the mad king-第36部分

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It　was　somewhere　near　noon　upon　the　seventh　day　that　Barney　skirting　a　little　stream；　followed　through　the　con…　cealing　shade　of　a　forest　toward　the　west。　　In　his　peasant　dress　he　now　felt　safer　to　approach　a　farmhouse　and　in…　quire　his　way　to　Tann；　for　he　had　come　a　sufficient　distance　from　the　spot　where　he　had　stolen　his　new　clothes　to　hope　that　they　would　not　be　recognized　or　that　the　news　of　their　theft　had　not　preceded　him。

As　he　walked　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　feet　of　a　horse　galloping　over　a　dry　fieldmuffled；　rapid　thud　approach…　ing　closer　upon　his　right　hand。　　Barney　remained　motionless。　He　was　sure　that　the　rider　would　not　enter　the　wood　which；　with　its　low…hanging　boughs　and　thick　underbrush；　was　ill　adapted　to　equestrianism。

Closer　and　closer　came　the　sound　until　it　ceased　suddenly　scarce　a　hundred　yards　from　where　the　American　hid。　　He　waited　in　silence　to　discover　what　would　happen　next。　Would　the　rider　enter　the　wood　on　foot？　　What　was　his　pur…　pose？　　Was　it　another　Austrian　who　had　by　some　miracle　discovered　the　whereabouts　of　the　fugitive？　　Barney　could　scarce　believe　it　possible。

Presently　he　heard　another　horse　approaching　at　the　same　mad　gallop。　　He　heard　the　sound　of　rapid；　almost　frantic　efforts　of　some　nature　where　the　first　horse　had　come　to　a　stop。　　He　heard　a　voice　urging　the　animal　forwardplead…　ing；　threatening。　　A　woman's　voice。　　Barney's　excitement　be…　came　intense　in　sympathy　with　the　subdued　excitement　of　the　woman　whom　he　could　not　as　yet　see。

A　moment　later　the　second　rider　came　to　a　stop　at　the　same　point　at　which　the　first　had　reined　in。　　A　man's　voice　rose　roughly。　　〃Halt！〃　it　cried。　　〃In　the　name　of　the　king；　halt！〃　　The　American　could　no　longer　resist　the　temptation　to　see　what　was　going　on　so　close　to　him　〃in　the　name　of　the　king。〃

He　advanced　from　behind　his　tree　until　he　saw　the　two　figuresa　man's　and　a　woman's。　　Some　bushes　intervened　he　could　not　get　a　clear　view　of　them；　yet　there　was　some…　thing　about　the　figure　of　the　woman；　whose　back　was　to…　ward　him　as　she　struggled　to　mount　her　frightened　horse；　that　caused　him　to　leap　rapidly　toward　her。　　He　rounded　a　tree　a　few　paces　from　her　just　as　the　mana　trooper　in　the　uniform　of　the　house　of　Blentzcaught　her　arm　and　dragged　her　from　the　saddle。　　At　the　same　instant　Barney　recognized　the　girlit　was　Princess　Emma。

Before　either　the　trooper　or　the　princess　were　aware　of　his　presence　he　had　leaped　to　the　man's　side　and　dealt　him　a　blow　that　stretched　him　at　full　length　upon　the　ground　stunned。




VIII

AN　ADVENTUROUS　DAY

FOR　AN　INSTANT　the　two　stood　looking　at　one　another。　　The　girl's　eyes　were　wide　with　incredulity；　with　hope；　with　fear。　She　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　breathed　in　a　half　whisper。

〃I　don't　wonder　that　you　ask；〃　returned　the　man。　　〃I　must　look　like　a　scarecrow。　　I'm　Barney　Custer。　　Don't　you　re…　member　me　now？　　Who　did　you　think　I　was？〃

The　girl　took　a　step　toward　him。　　Her　eyes　lighted　with　relief。

〃Captain　Maenck　told　me　that　you　were　dead；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　had　been　shot　as　a　spy　in　Austria；　and　then　there　is　that　uncanny　resemblance　to　the　kingsince　he　has　shaved　his　beard　it　is　infinitely　more　remarkable。　　I　thought　you　might　be　he。　　He　has　been　at　Blentz　and　I　knew　that　it　was　quite　possible　that　he　had　discovered　treachery　upon　the　part　of　Prince　Peter。　　In　which　case　he　might　have　escaped　in　disguise。　　I　really　wasn't　sure　that　you　were　not　he　until　you　spoke。〃

