the mad king-第2部分

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low　him。

There　was　but　a　single　thing　that　the　man　might　attempt　if　he　were　to　save　the　girl　from　the　almost　certain　death　which　seemed　in　store　for　her；　since　he　knew　that　sooner　or　later　the　road　would　turn；　as　all　mountain　roads　do。　　The　chances　that　he　must　take；　if　he　failed；　could　only　hasten　the　girl's　end。　　There　was　no　alternative　except　to　sit　supinely　by　and　see　the　fear…crazed　horse　carry　its　rider　into　eternity；　and　Barney　Custer　was　not　the　sort　for　that　role。

Scarcely　had　the　beast　come　abreast　of　him　than　his　foot　leaped　to　the　accelerator。　　Like　a　frightened　deer　the　gray　roadster　sprang　forward　in　pursuit。　　The　road　was　narrow。　　　Two　machines　could　not　have　passed　upon　it。　　Barney　took　the　outside　that　he　might　hold　the　horse　away　from　the　dangerous　ravine。

At　the　sound　of　the　whirring　thing　behind　him　the　animal　cast　an　affrighted　glance　in　its　direction；　and　with　a　little　squeal　of　terror　redoubled　its　frantic　efforts　to　escape。　　The　girl；　too；　looked　back　over　her　shoulder。　　Her　face　was　very　white；　but　her　eyes　were　steady　and　brave。

Barney　Custer　smiled　up　at　her　in　encouragement；　and　the　girl　smiled　back　at　him。

〃She's　sure　a　game　one；〃　thought　Barney。

Now　she　was　calling　to　him。　　At　first　he　could　not　catch　her　words　above　the　pounding　of　the　horse's　hoofs　and　the　noise　of　his　motor。　　Presently　he　understood。

〃Stop！〃　she　cried。　　〃Stop　or　you　will　be　killed。　　The　road　turns　to　the　left　just　ahead。　　You'll　go　into　the　ravine　at　that　speed。〃

The　front　wheel　of　the　roadster　was　at　the　horse's　right　flank。　　Barney　stepped　upon　the　accelerator　a　little　harder。　　　There　was　barely　room　between　the　horse　and　the　edge　of　the　road　for　the　four　wheels　of　the　roadster；　and　Barney　must　be　very　careful　not　to　touch　the　horse。　　The　thought　of　that　and　what　it　would　mean　to　the　girl　sent　a　cold　shudder　through　Barney　Custer's　athletic　frame。

The　man　cast　a　glance　to　his　right。　　His　machine　drove　from　the　left　side；　and　he　could　not　see　the　road　at　all　over　the　right　hand　door。　　The　sight　of　tree　tops　waving　beneath　him　was　all　that　was　visible。　　Just　ahead　the　road's　edge　rushed　swiftly　beneath　the　right…hand　fender；　the　wheels　on　that　side　must　have　been　on　the　very　verge　of　the　em…　bankment。

Now　he　was　abreast　the　girl。　　Just　ahead　he　could　see　where　the　road　disappeared　around　a　corner　of　the　bluff　at　the　dangerous　curve　the　girl　had　warned　him　against。

Custer　leaned　far　out　over　the　side　of　his　car。　　The　lung…　ing　of　the　horse　in　his　stride；　and　the　swaying　of　the　leaping　car　carried　him　first　close　to　the　girl　and　then　away　again。　　　With　his　right　hand　he　held　the　car　between　the　frantic　horse　and　the　edge　of　the　embankment。　　His　left　hand；　out…　stretched；　was　almost　at　the　girl's　waist。　　The　turn　was　just　before　them。

〃Jump！〃　cried　Barney。

The　girl　fell　backward　from　her　mount；　turning　to　grasp　Custer's　arm　as　it　closed　about　her。　　At　the　same　instant　Barney　closed　the　throttle；　and　threw　all　the　weight　of　his　body　upon　the　foot　brake。

The　gray　roadster　swerved　toward　the　embankment　as　the　hind　wheels　skidded　on　the　loose　surface　gravel。　　They　were　at　the　turn。　　The　horse　was　just　abreast　the　bumper。　　There　was　one　chance　in　a　thousand　of　making　the　turn　were　the　running　beast　out　of　the　way。　　There　was　still　a　chance　if　he　turned　ahead　of　them。　　If　he　did　not　turnBarney　hated　to　think　of　what　must　follow。

