Part 18 (1/2)

”Nothing, he said,” looking at ”

”But it's ihtfully ”It's not possible yet; it may become so But if we can catch Rupert in the next day, or even in the next two days, it's not impossible Only let me have the letter, and I'll account for the concealment What? Is the fact that cri the criuard?”

”You'll be able to rave but reassuring air

”Yes, James, I shall be able to make a story, or your master will make one for me But, by God, story or no story, the letter mustn't be found

Let them say we killed hiripped it

”You don't doubt I'm with you?” I asked

”Not for a moment, Fritz,” he answered

”Then how can we do it?”

We drew nearer together; Sapt and I sat, while James leant over Sapt's chair

The oil in the laht burnt very diain poor Herbert, for whoht ht of hireat schemes make the actors in theainst a point in the garew fainter and less frequent--our voices alone broke the silence of the little lodge

”The queen ive out that the king is at the lodge for a day or two longer Then you, Fritz--for you et to Strelsau as quick as you can, and find Rudolf Rassendyll You three ought to be able to track young Rupert down and get the letter from him

If he's not in the city, you must catch Rischenheim, and force him to say where he is; we know Rischenheiive no advice either to you or to Rudolf”

”And you?”

”James and I stay here If any one coet about, and great folk come, why, they , when you're gone, we shall rave I dare say two,” and he jerked his thuriht”

”You'll bury the king?”

”Not so deep but that we can take hiain, poor fellow Well, Fritz, have you a better plan?”

I had no plan, and I was not in love with Sapt's plan Yet it offered us four and twenty hours For that time, at least, it seemed as if the secret could be kept Beyond that we could hardly hope for success; after that weht be that before the respite ran out Rupert would be ours In fine, what else could be chosen? For now a greater peril threatened than that against which we had at the first sought to guard

Then the worst we feared was that the letter should co's hands That could never be But it would be a worse thing if it were found on Rupert, and all the kingdom, nay, all Europe, know that it ritten in the hand of her as now, in her own right, Queen of Ruritania To save her from that, no chance was too desperate, no scheme too perilous; yes, if, as Sapt said, we ourselves were held to answer for the king's death, still we ence the whole train of disaster had been laid, was the last man to hesitate

In all honesty, I held my life due and forfeit, should it be demanded of me--my life and, before the world,ready for the king; if need arose, his body should be laid in it, and the place chosen was under the floor of the wine-cellar When death came to poor Herbert, he could lie in the yard behind the house; for Boris they -place under the tree where our horses were tethered There was nothing to keep me, and I rose; but as I rose, I heard the forester's voice call plaintively for me The unlucky felloell, and now cried to me to sit by him I think Sapt wanted me to leave hih it consumed some preciousby hi His fortitude was good to see, and I believe that we all at last found new courage for our enterprise fro how this humble man met death At least even the constable ceased to show impatience, and let me stay till I could close the sufferer's eyes

But thus ti before I bade them farewell and mounted my horse They took theirs and led thealloped off on , and the air was fresh and pure

The new light brought new hope; fears see to effort and to confidence My horse rassy avenues It was hard then to be utterly despondent, hard to doubt skill of brain, strength of hand, or fortune's favor

The castle ca the trees But a ave an exclamation of surprise, and raised azed earnestly at the su staff was naked; the royal standard that had flapped in the wind last night was gone But by i or the queen was at the castle It would fly for Rudolf V no more; but why did it not proclaim and honor the presence of Queen Flavia? I sat down in my saddle and spurred my horse to the top of his speed We had been buffeted by fate sorely, but now I feared yet another blow