Barney　stooped　and　removed　the　bandoleer　of　cartridges　from　the　fallen　trooper；　as　well　as　his　revolver　and　carbine。　Then　he　took　the　girl's　hand　and　together　they　turned　into　the　wood。　　Behind　them　came　the　sound　of　pursuit。　　They　heard　the　loud　words　of　Maenck　as　he　ordered　his　three　remaining　men　into　the　wood　on　foot。　　As　he　advanced；　Barney　looked　to　the　magazine　of　his　carbine　and　the　cylin…　der　of　his　revolver。

〃Why　were　they　pursuing　you？〃　he　asked。

〃They　were　taking　me　to　Blentz　to　force　me　to　wed　Leopold；〃　she　replied。　　〃They　told　me　that　my　father's　life　depended　upon　my　consenting；　but　I　should　not　have　done　so。　　The　honor　of　my　house　is　more　precious　than　the　life　of　any　of　its　members。　　I　escaped　them　a　few　miles　back；　and　they　were　following　to　overtake　me。〃

A　noise　behind　them　caused　Barney　to　turn。　　One　of　the　troopers　had　come　into　view。　　He　carried　his　carbine　in　his　hands　and　at　sight　of　the　man　with　the　fugitive　girl　he　raised　it　to　his　shoulder；　but　as　the　American　turned　toward　him　his　eyes　went　wide　and　his　jaw　dropped。

Instantly　Barney　knew　that　the　fellow　had　noted　his　re…　semblance　to　the　king。　　Barney's　body　was　concealed　from　the　view　of　the　other　by　a　bush　which　grew　between　them；　so　the　man　saw　only　the　face　of　the　American。　　The　fellow　turned　and　shouted　to　Maenck：　〃The　king　is　with　her。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　came　the　reply　from　farther　back　in　the　wood。　〃If　there　is　a　man　with　her　and　he　will　not　surrender；　shoot　him。〃　　At　the　words　Barney　and　the　girl　turned　once　more　to　their　flight。　　From　behind　came　the　command　to　halt　〃Halt！　or　I　fire。〃　　Just　ahead　Barney　saw　the　river。

They　were　sure　to　be　taken　there　if　he　was　unable　to　gain　the　time　necessary　to　make　good　a　crossing。　　Upon　the　op…　posite　side　was　a　continuation　of　the　wood。　　Behind　them　the　leading　trooper　was　crashing　through　the　underbrush　in　renewed　pursuit。　　He　came　in　sight　of　them　again；　just　as　they　reached　the　river　bank。　　Once　more　his　carbine　was　leveled。　　Barney　pushed　the　girl　to　her　knees　behind　a　bush。　Then　he　wheeled　and　fired；　so　quickly　that　the　man　with　the　already　leveled　gun　had　no　time　to　anticipate　his　act。

With　a　cry　the　fellow　threw　his　hands　above　his　head；　staggered　forward　and　plunged　full　length　upon　his　face。　Barney　gathered　the　princess　in　his　arms　and　plunged　into　the　shallow　stream。　　The　girl　held　his　carbine　as　he　stumbled　over　the　rocky　bottom。　　The　water　deepened　rapidlythe　opposite　shore　seemed　a　long　way　off　and　behind　there　were　three　more　enemies　in　hot　pursuit。

Under　ordinary　circumstances　Barney　could　have　found　it　in　his　heart　to　wish　the　little　Luthanian　river　as　broad　as　the　Mississippi；　for　only　under　such　circumstances　as　these　could　he　ever　hope　to　hold　the　Princess　Emma　in　his　arms。　　Two　years　before　she　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him；　but　at　the　same　time　she　had　given　him　to　understand　that　their　love　was　hopeless。　　She　might　refuse　to　wed　the　king；　but　that　she　should　ever　wed　another　while　the　king　lived　was　impossible；　unless　Leopold　saw　fit　to　release　her　from　her　betrothal　to　him　and　sanction　her　marriage　to　another。　　That　he　ever　would　do　this　was　to　those　who　knew　him　not　even　remotely　possible。

