XI
A TIMELY INTERVENTION
Nine o'clock found Barney Custer pacing up and down his apartmentsin the palace. No clue as to the whereabouts of Coblich, Maenck orthe king had been discovered. One by one his troopers had returnedto Butzow empty-handed, and as much at a loss as to the hiding-placeof their quarry as when they had set out upon their search.
Peter of Blentz and his retainers had entered the city and alreadyhad commenced to gather at the cathedral.
Peter, at the residence of Coblich, had succeeded in gathering abouthim many of the older nobility whom he pledged to support him incase he could prove to them that the man who occupied the royalpalace was not Leopold of Lutha.
They agreed to support him in his regency if he produced proof thatthe true Leopold was dead, and Peter of Blentz waited with growinganxiety the coming of Coblich with word that he had the king incustody. Peter was staking all on a single daring move which he haddecided to make in his game of intrigue.
As Barney paced within the palace, waiting for word that Leopold hadbeen found, Peter of Blentz was filled with equal apprehension ashe, too, waited for the same tidings. At last he heard the pound ofhoofs upon the pavement without and a moment later Coblich, hisclothing streaked with dirt, blood caked upon his face from a woundacross the forehead, rushed into the presence of the prince regent.
Peter drew him hurriedly into a small study on the first floor.
"Well?" he whispered, as the two faced each other.
"We have him," replied Coblich. "But we had the devil's own timegetting him. Stein was killed and Maenck and I both wounded, and allmorning we have spent the time hiding from troopers who seemed to besearching for us. Only fifteen minutes since did we reach thehiding-place that you instructed us to use. But we have him, yourhighness, and he is in such a state of cowardly terror that he isready to agree to anything, if you will but spare his life and sethim free across the border."
"It is too late for that now, Coblich," replied Peter. "There is butone way that Leopold of Lutha can serve me now, and that is--dead.Were his corpse to be carried into the cathedral of Lustadt beforenoon today, and were those who fetched it to swear that the king waskilled by the impostor after being dragged from the hospital atTafelberg where you and Maenck had located him, and from which youwere attempting to rescue him, I believe that the people would tearour enemies to pieces. What say you, Coblich?"
The other stared at Peter of Blentz for several seconds while theatrocity of his chief's plan filtered through his brain.
"My God!" he exclaimed at last. "You mean that you wish me tomurder Leopold with my own hands?"
"You put it too crudely, my dear Coblich," replied the other.
"I cannot do it," muttered Coblich. "I have never killed a man inmy life. I am getting old. No, I could never do it. I should notsleep nights."
"If it is not done, Coblich, and Leopold comes into his own," saidPeter slowly, "you will be caught and hanged higher than Haman. Andif you do not do it, and the impostor is crowned today, then youwill be either hanged officially or knifed unofficially, and withoutany choice in the matter whatsoever. Nothing, Coblich, but the deadbody of the true Leopold can save your neck. You have your choice,therefore, of letting him live to prove your treason, or letting himdie and becoming chancellor of Lutha."
Slowly Coblich turned toward the door. "You are right," he said,"but may God have mercy on my soul. I never thought that I shouldhave to do it with my own hands."
So saying he left the room and a moment later Peter of Blentz smiledas he heard the pounding of a horse's hoofs upon the pavementwithout.
Then the Regent entered the room he had recently quitted and spoketo the nobles of Lutha who were gathered there.
"Coblich has found the body of the murdered king," he said. "I havedirected him to bring it to the cathedral. He came upon the impostorand his confederate, Lieutenant Butzow, as they were bearing thecorpse from the hospital at Tafelberg where the king has lainunknown since the rumor was spread by Von der Tann that he had beenkilled by bandits.
"He was not killed until last evening, my lords, and you shall seetoday the fresh wounds upon him. When the time comes that we canpresent this grisly evidence of the guilt of the impostor and thosewho uphold him, I shall expect you all to stand at my side, as youhave promised."
With one accord the noblemen pledged anew their allegiance to Peterof Blentz if he could produce one-quarter of the evidence he claimedto possess.
"All that we wish to know positively is," said one, "that the manwho bears the title of king today is really Leopold of Lutha, orthat he is not. If not then he stands convicted of treason, and weshall know how to conduct ourselves."
