the mad king-第24部分

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But　again　Butzow　shook　his　head。

〃I　have　fought　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　you；　my　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　called　you　king；　and　after　that　I　could　never　serve　the　coward　who　sits　now　upon　the　throne　of　Lutha。　　I　have　made　up　my　mind　during　this　long　ride　from　Lustadt；　and　I　have　come　to　the　decision　that　I　should　pre…　fer　to　raise　corn　in　Nebraska　with　you　rather　than　serve　in　the　court　of　an　ingrate。〃

〃Well；　you　are　an　obstinate　Dutchman；　after　all；〃　replied　the　American　with　a　smile；　placing　his　hand　affectionately　upon　the　shoulder　of　his　comrade。

There　was　a　clatter　of　horses'　hoofs　upon　the　gravel　of　the　road　behind　them。

The　two　men　put　spurs　to　their　mounts；　and　Barney　Custer　galloped　across　the　northern　boundary　of　Lutha　just　ahead　of　a　troop　of　Luthanian　cavalry；　as　had　his　father　thirty　years　before；　but　a　royal　princess　had　accompanied　the　fatheronly　a　soldier　accompanied　the　son。





PART　II


I

BARNEY　RETURNS　TO　LUTHA

〃WHAT'S　THE　MATTER；　Vic？〃　asked　Barney　Custer　of　his　sister。　　〃You　look　peeved。〃

〃I　am　peeved；〃　replied　the　girl；　smiling。　　〃I　am　terribly　peeved。　　I　don't　want　to　play　bridge　this　afternoon。　　I　want　to　go　motoring　with　Lieutenant　Butzow。　　This　is　his　last　day　with　us。〃

〃Yes。　　I　know　it　is；　and　I　hate　to　think　of　it；〃　replied　Barney；　〃but　why　in　the　world　do　you　have　to　play　bridge　if　you　don't　want　to？〃

〃I　promised　Margaret　that　I'd　go。　　They're　short　one；　and　she's　coming　after　me　in　her　car。〃

〃Where　are　you　going　to　playat　the　champion　lady　bridge　player's　on　Fourth　Street？〃　asked　Barney；　grinning。

His　sister　answered　with　a　nod　and　a　smile。　　〃Where　you　brought　down　the　wrath　of　the　lady　champion　upon　your　head　the　other　night　when　you　were　letting　your　mind　wander　across　to　Lutha　and　the　Old　Forest；　instead　of　paying　attention　to　the　game；〃　she　added。

〃Well；　cheer　up；　Vic；〃　cried　her　brother。　　〃Bert'll　probably　set　fire　to　the　car；　the　way　he　did　to　their　first　one；　and　then　you　won't　have　to　go。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　would；　Margaret　would　send　him　after　me　in　that　awful…looking；　unwashed　Ford　runabout　of　his；〃　an…　swered　the　girl。

〃And　then　you　WOULD　go；〃　said　Barney。

〃You　bet　I　would；〃　laughed　Victoria。　　〃I'd　go　in　a　wheel…　barrow　with　Bert。〃

But　she　didn't　have　to；　and　after　she　had　driven　off　with　her　chum；　Barney　and　Butzow　strolled　down　through　the　little　city　of　Beatrice　to　the　corn　mill　in　which　the　former　was　interested。

〃I'm　mighty　sorry　that　you　have　to　leave　us；　Butzow；〃　said　Barney's　partner。　　〃It's　bad　enough　to　lose　you；　but　I'm　afraid　it　will　mean　the　loss　of　Barney；　too。　　He's　been　hunt…　ing　for　some　excuse　to　get　back　to　Lutha；　and　with　you　there　and　a　war　in　sight　I'm　afraid　nothing　can　hold　him。〃

〃I　don't　know　but　that　it　may　be　just　as　well　for　my　friends　here　that　I　leave；〃　said　Butzow　seriously。　　〃I　did　not　tell　you；　Barney；　all　there　is　in　this　letter〃he　tapped　his　breastpocket；　where　the　foreign…looking　envelope　reposed　with　its　contents。

