XVII. IN THE TOWER
The two captives who were not prisoners were so dazed by the unexpectedevents of the morning that they did not realize the vast seriousness ofthe situation for hours. Then it dawned upon them that appearances werereally against them, and that they were alone in a land far beyond thereach of help from home. One circumstance puzzled them with itsdamning mystery: how came the blood stains upon the door-knob? Danglosscourteously discussed this strange and unfortunate feature with them,but with ill-concealed skepticism. It was evident that his mind wasclear in regard to the whole affair.
Anguish was of the opinion that the real murderer had stained theknob intentionally, aiming to cast suspicion on the man who had beenchallenged. The assassin had an object in leaving those convictingfinger-marks where they would do the most damage. He either desiredthe arrest and death of the American or hoped that his own guilt wouldescape attention through the misleading evidence. Lorry held, from hisdeductions, that the crime had been committed by a fanatic who loved hissovereign too devotedly to see her wedded to Lorenz. Then why should hewantonly cast guilt upon the man who had been her protector, objectedDangloss.
The police guards came in from the hotel about ten o'clock, bearingmarks of an ugly conflict with the Axphainians. They reported that theavengers had been quelled for the time being, but that a deputation hadalready started for the castle to lay the matter before the Princess.Officers had searched the rooms of the Americans for blood stains, buthad found no sign of them.
"Did you find bloody water in which hands had been washed?" askedAnguish.
"No," responded one of the guards. "There was nothing to be found inthe bowls and jars except soapy water. There is not a blood stain in theroom, Captain."
"That shakes your theory a little, eh?" cried Anguish, triumphantly."Examine Mr. Lorry's hands and see if there is blood upon them." Lorry'shands were white and uncontaminated. Dangloss wore a pucker on his blow.
Shortly afterward a crowd of Axphain men came to the prison gates anddemanded the person of Grenfall Lorry, departing after an ugly show ofrage. Curious Edelweiss citizens stood afar off, watching the walls andwindows eagerly.
"This may cost Edelweiss a great deal of trouble, gentlemen, but thereis more happiness here this morning than the city has known in months.Everybody believes you killed him, Mr. Lorry, but they all love you forthe deed," said Dangloss, returning at noon from a visit to the hoteland a ride through the streets. "The Prince's friends have been at thecastle since nine o'clock, and I am of the opinion that they are havinga hard time with the High Priestess."
"God bless her!" cried Lorry.
"The town is crazy with excitement. Messengers have been sent to oldPrince Bolaroz to inform him of the murder and to urge him to hastenhither, where he may fully enjoy the vengeance that is to be wreakedupon his son's slayer. I have not seen a wilder time in Edelweiss sincethe close of the siege, fifteen years ago. By my soul, you are in abad box, sir. They are lurking in every part of town to kill you ifyou attempt to leave the Tower before the Princess signs an order torestrain you legally. Your life, outside these walls, would not be wortha snap of the fingers."
Captain Quinnox, of the Princess's bodyguard, accompanied by a halfdozen of his men, rode up to the prison gates about two o'clock and waspromptly admitted. The young captain was in sore distress.
"The Duke of Mizrox has sworn that you are the murderer, Mr. Lorry,and stakes his life," said he, after greetings. "Her highness has justplaced in my hands an order for your arrest as the assassin of PrinceLorenz."
Lorry turned as pale as death. "You--you don't mean to say that she hassigned a warrant--that she believes me guilty," he cried, aghast.
"She has signed the warrant, but very much against her inclination.Count Halfont informed me that she pleaded and argued with the Duke forhours, seeking to avert the act which is bound to give pain to all ofus. He was obdurate, and threatened to carry complaint to Bolaroz, whowould instantly demand satisfaction. As the Duke is willing to die ifyou are proved innocent, there was no other course left for her than todictate and sign this royal decree. Captain Dangloss, I am instructedto give you these papers. One is the warrant for Mr. Lorry's arrest, theother orders you to assume charge of him and to place him in confinementuntil the day of trial."
While Quinnox was making this statement the accused stood with bowedhead and throbless heart. He did not see the captain's hand tremble ashe passed the documents to Dangloss, nor did he hear the unhappy sighthat came from the latter's lips. Anguish, fiery and impulsive, was notto be subdued.
"Is there no warrant for my arrest?" he demanded.
"There is not. You are at liberty to go, sir," responded Quinnox.
"I'd like to know why there isn't. I am just as guilty as Lorry."
"The Duke charges the crime to but one of you. Baron Dangloss, will youread the warrant?"
The old chief read the decree of the Princess slowly and impressively.It was as follows:
"Jacot, Duke of Mizrox, before his God and on his life, swears thatGrenfall Lorry did foully, maliciously and designedly slay Lorenz,Prince of Axphain, on the 20th day of October, in the year of our Lord189-, and in the city of Edelweiss, Graustark. It is therefore my decreethat Grenfall Lorry be declared murderer of Lorenz, Prince of Axphain,until he be proved innocent, in which instance, his accuser, Jacot, Dukeof Mizrox, shall forfeit his life, according to the law of this landproviding penalty for false witness, and by which he, himself, has swornto abide faithfully.
