The Puppet Crown [106]
the Captain, whose eyes started at this appellation, "Colonel, you will report to me in the morning to assume your new duties. You have been a faithful Captain and a good soldier. I know your value, your name and your antecedents, which till now was more than I knew of your late predecessor. Von Mitter will take upon himself your duties as Captain of the household troop; and you, Scharfenstein, will hereafter take charge of her Royal Highness's carriage, and you may choose whom you will as your comrade."
"I have always tried to do my duty," said von Mitter. He felt a small hand secretly press his.
"And you have always succeeded, Captain," said a voice which made Maurice's foolish heart leap. "See, I am the first to give you your new rank. How you must suffer!"
"God bless your Royal Highness!" murmured the fellow, at once racked with pain and happiness. "But I am not the one you must thank for this night's work."
The Marshal peered at the silent figure beyond the fireplace. Maurice was compelled to stand forth. "Ah!" said the Marshal.
"Yes," went on von Mitter, "but for him no one knows what the end might have been. And I, thinking him one of the abducting party coming up from the rear, shot at him."
The princess took a step forward, anxiety widening her dark eyes; and the swift glance added to the fever in the recipient's veins. . . . How beautiful she was, and how far away! He laid his hand on the top of von Mitter's chair.
"Monsieur Carewe," said the Marshal, "seems to have plenty of leisure time on his hands--fortunately for us. You were not hit?"
"O, no," said Maurice, blushing. He had discerned an undercurrent of raillery in the Marshal's tones. "The ball came close to my ear, that was all. It is strange how that fellow got away. I am positive that I hit him."
"We shall find him," said the Marshal, with a look at the newly- appointed Colonel which said: "Your straps hang in the balance." He rubbed his nose. "Well, is your Royal Highness satisfied that there is no danger?"
"Yes, Marshal; but think, if he should have been killed! Ah, what does it all mean? What had this man against me, who have always been kind to him?"
"We shall, with your Highness's permission," said the Marshal, "leave all questions to the future. Let us return to the archbishop, who is doubtless awaiting the news. Take good care of yourself, Captain. To-morrow, Colonel; good evening to you, Monsieur Carewe;" and the terse old soldier proceeded to the door and held it open for the women.
"Good night, Messieurs," said her Highness. "I shall not forget. Thanks to you, Captain." One more glance, and she was gone. But this glance blossomed in one heart into a flower of hope.
The Marshal, having closed the door behind the women, returned to the group before the fireplace. They watched him interestedly.
"Colonel," he said, "make no effort to seek Beauvais. As for Kopf, that is different. But Beauvais--"
"To let him go?" exclaimed the Colonel in dismay.
"Aye, to let him go. We do not seek bears with birdshot, and that is all we have. He will leave the country."
"And go to the duchy!"
"So much the better; when the time comes, our case against him will be so much the stronger. Mind you, this is not from sentiment. I have none," glaring around to see if any dared refute this assertion. "It is policy, and Monseigneur concurs with me."
"But I have sent men after him!" cried the Colonel, in keen disappointment.
"Send men after them to rescind the order."
"And if they should catch him?"
"Let him go; that is my order. The servant will be sufficient for our needs. Monsieur Carewe, I rely on your discretion;" and the Marshal passed into the kitchens.
The men looked at each other in silence. A moment later the Colonel dashed from the room, off to the stables.
"Well, I'm off," said Maurice. The desire to tell what he knew was beginning to master him. It was too late now, he saw that. Besides, they might take it into their heads to detain him. He put
"I have always tried to do my duty," said von Mitter. He felt a small hand secretly press his.
"And you have always succeeded, Captain," said a voice which made Maurice's foolish heart leap. "See, I am the first to give you your new rank. How you must suffer!"
"God bless your Royal Highness!" murmured the fellow, at once racked with pain and happiness. "But I am not the one you must thank for this night's work."
The Marshal peered at the silent figure beyond the fireplace. Maurice was compelled to stand forth. "Ah!" said the Marshal.
"Yes," went on von Mitter, "but for him no one knows what the end might have been. And I, thinking him one of the abducting party coming up from the rear, shot at him."
The princess took a step forward, anxiety widening her dark eyes; and the swift glance added to the fever in the recipient's veins. . . . How beautiful she was, and how far away! He laid his hand on the top of von Mitter's chair.
"Monsieur Carewe," said the Marshal, "seems to have plenty of leisure time on his hands--fortunately for us. You were not hit?"
"O, no," said Maurice, blushing. He had discerned an undercurrent of raillery in the Marshal's tones. "The ball came close to my ear, that was all. It is strange how that fellow got away. I am positive that I hit him."
"We shall find him," said the Marshal, with a look at the newly- appointed Colonel which said: "Your straps hang in the balance." He rubbed his nose. "Well, is your Royal Highness satisfied that there is no danger?"
"Yes, Marshal; but think, if he should have been killed! Ah, what does it all mean? What had this man against me, who have always been kind to him?"
"We shall, with your Highness's permission," said the Marshal, "leave all questions to the future. Let us return to the archbishop, who is doubtless awaiting the news. Take good care of yourself, Captain. To-morrow, Colonel; good evening to you, Monsieur Carewe;" and the terse old soldier proceeded to the door and held it open for the women.
"Good night, Messieurs," said her Highness. "I shall not forget. Thanks to you, Captain." One more glance, and she was gone. But this glance blossomed in one heart into a flower of hope.
The Marshal, having closed the door behind the women, returned to the group before the fireplace. They watched him interestedly.
"Colonel," he said, "make no effort to seek Beauvais. As for Kopf, that is different. But Beauvais--"
"To let him go?" exclaimed the Colonel in dismay.
"Aye, to let him go. We do not seek bears with birdshot, and that is all we have. He will leave the country."
"And go to the duchy!"
"So much the better; when the time comes, our case against him will be so much the stronger. Mind you, this is not from sentiment. I have none," glaring around to see if any dared refute this assertion. "It is policy, and Monseigneur concurs with me."
"But I have sent men after him!" cried the Colonel, in keen disappointment.
"Send men after them to rescind the order."
"And if they should catch him?"
"Let him go; that is my order. The servant will be sufficient for our needs. Monsieur Carewe, I rely on your discretion;" and the Marshal passed into the kitchens.
The men looked at each other in silence. A moment later the Colonel dashed from the room, off to the stables.
"Well, I'm off," said Maurice. The desire to tell what he knew was beginning to master him. It was too late now, he saw that. Besides, they might take it into their heads to detain him. He put