Part 9 (2/2)
Nearer and nearer came the hoofs The moon shone out now clear and full, so that the road hite with it The ground was hard, and we had left no traces
”Here they coht so,” he answered
It was the duke; and with him a burly fellohom I kneell, and who had cause to know me afterwards--Max Holf, brother to Johann the keeper, and body-servant to his Highness They were up to us: the duke reined up I saw Sapt's finger curl lovingly towards the trigger I believe he would have given ten years of his life for a shot; and he could have picked off Black Michael as easily as I could a barn-door fowl in a farly: he was always ready to sacrifice inclination to duty
”Which way?” asked Black Michael
”To the Castle, your Highness,” urged his companion ”There we shall learn the truth”
For an instant the duke hesitated
”I thought I heard hoofs,” said he
”I think not, your Highness”
”Why shouldn't we go to the lodge?”
”I fear a trap If all is well, why go to the lodge? If not, it's a snare to trap us”
Suddenly the duke's horse neighed In an instant we folded our cloaks close round our horses' heads, and, holding them thus, covered the duke and his attendant with our revolvers If they had found us, they had been dead er Then he cried:
”To Zenda, then!” and setting spurs to his horse, galloped on
Sapt raised his weapon after hiret on his face that I had
For ten minutes we stayed where ere
”You see,” said Sapt, ”they've sent him news that all is well”
”What does thatheavily ”But it's brought him from Strelsau in a rare puzzle”
Then we mounted, and rode as fast as our weary horses could lay their feet to the ground For those last eight miles we spoke no more Our minds were full of apprehension ”All is well” What did it e caallop, we rode up to the gate All was still and quiet Not a soul caht round
I looked down At my feet lay five or six silk handkerchiefs, torn and slashed and rent I turned to hily
”They're what I tied the old wo”
The handle of the door turned without resistance We passed into the rooht's bout It was still streith the remnants of our meal and with empty bottles