"Signed: Yetive."
There was silence for some moments, broken by the dreary tones of theaccused.
"What chance have I to prove my innocence?" he asked, hopelessly.
"The same opportunity that he has to prove your guilt. The Duke must,according to our law, prove you guilty beyond all doubt," spoke theyoung captain.
"When am I to be tried?"
"Here is my order from the Princess," said Dangloss, glancing over theother paper. "It says that I am to confine you securely and to produceyou before the tribunal on the 26th day of October."
"A week! That is a long time," said Lorry. "May I have permission to seethe signature affixed to those papers?" Dangloss handed them to him.He glanced at the name he loved, written by the hand he had kissed, nowsigning away his life, perhaps. A mist came over his eyes and a strangejoy filled his soul. The hand that signed the name had trembled in doingso, had trembled pitifully. The heart had not guided the fingers. "Iam your prisoner, Captain Dangloss. Do with me as you will," he said,simply.
"I regret that I am obliged to place you in a cell, sir, and underguard. Believe me, I am sorry this happened. I am your friend," said theold man, gloomily.
"And I," cried Quinnox.
"But what is to become of me?" cried poor Anguish, half in tears. "Iwon't leave you, Gren. It's an infernal outrage!"
"Be cool, Harry, and it will come out right. He has no proof, you know,"said the other, wringing his friend's hand.
"But I'll have to stay here, too. If I go outside these walls, I'll bekilled like a dog," protested Harry.
"You are to have a guard of six men while you are in Edelweiss, Mr.Anguish. Those are the instructions of the Princess. I do not believethe scoundrels--I mean the Axphain nobles--will molest you if you donot cross them, When you are ready to go to your hotel, I will accompanyyou."
Half an hour later Larry was in a cell from which there could beno escape, while Anguish was riding toward the hotel, surrounded byGraustark soldiers. He had sworn to his friend that he would unearth themurderer if it lay within the power of man. Captain Dangloss heard theoath and smiled sadly.
At the castle there was depression and relief, grief and joy. Theroyal family, the nobility, even the servants, soldiers and attendants,rejoiced in the stroke that had saved the Princess from a fate worsethan death. Her preserver's misfortune was deplored deeply; expressionsof sympathy were whispered among them all, high and low. The Axphainianswere detested--the Prince most of all--a
nd the crime had come as a joyinstead of a shock. There were, of course, serious complications for thefuture, involving ugly conditions that were bound to force themselvesupon the land. The dead man's father would demand the life of hismurderer. If not Lorry, who? Graustark would certainly be asked toproduce the man who killed the heir to the throne of Axphain, or to makereparation--bloody reparation, no doubt.
In the privacy of her room the stricken Princess collapsed from theeffects of the ordeal. Her poor brain had striven in vain to inventmeans by which she might save the man she loved. She had surrendered tothe inevitable because there was justice in the claims of the inexorableDuke and his vindictive friends. Against her will she had issued thedecree, but not, however, until she had learned that he was in prisonand unable to fly the country. The hope that delay might aid him inescaping was rudely crushed when her uncle informed her of Lorry'swhereabouts. She signed the decree as if in a dream, a nightmare, withtrembling hand and broken heart. His death warrant! And yet, like allothers, she believed him guilty. Guilty for her sake! And this was howshe rewarded him.
Mizrox and his friends departed in triumph, revenge written on everyface. She walked blindly, numbly to her room, assisted by her uncle, theCount. Without observing her aunt or the Countess Dagmar, she staggeredto the window and looked below. The Axphainians were crossing the paradeground jubilantly. Then came the clatter of a horse's hoof and CaptainQuinnox, with the fatal papers in his possession, galloped down theavenue. She clutched the curtains distractedly, and, leaning farforward, cried from the open window:
"Quinnox! Quinnox! Come back! I forbid--I forbid! Destroy those papers!Quinnox!'"
But Quinnox heard not the pitiful wail. He rode on, his dark facestamped with pity for the man whose arrest he was to make. Had he heardthat cry from his sovereign the papers would have been in her destroyinggrasp with the speed that comes only to the winged birds. Seeing himdisappear down the avenue, she threw her hands to her head and sankback with a moan, fainting. Count Halfont caught her in his arms. Itwas nightfall before she was fully revived. The faithful young Countessclung to her caressingly, lovingly, uttering words of consolation untillong after the shades of night had dropped. They were alone in thePrincess's boudoir, seated together upon the divan, the tired headof the one resting wearily against the shoulder of the other. Gentlefingers toyed with the tawny tresses, and a soft voice lulled with itsconsoling promises of hope. Wide and dark and troubled were the eyes ofthe ruler of Graustark.
