the mad king-第34部分

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A　hundred　yards　from　the　road　the　trees　were　further　apart；　and　through　them　the　pursuers　caught　a　glimpse　of　their　quarry。　　The　girl　was　riding　like　mad　along　the　rough；　uneven　hillside。　　Her　mount；　surefooted　as　a　chamois；　seemed　in　his　element。　　But　two　of　the　horses　of　her　pursuers　were　as　swift；　and　under　the　cruel　spurs　of　their　riders　were　clos…　ing　up　on　their　fugitive。　　The　girl　urged　her　horse　to　greater　speed；　yet　still　the　two　behind　closed　in。

A　hundred　yards　ahead　lay　a　deep　and　narrow　gully；　hid　by　bushes　that　grew　rankly　along　its　verge。　　Straight　toward　this　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann　rode。　　Behind　her　came　her　pursuerstwo　quite　close　and　the　others　trail…　ing　farther　in　the　rear。　　The　girl　reined　in　a　trifle；　letting　the　troopers　that　were　closest　to　her　gain　until　they　were　but　a　few　strides　behind；　then　she　put　spur　to　her　horse　and　drove　him　at　topmost　speed　straight　toward　the　gully。　　At　the　bushes　she　spoke　a　low　word　in　his　backlaid　ears；　raised　him　quickly　with　the　bit；　leaning　forward　as　he　rose　in　air。　Like　a　bird　that　animal　took　the　bushes　and　the　gully　be…　yond；　while　close　behind　him　crashed　the　two　luckless　troopers。

Emma　von　der　Tann　cast　a　single　backward　glance　over　her　shoulder；　as　her　horse　regained　his　stride　upon　the　op…　posite　side　of　the　gully；　to　see　her　two　foremost　pursuers　plunging　headlong　into　it。　　Then　she　shook　free　her　reins　and　gave　her　mount　his　head　along　a　narrow　trail　that　both　had　followed　many　times　before。

Behind　her；　Maenck　and　the　balance　of　his　men　came　to　a　sudden　stop　at　the　edge　of　the　gully。　　Below　them　one　of　the　troopers　was　struggling　to　his　feet。　　The　other　lay　very　still　beneath　his　motionless　horse。　　With　an　angry　oath　Maenck　directed　one　of　his　men　to　remain　and　help　the　two　who　had　plunged　over　the　brink；　then　with　the　others　he　rode　along　the　gully　searching　for　a　crossing。

Before　they　found　one　their　captive　was　a　mile　ahead　of　them；　and；　barring　accident；　quite　beyond　recapture。　　She　was　making　for　a　highway　that　would　lead　her　to　Lustadt。　Ordinarily　she　had　been　wont　to　bear　a　little　to　the　north…　east　at　this　point　and　strike　back　into　the　road　that　she　had　just　left；　but　today　she　feared　to　do　so　lest　she　be　cut　off　before　she　gained　the　north　and　south　highroad　which　the　other　road　crossed　a　little　farther　on。

To　her　right　was　a　small　farm　across　which　she　had　never　ridden；　for　she　always　had　made　it　a　point　never　to　trespass　upon　fenced　grounds。　　On　the　opposite　side　of　the　farm　was　a　wood；　and　somewhere　beyond　that　a　small　stream　which　the　highroad　crossed　upon　a　little　bridge。　　It　was　all　new　country　to　her；　but　it　must　be　ventured。

She　took　the　fence　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　and　then　reined　in　a　moment　to　look　behind　her。　　A　mile　away　she　saw　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　horseman　above　some　low　bushesthe　pursuers　had　found　a　way　through　the　gully。

Turning　once　more　to　her　flight　the　girl　rode　rapidly　across　the　fields　toward　the　wood。　　Here　she　found　a　high　wire　fence　so　close　to　thickly　growing　trees　upon　the　opposite　side　that　she　dared　not　attempt　to　jump　itthere　was　no　point　at　which　she　would　not　have　been　raked　from　the　saddle　by　overhanging　boughs。　　Slipping　to　the　ground　she　attacked　the　barrier　with　her　bare　hands；　attempting　to　tear　away　the　staples　that　held　the　wire　in　place。　　For　several　minutes　she　surged　and　tugged　upon　the　unyielding　metal　strand。　　An　occasional　backward　glance　revealed　to　her　hor…　rified　eyes　the　rapid　approach　of　her　enemies。　　One　of　them　was　far　in　advance　of　the　othersin　another　moment　he　would　be　upon　her。