He　loved　Emma　von　der　Tann　and　he　hated　Barney　Custerhated　him　with　a　jealous　hatred　that　was　almost　fanatic　in　its　intensity。　　And　even　that　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann　would　wed　him　were　she　free　to　wed　was　a　question　that　was　not　at　all　clear　in　the　mind　of　Barney　Custer。　　He　knew　something　of　the　traditions　of　this　noble　familyof　the　pride　of　caste；　of　the　fetish　of　blood　that　inexorably　dictated　the　ordering　of　their　lives。

The　girl　had　just　said　that　the　honor　of　her　house　was　more　precious　than　the　life　of　any　of　its　members。　　How　much　more　precious　would　it　be　to　her　than　her　own　material　happiness！　　Barney　Custer　sighed　and　struggled　through　the　swirling　waters　that　were　now　above　his　hips。　　If　he　pressed　the　lithe　form　closer　to　him　than　necessity　demanded；　who　may　blame　him？

The　girl；　whose　face　was　toward　the　bank　they　had　just　quitted；　gave　no　evidence　of　displeasure　if　she　noted　the　fierce　pressure　of　his　muscles。　　Her　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　wood　behind。　　Presently　a　man　emerged。　　He　called　to　them　in　a　loud　and　threatening　tone。

Barney　redoubled　his　Herculean　efforts　to　gain　the　oppo…　site　bank。　　He　was　in　midstream　now　and　the　water　had　risen　to　his　waist。　　The　girl　saw　Maenck　and　the　other　trooper　emerge　from　the　underbrush　beside　the　first。　　Maenck　was　crazed　with　anger。　　He　shook　his　fist　and　screamed　aloud　his　threatening　commands　to　halt；　and　then；　of　a　sudden；　gave　an　order　to　one　of　the　men　at　his　side。　　Immediately　the　fellow　raised　his　carbine　and　fired　at　the　escaping　couple。

The　bullet　struck　the　water　behind　them。　　At　the　sound　of　the　report　the　girl　raised　the　gun　she　held　and　leveled　it　at　the　group　behind　her。　　She　pulled　the　trigger。　　There　was　a　sharp　report；　and　one　of　the　troopers　fell。　　Then　she　fired　again；　quickly；　and　again　and　again。　　She　did　not　score　an…　other　hit；　but　she　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　Maenck　and　the　last　of　his　troopers　dodge　back　to　the　safety　of　protecting　trees。

〃The　cowards！〃　muttered　Barney　as　the　enemy's　shot　an…　nounced　his　sinister　intention；　〃they　might　have　hit　your　highness。〃

The　girl　did　not　reply　until　she　had　ceased　firing。

〃Captain　Maenck　is　notoriously　a　coward；〃　she　said。　　〃He　is　hiding　behind　a　tree　now　with　one　of　his　menI　hit　the　other。〃

〃You　hit　one　of　them！〃　exclaimed　Barney　enthusiastically。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I　have　shot　a　man。　　I　often　wondered　what　the　sensation　must　be　to　have　done　such　a　thing。　　I　should　feel　terribly；　but　I　don't。　　They　were　firing　at　you；　trying　to　shoot　you　in　the　back　while　you　were　defenseless。　I　am　not　sorryI　cannot　be；　but　I　only　wish　that　it　had　been　Captain　Maenck。〃

In　a　short　time　Barney　reached　the　bank　and；　helping　the　girl　up；　climbed　to　her　side。　　A　couple　of　shots　followed　them　as　they　left　the　river；　but　did　not　fall　dangerously　near。　　Barney　took　the　carbine　and　replied；　then　both　of　them　disappeared　into　the　wood。

For　the　balance　of　the　day　they　tramped　on　in　the　direction　of　Lustadt；　making　but　little　progress　owing　to　the　fear　of　apprehension。　　They　did　not　dare　utilize　the　high　road；　for　they　were　still　too　close　to　Blentz。　　Their　only　hope　lay　in　reaching　the　protection　of　Prince　von　der　Tann　before　they　should　be　recaptured　by　the　king's　emissaries。　　At　dusk　they　came　to　the　outskirts　of　a　town。　　Here　they　hid　until　darkness　settled；　for　Barney　had　determined　to　enter　the　place　after　dark　and　hire　horses。

The　American　marveled　at　the　bravery　and　endurance　of　the　girl。　　He　had　always　supposed　that　a　princess　was　so　carefully　guarded　from　fatigue　and　privation　all　her　li