Custer　looked　at　him　inquiringly。

〃Besides　saying　that　war　between　Austria　and　Serbia　seems　unavoidable　and　that　Lutha　doubtless　will　be　drawn　into　it；　my　informant　warns　me　that　Leopold　had　sent　emissaries　to　America　to　search　for　you；　Barney；　and　my…　self。　　What　his　purpose　may　be　my　friend　does　not　know；　but　he　warns　us　to　be　upon　our　guard。　　Von　der　Tann　wants　me　to　return　to　Lutha。　　He　has　promised　to　protect　me；　and　with　the　country　in　danger　there　is　nothing　else　for　me　to　do。　　I　must　go。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　go　with　you；〃　said　Barney。　　〃If　it　wasn't　for　this　dinged　old　mill　I　would；　but　Bert　wants　to　go　away　this　summer；　and　as　I　have　been　away　most　of　the　time　for　the　past　two　years；　it's　up　to　me　to　stay。〃

As　the　three　men　talked　the　afternoon　wore　on。　　Heavy　clouds　gathered　in　the　sky；　a　storm　was　brewing。　　Outside；　a　man；　skulking　behind　a　box　car　on　the　siding；　watched　the　entrance　through　which　the　three　had　gone。　　He　watched　the　workmen；　and　as　quitting　time　came　and　he　saw　them　leaving　for　their　homes　he　moved　more　restlessly；　trans…　ferring　the　package　which　he　held　from　one　hand　to　an…　other　many　times；　yet　always　gingerly。

At　last　all　had　left。　　The　man　started　from　behind　the　box　car；　only　to　jump　back　as　the　watchman　appeared　around　the　end　of　one　of　the　buildings。　　He　watched　the　guardian　of　the　property　make　his　rounds；　he　saw　him　enter　his　of…　fice；　and　then　he　crept　forward　toward　the　building；　hold…　ing　his　queer　package　in　his　right　hand。

In　the　office　the　watchman　came　upon　the　three　friends。　At　sight　of　him　they　looked　at　one　another　in　surprise。

〃Why；　what　time　is　it？〃　exclaimed　Custer；　and　as　he　looked　at　his　watch　he　rose　with　a　laugh。　　〃Late　to　dinner　again；〃　he　cried。　　〃Come　on；　we'll　go　out　this　other　way。〃　And　with　a　cheery　good　night　to　the　watchman　Barney　and　his　friends　hastened　from　the　building。

Upon　the　opposite　side　the　stranger　approached　the　door…　way　to　the　mill。　　The　rain　was　falling　in　blinding　sheets。　Ominously　the　thunder　roared。　　Vivid　flashes　of　lightning　shot　the　heavens。　　The　watchman；　coming　suddenly　from　the　doorway；　his　hat　brim　pulled　low　over　his　eyes；　passed　within　a　couple　of　paces　of　the　stranger　without　seeing　him。

Five　minutes　later　there　was　a　blinding　glare　accompanied　by　a　deafening　roar。　　It　was　as　though　nature　had　marshaled　all　her　forces　in　one　mighty；　devastating　effort。　　At　the　same　instant　the　walls　of　the　great　mill　burst　asunder；　a　nebulous　mass　of　burning　gas　shot　heavenward；　and　then　the　flames　settled　down　to　complete　the　destruction　of　the　ruin。

It　was　the　following　morning　that　Victoria　and　Barney　Custer；　with　Lieutenant　Butzow　and　Custer's　partner；　stood　contemplating　the　smoldering　wreckage。

〃And　to　think；〃　said　Barney；　〃that　yesterday　this　muss　was　the　largest　corn　mill　west　of　anywhere。　　I　guess　we　can　both　take　vacations　now；　Bert。〃

〃Who　would　have　thought　that　a　single　bolt　of　lightning　could　have　resulted　in　such　havoc？〃　mused　Victoria。

〃Who　would？〃　agreed　Lieutenant　Butzow；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　narrowing　of　his　eyes　and　a　quick　glance　at　Bar…　ney；　〃if　it　WAS　lightning。〃

The　American　looked　at　the　Luthanian。　　〃You　think〃　he　started。

〃I　don't　dare　think；〃　replied　Butzow；　〃because　of　the　fear　of　what　this　may　mean　to　you　and　Miss　Victoria　if　it　was　not　lightning　that　destroyed　the　mill。　　I　shouldn't　have　spoken　of　it　but　that　it　may　urge　you　to　greater　caution；　which　I　cannot　but　think　is　most　necessary　since　the　warn…　ing　I　received　from　Lutha。〃

〃Why　should　Leopold　seek　to　harm　me　now？〃　asked　Bar…　ney。　　〃It　has　been　almost　two　years　since　you　and　I　placed　him　upon　his　throne；　only　to　be　rewarded　with　threats　and　hatred。　　In　that　time　neither　of　us　has　returned　to　Lutha　nor　in　any　way　conspired　against　the　king。　　I　cannot　fathom　his　motives。〃