With　redoubled　fury　she　turned　again　to　the　fence。　　A　superhuman　effort　brought　away　a　staple。　　One　wire　was　down　and　an　instant　later　two　more。　　Standing　with　one　foot　upon　the　wires　to　keep　them　from　tangling　about　her　horse's　legs；　she　pulled　her　mount　across　into　the　wood。　　The　foremost　horseman　was　close　upon　her　as　she　finally　suc…　ceeded　in　urging　the　animal　across　the　fallen　wires。

The　girl　sprang　to　her　horse's　side　just　as　the　man　reached　the　fence。　　The　wires；　released　from　her　weight；　sprang　up　breast　high　against　his　horse。　　He　leaped　from　the　saddle　the　instant　that　the　girl　was　swinging　into　her　own。　　Then　the　fellow　jumped　the　fence　and　caught　her　bridle。

She　struck　at　him　with　her　whip；　lashing　him　across　the　head　and　face；　but　he　clung　tightly；　dragged　hither　and　thither　by　the　frightened　horse；　until　at　last　he　managed　to　reach　the　girl's　arm　and　drag　her　to　the　ground。

Almost　at　the　same　instant　a　man；　unkempt　and　dis…　heveled；　sprang　from　behind　a　tree　and　with　a　single　blow　stretched　the　trooper　unconscious　upon　the　ground。




VII

BARNEY　TO　THE　RESCUE

AS　BARNEY　CUSTER　raced　along　the　Austrian　highroad　to…　ward　the　frontier　and　Lutha；　his　spirits　rose　to　a　pitch　of　buoyancy　to　which　they　had　been　strangers　for　the　past　several　days。　　For　the　first　time　in　many　hours　it　seemed　possible　to　Barney　to　entertain　reasonable　hopes　of　escape　from　the　extremely　dangerous　predicament　into　which　he　had　gotten　himself。

He　was　even　humming　a　gay　little　tune　as　he　drove　into　a　tiny　hamlet　through　which　the　road　wound。　　No　sign　of　military　appeared　to　fill　him　with　apprehension。　　He　was　very　hungry　and　the　odor　of　cooking　fell　gratefully　upon　his　nostrils。　　He　drew　up　before　the　single　inn；　and　presently；　washed　and　brushed；　was　sitting　before　the　first　meal　he　had　seen　for　two　days。　　In　the　enjoyment　of　the　food　he　almost　forgot　the　dangers　he　had　passed　through；　or　that　other　dangers　might　be　lying　in　wait　for　him　at　his　elbow。

From　the　landlord　he　learned　that　the　frontier　lay　but　three　miles　to　the　south　of　the　hamlet。　　Three　miles！　　Three　miles　to　Lutha！　　What　if　there　was　a　price　upon　his　head　in　that　kingdom？　　It　was　HER　home。　　It　had　been　his　mother's　birthplace。　　He　loved　it。

Further；　he　must　enter　there　and　reach　the　ear　of　old　Prince　von　der　Tann。　　Once　more　he　must　save　the　king　who　had　shown　such　scant　gratitude　upon　another　occasion。

For　Leopold；　Barney　Custer　did　not　give　the　snap　of　his　fingers；　but　what　Leopold；　the　king；　stood　for　in　the　lives　and　sentiments　of　the　Luthaniansof　the　Von　der　Tanns　was　very　dear　to　the　American　because　it　was　dear　to　a　trim；　young　girl　and　to　a　rugged；　leonine；　old　man；　of　both　of　whom　Barney　was　inordinately　fond。　　And　possibly；　too；　it　was　dear　to　him　because　of　the　royal　blood　his　mother　had　bequeathed　him。

His　meal　disposed　of　to　the　last　morsel；　and　paid　for；　Barney　entered　the　stolen　car　and　resumed　his　journey　toward　Lutha。　　That　he　could　remain　there　he　knew　to　be　impossible；　but　in　delivering　his　news　to　Prince　Ludwig　he　might　have　an　opportunity　to　see　the　Princess　Emma　once　againit　would　be　worth　risking　his　life　for；　of　that　he　was　perfectly　satisfied。　　And　then　he　could　go　across　into　Serbia　with　the　new　credentials　that　he　had　no　doubt　Prince　von　der　Tann　would　furnish　him　for　the　asking　to　replace　those　the　Austrians　had　confiscated。

