the mad king-第20部分

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eter　met　halfway　between　the　forces　for　their　conference。

A　dozen　members　of　the　most　powerful　of　the　older　no…　bility　accompanied　Ludwig。　　When　they　returned　their　faces　were　a　picture　of　puzzled　bewilderment。　　With　them　were　several　officers；　soldiers　and　civilians　from　Peter's　contingency。

〃What　said　he？〃　asked　Barney。

〃He　said；　your　majesty；〃　replied　Von　der　Tann；　〃that　he　is　confident　you　are　not　the　king；　and　that　these　men　he　has　sent　with　me　knew　the　king　well　at　Blentz。　　As　proof　that　you　are　not　the　king　he　has　offered　the　evidence　of　your　own　denialsmade　not　only　to　his　officers　and　soldiers；　but　to　the　man　who　is　now　your　loyal　lieutenant；　Butzow；　and　to　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann；　my　daughter。

〃He　insists　that　he　is　fighting　for　the　welfare　of　Lutha；　while　we　are　traitors；　attempting　to　seat　an　impostor　upon　the　throne　of　the　dead　Leopold。　　I　will　admit　that　we　are　at　a　loss；　your　majesty；　to　know　where　lies　the　truth　and　where　the　falsity　in　this　matter。

〃We　seek　only　to　serve　our　country　and　our　king　but　there　are　those　among　us　who；　to　be　entirely　frank；　are　not　yet　convinced　that　you　are　Leopold。　　The　result　of　the　con…　ference　may　not；　then；　meet　with　the　hearty　approval　of　your　majesty。〃

〃What　was　the　result？〃　asked　Barney。

〃It　was　decided　that　all　hostilities　cease；　and　that　Prince　Peter　be　given　an　opportunity　to　establish　the　validity　of　his　claim　that　your　majesty　is　an　impostor。　　If　he　is　able　to　do　so　to　the　entire　satisfaction　of　a　majority　of　the　old　no…　bility；　we　have　agreed　to　support　him　in　a　return　to　his　regency。〃

For　a　moment　there　was　deep　silence。　　Many　of　the　nobles　stood　with　averted　faces　and　eyes　upon　the　ground。

The　American；　a　half…smile　upon　his　face；　turned　toward　the　men　of　Peter　who　had　come　to　denounce　him。　　He　knew　what　their　verdict　would　be。　　He　knew　that　if　he　were　to　save　the　throne　for　Leopold　he　must　hold　it　at　any　cost　until　Leopold　should　be　found。

Troopers　were　scouring　the　country　about　Lustadt　as　far　as　Blentz　in　search　of　Maenck　and　Coblich。　　Could　they　lo…　cate　these　two　and　arrest　them　〃with　all　found　in　their　company；〃　as　his　order　read；　he　felt　sure　that　he　would　be　able　to　deliver　the　missing　king　to　his　subjects　in　time　for　the　coronation　at　noon。

Barney　looked　straight　into　the　eyes　of　old　Von　der　Tann。

〃You　have　given　us　the　opinion　of　others；　Prince　Lud…　wig；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　you　may　tell　us　your　own　views　of　the　matter。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　abide　by　the　decision　of　the　majority；〃　replied　the　old　man。　　〃But　I　have　seen　your　majesty　under　fire；　and　if　you　are　not　the　king；　for　Lutha's　sake　you　ought　to　be。〃

〃He　is　not　Leopold；〃　said　one　of　the　officers　who　had　ac…　companied　the　prince　from　Peter's　camp。　　〃I　was　governor　of　Blentz　for　three　years　and　as　familiar　with　the　king's　face　as　with　that　of　my　own　brother。〃

〃No；〃　cried　several　of　the　others；　〃this　man　is　not　the　king。〃

Several　of　the　nobles　drew　away　from　Barney。　　Others　looked　at　him　questioningly。

Butzow　stepped　close　to　his　side；　and　it　was　noticeable　that　the　troopers；　and　even　the　officers；　of　the　Royal　Horse　which　Barney　had　led　in　the　charge　upon　the　two　batteries　in　the　wood；　pressed　a　little　closer　to　the　American。　　This　fact　did　not　escape　Butzow's　notice。

〃If　you　are　content　to　take　the　word　of　the　servants　of　a　traitor　and　a　would…be　regicide；〃　he　cried；　〃I　am　not。　　There　has　been　no　proof　advanced　that　this　man　is　not　the　king。　In　so　far　as　I　am　concerned　he　is　the　king；　nor　ever　do　I　expect　to　serve　another　more　worthy　of　the　title。

