concealment involved the
necessity of delay. The king might
die in his prisou or even be spirited
off somewhere else. It could not be
helped. For a little while I was com
pelled to observe a truce, and my only
consolation was that Flavia most
warmly approved of my edict against
dueling, and when 1 expressed delight
at having won her favor prayed me, if
her favor were any motive to me, to
prohibit the practice altogether.
"Wait till we are married," said I,
smiling.
Not the least peculiar result of the
truce and of the secrecy which dictated
it was that the town of Zenda became
in the daytime?I would not have trust
ed far to its protection by night?a sort
of neutral zone, where both parties
could safely go, and I, riding down one
day with Flavia and Sapt, had an en
counter with an acquaintance which
presented a ludicrous side, but was at
the same time embarrassing. As I rode
along I met a dignified looking person
driving in a two horsed carriage. He
stopped his horses, got out and ap
proached me, bowing low. 1 recognized
the head of the Strelsau police.
"Your majesty's ordinance as to du
eling is receiving our best attention,"
he assured me.
If the best attention involved his
presence in Zenda, I resolved at once
to dispense with it.
"Is that what brings you to Zenda.
prefect?" I asked.
"Why, no, sire. I am here because 1
desired to oblige the British ambassa
dor."
"What's the British ambassador do
ing dans cette galere?" said I care
lessly.
"A young countryman of his, sire?a
man of some position?is missing. His
friends have not heard from him for
two months, and there ft reason to be
lieve that he was last seen in Zenda."
Flavia was paying little attention. I
dared not look at Sapt.
"What reason?"
"A friend of his in Paris, a certain
M. Featlierly, has given us information
which makes it possible that he came
here, and the officials of the railway
recollect his name on some luggage."
"What was his name?"
"Rassendyll, sire," he answered, and
I saw that the name meant nothing to
him. But, glancing at Flavia, he low
ered his voice as he went on: "It Is
thought that he may have followed a
lady here. Has your majesty beard of
a certain Mute, de Mauban?"
"Why. yes," said I, my eye tnvolun
tartly traveling toward the castle.
"She arrived in Ruritania about the
same time as this Rassendvll."
I caught the prefect's glance. He
was regarding me with inquiry writ
large on his face.
"Sapt," said I, "I must speak a word
to the prefect. Will you ride on a few
paces with the princess?" And I add
ed to the prefect. "Come, sir, what do
you mean?"
He drew close to me, and I bent lu
the saddle.
"If lie were In love with the lady?"
he whispered. "Nothing has been
beard of him for two months." And
this time it was the eye of the prefect
which traveled toward the castle.
"Yes, the lady is there," I said quiet
ly. "But I don't suppose Mr. Rassen
iyll?is that the name??is."
"The duke," he whispered, "does not
like rivals, sire."
"You're right there." said I. with all
sincerity. "But surely you hint at a
very grave charge."
He spread his hands out in apology.
I whispered in his ear:
"Tins is a grave matter. Go back to
Strelsau"?
"But. sire, if I have a clew here?"
"Go back to Strelsau." I repeated.
"Tell the ambassador that you have a
clew, but that you must be left alono
for a week or two. Meanwhile I'll
charge myself with looking into the
matter."
"The ambassador is very pressing.
?ire."
"You must quiet him. Come, sir;
you see that If your suspicions are cor
rect it is an affair in which we must
move with caution. We can have no
scandal. Mind you return tonight."
ne promised to obey me, and I rode
on to rejoin my companions, a little
easier in my mind. Inquiries after me
must be stopped at all hazards for a
week or two. and this clever official
had come surprisingly near the truth.
His Impression might be useful some
day. but if be acted on it now it might
mean the worst to the king. Heartily
did I curse George Keatheriy for not
holdiug his tongue.