He lived that thrilling experience through again as he had many times before.  He even smiled as he recalled the series of events that had resulted from his resemblance to the mad king of Lutha.

They had come to a culmination at the time when the king, whom Barney had placed upon a throne at the risk of his own life, discovered that his savior loved the girl to whom the king had been betrothed since childhood and that the girl returned the American’s love even after she knew that he had but played the part of a king.

Barney’s cigar, forgotten, had long since died out.  Not even its former fitful glow proclaimed his presence upon the porch, whose black shadows completely enveloped him.  Before him stretched a wide acreage of lawn, tree dotted at the side of the house.  Bushes hid the stone wall that marked the boundary of the Custer grounds and extended here and there out upon the sward among the trees.  The night was moonless but clear.  A faint light pervaded the scene.

Barney sat staring straight ahead, but his gaze did not stop upon the familiar objects of the foreground.  Instead it spanned two continents and an ocean to rest upon the little spot of woodland and rugged mountain and lowland that is Lutha.  It was with an effort that the man suddenly focused his attention upon that which lay directly before him.  A shadow among the trees had moved!

Barney Custer sat perfectly still, but now he was suddenly alert and watchful.  Again the shadow moved where no shadow should be moving.  It crossed from the shade of one tree to another.  Barney came cautiously to his feet.  Silently he entered the house, running quickly to a side door that opened upon the grounds.  As he drew it back its hinges gave forth no sound.  Barney looked toward the spot where he had seen the shadow.  Again he saw it scuttle hurriedly beneath another tree nearer the house.  This time there was no doubt.  It was a man!

Directly before the door where Barney stood was a pergola, ivy-covered.  Behind this he slid, and, running its length, came out among the trees behind the night prowler.  Now he saw him distinctly.  The fellow was bearded, and in his right hand he carried a package.  Instantly Barney recalled Butzow’s comment upon the destruction of the mill—­“if it was lightning!”

Cold sweat broke from every pore of his body.  His mother and father were there in the house, and Vic—­all sleeping peacefully.  He ran quickly toward the menacing figure, and as he did so he saw the other halt behind a great tree and strike a match.  In the glow of the flame he saw it touch close to the package that the fellow held, and then he was upon him.

There was a brief and terrific struggle.  The stranger hurled the package toward the house.  Barney caught him by the throat, beating him heavily in the face; and then, realizing what the package was, he hurled the fellow from him, and sprang toward the hissing and sputtering missile where it lay close to the foundation wall of the house, though in the instant of his close contact with the man he had recognized through the disguising beard the features of Captain Ernst Maenck, the principal tool of Peter of Blentz.