The Princess Dehra Part 41

"You're pretty enough to-night to give even an old-stager like me a flutter," he whispered in his most caressing tones, and, in the darkness, slipped his arm around her waist.

She pushed it away, though not very vigorously it seemed to him.

"You are impertinent, sir," she said.

"I meant to be; it's the only way to get on with you," and he deliberately put his arm around her again, and rather more tightly. "Come along to my window," he urged.

She knew very well that his purpose was to divert her from the Princess, but she went-nor appeared to bother that his arm remained. Here, was a new sort of man, with a new sort of method, and she was, if the truth be told, very willing for them both. Besides, her time would come presently.

"Moore is a wonder," Armand commented-and broke off, as the Duke came into view and sat down at his table.

But Lotzen was in no haste to unwrap the package; he drew it over and slowly loosed the cords, then suddenly laid it aside, and coming over to the window, seemed on the point of drawing the shade; but he changed his mind, and after staring into the garden and toward Mrs. Spencer's apartments, he returned to the table.

Without more ado he removed the black cloth, but pushed it in a heap, so that it hid the book-that it was a book, they could distinguish, but nothing else-and went to examining some papers he took from it.

The Princess stirred restlessly; her nerves were not attuned to such tension; and the Archduke rea.s.sured her by a touch and a word. Over at their window, Mrs. Spencer and Colonel Moore were whispering, and laughing softly, the latter, however, with a wary eye across the courtyard. The swinging cadence of a Strauss waltz came, brokenly, from the orchestra still playing in the great hall, with, now and then, a burst of men's voices in noisy hilarity from the card rooms or the main guard.

Presently the Duke put down the papers, and, pushing aside the black cloth, disclosed the back of the book-black, with heavy bra.s.s hinge-bands across it.

"Look," the Princess exclaimed, "look! it's very like it-why doesn't he lift the cover ... there!-see, the pages, too!-it must be!-it is!-it--"

"Run away, girl!" came Count Bigler's voice from the corridor, "run away, I say-you're pretty enough, but I want your mistress now." There was a moment's scuffle, and the door swung back--"Dark! well, 'let there be light!'" and he snapped the switch.

It all was done so quickly and unexpectedly that Mrs. Spencer was caught half way to the door, as she sprang to lock it; Armand had time only to push the Princess away from the window and step in front of her; while Colonel Moore, with De Coursey and Marsov, tried to get across to cover the Archduke.

But they failed. Bigler saw him instantly.

"The American!" he shouted, "the American!" and wrenching back the door, he disappeared down the corridor.

"The fool!" Madeline Spencer exclaimed; "he has spoiled everything-quick, you must get away; I don't want another De Saure house here," with a look at Armand-"the way you came will still be open."-She hurried ahead of them through the rooms to the stairway.... "I've been honest and I want to prove it, but," she laughed sneeringly after them, "the next time Her Highness plays the man, let her wear a mask and a larger shoe." The noise of men running came from below. "Hurry!" she cried, "they are trying to cut you off."

With the Regent between them, and De Coursey and Marsov behind, the Archduke and Moore dashed down the lower pa.s.sage to the small door and out into the garden.

"Come along!" said Armand; "we don't want a fight; make straight for the gate."

Holding Dehra's arm, he ran across the drive and, avoiding the winding path, cut over the gra.s.s-to bring up, in a moment, at a fountain in a labyrinth of thick hedges and walks, none of which seemed to lead gateward.

With a muttered imprecation, the Archduke chose the one that pointed toward the winding path by which they had entered, only to discover that it curved back toward the house.

"Take the hedge!" he ordered; and he and Moore tossed the Princess over the seven foot obstruction, and were swung up, themselves, by De Coursey and Marsov, whom they then pulled across.

But this took time; and now Bigler's voice rang from the garden.

"Make for the side gates-I'll look to the rear one!" he cried; and almost immediately they heard him and his men between them and their exit.

The Archduke stopped.

"There is no need to tire ourselves by running," he said; "we shall have to fight for it, so we may as well save our wind.-Gentlemen,"-turning to De Coursey and Marsov-"to-night you are honored above most men-you will draw swords for the Regent under her very eye-behold!"

He lifted the hat from the Princess' head, and the light of a near-by street lamp, that shone above the walls, fell full on the coils of high piled hair, and the fair face below it.

Both men cried out in astonishment, and, kneeling, kissed her hand.

Then they pressed on, finding almost immediately the path by which they had entered.

Meanwhile, the commotion in the garden near the palace had increased, and now the Duke of Lotzen's stern voice cut sharply into the night, from one of his windows.

"What the devil is all this noise?" he demanded.

"Thieves, Your Highness," some one answered from below-"five of them in madame's apartments-they escaped into the garden."

The Duke made no reply, at least which they could hear; and the Princess laughed.

"He's off for madame," she said; "and we are thieves-rather clever of Bigler to have us killed first and recognized later."

"He didn't see you," said Armand; "he recognized me, and thinks this is the chance he missed at the De Saure house."

A moment later they came into the wide drive-way, and face to face with the Count and a bunch of a dozen men.

He gave a shout that rang through the garden.

"Seize them!" he cried; "kill any that resist!" knowing very well that it would require the killing of them all. He, himself, drew his revolver and stepped to one side-a safer place than in the fighting line, and one where he could get a surer shot at the Archduke, if it were necessary.

But even twelve men hesitate to close with five, whose swords are ready; and in the instant's pause, Dehra, flinging off her hat, sprang between Bigler and the Archduke, and covered the former with her pistol.

"G.o.d in Heaven! the Princess!" he cried, and stared at her.

"Will you play with treason, my lord Count?" she asked. "Drop that revolver!-drop it, I say!-and you men, stand aside!-into line, so!-return swords!-now, by the left flank, march!-fall in behind, Count, if you please-march!"

With a laugh and a shrug he obeyed.

"The Regent commands," he said.-"Attention! salute!" and with hands to visors the column went by; while Dehra, fingers at forehead in acknowledgment, watched it pa.s.s and go down the drive toward the Palace.

Then she turned, and put out her hand to the Archduke.

"I'm tired, dear," she said, "very tired--Captain De Coursey, will you bring the carriage to the gate?"

XVIII ON TO LOTZENIA

"It is a most amazing situation," said the Amba.s.sador-as he and the Archduke sat in the latter's headquarters, the following morning-"and one guess is about as likely to be right as another. It's difficult to believe Spencer honest, and yet she seemed to play straight last night.

She is of the sort who fiercely resent a blow and go to any length to repay it. And you think Bigler's interruption was not prearranged?"

"It impressed me that way," said Armand. "In fact, I'd say I am sure of it, if I had any but Lotzen or Spencer to deal with."

"And you saw enough of the book to be satisfied it is the Laws?"