登陆注册
15452100000098

第98章 XV MAENCK BLUNDERS(3)

The misfortune would add nearly twenty miles to his journey--he could not now hope to reach Lustadt before late in the afternoon. Turning his horse back along the trail he had come, he retraced his way until he reached a nar-row bridle path that led toward the southwest. The trail was rough and indistinct, yet he pushed forward, even more rapidly than safety might have suggested. The noble beast beneath him was all loyalty and ambition.

"Take it easy, old boy," whispered Barney into the slim, pointed ears that moved ceaselessly backward and forward, "you'll get your chance when we strike the highway, never fear."And he did.

So unexpected had been Maenck's entrance into the room in the east transept, so sudden his attack, that it was all over before a hand could be raised to stay him. At the report of his revolver the king sank to the floor. At almost the same instant Lieutenant Butzow whipped a revolver from beneath his tunic and fired at the assassin. Maenck staggered forward and stumbled across the body of the king.

Butzow was upon him instantly, wresting the revolver from his fingers. Prince Ludwig ran to the king's side and, kneel-ing there, raised Leopold's head in his arms. The bishop and the doctor bent over the limp form. The Princess Emma stood a little apart. She had leaped from the couch where she had been lying. Her eyes were wide in horror. Her palms pressed to her cheeks.

It was upon this scene that a hatless, dust-covered man in a red hunting coat burst through the door that had ad-mitted Maenck. The man had seen and recognized the con-spirator as he climbed to the top of the limousine and dropped within the cathedral grounds, and he had followed close upon his heels.

No one seemed to note his entrance. All ears were turned toward the doctor, who was speaking.

"The king is dead," he said.

Maenck raised himself upon an elbow. He spoke feebly.

"You fools," he cried. "That man was not the king. I saw him steal the king's clothes at Blentz and I followed him here. He is the American--the impostor." Then his eyes, circling the faces about him to note the results of his an-nouncements, fell upon the face of the man in the red hunt-ing coat. Amazement and wonder were in his face. Slowly he raised his finger and pointed.

"There is the king," he said.

Every eye turned in the direction he indicated. Exclama-tions of surprise and incredulity burst from every lip. The old chancellor looked from the man in the red hunting coat to the still form of the man upon the floor in the blood-spattered marriage garments of a king of Lutha. He let the king's head gently down upon the carpet, and then he rose to his feet and faced the man in the red hunting coat.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Before Barney could speak Lieutenant Butzow spoke.

"He is the king, your highness," he said. "I rode with him to Blentz to free Mr. Custer. Both were wounded in the courtyard in the fight that took place there. I helped to dress their wounds. The king was wounded in the breast--Mr. Custer in the left leg."

Prince von der Tann looked puzzled. Again he turned his eyes questioningly toward the newcomer.

"Is this the truth?" he asked.

Barney looked toward the Princess Emma. In her eyes he could read the relief that the sight of him alive had brought her. Since she had recognized the king she had believed that Barney was dead. The temptation was great--he dreaded losing her, and he feared he would lose her when her father learned the truth of the deception that had been practiced upon him. He might lose even more--men had lost their heads for tampering with the affairs of kings.

"Well?" persisted the chancellor.

"Lieutenant Butzow is partially correct--he honestly be-lieves that he is entirely so," replied the American. "He did ride with me from Lustadt to Blentz to save the man who lies dead here at your feet. The lieutenant thought that he was riding with his king, just as your highness thought that he was riding with his king during the battle of Lustadt.

You were both wrong--you were riding with Mr. Bernard Custer, of Beatrice. I am he. I have no apologies to make.

What I did I would do again. I did it for Lutha and for the woman I love. She knows and the king knew that I intended restoring his identity to him with no one the wiser for the interchange that had taken place. The king upset my plans by stealing back his identity while I slept, with the result that you see before you upon the floor. He has died as he had lived--futilely."As he spoke the Princess Emma had crossed the room to-ward him. Now she stood at his side, her hand in his.

Tense silence reigned in the apartment. The old chancellor stood with bowed head, buried in thought. All eyes were upon him except those of the doctor, who had turned his attention from the dead king to the wounded assassin. But-zow stood looking at Barney Custer in open relief and ad-miration. He had been trying to vindicate his friend in his own mind ever since he had discovered, as he believed, that Barney had tricked Leopold after the latter had saved his life at Blentz and ridden to Lustadt in the king's guise. Now that he knew the whole truth he realized how stupid he had been not to guess that the man who had led the vic-torious Luthanian army before Lustadt could not have been the cowardly Leopold.

Presently the chancellor broke the silence.

"You say that Leopold of Lutha lived futilely. You are right; but when you say that he has died futilely, you are, I believe, wrong. Living, he gave us a poor weakling. Dy-ing, he leaves the throne to a brave man, in whose veins flows the blood of the Rubinroths, hereditary rulers of Lutha.

"You are the only rightful successor to the throne of Lutha," he argued, "other than Peter of Blentz. Your mother's marriage to a foreigner did not bar the succession of her offspring. Aside from the fact that Peter of Blentz is out of the question, is the more important fact that your line is closer to the throne than his. He knew it, and this knowledge was the real basis of his hatred of you."As the old chancellor ceased speaking he drew his sword and raised it on high above his head.

