the mad king-第31部分

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；　he　was。　　At　least　it　was　quite　the　most　important　business　to　Barney　Custer　that　that　young　gentleman　could　recall　having　ven…　tured　upon　for　some　time。

No　one　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　him。　　He　had　left　his　gun　in　the　shed　for　he　noticed　that　only　the　men　on　guard　carried　them。　　Without　an　instant's　hesitation　he　ran　briskly　up　the　short　flight　of　steps　and　entered　the　head…　quarters　building。　　Inside　was　another　sentry　who　barred　his　way　questioningly。　　Evidently　one　must　state　one's　business　to　this　person　before　going　farther。　　Barney；　without　any　loss　of　time　or　composure；　stepped　up　to　the　guard。

〃Has　General　Kampf　passed　in　this　morning？〃　he　asked　blithely。　　Barney　had　never　heard　of　any　〃General　Kampf；〃　nor　had　the　sentry；　since　there　was　no　such　person　in　the　Austrian　army。　　But　he　did　know；　however；　that　there　were　altogether　too　many　generals　for　any　one　soldier　to　know　the　names　of　them　all。

〃I　do　not　know　the　general　by　sight；〃　replied　the　sentry。

Here　was　a　pretty　mess；　indeed。　　Doubtless　the　sergeant　would　know　a　great　deal　more　than　would　be　good　for　Barney　Custer。　　The　young　man　looked　toward　the　door　through　which　he　had　just　entered。　　His　sole　object　in　com…　ing　into　the　spider's　parlor　had　been　to　make　it　possible　for　him　to　come　out　again　in　full　view　of　all　the　guards　and　officers　and　military　chauffeurs；　that　their　suspicions　might　not　be　aroused　when　he　put　his　contemplated　coup　to　the　test。

He　glanced　toward　the　door。　　Machines　were　whizzing　in　and　out　of　the　courtyard。　　Officers　on　foot　were　passing　and　repassing。　　The　sentry　in　the　hallway　was　on　the　point　of　calling　his　sergeant。

〃Ah！〃　cried　Barney。　　〃There　is　the　general　now；〃　and　without　waiting　to　cast　even　a　parting　glance　at　the　guard　he　stepped　quickly　through　the　doorway　and　ran　down　the　steps　into　the　courtyard。　　Looking　neither　to　right　nor　to　left；　and　with　a　convincing　air　of　self…confidence　and　im…　portant　business；　he　walked　directly　to　the　big；　gray　ma…　chine　that　stood　beside　the　little　shed　at　the　end　of　the　courtyard。

To　crank　it　and　leap　to　the　driver's　seat　required　but　a　moment。　　The　big　car　moved　smoothly　forward。　　A　turn　of　the　steering　wheel　brought　it　around　headed　toward　the　wide　gates。　　Barney　shifted　to　second　speed；　stepped　on　the　accelerator　and　the　cut…out　simultaneously；　and　with　a　noise　like　the　rattle　of　a　machine　gun；　shot　out　of　the　court…　yard。

None　who　saw　his　departure　could　have　guessed　from　the　manner　of　it　that　the　young　man　at　the　wheel　of　the　gray　car　was　stealing　the　machine　or　that　his　life　depended　upon　escape　without　detection。　　It　was　the　very　boldness　of　his　act　that　crowned　it　with　success。

Once　in　the　street　Barney　turned　toward　the　south。　　Cars　were　passing　up　and　down　in　both　directions；　usually　at　high　speed。　　Their　numbers　protected　the　fugitive。　　Momen…　tarily　he　expected　to　be　halted；　but　he　passed　out　of　the　village　without　mishap　and　reached　a　country　road　which；　except　for　a　lane　down　its　center　along　which　automobiles　were　moving；　was　blocked　with　troops　marching　southward。　Through　this　soldier…walled　lane　Barney　drove　for　half　an　hour。

From　a　great　distance；　toward　the　southeast；　he　could　hear　the　boom　of　cannon　and　the　bursting　of　shells。　　Presently　the　road　forked。　　The　troops　were　moving　along　the　road　on　the　left　toward　the　distant　battle　line。　　Not　a　man　or　ma…　chine　was　turning　into　the　right　fork；　the　road　toward　the　south　that　Barney　wished　to　take。