〃If　Peter　of　Blentz　has　real　proofnot　the　testimony　of　his　own　factionthat　Leopold　of　Lutha　is　dead；　let　him　bring　it　forward　before　noon　today；　for　at　noon　we　shall　crown　a　king　in　the　cathedral　at　Lustadt；　and　I　for　one　pray　to　God　that　it　may　be　he　who　has　led　us　in　battle　today。〃

A　shout　of　applause　rose　from　the　Royal　Horse；　and　from　the　foot…soldiers　who　had　seen　the　king　charge　across　the　plain；　scattering　the　enemy　before　him。

Barney；　appreciating　the　advantage　in　the　sudden　turn　affairs　had　taken　following　Butzow's　words；　swung　to　his　saddle。

〃Until　Peter　of　Blentz　brings　to　Lustadt　one　with　a　better　claim　to　the　throne；〃　he　said；　〃we　shall　continue　to　rule　Lutha；　nor　shall　other　than　Leopold　be　crowned　her　king。　We　approve　of　the　amnesty　you　have　granted；　Prince　Lud…　wig；　and　Peter　of　Blentz　is　free　to　enter　Lustadt；　as　he　will；　so　long　as　he　does　not　plot　against　the　true　king。

〃Major；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　commander　of　the　squadron　at　his　back；　〃we　are　returning　to　the　palace。　　Your　squadron　will　escort　us；　remaining　on　guard　there　about　the　grounds。　　Prince　Ludwig；　you　will　see　that　machine　guns　are　placed　about　the　palace　and　commanding　the　approaches　to　the　cathedral。〃

With　a　nod　to　the　cavalry　major　he　wheeled　his　horse　and　trotted　up　the　slope　toward　Lustadt。

With　a　grim　smile　Prince　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　toward　the　fort。　　At　his　side　were　several　of　the　nobles　of　Lutha。　　They　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。

〃You　are　doing　his　bidding；　although　you　do　not　know　that　he　is　the　true　king？〃　asked　one　of　them。

〃Were　he　an　impostor；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃he　would　have　insisted　by　word　of　mouth　that　he　is　king。　　But　not　once　has　he　said　that　he　is　Leopold。　　Instead；　he　has　proved　his　kingship　by　his　acts。〃




XI

A　TIMELY　INTERVENTION

NINE　O'CLOCK　found　Barney　Custer　pacing　up　and　down　his　apartments　in　the　palace。　　No　clue　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　Coblich；　Maenck　or　the　king　had　been　discovered。　　One　by　one　his　troopers　had　returned　to　Butzow　empty…handed；　and　as　much　at　a　loss　as　to　the　hiding…place　of　their　quarry　as　when　they　had　set　out　upon　their　search。

Peter　of　Blentz　and　his　retainers　had　entered　the　city　and　already　had　commenced　to　gather　at　the　cathedral。

Peter；　at　the　residence　of　Coblich；　had　succeeded　in　gathering　about　him　many　of　the　older　nobility　whom　he　pledged　to　support　him　in　case　he　could　prove　to　them　that　the　man　who　occupied　the　royal　palace　was　not　Leopold　of　Lutha。

They　agreed　to　support　him　in　his　regency　if　he　produced　proof　that　the　true　Leopold　was　dead；　and　Peter　of　Blentz　waited　with　growing　anxiety　the　coming　of　Coblich　with　word　that　he　had　the　king　in　custody。　　Peter　was　staking　all　on　a　single　daring　move　which　he　had　decided　to　make　in　his　game　of　intrigue。

As　Barney　paced　within　the　palace；　waiting　for　word　that　Leopold　had　been　found；　Peter　of　Blentz　was　filled　with　equal　apprehension　as　he；　too；　waited　for　the　same　tidings。　At　last　he　heard　the　pound　of　hoofs　upon　the　pavement　without　and　a　moment　later　Coblich；　his　clothing　streaked　with　dirt；　blood　caked　upon　his　face　from　a　wound　across　the　forehead；　rushed　in　to　the　presence　of　the　prince　regent。

