Butzow smiled as he turned with his troopers at his
back to execute this most welcome of commissions;
but in a moment he was again at Barney’s side.
“They have fled, your majesty,” he said.
“Shall I ride to Blentz after them?”
“Let them go,” replied the American, and
then, with his retinue about him the new king of Lutha
passed down the broad aisle of the cathedral of Lustadt
and took his way to the royal palace between ranks
of saluting soldiery backed by cheering thousands.
THE KING’S GUESTS
Once within the palace Barney sought the seclusion
of a small room off the audience chamber. Here
he summoned Butzow.
“Lieutenant,” said the American, “for
the sake of a woman, a dead child and an unhappy king
I have become dictator of Lutha for forty-eight hours;
but at noon upon the fifth this farce must cease.
Then we must place the true Leopold upon the throne,
or a new dictator must replace me.
“In vain I have tried to convince you that I
am not the king, and today in the cathedral so great
was the temptation to take advantage of the odd train
of circumstances that had placed a crown within my
reach that I all but surrendered to it—not
for the crown of gold, Butzow, but for an infinitely
more sacred diadem which belongs to him to whom by
right of birth and lineage, belongs the crown of Lutha.
I do not ask you to understand—it is not
necessary—but this you must know and believe:
that I am not Leopold, and that the true Leopold lies
in hiding in the sanatorium at Tafelberg, from which
you and I, Butzow, must fetch him to Lustadt before
noon on the fifth.”
“But, sire—” commenced Butzow,
when Barney raised his hand.
“Enough of that, Butzow!” he cried almost
irritably. “I am sick of being ‘sired’
and ’majestied’—my name is Custer.
Call me that when others are not present. Believe
what you will, but ride with me in secrecy to Tafelberg
tonight, and together we shall bring back Leopold
of Lutha. Then we may call Prince Ludwig into
our confidence, and none need ever know of the substitution.
“I doubt if many had a sufficiently close view
of me today to realize the trick that I have played
upon them, and if they note a difference they will
attribute it to the change in apparel, for we shall
see to it that the king is fittingly garbed before
we exhibit him to his subjects, while hereafter I
shall continue in khaki, which becomes me better than
ermine.”
Butzow shook his head.
“King or dictator,” he said, “it
is all the same, and I must obey whatever commands
you see fit to give, and so I will ride to Tafelberg
tonight, though what we shall find there I cannot imagine,
unless there are two Leopolds of Lutha. But shall
we also find another royal ring upon the finger of
this other king?”
Barney smiled. “You’re a typical
hard-headed Dutchman, Butzow,” he said.