An attendant appeared and announced the arrival of one of the Americangentlemen, who insisted on seeing Her Royal Highness. The card on thetray bore the name of Harry Anguish. At once the Princess was aflutterwith eagerness and excitement.
"Anguish! Show him to this room quickly! Oh, Dagmar, he brings word fromhim! He comes from him! Why is he so slow? Ach, I cannot wait!"
Far from being slow, Anguish was exceedingly swift in approaching theroom to which he feared admittance might be denied. He strode boldly,impetuously into the apartment, his feet muddy, his clothing splashedwith rain, his appearance far from that of a gentleman.
"Tell me! What is it?" she cried, as he stopped in the center of theroom and glared at her.
"I don't care whether you like it and it doesn't matter if you are aPrincess," he exploded, "there are a few things I'm going to say to you.First, I want to know what kind of a woman you are to throw into prisona man like--like Oh, it drives me crazy to think of it! I don't care ifyou are insulted. He's a friend of mine and he is no more guilty thanyou are, and I want to know what you mean by ordering his arrest?"
Her lips parted as if to speak, her face grew deathly pale, her fingersclutched the edge o' the divan. She stared at him piteously, unable tomove, to speak. Then the blue eyes filled with tears, a sob came to herlips, and her tortured heart made a last, brave effort at defense.
"I--I--Mr. Anguish, you wrong me,--I--I--" She tried to whisper throughthe closed throat and stiffened lips. Words failed her, but she pleadedwith those wet, imploring eyes. His heart melted, his anger was sweptaway in a twinkling. He saw that he had wounded her most unjustly.
"You brute!" hissed the Countess, with flashing, indignant eyes,throwing her arms about the Princess and drawing her head to her breast.
"Forgive me," he cried, sinking to his knee before the Princess, shameand contrition in his face. "I have been half mad this whole day, andI have thought harshly of you. I now see that you are suffering moreintensely than I. I love Lorry, and that is my only excuse. He is beingfoully wronged, your Highness, foully wronged."
"I deserve your contempt, after all. Whether he be guilty or innocent,I should have refused to sign the decree. It is too late now. I havesigned away something that is very dear to me,--his life. You are hisfriend and mine. Can you tell me what he thinks of me--what he says--howhe feels?" She asked the triple question breathlessly.
"He believes you were forced into the act and said as much to me. Asto how he feels, I can only ask how you would feel if you were in hisplace, innocent and yet almost sure of conviction. These friends ofAxphain will resort to any subterfuge, now that one of their number hasstaked his life. Mark my word, some one will deliberately swear that hesaw Grenfall Lorry strike the blow and that will be as villainous a lieas man ever told. What I am here for, your Highness, is to ask if thatdecree cannot be withdrawn."
"Alas, it cannot! I would gladly order his release if I could, but youcan see what that would mean to us. A war, Mr. Anguish," she sighedmiserably.
"But you will not see an innocent man condemned?" cried he, againindignant.
"I have only your statement for that, sir, if you will pardon me. Ihope, from the bottom of my heart, that he did not murder the Princeafter being honorably challenged."
"He is no coward!" thundered Anguish; startling both women with hisvehemence. "I say he did not kill the Prince, but I'll stake my life hewould have done so had they met this morning. There's no use trying tohave the decree rescinded, I see, so I'll take my departure. I don'tblame you, your Highness; it is your duty, of course. But it's prettyhard on Lorry, that's all."
"He may be able to clear himself," suggested the Countess, nervously.
"And he may not, so there you have it. What chance have two Americansover here with everybody against us?"
"Stop! You shall not say that! He shall have full justice, at any cost,and there is one here who is not against him," cried the Princess, withflashing eyes.
"I am aware that everybody admires him because he has done Graustark aservice in ridding it of something obnoxious--a prospective husband. Butthat does not get him out of jail."
"You are unkind again," said the Princess, slowly. "I chose my husband,and you assume much when you intimate that I am glad because he wasmurdered."
"Do not be angry," cried the Countess, impatiently. "We all regret whathas happened, and I, for one, hope that Mr. Lorry may escape from theTower and laugh forevermore at his pursuers. If he could only dig hisway out!"
The Princess shot a startled look toward the speaker as a new thoughtentered her wearied brain; a short, involuntary gasp told that it hadlodged and would grow. She laughed at the idea of an escape from theTower, but as she laughed a tiny spot of red began to spread upon hercheek, and her eyes glistened strangely.
Anguish remained with them for half an hour. When he left the castleit was with a more hopeful feeling in his breast. In the Princess'sbed-chamber late that night, two girls, in loose, silken gowns satbefore a low fire and talked of something that caused the Countess totremble with excitement when first her pink-cheeked sovereign mentionedit in confidence.