With a grim smile Prince Ludwig von der Tann mounted
his horse and rode toward the fort. At his side
were several of the nobles of Lutha. They looked
at him in astonishment.
“You are doing his bidding, although you do
not know that he is the true king?” asked one
of them.
“Were he an impostor,” replied the old
man, “he would have insisted by word of mouth
that he is king. But not once has he said that
he is Leopold. Instead, he has proved his kingship
by his acts.”
A TIMELY INTERVENTION
Nine o’clock found Barney Custer pacing up and
down his apartments in the palace. No clue as
to the whereabouts of Coblich, Maenck or the king
had been discovered. One by one his troopers had
returned to Butzow empty-handed, and as much at a
loss as to the hiding-place of their quarry as when
they had set out upon their search.
Peter of Blentz and his retainers had entered the
city and already had commenced to gather at the cathedral.
Peter, at the residence of Coblich, had succeeded
in gathering about him many of the older nobility
whom he pledged to support him in case he could prove
to them that the man who occupied the royal palace
was not Leopold of Lutha.
They agreed to support him in his regency if he produced
proof that the true Leopold was dead, and Peter of
Blentz waited with growing anxiety the coming of Coblich
with word that he had the king in custody. Peter
was staking all on a single daring move which he had
decided to make in his game of intrigue.
As Barney paced within the palace, waiting for word
that Leopold had been found, Peter of Blentz was filled
with equal apprehension as he, too, waited for the
same tidings. At last he heard the pound of hoofs
upon the pavement without and a moment later Coblich,
his clothing streaked with dirt, blood caked upon
his face from a wound across the forehead, rushed
in to 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 time getting him.
Stein was killed and Maenck and I both wounded, and
all morning we have spent the time hiding from troopers
who seemed to be searching for us. Only fifteen
minutes since did we reach the hiding-place that you
instructed us to use. But we have him, your highness,
and he is in such a state of cowardly terror that he
is ready to agree to anything, if you will but spare
his life and set him free across the border.”
“It is too late for that now, Coblich,”
replied Peter. “There is but one way that
Leopold of Lutha can serve me now, and that is—dead.
Were his corpse to be carried into the cathedral of
Lustadt before noon today, and were those who fetched
it to swear that the king was killed by the impostor
after being dragged from the hospital at Tafelberg
where you and Maenck had located him, and from which
you were attempting to rescue him, I believe that
the people would tear our enemies to pieces.
What say you, Coblich?”
