Part 24 (2/2)

Armand put his mouth close to his Aide's ear.

”Rooms deserted,” he whispered-”what's on the third floor?”

”It's a mere garret; the servants quarters are in a detached building in the rear.”

”We'll chance the garret-I laid a chair across the foot of those stairs-and also at the head of the back stairs-anything doing below?”

”Quiet as the grave, sir.”

”An apt simile, Bernheim,” said the Archduke; ”there is going to be a death or two down there to-night, if we can manage it-just as a gentle notice to our cousin of what he may expect.”

The old soldier's hand sought impulsively his master's.

”You mean it, my lord?” he asked eagerly.

”I do; I'm--” a stair creaked very faintly-”they're coming,” he ended.

Both men bent forward listening ... the seconds pa.s.sed ... no sound came to them. Then Bernheim bethought himself of the rail, and laid his ear upon it. Instantly he was up.

”They are coming,” he whispered, ”I could hear them distinctly.”

”Good,” said Armand. ”We will give them the steel as soon as they're within reach-be ready-I'll take the right.”

The stairway was of more than medium width, and straight-away almost to the lower floor, the turn being at the bottom. While the lights were on, Bernheim had noticed a heavy oak chest against the wall near where they were standing. Now it suddenly occurred to him how it could be used.

Asking the Archduke to bear aside a moment, he seized it in his powerful arms, and carrying it to the head of the stairs hurled it, with all his strength, down into the darkness.

There was a heavy thud as of human bodies struck, wild shrieks of pain and terror, and then a deafening crash, as the chest broke asunder against the wall below, followed directly by moans, and curses, and struggles to get free.

Although Armand had not seen what his Aide had done, he could picture it all now, and he laughed aloud.

”Clear away the debris, gentlemen!” he called. ”On to the charge! Don't be a lot of quitters; we've plenty of ammunition left; en avant!”

But only the moans answered him. He drew Bernheim closer.

”What do you suggest,” he asked; ”shall we go down?”-And the upsetting of the chair at the rear stairs answered him.

”Turn on the lights when I whistle,” he ordered, and stole swiftly to the rear of the hall.

Doubtless the purpose had been to attack them simultaneously in front and rear, and here was the chance to give this detachment, also, a surprise.

He heard the chair being set carefully aside, followed by foot-falls such as are made only by shoeless feet. The darkness was impenetrable, but he knew they paused at the door, and then came slowly forward, pa.s.sing him so closely he could have touched them with his hand. The next instant he gave the signal.

As the lights blazed out, disclosing three masked men with drawn swords, the Archduke leaped forward and, with the hilt of his rapier, struck the one nearest him behind the ear. The rogue dropped in his tracks. At the same moment, Bernheim's pistol cracked, and another went down, shot through the head. The third stood irresolute; and him the Archduke addressed.

”It's the pistol, yonder, or the sword, here,” he said; ”which will you choose?”

The fellow chanced to be almost in line with the front stairs, and for answer he sprang across the hall and dashed down them. Bernheim's gun spoke thrice: the first bullet struck the wall; the second, the newel post; the third, fired into the semi-obscurity below, and as the knave's head was almost on a line with the floor, brought an answering cry; but it did not disable him; they heard him stumble over the broken chest, then the key was thrust into the lock, the front door was flung back, and he crossed the porch at a run.

”He's the last of them, I fancy,” said Armand.

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