Peter　drew　him　hurriedly　into　a　small　study　on　the　first　floor。

〃Well？〃　he　whispered；　as　the　two　faced　each　other。

〃We　have　him；〃　replied　Coblich。　　But　we　had　the　devil's　own　time　getting　him。　　Stein　was　killed　and　Maenck　and　I　both　wounded；　and　all　morning　we　have　spent　the　time　hiding　from　troopers　who　seemed　to　be　searching　for　us。　Only　fifteen　minutes　since　did　we　reach　the　hiding…place　that　you　instructed　us　to　use。　　But　we　have　him；　your　high…　ness；　and　he　is　in　such　a　state　of　cowardly　terror　that　he　is　ready　to　agree　to　anything；　if　you　will　but　spare　his　life　and　set　him　free　across　the　border。〃

〃It　is　too　late　for　that　now；　Coblich；〃　replied　Peter。　〃There　is　but　one　way　that　Leopold　of　Lutha　can　serve　me　now；　and　that　isdead。　　Were　his　corpse　to　be　carried　into　the　cathedral　of　Lustadt　before　noon　today；　and　were　those　who　fetched　it　to　swear　that　the　king　was　killed　by　the　impostor　after　being　dragged　from　the　hospital　at　Tafel…　berg　where　you　and　Maenck　had　located　him；　and　from　which　you　were　attempting　to　rescue　him；　I　believe　that　the　people　would　tear　our　enemies　to　pieces。　　What　say　you；　Coblich？〃

The　other　stared　at　Peter　of　Blentz　for　several　seconds　while　the　atrocity　of　his　chief's　plan　filtered　through　his　brain。

〃My　God！〃　he　exclaimed　at　last。　　〃You　mean　that　you　wish　me　to　murder　Leopold　with　my　own　hands？〃

〃You　put　it　too　crudely；　my　dear　Coblich；〃　replied　the　other。

〃I　cannot　do　it；〃　muttered　Coblich。　　〃I　have　never　killed　a　man　in　my　life。　　I　am　getting　old。　　No；　I　could　never　do　it。　I　should　not　sleep　nights。〃

〃If　it　is　not　done；　Coblich；　and　Leopold　comes　into　his　own；〃　said　Peter　slowly；　〃you　will　be　caught　and　hanged　higher　than　Haman。　　And　if　you　do　not　do　it；　and　the　im…　poster　is　crowned　today；　then　you　will　be　either　hanged　officially　or　knifed　unofficially；　and　without　any　choice　in　the　matter　whatsoever。　　Nothing；　Coblich；　but　the　dead　body　of　the　true　Leopold　can　save　your　neck。　　You　have　your　choice；　therefore；　of　letting　him　live　to　prove　your　treason；　or　letting　him　die　and　becoming　chancellor　of　Lutha。〃

Slowly　Coblich　turned　toward　the　door。　　〃You　are　right；〃　he　said；　〃but　may　God　have　mercy　on　my　soul。　　I　never　thought　that　I　should　have　to　do　it　with　my　own　hands。〃

So　saying　he　left　the　room　and　a　moment　later　Peter　of　Blentz　smiled　as　he　heard　the　pounding　of　a　horse's　hoofs　upon　the　pavement　without。

Then　the　Regent　entered　the　room　he　had　recently　quitted　and　spoke　to　the　nobles　of　Lutha　who　were　gathered　there。

〃Coblich　has　found　the　body　of　the　murdered　king；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　directed　him　to　bring　it　to　the　cathedral。　　He　came　upon　the　impostor　and　his　confederate；　Lieutenant　Butzow；　as　they　were　bearing　the　corpse　from　the　hospital　at　Tafelberg　where　the　king　has　lain　unknown　since　the　rumor　was　spread　by　Von　der　Tann　that　he　had　been　killed　by　bandits。

〃He　was　not　killed　until　last　evening；　my　lords；　and　you　shall　see　today　the　fresh　wounds　upon　him。　　When　the　time　comes　that　we　can　present　this　grisly　evidence　of　the　guilt　of　the　impostor　and　those　who　uphold　him；　I　shall　expect　you　all　to　stand　at　my　side；　as　you　have　promised。〃

With　one　accord　the　noblemen　pledged　anew　their　alle…　giance　to　Peter　of　Blentz　if　he　could　produce　one…quarter　of　the　evidence　he　claimed　to　possess。

〃All　that　we　wish　to　know　positively　is；〃　said　one；　〃that　the　man　who　bears　the　title　of　king　today　is　really　Leopold　of　Lutha；　or　that　he　is　not。　　If　not　then　he　stands　con