Part 17 (1/2)

The king had eaten a little supper, and, having gone to his bedroom, had stretched hi

Herbert was clearing the dining-table and perfor similar duties, when suddenly (thus he told it) he found abeside hi's service) who the unexpected visitor was, but he was of entle-tunic, and a revolver was thrust through the belt of it One hand rested on the belt, while the other held a s I aer Herbert, alarer's approach, and guiltily conscious of having left the door unbolted, drew back He was unar a stout felloas prepared to defend his master as best he could Rupert--beyond doubt it was Rupert--laughed lightly, saying again, ”Man, he expectshis leg Herbert, influenced by the visitor's air of co his face towards Rupert

”If the king asks more, tell him I have the packet and the letter,” said Rupert Thewas asleep; when roused he see of letter or packet, and to expect no visitor Herbert's ready fears revived; he whispered that the stranger carried a revolver Whatever the king's faults ht be--and God forbid that I should speak hardly of hi froreat boar-hound uncoiled hi But in an instant the beast caught the scent of a stranger: his ears pricked and he gave a lol, as he looked up in his master's face Then Rupert of Hentzau, weary perhaps of waiting, perhaps only doubtful whether his e would be properly delivered, appeared in the doorway

The king was unar weapons were in the adjoining room, and Rupert see was no coward, yet I think, that the sight of Rupert, bringing back the eon, half cowed hi, ”You!” The hound, in subtle understanding of his rily

”You expected me, sire?” said Rupert with a bow; but he s's alarht, and it does not co and an Elphberg It had come more than once to Rupert of Hentzau

”No,”his corily, ”How dare you come here?”

”You didn't expect ht of a trap seemed to flash across his alert mind He drew the revolver halfway from his belt, probably in a scarcely conscious movement, born of the desire to assure hi hi, who sank back on the bed Rupert, puzzled, vexed, yet half-amused (for he s out so about Rischenheim--what, Herbert could not tell us

”Keep back,” exclaih with a sudden thought, he held up the box that was in his left hand, saying:

'”Well, look at this sire, and we'll talk afterwards,” and he stretched out his hand with the box in it

Now the king stood on a razor's edge, for the king whispered to Herbert, ”What is it? Go and take it”

But Herbert hesitated, fearing to leave the king, whoh with a shi+eld Rupert's impatience overcame hier With a scornful laugh he exclaimed, ”Catch it, then, if you're afraid to co, or which of thee result In an instant, with a fierce growl and a er's throat Rupert had not seen or had not heeded the dog A startled oath rang out from him He snatched the revolver from his belt and fired at his assailant This shot must have broken the beast's shoulder, but it only half arrested his spring His great weight was still hurled on Rupert's chest, and bore hi lay unheeded

The king, ith alarer at his favorite's fate, jumped up and ran past Rupert into the next roo the wounded, weakened beast fro Herbert, who held a boar-spear, and the king, who had a double-barreled hunting-gun

He raised his left hand, Herbert said--no doubt he still asked a hearing--but the king leveled his weapon With a spring Rupert gained the shelter of the door, the bullet sped by him, and buried itself in the wall of the room Then Herbert was at him with the boar-spear

Explanations must wait now: it was life or death; without hesitation Rupert fired at Herbert, bringing hiun was at his shoulder again

”You damned fool!” roared Rupert, ”if youout at the same mo missed; Herbert saw the count stand for an instant with his s, who lay on the ground Then Rupert walked towards the door I wish I had seen his face then! Did he frown or srin uppermost? Reh That was the last Herbert saw of him; but the fourth actor in the drama, the wordless player whose part had been soin sharp agony, noling in fierce anger, with blood flowing but hair bristling, the hound Boris dragged hih the door, after Rupert of Hentzau Herbert listened, raising his head frorowl, an oath, the sound of the scuffle RupertThe beast, maimed and crippled by his shattered shoulder, did not reach his enemy's face, but his teeth tore away the bit of cloth that we had found held in the vise of his jaws Then ca steps, and a door slammed With that last sound Herbert woke to the fact of the count's escape; eary efforts he dragged hio on if he got a drink of brandy turned hith failed, and he sank dohere we found hi were dead or still alive, and unable even to make his way back to the rooround

I had listened to the story, bound as though by a spell Halfway through, James's hand had crept to my arm and rested there; when Herbert finished I heard the little ainst thehost, and the lines on his face seeard Neither of us spoke; we exchanged thoughts with our eyes ”This is our work,” we said to one another ”It was our trap, these are our victims” I cannot even now think of that hour, for by our act the king lay dead

But was he dead? I seized Sapt by the ar,” I whispered hoarsely

”Yes, the king,” he returned

Facing round, alked to the door of the dining-room Here I turned suddenly faint, and clutched at the constable He held me up, and pushed the door wide open The s about, curling in diht James had the la was not there A sudden hope filled th, and darted across towards the inside rooht was dim, and I turned to beckon for the la overlay prone on the floor, face doards, near the bed He had crawled there, seeking for some place to rest, as we supposed He did not move We watched him for a moment; the silence seemed deeper than silence could be At last, moved by a coh we approached the throne of Death hi and raise his head Blood had flowed from his lips, but it had ceased to flo He was dead