Together the party rode to the cathedral, the majority of the oldernobility now openly espousing the cause of the Regent.
At the palace Barney was about distracted. Butzow was urging him totake the crown whether he was Leopold or not, for the younglieutenant saw no hope for Lutha, if either the scoundrelly Regentor the cowardly man whom Barney had assured him was the true kingshould come into power.
It was eleven o'clock. In another hour Barney knew that he musthave found some new solution of his dilemma, for there seemed littleprobability that the king would be located in the brief intervalthat remained before the coronation. He wondered what they did topeople who stole thrones. For a time he figured his chances ofreaching the border ahead of the enraged populace. All had dependedupon the finding of the king, and he had been so sure that it couldbe accomplished in time, for Coblich and Maenck had had but a fewhours in which to conceal the monarch before the search was wellunder way.
Armed with the king's warrants, his troopers had ridden through thecountry, searching houses, and questioning all whom they met.Patrols had guarded every road that the fugitives might take eitherto Lustadt, Blentz, or the border; but no king had been found and notrace of his abductors.
Prince von der Tann, Barney was convinced, was on the point ofdeserting him, and going over to the other side. It was true thatthe old man had carried out his instructions relative to the placingof the machine guns; but they might be used as well against him,where they stood, as for him.
From his window he could see the broad avenue which passes beforethe royal palace of Lutha. It was crowded with throngs moving towardthe cathedral. Presently there came a knock upon the closed door ofhis chamber.
At his "Enter" a functionary announced: "His Royal Highness Ludwig,Prince von der Tann!"
The old man was much perturbed at the rumors he had heard relativeto the assassination of the true Leopold. Soldier-like, he blurtedout his suspicions and his ultimatum.
"None but the royal blood of Rubinroth may reign in Lutha whilethere be a Rubinroth left to reign and old Von der Tann lives," hecried in conclusion.
At the name "Rubinroth" Barney started. It was his mother's name.Suddenly the truth flashed upon him. He understood now the reticenceof both his father and mother relative to her early life.
"Prince Ludwig," said the young man earnestly, "I have only the goodof Lutha in my heart. For three weeks I have labored and riskeddeath a hundred times to place the legitimate heir to the crown ofLutha upon his throne. I--"
He hesitated, not knowing just how to commence the confession he wasdetermined to make, though he was positive that it would place Peterof Blentz upon the throne, since the old prince had promised tosupport the Regent could it be proved that Barney was an impostor.
"I," he started again, and then there came an interruption at thedoor.
"A messenger, your majesty," announced the doorman, "who says thathe must have audience at once upon a matter of life and death to theking."
"We will see him in the ante-chamber," replied Barney, moving towardthe door. "Await us here, Prince Ludwig."
A moment later he re-entered the apartment. There was an expressionof renewed hope upon his face.
"As we were about to remark, my dear prince," he said, "I swear thatthe royal blo
od of the Rubinroths flows in my veins, and as God ismy judge, none other than the true Leopold of Lutha shall be crownedtoday. And now we must prepare for the coronation. If there betrouble in the cathedral, Prince Ludwig, we look to your sword inprotection of the king."
"When I am with you, sire," said Von der Tann, "I know that you areking. When I saw how you led the troops in battle, I prayed thatthere could be no mistake. God give that I am right. But God helpyou if you are playing with old Ludwig von der Tann."
When the old man had left the apartment Barney summoned an aide andsent for Butzow. Then he hurried to the bath that adjoined theapartment, and when the lieutenant of horse was announced Barneycalled through a soapy lather for his confederate to enter.
"What are you doing, sire?" cried Butzow in amazement.
"Cut out the 'sire,' old man," shouted Barney Custer of Beatrice."this is the fifth of November and I am shaving off this alfalfa.The king is found!"
"What?" cried Butzow, and upon his face there was little to indicatethe rejoicing that a loyal subject of Leopold of Lutha should havefelt at that announcement.
"There is a man in the next room," went on Barney, "who can lead usto the spot where Coblich and Maenck guard the king. Get him inhere."
Butzow hastened to comply with the American's instructions, and amoment later returned to the apartment with the old shopkeeper ofTafelberg.