At　the　frontier　Barney　was　halted　by　an　Austrian　customs　officer；　but　when　the　latter　recognized　the　military　car　and　the　Austrian　uniform　of　the　driver　he　waved　him　through　without　comment。　　Upon　the　other　side　the　American　ex…　pected　possible　difficulty　with　the　Luthanian　customs　offi…　cer；　but　to　his　surprise　he　found　the　little　building　deserted；　and　none　to　bar　his　way。　　At　last　he　was　in　Luthaby　noon　on　the　following　day　he　should　be　at　Tann。

To　reach　the　Old　Forest　by　the　best　roads　it　was　neces…　sary　to　bear　a　little　to　the　southeast；　passing　through　Tafel…　berg　and　striking　the　north　and　south　highway　between　that　point　and　Lustadt；　to　which　he　could　hold　until　reaching　the　east　and　west　road　that　runs　through　both　Tann　and　Blentz　on　its　way　across　the　kingdom。

The　temptation　to　stop　for　a　few　minutes　in　Tafelberg　for　a　visit　with　his　old　friend　Herr　Kramer　was　strong；　but　fear　that　he　might　be　recognized　by　others；　who　would　not　guard　his　secret　so　well　as　the　shopkeeper　of　Tafelberg　would；　decided　him　to　keep　on　his　way。　　So　he　flew　through　the　familiar　main　street　of　the　quaint　old　village　at　a　speed　that　was　little；　if　any　less；　than　fifty　miles　an　hour。

On　he　raced　toward　the　south；　his　speed　often　necessarily　diminished　upon　the　winding　mountain　roads；　but　for　the　most　part　clinging　to　a　reckless　mileage　that　caused　the　few　natives　he　encountered　to　flee　to　the　safety　of　the　bordering　fields；　there　to　stand　in　open…mouthed　awe。

Halfway　between　Tafelberg　and　the　crossroad　into　which　he　purposed　turning　to　the　west　toward　Tann　there　is　an　S…curve　where　the　bases　of　two　small　hills　meet。　　The　road　here　is　narrow　and　treacherousfifteen　miles　an　hour　is　al…　most　a　reckless　speed　at　which　to　travel　around　the　curves　of　the　S。　　Beyond　are　open　fields　upon　either　side　of　the　road。

Barney　took　the　turns　carefully　and　had　just　emerged　into　the　last　leg　of　the　S　when　he　saw；　to　his　consternation；　a　half…dozen　Austrian　infantrymen　lolling　beside　the　road。　　An　officer　stood　near　them　talking　with　a　sergeant。　　To　turn　back　in　that　narrow　road　was　impossible。　　He　could　only　go　ahead　and　trust　to　his　uniform　and　the　military　car　to　carry　him　safely　through。　　Before　he　reached　the　group　of　soldiers　the　fields　upon　either　hand　came　into　view。　　They　were　dotted　with　tents；　wagons；　motor…vans　and　artillery。　　What　did　it　mean？　　What　was　this　Austrian　army　doing　in　Lutha？

Already　the　officer　had　seen　him。　　This　was　doubtless　an　outpost；　however　clumsily　placed　it　might　be　for　strategic　purposes。　　To　pass　it　was　Barney's　only　hope。　　He　had　passed　through　one　Austrian　armywhy　not　another？　　He　approached　the　outpost　at　a　moderate　rate　of　speedto　tear　toward　it　at　the　rate　his　heart　desired　would　be　to　awaken　not　sus…　picion　only　but　positive　conviction　that　his　purposes　and　mo…　tives　were　ulterior。

The　officer　stepped　toward　the　road　as　though　to　halt　him。　　Barney　pretended　to　be　fussing　with　some　refractory　piece　of　controlling　mechanism　beneath　the　cowlappar…　ently　he　did　not　see　the　officer。　　He　was　just　opposite　him　when　the　latter　shouted　to　him。　　Barney　straightened　up　quickly　and　saluted；　but　did　not　stop。

〃Halt！〃　cried　the　officer。

Barney　pointed　down　the　road　in　the　direction　in　which　he　was　headed。

〃Halt！〃　repeated　the　offi