Part 27 (1/2)

”Well, what is it?” asked Von Walden. ”Speak quickly. Has your scribbling friend run away with Her Highness?”

”My remarks, most n.o.ble and puissant Count,” said Hillars, bowing, satirically, to the neck of his horse, ”I shall confine to the still more n.o.ble and puissant Prince of Wortumborg.”

”This is an unappreciated honor,” sneered the Prince.

”So it is,” replied Hillars, lightly. ”When an honest man speaks to you he is conferring an honor upon you which you, as you say, cannot appreciate. It appears to me that Your Highness has what we in America call malaria. I propose to put a hole through you and let out this bad substance. Lead, properly used, is a great curative. Sir, your presence on this beautiful world is an eyesore to me.”

”One excuse is as good as another,” said the Prince. ”Did Her Highness delegate you to put me out of the way?”

”Oh, no; but since you have brought her name into it, I confess that it is on her account. Well, sir, no man has ever insulted a woman in my presence and gone unscathed. In English speaking lands we knock him down. This being Rome I shall do as the Romans do. I believe I called you a liar; I will do so again. Is the object of my errand plain?”

”As I said to your friend,” smiled the Prince, ”I will send a lackey down here to take care of you. Count, we shall hardly get to the station in time to catch the train. Young man, stand aside; you annoy me, I have no time to discuss the Princess or her lovers. Release my horse!”

”What a d.a.m.ned cur you are!” cried Hillars, losing his airy tone. ”By G.o.d, you will fight me, if I have to knock you down and spit upon you!”

Then with full force he flung his hat into the face of the Prince.

”You have written finis to your tale,” said the Prince, dismounting.

”Your Highness!” exclaimed the Count, springing to the ground, ”this must not be. You shall not risk your life at the hands of this d.a.m.ned adventurer.”

”Patience, Count,” said the Prince, shaking off the hand which the Count had placed upon his shoulder. ”Decidedly, this fellow is worth consideration. Since we have no swords, sir, and they seem to be woman's weapons these days, we will use pistols. Of course, you have come prepared. It is a fine time for shooting. This first light of twilight gives us equal advantage. Will it be at ten or twenty paces?

I dare say, if we stand at twenty, in the centre of the road, we shall have a good look at each other before we separate indefinitely.”

”Your Highness insists?” murmured the Count.

”I not only insist, I command.” The Prince took off his coat and waistcoat and deposited them on the gra.s.s at the side of the road.

Hillars did likewise. There was a pleased expression on his face. ”I do believe, Count,” laughed the Prince, ”this fellow expects to kill me. Now, the pistols.”

”If you will permit me,” said the innkeeper, taking an oblong box from under his coat. ”These are excellent weapons.”

The Prince laughed. ”I suppose, innkeeper, if the result is disastrous to me, it will please you?”

The innkeeper was not lacking in courtesy. ”It would be a pleasure, I a.s.sure you. There are certain reasons why I cannot fight you myself.”

”To be sure.”

”It would be too much like murder,” continued the innkeeper. ”Your hand would tremble so that you would miss me at point-blank. There goes the last of the sun. We must hurry.”

With a grimace the Count accepted the box and took out the pistols.

”They are old-fas.h.i.+oned,” he said.

”A deal like the innkeeper's morals,” supplemented the Prince.

”But effective,” said the innkeeper.

The Count scowled at the old fellow, who met the look with phlegm. As an innkeeper he might be an inferior, but as a second at a duel he was an equal. It was altogether a different matter.