And the canvas opened neatly, to permit the elegant but dusty figure of Carlos Hernando, Duke of Alva, to step to the mantelpiece and leap clumsily to the floor.
The Princess had sprung to her feet.
"Your Excellency, you are a long way from Madrid!"
The Duke, brushing off his sleeves, snarled back: "You fool, you"ve stepped right into the trap. I knew you were after the treasure."
"Oh, no, your man-at-arms did that, and if you try to lie yourself out of this ... if it weren"t for your cousin, I"d blow your d.a.m.ned head off! Then I"d throw you down after the other poor devil--you"ve got a lot of souls to answer for. See here, give me that locket--no, give her that locket, or by the living G.o.d, I"ll break your ... Come on now!"
"Carlos!" and the girl held out a stiff arm. The Duke fumbled in an inner pocket, and dropped the memorandum into her hand.
"I told you all ghosts were cowards."
The Duke looked insolently into Jarvis" face, yet there was an undisguised admiration for the stanch nerves of his opponent. At heart, despite his criminal, conceited weaknesses, the Duke had thoroughbred blood beating and pulsing through the veins.
"You play a good game, Mr. Warren.... Are all Americans like you?"
"They all play the game in Kentucky," snapped Jarvis.
"And I thought all Americans were fools." He crossed to the door. "I think, my dear Maria, that for the sake of the family name it would do my health good to take a trip to Monte Carlo and the Riviera--even Egypt might help. Mr. Warren, take her advice and return to Kentucky."
He walked up the steps and smiled back with his cynical appreciation of the situation, a mediaeval sport to the end, as Jarvis realized.
"Hey, Rusty, you just follow that Duke as well as you did me. See him out of the castle and on his way rejoicing. And don"t let your finger slip on that revolver."
"Ya.s.sir--wid pleasure, sir."
The footsteps died away, and Jarvis looked at the Princess.
She smiled back at him.
"What kind of a place is Kentucky?"
"G.o.d"s country, lady.... Must I go back alone, your Highness?"
She put her hands upon the tired shoulders, and looked up with the ineffable look which pa.s.seth all understanding, except between the one man and the one woman. She held her lips up to him!
"Warren--don"t call me Highness!... my name is Maria!"
THE END