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diers had told him how the "king," after being wounded by
Maenck, had raised himself upon his elbow and saved the
prisoner's life by shooting three of his assailants.
"I thought I was done for," answered Barney Custer, "but
I rather guess the bullet struck only a glancing blow. It
couldn't have entered my lungs, for I neither cough nor
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spit blood. To tell you the truth, I feel surprisingly fit.
How's the prisoner?"
"Only a flesh wound in the calf of his left leg, sire," re-
plied Butzow.
"I am glad," was Barney's only comment. He didn't want
to be king of Lutha; but he had foreseen that with the death
of the king his imposture might be forced upon him for life.
After Butzow and one of the troopers had washed and
dressed the wounds of both men Barney asked them to leave
the room.
"I wish to sleep," he said. "If I require you I will ring."
Saluting, the two backed from the apartment. Just as
they were passing through the doorway the American called
out to Butzow.
"You have Peter of Blentz and Maenck in custody?" he
asked.
"I regret having to report to your majesty," replied the
officer, "that both must have escaped. A thorough search of
the entire castle has failed to reveal them."
Barney scowled. He had hoped to place these two con-
spirators once and for all where they would never again
threaten the peace of the throne of Lutha--in hell. For a
moment he lay in thought. Then he addressed the officer
again.
"Leave your force here," he said, "to guard us. Ride, your-
self, to Lustadt and inform Prince von der Tann that it is the
king's desire that every effort be made to capture these two
men. Have them brought to Lustadt immediately they are
apprehended. Bring them dead or alive."
Again Butzow saluted and prepared to leave the room.
"Wait," said Barney. "Convey our greetings to the Prin-
cess von der Tann, and inform her that my wound is of
small importance, as is also that of the--Mr. Custer. You
may go, lieutenant."
When they were alone Barney turned toward the king.
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The other lay upon his side glaring at the American. When
he caught the latter's eyes upon him he spoke.
"What do you intend doing with me?" he said. "Are you
going to keep your word and return my identity?"
"I have promised," replied Barney, "and what I promise
I always perform."
"Then exchange clothing with me at once," cried the
king, half rising from his cot.
"Not so fast, my friend," rejoined the American. "There
are a few trifling details to be arranged before we resume
our proper personalities."
"Do you realize that you should be hanged for what you
have done?" snarled the king. "You assaulted me, stole my
clothing, left me here to be shot by Peter, and sat upon my
throne in Lustadt while I lay a prisoner condemned to
death."
"And do you realize," replied Barney, "that by so doing
I saved your foolish little throne for you; that I drove the
invaders from your dominions; that I have unmasked your
enemies, and that I have once again proven to you that the
Prince von der Tann is your best friend and most loyal
supporter?"
"You laid your plebeian hands upon me," cried the king,
raising his voice. "You humiliated me, and you shall suffer
for it."
Barney Custer eyed the king for a long moment before he
spoke again. It was difficult to believe that the man was so
devoid of gratitude, and so blind as not to see that even
the rough treatment that he had received at the American's
hands was as nothing by comparison with the service that
the American had done him. Apparently Leopold had al-
ready forgotten that three times Barney Custer had saved
his life in the courtyard below. From the man's demeanor,
now that his life was no longer at stake, Barney caught an
inkling of what his attitude might be when once again he
was returned to the despotic power of his kingship.
"It is futile to reason with you," he said. "There is only
one way to handle such as you. At present I hold the power
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to coerce you, and I shall continue to hold that power until
I am safely out of your two-by-four kingdom. If you do as
I say you shall have your throne back again. If you refuse,
why by Heaven you shall never have it. I'll stay king of
Lutha myself."
"What are your terms?" asked the king.
"That Prince Peter of Blentz, Captain Ernst Maenck, and
old Von Coblich be tried, convicted, and hanged for high
treason," replied the American.
"That is easy," said the king. "I should do so anyway
immediately I resumed my throne. Now get up and give
me my clothes. Take this cot and I will take the bed.
None will know of the exchange."
"Again you are too fast," answered Barney. "There is an-
other condition."
"Well?"
"You must promise upon your royal honor that Ludwig,
Prince von der Tann, remain chancellor of Lutha during
your life or his."
"Very well," assented the king. "I promise," and again he
half rose from his cot.
"Hold on a minute," admonished the American; "there
is yet one more condition of which I have not made mention."
"What, another?" exclaimed Leopold testily. "How much
do you want for returning to me what you have stolen?"
"So far I have asked for nothing for myself," replied Bar-
ney. "Now I am coming to that part of the agreement.
The Princess Emma von der Tann is betrothed to you. She
does not love you. She has honored me with her affection,
but she will not wed until she has been formally released
from her promise to wed Leopold of Lutha. The king must
sign such a release and also a sanction of her marriage to
Barney Custer, of Beatrice. Do you understand what I
want?"
The king went livid. He came to his feet beside the cot.
For the moment, his wound was forgotten. He tottered to-
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ward the impostor.
"You scoundrel!" he screamed. "You scoundrel! You have
stolen my identity and my throne and now you wish to steal
the woman who loves me."
"Don't get excited, Leo," warned the American, "and
don't talk so loud. The Princess doesn't love you, and you
know it as well as I. She will never marry you. If you want
your dinky throne back you'll have to do as I desire; that
is, sign the release and the sanction.
"Now let's don't have any heroics about it. You have
the proposition. Now I am going to sleep. In the meantime
you may think it over. If the papers are not ready when it
comes time for us to leave, and from the way I feel now I
rather think I shall be ready to mount a horse by morning,
I shall ride back to Lustadt as king of Lutha, and I shall
marry her highness into the bargain, and you may go hang!
"How the devil you will earn a living with that king job
taken away from you I don't know. You're a long way from
New York, and in the present state of carnage in Europe
I rather doubt that there are many headwaiters jobs open
this side of the American metropolis, and I can't for the
moment think of anything else at which you would shine--
with all due respect to some excellent headwaiters I have
known."
For some time the king remained silent. He was thinking.
He realized that it lay in the power of the American to do
precisely what he had threatened to do. No one would
doubt his identity. Even Peter of Blentz had not recognized
the real king despite Leopold's repeated and hysterical
claims.
Lieutenant Butzow, the American's best friend, had no
more suspected the exchange of identities. Von der Tann,
too, must have been deceived. Everyone had been deceived.
There was no hope that the people, who really saw so little [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]