"On the contrary, I should like to go with you; come, we will all go-you tell the Amba.s.sador, and I"ll get Helen and Elise," with a nod and a smile at Moore.
"A reconnaissance in force!" the Archduke laughed, when the Regent had gone; then he ordered the horses, and he and Moore went off to get into riding uniform.
A wide, macadamized avenue wound sharply down from the castle to the valley, where the roads were of the soil, soft and sandy. Once there, the six loosed bridle and sped away across the level country; nor drew rein but thrice until they came to the forks, where the road to Lotzen took off for its mile of tortuous ascent.
Here they halted, and Armand and Moore scanned through their gla.s.ses the Castle and its approach; and by riding a very little way up toward it, they were able to see the postern gate, which was on the edge of the hill about a third of the distance around from the bridge, and was approached by a narrow, rain-washed, boulder-strewn path, leading almost straight up the side of the acclivity. The moat ran only across the front, the almost sheer descent on the other sides of the wall having been deemed, even in the old days, quite sufficient protection against a.s.sault.
"Well," said the Archduke, as he shoved the gla.s.ses back into their case, "thank G.o.d, we have old Jessac to tell us how to find that postern path-and, Colonel, before we start, it might be wise for each of us to make his will, and to say good-bye to his lady, for, of a truth, it is going to be a rather serious business."
They rode back by way of Porgia, the garrison town, five miles down the valley. It was also the railway station for both Castles, though some years before, King Frederick had run a track over as close as possible to Dalberg, so his own train could always be at hand to hurry him away. And there it had brought the Regent that morning, and was now waiting, ready for instant use.
A regiment of Uhlans were at drill on the edge of the town, and the Princess waved her c.o.c.ked hat to them as she cantered by. The Colonel in command answered with his saber, while from two thousand l.u.s.ty throats went up a wild cheer of pa.s.sionate devotion.
Armand reached over and patted her on the arm.
"Surely, dear, the soldiers love you," he said.
"They seem to,"-then out flashed the smile again; "but there is only one I"m sure of," leaning over close.
"You little temptress!" he said, "I"ve a great mind to prove it now."
She laughed merrily. "You may-but catch me first;" and as her horse had the heels of his, she never let him get quite on even terms, no matter what the pace.
"Come, dear," he said, "I"ll promise to wait until we are at the Castle."
"As you wish-but the bend in the road yonder would have hid the others, and there I was-but until the Castle, then."
And when Armand promised double punishment later, she tossed her head, and told him she was always ready to pay for her crimes-and sometimes rather willing.
As they turned from the valley road into the avenue, they came face to face with the Duke of Lotzen and Count Bigler, both in full uniform.
The Princess was pa.s.sing on, with a curt return of their salutes, when the Duke drew around in front of her.
"Your Royal Highness and myself seem to be unfortunate in our visits to each other," he said; "I missed yours the other evening, and now you have missed mine."
"You have been to Dalberg Castle?" she asked. He bowed. "For my call of ceremony upon the Regent."
She reined aside. "You are not on the Regent"s list, sir," she said; "if you wish to save your dignity, you would best not present yourself until summoned."
"I a.s.sumed it was restored by your own informal visit," he smiled.-"Will you not honor Lotzen Castle, also?-and you, too, cousin Armand!"
But neither answered him by so much as a look, and with a mocking laugh he went on, saluting the American Amba.s.sador with easy formality, and bestowing upon Mlle. d"Essolde a leeringly suggestive smile, that made Moore frantic to strike him in the face.
The Princess" toilet was finished very early that evening, and then she sent for her Adjutant.
"Colonel Moore," said she, motioning him to be seated, "I am resolved that the Archduke shall not venture into Lotzen Castle to-morrow night, and therefore, I am going myself to-night; will you go with me?"
Moore"s amazement deprived him of an immediate answer.
"But, Your Highness!-" he stammered.
"It is quite useless to protest; I"m going; if you do not care to escort me, I shall get Bernheim."
"Let me go alone," he urged.
"No."
"And the Archduke, what of him?" he asked.
"The Archduke stays here, serenely ignorant of it all."
"He will never forgive me--"
She cut him short. "Very well, monsieur, you are excused-be so good as to send Colonel Bernheim to me at once-and I trust to your honor not to mention the affair to any one."
He had done all he dared; more, indeed, than he had fancied she would tolerate. A subordinate may not argue for long with the Regent of a Kingdom, however sweet-tempered she may be.
"Your Highness misunderstands," he said; "if you are determined to go, there is an end of the matter; naturally, your Adjutant goes also."
She smiled. "Now, that is better-and I"m glad-and we will take De Coursey and Marsov, and slip away at midnight, with old Jessac for guide. The secret pa.s.sage opens into the Duke"s library, we get the Book and retire."
"Vault and all?" Moore asked.
"You don"t remember the draft, Colonel, there isn"t a vault."
"Doubtless, however, there is a safe."
She waved her hand impatiently. "It will be time enough for that when we get there."
"And if we can"t find the Book in the library?" he persisted.
"Then we will seek it elsewhere-it"s just that contingency which sends me. If I were sure it is in the library, I might let the Archduke go."
"Yet will you not take some precaution for your own safety, in event of Lotzen overcoming us?" Moore asked.
"I can"t bring myself to believe that he would venture to harm the Regent, but, if he should, these," pushing two papers across to him, "ought to be sufficient."
"Your Highness is a strategist," said the Colonel, when he had read them.
"I have nothing to suggest; and I"m ready now to go with a more willing spirit and a lighter heart."
She held out her hand, and flashed him the smile, usually reserved for Armand, alone.
"And we will save the king, Ralph-you and I; and give him the Book, and speed him to his crowning. I leave the details to you, to see the others, and instruct and caution them; remember, for the Archduke to get the slightest suspicion would ruin everything. It will be for me to see that he retires early to-night. Now, do you, yourself, seek out Bernheim and send him to me quickly."
"My good friend," said she, acknowledging Bernheim"s stiff military salute with one equally formal, "I need your aid in a matter of peculiar importance and delicacy-and which must not, under any circ.u.mstance, be known to any one in the Castle, and above all not to His Highness the Archduke-not a whisper of it, Colonel Bernheim."
Bernheim"s answer was another salute, but he could say as much with it, in an instant, as some men in an hour of talk.