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"Peter and Coblich have known it from the first, and then there is Kramer, the loyal old shopkeeper of Tafelberg, who followed Coblich and Maenck all night and half a day as they dragged the king to the hiding-place where we found him. Other than these there may be those who guess the truth, but there are none who know." For a moment the king sat in thought.
Were his corpse to be carried into the cathedral of Lustadt before noon today, and were those who fetched it to swear that the king was killed by the impostor after being dragged from the hospital at Tafelberg where you and Maenck had located him, and from which you were attempting to rescue him, I believe that the people would tear our enemies to pieces. What say you, Coblich?"
At first he denied his identity, but when the other had convinced him that he sought only the king's welfare he at last admitted that he was Leopold." "Where is he now?" cried Peter. "He is still in the sanatorium at Tafelberg. In room twenty-seven.
"I saw the man at Tafelberg whom you say is king," replied Butzow. "I saw him tremble and whimper in the face of danger. I saw him run when he might have seized something, even a stone, and fought at the sides of the men who were come to rescue him. And I saw you there also.
I do not ask you to understand it is not necessary but this you must know and believe: that I am not Leopold, and that the true Leopold lies in hiding in the sanatorium at Tafelberg, from which you and I, Butzow, must fetch him to Lustadt before noon on the fifth." "But, sire " commenced Butzow, when Barney raised his hand. "Enough of that, Butzow!" he cried almost irritably.
And amid the din of cheering that followed, Barney Custer of Beatrice and Lieutenant Butzow of the Royal Horse rode out into the night upon the road to Tafelberg. When Peter of Blentz had escaped from the cathedral he had hastily mounted with a handful of his followers and hurried out of Lustadt along the road toward his formidable fortress at Blentz.
"Last evening I was hiding far up in the mountains from Yellow Franz's band of cutthroats," replied Barney. "Tell me what manner of riddle you are propounding." Then a sudden light of understanding flashed through Barney's mind. "Man!" he exclaimed. "Tell me you have found the true king? He is at a hospital in Tafelberg?"
"King or dictator," he said, "it is all the same, and I must obey whatever commands you see fit to give, and so I will ride to Tafelberg tonight, though what we shall find there I cannot imagine, unless there are two Leopolds of Lutha. But shall we also find another royal ring upon the finger of this other king?" Barney smiled. "You're a typical hard-headed Dutchman, Butzow," he said.
"Ride with us and if you have told the truth, fellow, there shall be a reward and if not then there shall be deserts," and Peter of Blentz wheeled his horse and with his company galloped on toward Tafelberg.
The road out of Tafelberg wound upward among tall trees toward the pass that would lead him across the next valley on his way to the Old Forest, where he hoped to find some excellent shooting. All his life Barney had promised himself that some day he should visit his mother's native land, and now that he was here he found it as wild and beautiful as she had said it would be.
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