Part 26 (1/2)
The men who had been chosen for this desperate service were already on their way to the place of rendezvous, and men of this description ont to fret at delay and inactivity He wanted to be away himself, and until he had the Queen's token safely in his possession he could not put aside his fears that it would not co it The King's sudden interruption last night ht possibly have caused her to sacrifice hierous, and he chafed at his enforced idleness, which
At last the door opened and a man entered It was the saht ”You are welcoan to think some circumstance had intervened”
”We have only just escaped such a calamity,” was the answer ”By some means Lord Cloverton had received infor, immediately after your departure, he accused her Majesty of trafficking with the brigands in the hills, and challenged her to show the bracelet It was fortunate that the Queen could do so, and indignantly dey The firstextrery, and the British Ambassador is in ill favor to-day His hands are tied for a little while, at any rate”
”That I would believe if I saw the knotted cords about his wrists, but not otherwise,” Ellerey answered ”My worthy countryman is not so easily beaten”
”It is true her Majesty bidwhat can he do?”
”He is capable of anything, and has the English vice, or virtue--it depends on the point of view--of never knohen he has got the worst of it”
”Her Majesty is fortunate in also having an Englisher”
”Thank you,of the same spirit in me”
”There is the token, Captain Ellerey,” and the man handed him a small sealed box ”The streets are yet full, so it would be wise to delay your departure for a while Her Majesty also bid ive you this, an earnest of what shall fall to the share of her successful , the jewel in it catching light even from the feeble ray of the candle For one ift until he had earned it, the independence of the Englishave the spirit of the adventurer opportunity to rise upperht fail, and for his life be co It would be soether empty-handed
”I thank her Majesty,” he said ”I shall keep it as a key to win her further favor should I deserve it”
”Then I will leave you, Captain Ellerey Fortune smile on you and on the cause”
As the door closed upon his visitor, Ellerey secured the sealed box and the ring about his person in such a fashi+on that the treasure lay close to the skin While life was in him no one should rob him of it
Then he sat down to possess his soul in patience until the streets should grow dark enough and eh for his departure
It was o by the Southern Gate at the hour whenthe city on their honized, and he hoped to pass unnoticed in the crowd Stefan had arranged to have his horse waiting for hie off the Breslen road, a -place in the forest toward Breslen, precaution was taken that should riders be seen going in this direction their real destination would never be suspected The brigands lay in the mountains near the Drekner pass, in exactly the opposite direction to Breslen, and a wide detour round Sturatzberg would have to be accomplished when the united band set out in earnest upon its expedition The token was at last in his possession, his coone But he was not thetoo precipitate None knew better the value of deliberate caution, and with Lord Cloverton fully alive to the danger, there ht be many obstacles to face which had not entered into his calculations So Ellerey sat there waiting, while the candle burnt lower, casting, as the rooure upon the wall
”Ti to his feet
”Landlord”
The door opened so suddenly that the handle must have been turned even as Ellerey shouted But it was not the landlord who entered Two figures came in swiftly and closed the door
”Pardon, Captain Ellerey”
”Well, sirs, ould you with me? I have little time to waste I have already called the landlord to pay ,” and as he spoke Ellerey raised the candle above his head to see what manner of men his visitors were
”Friends, Captain,” said the foreained admittance for the bearer of the token
He was a man of set features with a pair of keen eyes deeply sunken
His figure was lithe and sinewy, his raceful
His dress was of the better peasant class, a short knife was sheathed in his girdle, and one hand rested lightly on the hilt of it as he stood ht have been a forester His companion stood silently in the shadows behind hin you should know the business I have in hand, and that I have no time to waste in words”