As Barney shaved he issued directions to the two. Within the roomto the east, he said, there were the king's coronation robes, and ina smaller dressingroom beyond they would find a long gray cloak.
They were to wrap all these in a bundle which the old shopkeeper wasto carry.
"And, Butzow," added Barney, "look to my revolvers and your own, andlay my sword out as well. The chances are that we shall have to usethem before we are ten minutes older."
In an incredibly short space of time the young man emerged from thebath, his luxuriant beard gone forever, he hoped. Butzow looked athim with a smile.
"I must say that the beard did not add greatly to your majesty'sgood looks," he said.
"Never mind the bouquets, old man," cried Barney, cramming his armsinto the sleeves of his khaki jacket and buckling sword and revolverabout him, as he hurried toward a small door that opened upon theopposite side of the apartment to that through which his visitorshad been conducted.
Together the three hastened through a narrow, little-used corridorand down a flight of well-worn stone steps to a door that let uponthe rear court of the palace.
There were grooms and servants there, and soldiers too, who salutedButzow, according the old shopkeeper and the smooth-faced youngstranger only cursory glances. It was evident that without his beardit was not likely that Barney would be again mistaken for the king.
At the stables Butzow requisitioned three horses, and soon the triowas galloping through a little-frequented street toward thenorthern, hilly environs of Lustadt. They rode in silence until theycame to an old stone building, whose boarded windows and generalappearance of dilapidation proclaimed its long tenantless condition.Rank weeds, now rustling dry and yellow in the November wind, chokedwhat once might have been a luxuriant garden. A stone wall, whichhad at one time entirely surrounded the grounds, had been almostcompletely removed from the front to serve as foundation stone for asmaller edifice farther down the mountainside.
The horsemen avoided this break in the wall, coming up instead uponthe rear side where their approach was wholly screened from thebuilding by the wall upon that exposure.
Close in they dismounted, and leaving the animals in charge of theshopkeeper of Tafelberg, Barney and Butzow hastened toward a smallpostern-gate which swung, groaning, upon a single rusted hinge. Eachfelt that there was no time for caution or stratagem. Instead alldepended upon the very boldness and rashness of their attack, and soas they came through into the courtyard the two dashed headlong forthe building.
Chance accomplished for them what no amount of careful executionmight have done, and they came within the ruin unnoticed by the fourwho occupied the old, darkened library.
Possibly the fact that one of the men had himself just entered andwas excitedly talking to the others may have drowned the noisyapproach of the two. However that may be, it is a fact that Barneyand the cavalry officer came to the very door of the libraryunheard.
There they halted, listening. Coblich was speaking.
"The Regent commands it, Maenck," he was saying. "It is the onlything that can save our necks. He said that you had better be theone to do it, since it was your carelessness that permitted thefellow to escape from Blentz."
Huddled in a far corner of the room was an abject figure tremblingin terror. At the words of Coblich it staggered to its feet. It wasthe king.
"Have pity--have pity!" he cried. "Do not kill me, and I will goaway where none will ever know that I live. You can tell Peter thatI am dead. Tell him anything, only spare my life. Oh, why did I everlisten to the cursed fool who tempted me to think of regaining thecrown that has brought me only misery and suffering--the crown thathas now placed the sentence of death upon me."
"Why not let him go?" suggested the trooper, who up to this time hadnot spoken. "If we don't kill him, we can't be hanged for hismurder."
"Don't be too sure of that," exclaimed Maenck. "If he goes away andnever returns, what proof can we offer that we did not kill him,should we be charged with the crime? And if we let him go, and laterhe returns and gains his throne, he will see that we are hangedanyway for treason.
"The safest thing to do is to put him where he at least cannot comeback to threaten us, and having done so upon the orders of Peter,let the king's blood be upon Peter's head. I, at least, shall obeymy master, and let you two bear witness that I did the thing with myown hand." So saying he drew his sword and crossed toward the king.
But Captain Ernst Maenck never reached his sovereign.
As the terrified shriek of the sorry monarch rang through theinterior of the desolate ruin another sound mingled with it,half-drowning the piercing wail of terror.
It was the sharp crack of a revolver, and even as it spoke Maencklunged awkwardly forward, stumbled, and collapsed at Leopold's feet.With a moan the king shrank back from the grisly thing that touchedhis boot, and then two men were in the center of the room, andthings were happening with a rapidity that was bewildering.
