第78章

"Hold him!" cried von Mitter, coming up with a limp, "hold him till I knock in his head, damn him!""No, no!" said Maurice, "you can't get information out of a dead man.""It's all up with me," groaned the Lieutenant."I'll ask for my discharge.I could hit nothing, my hand trembled.I was afraid of shooting into the carriage."Maurice turned his attention to the man beneath him."Now, you devil," he cried, "a clean breast of it, or off the board you go.

O!" suddenly peering down."By the Lord, so it is you--you--you!"savagely bumping the fellow's head against the earth."Spy!""You are killing me!"

"Small matter.Who is this fellow?" asked Maurice.

"Johann Kopf, a spy, a police rat, and God knows what else,"answered von Mitter, limping toward the carriage."Curse the leg!"He forced the door and peered inside."Fainted! I thought as much." He lifted the inanimate bundle which lay huddled in between the seats and carried it to the side of the road, where he tenderly laid it.He rubbed the girl's wrists, unmindful of the blood which fell from his face and left dark stains on her dress."Thank God," heartily, "that her Royal Highness was suffering from a headache.She would have died from fright."Maurice felt the straining cords in the prisoner's neck grow limp.The rascal had fainted.

"Not her Highness?" Maurice asked, the weight of dread lifting from his heart.

"No.Her Royal Highness sent Camille, her maid of honor, veiled and dressed like herself, to play an innocent jest on her old nurse.Some one shall account for this; for they mistook Camille for her Highness.I'm going to wade out into the water," von Mitter added, staggering to his feet.

"You'll never get off your boot," said Maurice.

"I'll cut it off," was the reply, "I shall faint if I do not cool off the leg.The ball is somewhere in the calf." And he waded out into the water until it reached above his knees.Thus he stood for a moment, then returned to the maid, who, on opening her eyes, screamed."It is all over, Camille," said the Lieutenant, throwing an arm about her.

"Your face is bleeding!" she cried, and sank back with her head against his broad breast.

As Maurice gazed at the pair he sighed.There were no obstacles here.

Soon Scharfenstein came loping down the hill alone.

"I killed his horse," he said, in response to queries, "but he fled into the woods where I could not follow.A bad night for us, Carl, a bad night," swinging off his horse."A boy would have done better work.Whom have we here?""Kopf," said Maurice, "and he has a ball somewhere inside,"holding up a bloody hand.

"Kopf?" Scharfenstein cocked his revolver.

The maid of honor placed her hands over her ears and screamed again.Max gazed at her, and, with a short, Homeric laugh, lowered the revolver.

"Any time will do," he said."Ah, he opens his eyes."The prisoner's eyes rolled wildly about.That frowning face above him...was it a vision? Who was it? What was he doing here?

"Who put you up to this?" demanded Maurice.

"You are choking me!"

"Who, I say?"

"Beauvais."

Scharfenstein and von Mitter looked at each other comprehensively.

"Who is this Beauvais? Speak!"

"I am dying, Herr...Your knees--"

Maurice withdrew his knees."Beauvais; who is he?""Prince...Walmoden, formerly of the emperor's staff."Johann's eyes closed again, and his head fell to one side.

"He looks as if he were done for," said Maurice, standing up.

"Let us clear up the rubbish and hitch a horse to the carriage.

The mate's all right."

Von Mitter assisted the maid into the carriage and seated her.

"Go and stay with her," said Maurice, brusquely; "you're half fainting.""You are very handy, Carewe," said von Mitter gratefully, and he climbed in beside the maid, who, her fright gone, gave way to womanly instincts.She took her kerchief and wiped the Lieutenant's cheek, pressing his hand in hers the while.

Maurice and Scharfenstein worked away at the traces, and dragged the dead horse to the side of the road.Scharfenstein brought around von Mitter's horse, took oft the furnishings, and backed him into the pole.

Meanwhile the man lying by the water's edge showed signs of returning life.He turned his head cautiously.His enemies were a dozen yards away from him.Slowly he rolled over on his stomach, thence to his knees.They were paying no attention to him....

"Ho, there! the prisoner!" cried von Mitter, tumbling out of the carriage.He tried to stand up, but a numbness seized his legs, and he sank to a sitting posture.

Maurice and Scharfenstein turned too late.Johann had mounted on Scharfenstein's horse, and was flying away down the road.

Maurice coolly leveled his revolver and sent two bullets after him.The second one caused Johann to straighten stiffly, then to sink; but he hung on to the horse.

"Hurry!" cried Maurice; "I've hit him and we'll find him along the road somewhere."They lifted von Mitter into the carriage, wheeled it about, and Scharfenstein mounted the box.Maurice sprang into his saddle, and they clattered off toward the city.