The Princess Dehra Part 51

"Since I know I may not do the honor myself," he said, "I pray you will accept my Constable as my subst.i.tute.-Captain Durant, escort Her Royal Highness the Regent to the main gate."

Durant stepped forward and his blade flashed in salute. Dehra acknowledged it with her own, then snapped it back into its sheath.

"Lead on, sir!" she said very graciously, and gave him her hand.

Without so much as a glance at the Duke, she pa.s.sed from the room; and on the other side of her went Colonel Moore, sword in one hand, the cloth-wrapped book in the other.

When they had gone, Lotzen dismissed every one with a nod, and sitting down drew Madeline Spencer on his knee.

"You're my good angel," he said; "you came at the psychological moment; another instant and I would have sent them all to the devil."

She slipped her arm around his neck, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"And then the sunrise," she whispered, with a shudder.

He caught her to him.

"And even Paris is better than that, my d.u.c.h.ess!" he cried; "Paris or anywhere, with you."... Presently he laughed. "I should like to see Dehra's face when she opens that book," he said.

Madeline Spencer sprang up, pointing to the clock.

"We are wasting time," she exclaimed. "Don't you see that we must go to Dornlitz this very night-that, now, to-morrow will be too late."

"You're right!" he said; and, with wrinkled brow and half-closed eyes, sat, thinking-then: "We may not use a special train, for we must go disguised; but the express for the South pa.s.ses Porgia at four o'clock; we will take it; if it's on time we shall be in Dornlitz at seven in the evening, which will allow us an hour to get to the Summer Palace-after eight o'clock not even I would be admitted, in the absence of the Regent.

Should we be delayed, as is very likely, we can go out early the following morning. The American won't know we left here, and will not be in any state to return-and even if he is, it's not probable he will leave before late to-morrow night, which will bring him to the Capital about noon-long after we have been in the library and got the Book." He strode to the door and shouted into the corridor for Durant.... "Captain," said he, "have the fastest pair and strongest carriage before the door at once. Madame and I are off instantly for the Capital; but see that no one in the Castle knows it; close the gates, and let none depart. In half an hour, send four of your trustiest men to cut the telephone line, in various places, between Porgia and Dalberg Castle; keep it cut all day, and prevent, in every way possible, any messages reaching the Castle. If the Regent, or the American Archduke, leave by train before to-morrow night, wire me immediately. Do you understand?-then away.... Come along, d.u.c.h.ess, only ten minutes to dress!"

With a laugh he swung her up in his arms and bore her to the doorway, s.n.a.t.c.hed a kiss, and left her.

XXII THE BOOK IN THE CLOTH

As is usually the case when a man retires before his accustomed hour, the Archduke's slumber was capricious and broken, finally ending in complete wakefulness and an intense mental activity that defied sleep. At length he switched on the reading lamp beside his bed and looked at his watch.

It was only three o'clock. With an exclamation of disgust he got up and dressed, and went down to the library. The draft of Lotzen Castle was not as distinct in his mind as it should be; he would have another careful look at it and then, alone on the ramparts, with plenty of room to walk and think, he would work out the plan of campaign for the morrow.

He had put the plan and Jessac's keys together in the desk, the top drawer on the right.-They were not there-nor in the next one-nor the next-nor the next-they were not in any of them. He searched again, and carefully ... they were gone. He went to the far corner where Major Meux had got the portfolio; its place was empty. He frowned in puzzled irritation; who would have presumed to meddle with them? Moore, possibly, to study the draft, but he would not have taken the keys; they would be wanted only when--

"G.o.d! might it be!" he cried aloud, "might it be!"

His mind flashed back through the day: Dehra's solicitude that he should not go to-night-borrow Bernheim-early to bed-a dozen other trifles now most indicative. With a curse at his stupidity, he ran to Moore's quarters-empty-the bed untouched; then to Bernheim's-the same there; to De Coursey's-to Marsov's-both the same. He burst unannounced into the ante-chamber of the Princess' apartments, bringing a shriek from each of the sleepy maids.

"Your mistress-is she here?" he demanded.

"Her Highness retired hours ago, sir," one of them replied tremblingly, fright still upon her.

"But is she there now?-Send Marie here instantly."

The French girl came, wrapped in a long chamber robe.

"Is your mistress asleep?" he asked.

"Yes, Monsieur le Prince, hours ago."

He reached over and flung back her robe.

"Then why are you still dressed and waiting up for her? Don't lie to me, girl; where is Her Highness?"

"Monsieur doubts me?"

The Archduke made an angry gesture.

"Go to her-say I must speak with her at once."

"Wake the Regent! I dare not, sir."

He pushed her aside and went on into the next room. She sprang after, and caught his hand.

"Your Highness!" she cried, "you would not!-you would not!"

He seized her by the arm. "You little fool! the truth-the truth-if your mistress isn't here, she is in awful peril-may be dead." He shook her almost fiercely. "The truth, I say, the truth!"

With a cry the girl sank to the floor.

"Peril!-death!" she echoed. "She but went for a ride, sir; I do not understand--"

The Archduke was gone; he required no further information.

A quarter of an hour later, with thirty of the garrison at his back-all that could be provided with horses-he set out for Lotzen Castle; leaving it for Courtney, whose official position denied him the privilege of going along, to telephone the Commandant at Porgia for troops.

"She went to save me, d.i.c.k," he said; "now I will save her or--good-bye,"

and the two men had gripped hands hard, then the Archduke rode away.

At first, his anger had been hot against Moore and Bernheim, but now that sober second thought was come, he knew that they were not to blame, that the Regent herself had ordered them to the service and to silence. And presently his hope rose at the thought of the one's skilful sword and sure revolver, and the other's steady head and calm discretion; together, with De Coursey and Marsov, there might be a chance that the Princess would come out alive. But the hope grew suddenly very slender, as he reached the valley road and saw the great light of Lotzen Castle s.h.i.+ning far away, and remembered his own sensations as he had stood under it that afternoon, and who its master was and what.

They had been obliged to go slowly down the steep and winding avenue, now he swung into a gallop and the six score hoofs went thundering through the valley, leaving the startled inhabitants staring, and wondering at the strange doings of all who came from the South. But them the Archduke never saw-nor anything, indeed, save the track before him and the light ahead, riding with hands low on the saddle, face set and stern; implacable and relentless as the first Dalberg himself, the day he rescued his lady from that same Castle of Lotzen and hung its Baron in quarters from the gate tower.

Only once did the Archduke pause; at the Dreer, a moment to breathe the horses and let them wet their throats. In the darkness he did not see a bunch of hors.e.m.e.n round the turn in front and trot slowly toward him, nor could he hear them for the thras.h.i.+ng of his own horses in the water. The first he knew of them was Colonel Moore's peremptory hail:

"What force is that yonder?"

With a shout that rang far into the night, Armand sent his mare bounding through the stream.

"The Princess? the Princess?" he cried, "is she safe?"

And her own voice answered, joyful and triumphant.

"I'm here, Armand, I'm here."