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"If I am to blame for the loss of your papers, why is Baron von Kerber in prison on your testimony?" "You are both in league," he almost screamed. "I was blind, infatuated, at Assouan. It was the Austrian who planned my undoing, and you, his paramour, who cajoled me out of my senses."
Twice he missed, owing to the restiveness of the horse, but the third shot hit the Italian in the center of the forehead. When Royson found them, they were lying within a few feet of each other. Alfieri was dead. His pale student's features, softened by the great change, wore a queer look of surprise. Von Kerber was alive, but dying.
"My employer seems to have done things pretty thoroughly," he could not help saying. The shopman dug a compliment out of the remark. "Our house has a reputation to maintain," he answered, "and Mr. Fenshawe is one of our best and oldest customers." There was no mention of Count von Kerber, which added a ripple to the wave of astonishment in Royson's breast.
"Am I right in supposin' that you know where this stuff is hid, Mr. von Kerber?" he asked, his small eyes twinkling under the strain of continuous thought. "Yes." "Are you positive?" "Yes." "Does anybody else know?" Royson felt that the Baron did not expect this question, but the answer came promptly: "Mr. Fenshawe knows, and the two ladies who accompany him have a species of general knowledge."
"But you have seen them?" "Oh, yes. They are here." "Then will you oblige me by sending in my name to Baron von Kerber, and saying " "It is impossible. Go to your ship. I speak as a friend." "I am sure you wish to help me," persisted Dick, "but I am carrying a message of some importance " "Ah, from whom?" "From a lady." "Who is she?" "One of the ladies of our party." "Ahi, crudo Amor!
"I am taking a grave step, signora," he said, "but I feel that the peculiar circumstances warrant it. I have released the Baron von Kerber. He is now awaiting you, and it will give me much pleasure to conduct you to your carriage. Yet I pray you give earnest heed to me. I have told him what I now tell you this undertaking of yours must be abandoned.
I fear that my grandfather has been misled, wilfully and shamefully misled, but I am unable to prevent it for lack of proof. But to-night, after dinner, I chanced to overhear a conversation with reference to you which redoubled the doubts I have felt ever since this expedition was decided on. I feel that I must tell you. Baron von Kerber distrusts you because you are a gentleman.
He would have gone without another word had not von Kerber touched his arm. "You have not taken my card," said the man imperiously. Some mischievous impulse, born of the turbulent emotions momentarily quelled by the flurry of the carriage accident, conquered Royson's better instincts. Though the Baron, was tall, he towered above him.
Nothing short of the most painstaking personal examination of the oasis at the Well of Moses would now convince the millionaire that von Kerber had not tricked him at the eleventh hour.
"You forget that the twenty-sixth Sir Richard was dead, and that it really did not matter one jot to the twenty-seventh whether he learnt the news a few weeks earlier or later. But it mattered everything to us, to Baron von Kerber and myself, I mean. We were determined that this expedition should succeed, and we boggled at no means which promised to achieve our end.
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