But　it　was　all　over　in　a　second。　　The　horse　bolted　straight　ahead。　　Barney　swerved　the　roadster　to　the　turn。　　It　caught　the　animal　full　in　the　side。　　There　was　a　sickening　lurch　as　the　hind　wheels　slid　over　the　embankment；　and　then　the　man　shoved　the　girl　from　the　running　board　to　the　road；　and　horse；　man　and　roadster　went　over　into　the　ravine。

A　moment　before　a　tall　young　man　with　a　reddish…brown　beard　had　stood　at　the　turn　of　the　road　listening　intently　to　the　sound　of　the　hurrying　hoof　beats　and　the　purring　of　the　racing　motor　car　approaching　from　the　distance。　　In　his　eyes　lurked　the　look　of　the　hunted。　　For　a　moment　he　stood　in　evident　indecision；　but　just　before　the　runaway　horse　and　the　pursuing　machine　came　into　view　he　slipped　over　the　edge　of　the　road　to　slink　into　the　underbrush　far　down　toward　the　bottom　of　the　ravine。

When　Barney　pushed　the　girl　from　the　running　board　she　fell　heavily　to　the　road；　rolling　over　several　times；　but　in　an　instant　she　scrambled　to　her　feet；　hardly　the　worse　for　the　tumble　other　than　a　few　scratches。

Quickly　she　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　embankment；　a　look　of　immense　relief　coming　to　her　soft；　brown　eyes　as　she　saw　her　rescuer　scrambling　up　the　precipitous　side　of　the　ravine　toward　her。

〃You　are　not　killed？〃　she　cried　in　German。　　〃It　is　a　miracle！〃

〃Not　even　bruised；〃　reassured　Barney。　　〃But　you？　　You　must　have　had　a　nasty　fall。〃

〃I　am　not　hurt　at　all；〃　she　replied。　　〃But　for　you　I　should　be　lying　dead；　or　terribly　maimed　down　there　at　the　bottom　of　that　awful　ravine　at　this　very　moment。　　It's　awful。〃　She　drew　her　shoulders　upward　in　a　little　shudder　of　horror。　　　〃But　how　did　you　escape？　Even　now　I　can　scarce　believe　it　possible。〃

〃I'm　quite　sure　I　don't　know　how　I　did　escape；〃　said　Barney；　clambering　over　the　rim　of　the　road　to　her　side。　　　〃That　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it　I　am　positive。　　It　was　just　luck。　　I　simply　dropped　out　onto　that　bush　down　there。〃

They　were　standing　side　by　side；　now　peering　down　into　the　ravine　where　the　car　was　visible；　bottom　side　up　against　a　tree；　near　the　base　of　the　declivity。　　The　horse's　head　could　be　seen　protruding　from　beneath　the　wreckage。

〃I'd　better　go　down　and　put　him　out　of　his　misery；〃　said　Barney；　〃if　he　is　not　already　dead。〃

〃I　think　he　is　quite　dead；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I　have　not　seen　him　move。〃

Just　then　a　little　puff　of　smoke　arose　from　the　machine；　followed　by　a　tongue　of　yellow　flame。　　Barney　had　already　started　toward　the　horse。

〃Please　don't　go；〃　begged　the　girl。　　〃I　am　sure　that　he　is　quite　dead；　and　it　wouldn't　be　safe　for　you　down　there　now。　　　The　gasoline　tank　may　explode　any　minute。〃

Barney　stopped。

〃Yes；　he　is　dead　all　right；〃　he　said；　〃but　all　my　belongings　are　down　there。　　My　guns；　six…shooters　and　all　my　ammuni…　tion。　　And；〃　he　added　ruefully；　〃I've　heard　so　much　about　the　brigands　that　infest　these　mountains。〃

The　girl　laughed。

〃Those　stories　are　really　exaggerated；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　born　in　Lutha；　and　except　for　a　few　months　each　year　have　always　lived　here；　and　though　I　ride　much　I　have　never　seen　a　brigand。　　You　need　not　be　afraid。〃

Barney　Custer　looked　up　at　her　quickly；　and　then　he　grinned。　　His　only　fear　had　been　that　he　would　not　meet　brigands；　for　Mr。　Bernard　Custer；　Jr。；　was　young　and　the　spirit　of　Romance　and　Adventure　breathed　strong　within　him。

〃Why　do　you　smile？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃At　our　dilemma；〃　evaded　Barney。　　〃Have　you　paused　to　consider　our　situation？〃

