The Mad King [100]
not precisely the sort of language that kings were supposed to use to their inferiors. So he changed it. "Now get a couple of horses for her highness and myself, as well as your own, for you will accompany us to Tann."
The officer looked at the weapon in the king's hand. He measured the distance between himself and the king. He well knew the reputed cowardice of Leopold. Could he make the leap and strike up the king's hand before the timorous monarch found even the courage of the cornered rat to fire at him? Then his eyes sought the face of the king, searching for the signs of nervous terror that would make his con- quest an easy one; but what he saw in the eyes that bored straight into his brought his own to the floor at the king's feet.
What new force animated Leopold of Lutha? Those were not the eyes of a coward. No fear was reflected in their steely glitter. The officer mumbled an apology, saluted, and turned toward the door. At his elbow walked the impostor; a cavalry cape that had belonged to the king now covered his shoulders and hid the weapon that pressed its hard warning now and again into the short-ribs of the Blentz officer. Just behind the American came the Princess Emma von der Tann.
The three passed through the deserted corridors of the sleeping castle, taking a route at Barney's suggestion that led them to the stable courtyard without necessitating traversing the main corridors or the great hall or the guardroom, in all of which there still were Austrian and Blentz soldiers, whose duties or pleasures had kept them from their blankets.
At the stables a sleepy groom answered the summons of the officer, whom Barney had warned not to divulge the identity of himself or the princess. He left the princess in the shadows outside the building. After what seemed an eternity to the American, three horses were led into the courtyard, saddled, and bridled. The party mounted and approached the gates. Here, Barney knew, might be en- countered the most serious obstacle in their path. He rode close to the side of their unwilling conductor. Leaning for- ward in his saddle, he whispered in the man's ear.
"Failure to pass us through the gates," he said, "will be the signal for your death."
The man reined in his mount and turned toward the American.
"I doubt if they will pass even me without a written order from Prince Peter," he said. "If they refuse, you must reveal your identity. The guard is composed of Luthanians --I doubt if they will dare refuse your majesty."
Then they rode on up to the gates. A soldier stepped from the sentry box and challenged them.
"Lower the drawbridge," ordered the officer. "It is Captain Krantzwort on a mission for the king."
The soldier approached, raising a lantern, which he had brought from the sentry box, and inspected the captain's face. He seemed ill at ease. In the light of the lantern, the American saw that he was scarce more than a boy--doubt- less a recruit. He saw the expression of fear and awe with which he regarded the officer, and it occurred to him that the effect of the king's presence upon him would be abso- lutely overpowering. Still the soldier hesitated.
"My orders are very strict, sir," he said. "I am to let no one leave without a written order from Prince Peter. If the sergeant or the lieutenant were here they would know what to do; but they are both at the castle--only two other soldiers are at the gates with me. Wait, and I will send one of them for the lieutenant."
"No," interposed the American. "You will send for no one, my man. Come closer--look at my face."
The soldier approached, holding his lantern above his head. As its feeble rays fell upon the face and uniform of the man on horseback, the sentry gave a little gasp of as- tonishment.
"Now, lower the drawbridge," said Barney Custer, "it is your king's command."
Quickly the fellow hastened to obey the order. The chains creaked and the windlass groaned as the heavy planking sank to place across the moat.
As Barney passed the soldier he handed
The officer looked at the weapon in the king's hand. He measured the distance between himself and the king. He well knew the reputed cowardice of Leopold. Could he make the leap and strike up the king's hand before the timorous monarch found even the courage of the cornered rat to fire at him? Then his eyes sought the face of the king, searching for the signs of nervous terror that would make his con- quest an easy one; but what he saw in the eyes that bored straight into his brought his own to the floor at the king's feet.
What new force animated Leopold of Lutha? Those were not the eyes of a coward. No fear was reflected in their steely glitter. The officer mumbled an apology, saluted, and turned toward the door. At his elbow walked the impostor; a cavalry cape that had belonged to the king now covered his shoulders and hid the weapon that pressed its hard warning now and again into the short-ribs of the Blentz officer. Just behind the American came the Princess Emma von der Tann.
The three passed through the deserted corridors of the sleeping castle, taking a route at Barney's suggestion that led them to the stable courtyard without necessitating traversing the main corridors or the great hall or the guardroom, in all of which there still were Austrian and Blentz soldiers, whose duties or pleasures had kept them from their blankets.
At the stables a sleepy groom answered the summons of the officer, whom Barney had warned not to divulge the identity of himself or the princess. He left the princess in the shadows outside the building. After what seemed an eternity to the American, three horses were led into the courtyard, saddled, and bridled. The party mounted and approached the gates. Here, Barney knew, might be en- countered the most serious obstacle in their path. He rode close to the side of their unwilling conductor. Leaning for- ward in his saddle, he whispered in the man's ear.
"Failure to pass us through the gates," he said, "will be the signal for your death."
The man reined in his mount and turned toward the American.
"I doubt if they will pass even me without a written order from Prince Peter," he said. "If they refuse, you must reveal your identity. The guard is composed of Luthanians --I doubt if they will dare refuse your majesty."
Then they rode on up to the gates. A soldier stepped from the sentry box and challenged them.
"Lower the drawbridge," ordered the officer. "It is Captain Krantzwort on a mission for the king."
The soldier approached, raising a lantern, which he had brought from the sentry box, and inspected the captain's face. He seemed ill at ease. In the light of the lantern, the American saw that he was scarce more than a boy--doubt- less a recruit. He saw the expression of fear and awe with which he regarded the officer, and it occurred to him that the effect of the king's presence upon him would be abso- lutely overpowering. Still the soldier hesitated.
"My orders are very strict, sir," he said. "I am to let no one leave without a written order from Prince Peter. If the sergeant or the lieutenant were here they would know what to do; but they are both at the castle--only two other soldiers are at the gates with me. Wait, and I will send one of them for the lieutenant."
"No," interposed the American. "You will send for no one, my man. Come closer--look at my face."
The soldier approached, holding his lantern above his head. As its feeble rays fell upon the face and uniform of the man on horseback, the sentry gave a little gasp of as- tonishment.
"Now, lower the drawbridge," said Barney Custer, "it is your king's command."
Quickly the fellow hastened to obey the order. The chains creaked and the windlass groaned as the heavy planking sank to place across the moat.
As Barney passed the soldier he handed