Could　he　successfully　pass　through　the　marching　soldiers　at　his　right？　　Among　all　those　officers　there　surely　would　be　one　who　would　question　the　purpose　and　destination　of　this　private　soldier　who　drove　alone　in　the　direction　of　the　near…　by　frontier。

The　moment　had　come　when　he　must　stake　everything　on　his　ability　to　gain　the　open　road　beyond　the　plodding　mass　of　troops。　　Diminishing　the　speed　of　the　car　Barney　turned　it　in　toward　the　marching　men　at　the　same　time　sounding　his　horn　loudly。　　An　infantry　captain；　marching　beside　his　com…　pany；　was　directly　in　front　of　the　car。　　He　looked　up　at　the　American。　　Barney　saluted　and　pointed　toward　the　right…　hand　fork。

The　captain　turned　and　shouted　a　command　to　his　men。　Those　who　had　not　passed　in　front　of　the　car　halted。　　Barney　shot　through　the　little　lane　they　had　opened；　which　im…　mediately　closed　up　behind　him。　　He　was　through！　　He　was　upon　the　open　road！　　Ahead；　as　far　as　he　could　see；　there　was　no　sign　of　any　living　creature　to　bar　his　way；　and　the　frontier　could　not　be　more　than　twenty…five　miles　away。




V

THE　TRAITOR　KING

IN　HIS　CASTLE　at　Lustadt；　Leopold　of　Lutha　paced　nerv…　ously　back　and　forth　between　his　great　desk　and　the　window　that　overlooked　the　royal　gardens。　　Upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　desk　stood　an　old　mana　tall；　straight；　old　man　with　the　bearing　of　a　soldier　and　the　head　of　a　lion。　　His　keen；　gray　eyes　were　upon　the　king；　and　sorrow　was　written　upon　his　face。　　He　was　Ludwig　von　der　Tann；　chancellor　of　the　kingdom　of　Lutha。

At　last　the　king　stopped　his　pacing　and　faced　the　old　man；　though　he　could　not　meet　those　eagle　eyes　squarely；　try　as　he　would。　　It　was　his　inability　to　do　so；　possibly；　that　added　to　his　anger。　　Weak　himself；　he　feared　this　strong　man　and　envied　him　his　strength；　which；　in　a　weak　nature；　is　but　a　step　from　hatred。　　There　evidently　had　been　a　long　pause　in　their　conversation；　yet　the　king's　next　words　took　up　the　thread　of　their　argument　where　it　had　broken。

〃You　speak　as　though　I　had　no　right　to　do　it；〃　he　snapped。　〃One　might　think　that　you　were　the　king　from　the　manner　with　which　you　upbraid　and　reproach　me。　　I　tell　you；　Prince　von　der　Tann；　that　I　shall　stand　it　no　longer。〃

The　king　approached　the　desk　and　pounded　heavily　upon　its　polished　surface　with　his　fist。　　The　physical　act　of　vio…　lence　imparted　to　him　a　certain　substitute　for　the　moral　courage　which　he　lacked。

〃I　will　tell　you；　sir；　that　I　am　king。　　It　was　not　necessary　that　I　consult　you　or　any　other　man　before　pardoning　Prince　Peter　and　his　associates。　　I　have　investigated　the　matter　thoroughly　and　I　am　convinced　that　they　have　been　taught　a　sufficient　lesson　and　that　hereafter　they　will　be　my　most　loyal　subjects。〃

He　hesitated。　　〃Their　presence　here；〃　he　added；　〃may　prove　an　antidote　to　the　ambitions　of　others　who　lately　have　taken　it　upon　themselves　to　rule　Lutha　for　me。〃

There　was　no　mistaking　the　king's　meaning；　but　Prince　Ludwig　did　not　show　by　any　change　of　expression　that　the　shot　had　struck　him　in　a　vulnerable　spot；　nor；　upon　the　other　hand；　did　he　ignore　the　insinuation。　　There　was　only　sorrow　in　his　voice　when　he　replied。

〃Sire；〃　he　said；　〃for　some　time　I　have　been　aware　of　the　activity　of　those　who　would　like　to　see　Peter　of　Blentz　re…　turned　to　favor　with　your　majesty。　　I　have　warned　you；　only　to　see　that　my　motives　were　always　misconstrued。　　There　is　a　greater　power　at　work；　your　majesty；　than　any　of　us　greater　than　Lutha　itself。　　One　that　will　stop　at　nothing　in　order　to　gain　its　ends。　　It　cares　naught　for　Peter　of　Blentz；　naught　for　me；　naught　for　you。　　It　cares　only　for　Lutha。　　For　strategic　purposes　it　must　have　Lutha。　　It　will　trample　you　under　foot　to　gain　its　end；　and　then　it　will　cast　Peter　of　Blentz　aside。　　You　have　insinuated；　sire；　that　I　am　ambitious。　I　am。　　I　am　ambitious　to　maintain　the　integrity　and　freedom　of　Lutha。