"The king is dead," he said. "Long live the king!"

同类推荐
  • 集验背疽方

    集验背疽方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 花案奇闻

    花案奇闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 筠廊偶笔

    筠廊偶笔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Great Controversy

    The Great Controversy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 益智录

    益智录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 橘生淮南北为枳

    橘生淮南北为枳

    多年后,感谢有那样一个暖心而又疏远的少年填满我的青春。那年她16岁,被学校贴上了坏学生标签的她,却喜欢上了那少年。她为了他,失去自我。他喜欢冒险。她不惜一切代价甚至不顾自己的高原反应,跟着他攀登珠穆朗玛峰险些丧命。校服少年纪念是南枳枯燥高中里的光芒。不良少女南枳是停在纪念心里却不敢去触碰的伤。橘生淮南北为枳。也许他是南地的橘,她却是北地的枳,两个不同世界的人,终究……
  • 聪明的猴子即加

    聪明的猴子即加

    一个被偷猎者击伤头颅的猴子,利用人的干细胞进行治疗之后,变得异常聪明。这个名叫即嘉的猴子在返归大自然之后,带领森林中的动物与各种偷猎者以及毁坏自然环境的人巧妙地周旋,取得一次又一次胜利。经过曲折的过程,最终人与动物及自然环境达至和谐,共度美好时光。故事情节激烈紧张,引人入胜;猴子天性顽皮,所使用的计谋类似搞笑的恶作剧;猴子的智慧及故事结局,出神入化。
  • 冒险之翼

    冒险之翼

    所有自己不知道的都被称为「未知」所有解密「未知」的过程都叫「冒险」梦想,希望,求知,勇气,智慧。这是「冒险家们的」信条,更是让少男少女们跨过各种危难险阻发现世界,开拓世界的最终信条。这是一个属于「冒险」的故事。
  • tfboys之复仇公主的爱恋

    tfboys之复仇公主的爱恋

    ,,,,绝对不会剧透的,嘻嘻嘻,总之和其他的不一样?7
  • 卫校小保安

    卫校小保安

    【免费爽文,万人追读】叶天因为偷看师姐师妹洗澡被安排到一所卫校来当女生宿舍的保安,这让他相当的郁闷。“天哥!人家腿好酸啊!你来给人家揉揉腿嘛!”“天哥!人家肚肚好疼!你快来看看是怎么回事嘛!”“天哥!人家后背好痒啊!你来给人家挠挠嘛!”面对这些无理要求,叶天怒道:“你们这些小娘皮,一天不被抽就不舒服是不是?”求支持,毕竟,卫校那些事儿,你们都懂的。
  • 七月公主复仇之路

    七月公主复仇之路

    从小受尽各种欺凌,在14岁时父母离去,当她知道父母是被强势的家族杀手杀害时,她就已经决定踏上一条复仇之路。五年后,我们注定相见“莫氏家族”,等着.........
  • 低调做人的80个细节

    低调做人的80个细节

    本书详细介绍了低调做人的艺术与原则,从低调做人的细节入手,使读者轻松领略做人的智慧。本书共分八章,分别为:低伏者得大成,不争者得天下;将飞则翼伏,将奋则足踞;低调不求盈满,做人恰到好处;与其练达,不如朴鲁;藏巧于拙,以屈为伸;让步为高,宽人是福;盛极必衰,居安虑患;真味是淡,至人如常。 读者在阅读本书之后,轻松掌握做人的艺术,能够以低调做人之智获得一片广阔的天地,成就一份完美的事业。
  • 辜卿流年

    辜卿流年

    晴卿曾经爱过一个人,是那么刻骨铭心,可所谓誓言,所谓承诺,最终终是敌不过黎明的离别……“因为爱你太深,我才会比在乎自己还在乎你。”“若是可以,定不负卿。”
  • 多少衬衫解韩愁

    多少衬衫解韩愁

    “长的干干净净,穿着白衬衫校服裤在操场打篮球的男孩子,你觉得他会喜欢女的吗?”站在操场里对某个男神正流哈喇子金多少同学听到这句话对韩同学的印象就是:这个人对男神有非分之想!“金多少你为什么不喜欢我?”“因为我喜欢穿着白衬衫校服裤在操场上打球的男生。”韩肖同学成功被金多少不在线的智商气得情商掉线。
  • 独宠医妃:妖帝,别使坏

    独宠医妃:妖帝,别使坏

    前世,她是惊才绝艳的殿杀之主,蹬骨逐尸,生杀予夺。却惨遭背叛,家破人亡。一朝重生,回到五年前。入禁地,得传承,空间里神器功法一箩筐,琳琅满目的丹药在手,却喜欢见死不救。娇弱的少女当街遭人调戏侮辱?不救!让万千女子倾心折腰,玉树临风的九王爷遭人暗算,性命垂危?不救!她满心仇恨,冷睨天下,然那权倾天下的男子霸道至极,“不过是些不入流的东西,从今以后,人,我替你杀,仇,我给你报,你心里既然有我,那就只能有我一个。”另:作者简介无能,具体情节以正文为主。