The Colonel of the Red Huzzars Part 30

"Heaven forfend!" Courtney exclaimed, with lifted hands. "Your counter attack is at the King, too. Keep him interested in you."

"I have, I think. I am the new Military Governor of Dornlitz."

"Wonderful, Major!--Your Royal Highness, I mean."

"Drop the R. H., please," I said; "stick to Armand or Major."

"Thank you, I shall, in private; it's handier. And when were you appointed?"

"It will be in the Gazette this evening. His Majesty offered it to me this morning."

"Does Lotzen know it?"

"I think not; it was due to a sudden shifting of Corps Commanders made yesterday."

"I would like a view of the Duke's private countenance when he hears it first," Courtney laughed. "It's the most desirable post in the Army; even preferable to Chief of Staff. It makes you master in the Capital and its Military District, a temporary Field Marshal, and answerable to none but the King himself."

"It's just that which makes me question the expediency of my accepting the detail," said I. "It's a post to reward long service and soldierly merit. I have not the former and have had no chance to prove the latter. I fear it will be bad for discipline and worse for my popularity."

Courtney laughed. "That might be true of the American Army--it's nonsense in a Monarchy. You forget you are of the Blood Royal--an Archduke--of mature years--with some experience in actual war--and, for all the Army and Court know, in line for the Crown. You are, therefore, born to command. There can be no jealousies against you.

On the contrary, it will bring you followers. None but Lotzen and his circle will resent it, and they, already, are your enemies. The Governorship will make them no more so. Instead, it will keep them careful; for it will give you immense power to detect and foil their plots."

"Plots!" I exclaimed. "Do you fancy Lotzen would resort to murder?"

"Not at present--not until everything else has failed."

"You seem very sure," I remarked.

"Precisely that. You don't seem to realize that you have likely both lost him his desired wife and jeopardized his succession to the Throne.

He might submit to losing the Princess, but the Crown, never. He will eliminate you, by soft methods if he can, by violent ones, if need be.

Believe me, Major, I know the ways of Courts a little better than you."

I took a turn up and down the room. "I don't know that Lotzen isn't justified in using every means to defeat me. I am a robber--a highwayman, if you please. I am, this instant, holding him up and trying to deprive him of his dearest inheritance. And I'm doing it with calm deliberation, while, ostensibly, I'm his friend. If I attempt to steal his watch he would be justified in shooting me on the spot--why shouldn't he do the same when I try to filch from him the Valerian Crown?"

"No reason in the world, my dear Major, except that to steal a watch is a vulgar crime--but to plot for a throne is the privilege of Princes.

And Princes do not shoot their rivals."

"With their own hands," I added.

Courtney bowed low. "Your Highness has it exactly," he said.

I shrugged my shoulders. "You flatter me."

"I speak only in general terms; they do not apply to you, my dear Major. You are not plotting to dethrone a King; you are simply trying, frankly and openly, to recover what is yours by birthright. Lotzen's real claim to the Crown is, in justice, subordinate to yours--and he knows it--and so does the King, or he would not have put you on probation, so to speak, with the implied promise to give you back your own again, if you prove worthy."

"That's one way to look at it," said I, "and I reckon I shall have to accept it. In fact, I'm remitted to it or to chucking the whole thing overboard."

Courtney smiled approvingly. "That's the reasonable point of view.

Now, stick to it, and give Lotzen no quarter--you may be sure he will give you none."

"I shall countenance no violence," I insisted.

"One is permitted to repel force by force."

"I shall not hesitate to do that, you may be sure."

"Good!" said he. "Now we understand the situation and each other; and I can a.s.sist you more effectively."

"I shall advise you the moment anything new develops," said I.

"And remember, Major, to either you or Lotzen the Princess means the Crown. Frederick will be only too glad to pa.s.s it so to his own descendants."

"That's the truth," said I. "But I reckon the Princess doesn't need the Crown to get Lotzen or me."

"Do you realize how lucky it is, under the circ.u.mstances, that you are unmarried?" Courtney inquired.

"Rather--only, if I had chanced to be married, I would still be your Military Attache. Frederick would never have given me the chance to be an Archduke."

"At least, it's sure he would never have given you a chance to be a King."

"And the American newspapers would have missed a great news item," I added.

"I never quite appreciated what a wonder you were until they told me,"

he laughed. "You seem to possess a marvellous a.s.sortment of talents--and, as for bravery, they have had you leading every charge in the Spanish War."

"It's all very tiresome," I said.

"It's one of the penalties of Royalty--to be always in the limelight and never in the shadow," he returned. "How does it feel?"

"Come around to-night to the Royal Box at the Opera and get into the glare, a bit," I said. "I am to take the King's place and escort the Princess."

"Is that a command?" he asked.

"Hang it all, Courtney----" I exclaimed.

"Because, if it isn't," he went on, "I shall have to decline. I'm dining with the Radnors and going on to the Opera with them."

I looked at him expectantly for a moment, giving him an opening to mention Lady Helen; but he only smiled and lit another cigarette. I understood he declined the opening. Indeed, he had never referred to Lady Helen since that first surprising time. But, if the gossip of the Diplomatic set, which, of course, reached the Court promptly, were at all reliable, another International marriage was not improbable. I admit I was a bit curious as to the matter--and here I saw my opportunity.

"If you will permit," said I, "I'll send an Aide to invite the Radnors and you to the Royal Box during the last act, and then, later, to be my guests at supper on the Hanging Garden."

"You're very kind, old man," said he; "and as for old Radnor you will endanger his life--he will just about explode with importance."

"I trust not," said I; "I like Lord Radnor--and then explosions are disconcerting at the Opera or a supper."

I had good reason, later, to remember this banter--for there was an explosion at the supper that night that was more than disconcerting; but Lord Radnor was in no way responsible.