〃For　three　hundred　years　the　Von　der　Tanns　have　labored　and　fought　for　the　welfare　of　Lutha。　　It　was　a　Von　der　Tann　that　put　the　first　Rubinroth　king　upon　the　throne　of　Lutha。　To　the　last　they　were　loyal　to　the　former　dynasty　while　that　dynasty　was　loyal　to　Lutha。　　Only　when　the　king　at…　tempted　to　sell　the　freedom　of　his　people　to　a　powerful　neighbor　did　the　Von　der　Tanns　rise　against　him。

〃Sire！　the　Von　der　Tanns　have　always　been　loyal　to　the　house　of　Rubinroth。　　And　but　a　single　thing　rises　superior　within　their　breasts　to　that　loyalty；　and　that　is　their　loyalty　to　Lutha。〃　　He　paused　for　an　instant　before　concluding。　　〃And　I；　sire；　am　a　Von　der　Tann。〃

There　could　be　no　mistaking　the　old　man's　meaning。　　So　long　as　Leopold　was　loyal　to　his　people　and　their　interests　Ludwig　von　der　Tann　would　be　loyal　to　Leopold。　　The　king　was　cowed。　　He　was　very　much　afraid　of　this　grim　old　war…　rior。　　He　chafed　beneath　his　censure。

〃You　are　always　scolding　me；〃　he　cried　irritably。　　〃I　am　getting　tired　of　it。　　And　now　you　threaten　me。　　Do　you　call　that　loyalty？　　Do　you　call　it　loyalty　to　refuse　to　compel　your　daughter　to　keep　her　plighted　troth？　　If　you　wish　to　prove　your　loyalty　command　the　Princess　Emma　to　fulfil　the　prom…　ise　you　made　my　fathercommand　her　to　wed　me　at　once。〃

Von　der　Tann　looked　the　king　straight　in　the　eyes。

〃I　cannot　do　that；〃　he　said。　　〃She　has　told　me　that　she　will　kill　herself　rather　than　wed　with　your　majesty。　　She　is　all　I　have　left；　sire。　　What　good　would　be　accomplished　by　rob…　bing　me　of　her　if　you　could　not　gain　her　by　the　act？　　Win　her　confidence　and　love；　sire。　　It　may　be　done。　　Thus　only　may　happiness　result　to　you　and　to　her。〃

〃You　see；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃what　your　loyalty　amounts　to！　　I　believe　that　you　are　saving　her　for　the　impostorI　have　heard　as　much　hinted　at　before　this。　　Nor　do　I　doubt　that　she　would　gladly　connive　with　the　fellow　if　she　thought　there　was　a　chance　of　his　seizing　the　throne。〃

Von　der　Tann　paled。　　For　the　first　time　righteous　indigna…　tion　and　anger　got　the　better　of　him。　　He　took　a　step　toward　the　king。

〃Stop！〃　he　commanded。　　〃No　man；　not　even　my　king；　may　speak　such　words　to　a　Von　der　Tann。〃

In　an　antechamber　just　outside　the　room　a　man　sat　near　the　door　that　led　into　the　apartment　where　the　king　and　his　chancellor　quarreled。　　He　had　been　straining　his　ears　to　catch　the　conversation　which　he　could　hear　rising　and　falling　in　the　adjoining　chamber；　but　till　now　he　had　been　unsuccess…　ful。　　Then　came　Prince　Ludwig's　last　words　booming　loudly　through　the　paneled　door；　and　the　man　smiled。　　He　was　Count　Zellerndorf；　the　Austrian　minister　to　Lutha。

The　king's　outraged　majesty　goaded　him　to　an　angry　retort。

〃You　forget　yourself；　Prince　von　der　Tann；〃　he　cried。　〃Leave　our　presence。　　When　we　again　desire　to　be　insulted　we　shall　send　for　you。〃

As　the　chancellor　passed　into　the　antechamber　Count　Zellerndorf　r