“Under the circumstances Leopold is almost convinced
that his only hope of salvation lies in cementing
friendly relations with the most powerful of Von der
Tann’s enemies, of which you three gentlemen
stand preeminently in the foreground, and of assuring
to himself the support of Austria. And now, gentlemen,”
he went on after a pause, “good night.
I have handed Prince Peter the necessary military
passes to carry you safely through our lines, and tomorrow
you may be in Blentz if you wish.”
CONDEMNED TO DEATH
For some time Barney Custer lay there in the dark
revolving in his mind all that he had overheard through
the partition—the thin partition which
alone lay between himself and three men who would be
only too glad to embrace the first opportunity to destroy
him. But his fears were not for himself so much
as for the daughter of old Von der Tann, and for all
that might befall that princely house were these three
unhung rascals to gain Lutha and have their way with
the weak and cowardly king who reigned there.
If he could but reach Von der Tann’s ear and
through him the king before the conspirators came
to Lutha! But how might he accomplish it?
Count Zellerndorf’s parting words to the three
had shown that military passes were necessary to enable
one to reach Lutha.
His papers were practically worthless even inside
the lines. That they would carry him through
the lines he had not the slightest hope. There
were two things to be accomplished if possible.
One was to cross the frontier into Lutha; and the
other, which of course was quite out of the question,
was to prevent Peter of Blentz, Von Coblich, and Maenck
from doing so. But was that altogether impossible?
The idea that followed that question came so suddenly
that it brought Barney Custer out onto the floor in
a bound, to don his clothes and sneak into the hall
outside his room with the stealth of a professional
second-story man.
To the right of his own door was the door to the apartment
in which the three conspirators slept. At least,
Barney hoped they slept. He bent close to the
keyhole and listened. From within came no sound
other than the regular breathing of the inmates.
It had been at least half an hour since the American
had heard the conversation cease. A glance through
the keyhole showed no light within the room.
Stealthily Barney turned the knob. Had they bolted
the door? He felt the tumbler move to the pressure—soundlessly.
Then he pushed gently inward. The door swung.
A moment later he stood in the room. Dimly he
could see two beds—a large one and a smaller.
Peter of Blentz would be alone upon the smaller bed,
his henchmen sleeping together in the larger.
Barney crept toward the lone sleeper. At the
bedside he fumbled in the dark groping for the man’s
clothing—for the coat, in the breastpocket
of which he hoped to find the military pass that might
carry him safely out of Austria-Hungary and into Lutha.
On the foot of the bed he found some garments.
Gingerly he felt them over, seeking the coat.
