Part 23 (2/2)

They were pa.s.sing the wide entrance gates, and he went nearer and peered within-and as though in answer, from out the darkness came the shriek of one in awful terror.

”Don't strike me again! For G.o.d's sake don't strike me!”

The Archduke seized the gate.

”Come on, Bernheim,” he exclaimed; ”it is a woman.”

The Aide caught his arm.

”Don't, sir,” he said; ”don't-it is nothing for you to mix in-it is for the police.”

Armand made no answer; he was trying to find the latch.

”I pray Your Highness to refrain,” Bernheim begged; ”an Archduke-”

”Help! For G.o.d's sake help!” came the cry.

The latch yielded, and Armand flung back the gate.

”Come on,” he ordered, ”I'm a man, and yonder a woman calls.”

He sprang down the path toward the house, which he could see now in black forbiddingness among the trees far back from the street.

Again Bernheim ventured to protest.

”It may be Lotzen's trap, sir,” he warned.

For the shadow of an instant the Archduke hesitated; and at that moment the voice rang out again.

”Don't strike me! Don't str-” and a gurgling choke ended it.

”To the devil with Lotzen!” he exclaimed, and dashed on.

And Bernheim, with a silent curse, went beside him, loosening his sword as he ran, and feeling for the small revolver he had slipped inside his tunic, before they left the Epsau. To him, now, everything of mystery or danger spelled Lotzen-but even if it were not he, there was trouble enough ahead, and scandal enough, too, likely; scandal in which the Governor of Dornlitz, an Archduke, may be the King, had no place, and which could serve only to injure him before the people and in the esteem of the n.o.bles. Better that half the women in Dornlitz should be beaten and choked than that his master should be smirched by the tongue of calumny. He had no patience with this Quixotism that succored foolish females at foolish hours, in a place where neither the female nor they had any right to enter-and where, for her, at least, to enter was a crime. If he were able, he would have picked the Archduke up bodily, and borne him back to the palace, and have left the infernal woman to s.h.i.+ft for herself, and to save herself or not, as her luck might rule.

Then they brought up suddenly in front of the house; and as they paused to find the steps, a light flashed, for an instant, from the upper windows, and disappeared-as if an electric switch had been turned on, and off again. But its life had been long enough to show the broad entrance porch, and the big doors beyond it-and that they were open wide.

At the sight, Bernheim swore a good round oath and seized the Archduke's arm.

”It's a trap, my lord, it's a trap!” he exclaimed.

And again Armand hesitated; and again the cry came, though m.u.f.fled now and indistinct.

”We will have to chance it,” he said, ”I can't desert a woman who calls for help.”

”Very well, sir,” said Bernheim, knowing that further opposition was useless, ”but if it is a trap, she'll be the first I kill.”

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