The Princess Dehra Part 22

"Well, so much the better; between you, the trick should be turned; though, as a matter of abstract justice, it's your particular work."

"And I shan't shirk it," said Armand-then he laughed-"on the whole, I'm something of a savage myself; Lotzen hasn't got all of it for the family, it would seem."

Courtney shrugged his shoulders. "We all are savages at the core-it's only a question of the veneer's thickness."

"Of its thinness, I should say. However, now that you have saved my precious life, and dedicated me to care and prudence and to killing my enemies, we can get down to business. You had something to tell me."

"I have told you," said Courtney. "I wanted to show you that note and save your precious life."

The Archduke picked up the paper, and read it again.

"May be the party who wrote this," he said, "can help you answer the question I came to ask: what brought Lotzen to the Summer Palace, this afternoon; and, in particular, why did he go into the King's library?"

Courtney lit a fresh cigarette and watched the match burn to a cinder.

"Isn't your second question the answer to the first?" he asked.

"Doubtless; but what's the answer to the second?"

Courtney shook his head. "I pa.s.s-unless you can give me some details."

"Here's everything I know," said Armand. "Moore, as Adjutant to the Regent, occupies part of the King's suite as his quarters. This afternoon, he went out, leaving open the corridor door of the library. A little later Mademoiselle d'Essolde saw Lotzen come from the library-subsequently he met Moore and casually remarked to him that, as he pa.s.sed his quarters, the door being open, he had taken the liberty of looking at His late Majesty's portrait, which he wished to have copied."

Courtney considered a bit.

"It's really most interesting to study your cousin's methods," he said presently. "He seems to take particular pleasure in telling one what he knows will not be believed. It was quite absurd to offer such a fool explanation, if he really wished to explain-and none knows it better than Lotzen. It was just as though he had said to Moore: 'Tell the Archduke Armand, I've been in the library, I've accomplished what I went for, and he may go to the devil, with my compliments.'"

"That's very well, as an exposition of Lotzen's methods," said Armand; "but what concerns me is his motive; what was it he went for?"

"The Book of Laws, possibly," Courtney replied.

"Nonsense-he knows it's not in the library-if it were, I would have had it days ago."

"And how does he know you haven't got it?"

"How! Because I'd have produced it to prove my t.i.tle."

Courtney smiled. "Certainly you would-if it proved your t.i.tle; but if it didn't?"

"You overlook Frederick's decree."

"No, I don't-you overlook the fact that no one has ever seen that decree, and that Lotzen is ent.i.tled to a.s.sume it was not executed-that the whole story is fabricated, and that you have made away with the Book in order to throw the election into the House of n.o.bles; and so to have a chance for the Crown, when, in reality, you are ent.i.tled to none."

"Lotzen understands perfectly that Dehra told the truth," said Armand; "and that I've not got the Book-for my part, I'm almost ready to accept her notion that he has it."

Courtney leaned back in his chair, and studied the smoke rings he sent whirling upwards.

"I can't agree with you," he said; "indeed, since his visit to the library, I'm more convinced than ever that he hasn't the Book. He pretends to have it, so as to mislead you in your search."

"More likely, in your view of him," said Armand, "it is to decoy me into a trap where he can make an end of me."

"I believe you've guessed it," said Courtney, after a moment's thought; "and what is more, it's the key to Lotzen's plan of campaign, and it proves conclusively his murderous purpose. I'd be very shy of information that points Book-ward, unless you know the informant; above everything, don't be fooled by the device of a rendezvous, or a tattling servant."

"True enough; and yet I must not let slip any chance that might lead to the recovery of the Book; my equivocal position demands that it be found, both to vindicate Dehra's story and to justify my own claim to the Succession. Indeed, to my mind, I have no chance whatever unless Frederick's decree is produced. However, Lotzen won't use such h.o.a.ry artifices; he will have some simple little plot that will enmesh me by its very innocence. As a schemer against him I'm not even an 'also ran.'"

"And, therefore, my dear Armand," said Courtney quickly, "you must be prepared to cut the meshes when they close; an escort-a sword-a pistol-a steel vest-there's where you get your chance at him. Between the schemer and the ready fighter, I'll gamble on the fighter every time.... It's a pity you've lost Moore-you and he would make a famous pair. Bernheim is a good sort, but Moore is worth twenty of him in this business."

The Archduke's eyes brightened-the Irishman and he together could make a merry fight-an altogether worth-while sort of fight-a fight that the Great Henry himself, in his younger days, would have sought with eager blade and joyful heart-a quick, sharp fight that gave the enemy no rest nor quarter-a thrust-a fall-a careless laugh-a dripping point wiped on a handkerchief. He saw it all, and his fingers tingled and his eyes went brighter still.

And across the table Courtney blew ring upon ring of smoke, and watched him curiously, until the intent look waned and pa.s.sed.

"Well," he said, "did you kill him?"

"Yes, I killed him ... and even wiped my sword-much ground have I to cast reproach at Lotzen." He got up. "I'm going; if I sit under your tutelage any longer, I'll be jabbling holes in the good citizens I meet on the Avenue."

"With that stick?" Courtney asked.

"I forgot-the good citizen is safe to-night."

"But you're not. Let me give you a sword or a revolver." And when both were declined, he held up the paper: "Danger imminent," he warned.

"Bernheim will take care of me," said Armand; "and a light stick isn't a bad sort of rapier, if it is handled properly. I'm glad for this talk, and to have learned how very thin my veneer is.-I'm going back to the Epsau now, and teach Bernheim the scalp dance. Good night."

"And trade him to the Regent for Moore, the first thing in the morning,"

Courtney urged.

The Archduke paused at the threshold:

"Well, may be I shall," he said; "I believe he is a bit more the savage."

He faced about. "As for you, my dear d.i.c.k, you're cut out for a typical missionary-you would have the natives killing one another within an hour after you landed."

"Danger imminent!" called Courtney, and the door swung shut.

XI FIRST BLOOD

The Archduke knew where to find his Aide, so he waved aside the servant and went on to the billiard room.

"Don't mind me, boys," he said, as they sprang up; "go on with the deal-unless," motioning toward Bernheim's big pile of chips, "you want to be relieved of the beginner."

"Your Highness is ready to go?" Bernheim asked.

Armand nodded. "But that mustn't take you away; luck's with you, it's a crime to desert her-I know the way home."

The Colonel pushed his winnings into the centre of the table.