The　girl　smiled；　too。

〃It　is　most　unconventional；〃　she　said。　　〃On　foot　and　alone　in　the　mountains；　far　from　home；　and　we　do　not　even　know　each　other's　name。〃

〃Pardon　me；〃　cried　Barney；　bowing　low。　　〃Permit　me　to　introduce　myself。　　I　am；〃　and　then　to　the　spirits　of　Romance　and　Adventure　was　added　a　third；　the　spirit　of　Deviltry；　〃I　am　the　mad　king　of　Lutha。〃



II

OVER　THE　PRECIPICE

THE　EFFECT　of　his　words　upon　the　girl　were　quite　different　from　what　he　had　expected。　　An　American　girl　would　have　laughed；　knowing　that　he　but　joked。　　This　girl　did　not　laugh。　　　Instead　her　face　went　white；　and　she　clutched　her　bosom　with　her　two　hands。　　Her　brown　eyes　peered　searchingly　into　the　face　of　the　man。

〃Leopold！〃　she　cried　in　a　suppressed　voice。　　〃Oh；　your　majesty；　thank　God　that　you　are　freeand　sane！〃

Before　he　could　prevent　it　the　girl　had　seized　his　hand　and　pressed　it　to　her　lips。

Here　was　a　pretty　muddle！　Barney　Custer　swore　at　himself　inwardly　for　a　boorish　fool。　　What　in　the　world　had　ever　prompted　him　to　speak　those　ridiculous　words！　And　now　how　was　he　to　unsay　them　without　mortifying　this　beautiful　girl　who　had　just　kissed　his　hand？

She　would　never　forgive　thathe　was　sure　of　it。

There　was　but　one　thing　to　do；　however；　and　that　was　to　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。　　Somehow；　he　managed　to　stumble　through　his　explanation　of　what　had　prompted　him；　and　when　he　had　finished　he　saw　that　the　girl　was　smiling　in…　dulgently　at　him。

〃It　shall　be　Mr。　Bernard　Custer　if　you　wish　it　so；〃　she　said；　〃but　your　majesty　need　fear　nothing　from　Emma　von　der　Tann。　　Your　secret　is　as　safe　with　me　as　with　yourself；　as　the　name　of　Von　der　Tann　must　assure　you。〃

She　looked　to　see　the　expression　of　relief　and　pleasure　that　her　father's　name　should　have　brought　to　the　face　of　Leopold　of　Lutha；　but　when　he　gave　no　indication　that　he　had　ever　before　heard　the　name　she　sighed　and　looked　puzzled。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　thought；　〃he　doubts　me。　　Or　can　it　be　pos…　sible　that；　after　all；　his　poor　mind　is　gone？〃

〃I　wish；〃　said　Barney　in　a　tone　of　entreaty；　〃that　you　would　forgive　and　forget　my　foolish　words；　and　then　let　me　accompany　you　to　the　end　of　your　journey。〃

〃Whither　were　you　bound　when　I　became　the　means　of　wrecking　your　motor　car？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃To　the　Old　Forest；〃　replied　Barney。

Now　she　was　positive　that　she　was　indeed　with　the　mad　king　of　Lutha；　but　she　had　no　fear　of　him；　for　since　child…　hood　she　had　heard　her　father　scout　the　idea　that　Leopold　was　mad。　　For　what　other　purpose　would　he　hasten　toward　the　Old　Forest　than　to　take　refuge　in　her　father's　castle　upon　the　banks　of　the　Tann　at　the　forest's　verge？

〃Thither　was　I　bound　also；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　you　would　come　there　quickly　and　in　safety　I　can　show　you　a　short　path　across　the　mountains　that　my　father　taught　me　years　ago。　　It　touches　the　main　road　but　once　or　twice；　and　much　of　the　way　passes　through　dense　woods　and　undergrowth　where　an　army　might　hide。〃

〃Hadn't　we　better　find　the　nearest　town；〃　suggested　Bar…　ney；　〃where　I　can　obtain　some　sort　of　conveyance　to　take　you　home？〃

〃It　would　not　be　safe；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃Peter　of　Blentz　will　have　troops　out　scouring　all　Lutha　about　Blentz　and　the　Old　Forest　until　the　king　is　captured。〃

Barney　Custer　shook　his　head　despairingly。

〃Won't　you　please　believe　that　I　am　but　a　plain　Ameri…　can？〃　he　begged。

Upon　the　bole　of　a　large