Part 50 (2/2)

And now the anger, which had been burning hotter and hotter, burst into flame.

”Do you fancy, Ferdinand of Lotzen,” she exclaimed, striking a chair with the flat of her sword, ”that I would venture into this den without first having made ample provision for our safe return? Around this place, at this moment, stretches a cordon of three thousand soldiers with orders to let no one pa.s.s the lines, and if by sunrise I have not returned, to take this Castle by a.s.sault and show no quarter. Colonel Bernheim is in command. I fancy you will admit that he will execute the orders.”

”I will,” said Lotzen.

”And if you doubt as to the troops, you can send and--”

”I will admit the troops also, cousin.”

The Princess put the cloth-wrapped book under her arm and stood up.

”Then, if you will clear the doorway, we will depart.”

”Not so fast, my dear,” he smiled; ”you seem to have missed the fact that a written command is quite as effective as an oral one; therefore, you will oblige me by taking of the paper and ink on the desk beside you, and inditing to Colonel Bernheim an order to withdraw instantly all the troops to Porgia, and himself to join you here-but first, you will favor me by returning that bundle to the drawer where you got it.”

The Princess glanced uncertainly at Moore, hesitated, then handed the bundle to him, and turning to the desk wrote rapidly for a few minutes-read over the sheet, and held it out to the Duke.

He took it with a bow, and went back to his place.... The order was clear and unequivocal, almost in his own words, indeed. Her ready acquiescence had amazed him-now doubt came, and then suspicion-was he being outwitted?

Had she provided for just such a contingency? He read the order again-then put it in its envelope and went toward the corridor door. He would have to chance it.

”One moment, cousin,” said the Princess; ”you may as well know that the only effect of that order, or any other, save from my own lips, will be to bring the a.s.sault forthwith, instead of at sunrise. It's for you to choose which it shall be.”

He turned and regarded her contemplatively; and she spoke again.

”What is the profit now in restraining us? You have been playing for a Crown-you have lost;” (pointing to the book) ”but why lose your life, too-though, frankly, as to that, save for the nasty scandal, I have no concern.”

His face hardened. ”There could be a few lives lost here before sunrise,”

he answered.

She smiled indifferently, though her heart beat faster at the threat; she had risked everything on her firm conviction that his cool, calculating brain would never be run away with by anger nor revenge-and the test was now.

”a.s.suredly, my dear Ferdinand,” said she, ”you can have us killed-and then the sunrise.”

But he stared at her unrelentingly, and fear began to crowd upon her fast.

”Have we lost?” she said very low to Moore. ”Have I brought you all to death?”

”It depends on the next minute,” he replied; ”if we live through it we're safe. He will have quit seeing red then.”

And Madeline Spencer saw that he was hesitating; swiftly she went to him, and taking his hand, spoke to him softly and with insistent earnestness.

Gradually the frown faded; the fell look pa.s.sed; at last, he smiled at her and nodded.

”We win,” said Moore.

The Duke turned toward the corridor door and gave an order; the men drew aside into line, rifles at the present. Then he bowed low to the Princess.

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