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Paul's gaze wandered over the side-board. "See if you can find any brandy," he said to Andrieff, who instantly produced a decanter. Paul took the glass from his hand and pressed it to Madame Estelle's lips. She revived a little, and suddenly spoke clearly and in almost her normal voice. "Sir Paul," she said, "forgive!"
The man gave a sudden wrench and twisted one of his arms free. He reached out and grasped a heavy silver candlestick. But Andrieff was too quick for him. He dealt him a blow on the muscles of his shoulder which half paralyzed the creature's arm. The candlestick dropped with a clatter from his hand.
"Now, then," said he of the red beard, "heat that poker in the fire." Peter quickly thrust the poker between the bars of the grate, in which the coals were red. "Stoi!" cried the man "Stop! They have gone to the old Château Ivanovitch." "If you're lying," said Andrieff, "we'll come back and cut you into ribbons for the dogs."
"I am afraid," he said in a low voice to Andrieff, "that we can do nothing for her. It is a bad business. Heaven forgive her for anything she has done amiss! She did her best to make amends." Then he drew Alexis out of the room and told him to fetch a lamp. When he had fetched the lamp Paul took it and began rapidly to examine round the ground floor of the rambling building.
Not till they came to decide on what men they would take with them did Paul recall how he had been disposed of earlier in the night. "That big moujik who showed me to my room last evening!" he cried suddenly, turning to Peter. "Where is the dog? It was he who struck me down!" "By the Lord!" exclaimed Andrieff, "that explains why the horses are gone! The cur is a traitor!
In the darkness he answered shot for shot. After the sound of the shots came a complete silence, and Paul, as he stood stock-still beside the gate, which was now swinging idly over the moat, could hear the patter of the water on the path as it dripped from his clothes. Andrieff, as soon as he had seen that Paul was safe, had run along the hedge, and now he gave a shout.
They dismounted and, gathering around Peter, discussed the situation quickly. It was agreed at length that Verdayne, with Andrieff and Alexis, should pass the gate and proceed to the château to reconnoitre, while Peter remained with the others at the gate until they should return. Paul started forward therefore with the overseer and Peter's cousin.
Paul, it seems, had been gone but a few minutes, when the door of the great hall was flung open and a half-dozen men burst in. It was then that Peter gave a great shout to alarm the household, and in response to which a handful of servants rushed in, Alexander Andrieff, the red-bearded overseer, among them.
Peter glanced at him quickly and then turned to his sister. "Thank heaven!" he cried. "Hush," said Natalie, gently, and taking her brother by the arm she pointed to Madame Estelle. Andrieff had done what he could, and the unhappy woman had, to some extent, come back to consciousness. She was indeed sufficiently alive to catch Paul's words.
Then Andrieff gave his pent-up passion full play, and it was a miracle that he did not kill his man. He wrenched an antimacassar from a chair and used it as a gag. With one powerful hand he dragged the captive by the neck to the window; with the other he threw up the casement and whistled sharply for Peter, who soon came running up the stairs and through the open door.
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