About all that he could afterward recall with any distinctness wasthe terrified face of Coblich, as he rushed past him toward a doorin the opposite side of the room, and the horrid leer upon the faceof the dead trooper, who foolishly, had made a move to draw hisrevolver.
Within the cathedral at Lustadt excitement was at fever heat. Itlacked but two minutes of noon, and as yet no king had come to claimthe crown. Rumors were running riot through the close-packedaudience.
One man had heard the king's chamberlain report to Prince von derTann that the master of ceremonies had found the king's apartmentsvacant when he had gone to urge the monarch to hasten hispreparations for the coronation.
Another had seen Butzow and two strangers galloping north throughthe city. A third told of a little old man who had come to the kingwith an urgent message.
Peter of Blentz and Prince Ludwig were talking in whispers at thefoot of the chancel steps. Peter ascended the steps and facing theassemblage raised a silencing hand.
"He who claimed to be Leopold of Lutha," he said, "was but a madadventurer. He would have seized the throne of the Rubinroths hadhis nerve not failed him at the last moment. He has fled. The trueking is dead. Now I, Prince Regent of Lutha, declare the thronevacant, and announce myself king!"
There were a few scattered cheers and some hissing. A score of thenobles rose as though to protest, but before any could take a stepthe attention of all was directed toward the sorry figure of awhite-faced man who scurried up the broad center aisle.
It was Coblich.
He ran to Peter's side, and though he attempted to speak in awhisper, so out of breath, and so filled with
hysterical terror washe that his words came out in gasps that were audible to many ofthose who stood near by.
"Maenck is dead," he cried. "The impostor has stolen the king."
Peter of Blentz went white as his lieutenant. Von der Tann heardand demanded an explanation.
"You said that Leopold was dead," he said accusingly.
Peter regained his self-control quickly.
"Coblich is excited," he explained. "He means that the impostor hasstolen the body of the king that Coblich and Maenck had discoveredand were bringing to Lustadt."
Von der Tann looked troubled.
He knew not what to make of the series of wild tales that had cometo his ears within the past hour. He had hoped that the young manwhom he had last seen in the king's apartments was the true Leopold.He would have been glad to have served such a one, but there hadbeen many inexplicable occurrences which tended to cast a doubt uponthe man's claims--and yet, had he ever claimed to be the king? Itsuddenly occurred to the old prince that he had not. On the contraryhe had repeatedly stated to Prince Ludwig's daughter and toLieutenant Butzow that he was not Leopold.
It seemed that they had all been so anxious to believe him king thatthey had forced the false position upon him, and now if he hadindeed committed the atrocity that Coblich charged against him, whocould wonder? With less provocation men had before attempted toseize thrones by more dastardly means.
Peter of Blentz was speaking.
"Let the coronation proceed," he cried, "that Lutha may have a trueking to frustrate the plans of the impostor and the traitors who hadsupported him."
He cast a meaning glance at Prince von der Tann.
There were many cries for Peter of Blentz. "Let's have done withtreason, and place upon the throne of Lutha one whom we know to beboth a Luthanian and sane. Down with the mad king! Down with theimpostor!"
Peter turned to ascend the chancel steps.
Von der Tann still hesitated. Below him upon one side of the aislewere massed his own retainers. Opposite them were the men of theRegent, and dividing the two the parallel ranks of Horse Guardsstretched from the chancel down the broad aisle to the great doors.These were strongly for the impostor, if impostor he was, who hadled them to victory over the men of the Blentz faction.
Von der Tann knew that they would fight to the last ditch for theirhero should he come to claim the crown. Yet how would they fight--towhich side would they cleave, were he to attempt to frustrate thedesign of the Regent to seize the throne of Lutha?
Already Peter of Blentz had approached the bishop, who, eager topropitiate whoever seemed most likely to become king, gave thesignal for the procession that was to mark the solemn bearing of thecrown of Lutha up the aisle to the chancel.
Outside the cathedral there was the sudden blare of trumpets. Thegreat doors swung violently open, and the entire throng were upontheir feet in an instant as a trooper of the Royal Horse shouted:"The king! The king! Make way for Leopold of Lutha!"