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Drawing his sword, he securely fastened the thong on the hilt about his wrist that no matter how fierce the mêlée, he would not be disarmed. Delmotte imitated his example. Giving the blade a preparatory swing, the doughty Treasurer settled back in his saddle with a sigh of anticipation. Zulka and Sobieska rode back to Trusia. "Just for 'Auf wiedersehn," they said smilingly.
The wicket in the entrance door was heard to open. An irregular, halting, desperate step came up the hall. With a lunge, the door flung open. Zulka, bleeding, grimy, and gasping, tottered into the room. "Schallberg! Schallberg!" he whispered faintly, "Lore! Bagos! all are taken!" And he fell heavily to the floor.
"How should I remember?" he said helplessly. "These English names are hard to bear in mind. Such things, ach! as I have had to remember in the last year." The burden was evidently appalling. "Yet," he added kindly, that he might do no injustice, "it might be so that he did." "If Count Zulka were here" began Carter confidently.
Then hurriedly Sobieska recited to Zulka the outline of the conspiracy and Delmotte's connection with it. "If you will let me help," said the artist appealing to them all, "I'll show you that though a bourgeois Frenchman, I know how to die." Trusia held out her hand impulsively. "I thank you, monsieur," she said simply. "Forgive me if I have been late in discovering that you are a brave man."
I'll look up Zulka and get him to have me counted in if there's any fight going to occur." "And me too, sir," answered Carrick, standing like a stag who from a peak challenges his kind. Carter looked at the man with evident appreciation and a pleased smile animated his face. "It will be the old days over again. I warn you, Carrick, you'll have to hustle to beat me up another hill."
An inquiry half parted Trusia's lips as she turned to hear Carter's confirmation, but checking her curiosity, she signed for Josef to proceed. "Then they came to Posner's Inn. You know, Highness, what preparations were going forward there. These the spies noted. They even tried to bribe Posner into telling where Count Zulka could be found. They knew there was a heavy price upon his head.
"You ought to know me better. I never take 'no' for an answer." Carter's pride glowed in his face as he made this reply. "The Duchess of Schallberg," announced Zulka, "will marry the King of Krovitch to unite the two houses. She has pledged herself." This seemingly irrelevant announcement was made through a swirling cloud of smoke. "So?"
It is going to be all the harder for me." Zulka nodded his head gravely. "You'd better fight at close range. It is harder, but quicker." He noted Calvert's riding costume at a glance and made a sudden resolve. "Better take a ride, old chap. Get yourself in condition. I'm busy to-day. Borrow Casimir's horse he's off for the morning. I think Natalie will be out on the road this way.
Presently, after having sufficiently watched the rings of smoke flatten themselves against a black, studded rafter, Carter gave a slight rein to his speculations. "Why," he said, holding up his cigarette to gaze squintingly at the ember at its head, "why is the Count Sobieska antagonistic to Josef?" Zulka stretched himself further back in his heavy chair.
A fortune in bills presumably for bribes, a road map of our country, and the name of 'Zulka' written across the capital, Schallberg." At the reference to Zulka's name used in connection with the alleged plot, Trusia gave a slight start and a reproachful look clouded her eyes. Frankly, fearlessly, he met her glance as well as the steel-like glint from Sobieska.