〃There　is　the　Princess　Emma　von　der　Tann；〃　Butzow　reminded　him。　　〃She　still　repulses　him。　　He　may　think　that；　with　you　removed　definitely　and　permanently；　all　will　then　be　plain　sailing　for　him　in　that　direction。　　Evidently　he　does　not　know　the　princess。〃


An　hour　later　they　were　all　bidding　Butzow　good…bye　at　the　station。　　Victoria　Custer　was　genuinely　grieved　to　see　him　go；　for　she　liked　this　soldierly　young　officer　of　the　Royal　Horse　Guards　immensely。

〃You　must　come　back　to　America　soon；〃　she　urged。

He　looked　down　at　her　from　the　steps　of　the　moving　train。　There　was　something　in　his　expression　that　she　had　never　seen　there　before。

〃I　want　to　come　back　soon；〃　he　answered；　〃toto　Bea…　trice；〃　and　he　flushed　and　smiled　at　his　own　stumbling　tongue。

For　about　a　week　Barney　Custer　moped　disconsolately；　principally　about　the　ruins　of　the　corn　mill。　　He　was　in　every…　one's　way　and　accomplished　nothing。

〃I　was　never　intended　for　a　captain　of　industry；〃　he　con…　fided　to　his　partner　for　the　hundredth　time。　　〃I　wish　some　excuse　would　pop　up　to　which　I　might　hang　a　reason　for　beating　it　to　Europe。　　There's　something　doing　there。　　Nearly　everybody　has　declared　war　upon　everybody　else；　and　here　I　am　stagnating　in　peace。　　I'd　even　welcome　a　tornado。〃

His　excuse　was　to　come　sooner　than　he　imagined。　　That　night；　after　the　other　members　of　his　family　had　retired；　Barney　sat　smoking　within　a　screened　porch　off　the　living…　room。　　His　thoughts　were　upon　a　trim　little　figure　in　riding　togs；　as　he　had　first　seen　it　nearly　two　years　before；　clinging　desperately　to　a　runaway　horse　upon　the　narrow　mountain　road　above　Tafelberg。

He　lived　that　thrilling　experience　through　again　as　he　had　many　times　before。　　He　even　smiled　as　he　recalled　the　series　of　events　that　had　resulted　from　his　resemblance　to　the　mad　king　of　Lutha。

They　had　come　to　a　culmination　at　the　time　when　the　king；　whom　Barney　had　placed　upon　a　throne　at　the　risk　of　his　own　life；　discovered　that　his　savior　loved　the　girl　to　whom　the　king　had　been　betrothed　since　childhood　and　that　the　girl　returned　the　American's　love　even　after　she　knew　that　he　had　but　played　the　part　of　a　king。

Barney's　cigar；　forgotten；　had　long　since　died　out。　　Not　even　its　former　fitful　glow　proclaimed　his　presence　upon　the　porch；　whose　black　shadows　completely　enveloped　him。　　Be…　fore　him　stretched　a　wide　acreage　of　lawn；　tree　dotted　at　the　side　of　the　house。　　Bushes　hid　the　stone　wall　that　marked　the　boundary　of　the　Custer　grounds　and　extended　here　and　there　out　upon　the　sward　among　the　trees。　　The　night　was　moonless　but　clear。　　A　faint　light　pervaded　the　scene。

Barney　sat　staring　straight　ahead；　but　his　gaze　did　not　stop　upon　the　familiar　objects　of　the　foreground。　　Instead　it　spanned　two　continents　and　an　ocean　to　rest　upon　the　little　spot　of　woodland　and　rugged　mountain　and　lowland　that　is　Lutha。　　It　was　with　an　effort　that　the　man　suddenly　focused　his　attention　upon　that　which　lay　directly　before　him。　　A　shadow　among　the　trees　had　moved！

Barney　Custer　sat　perfectly　still；　but　now　he　was　sud…　denly　alert　and　watchful。　　Again　the　shadow　moved　where　no　shadow　should　be　moving。　　It　crossed　from　the　shade　of　one　tree　to　another。　　Barney　came　cautiously　to　his　feet。　Silently　he　entered　the　house；　running　quickly　to　a　side　door　that　opened　upon　the　grounds。　　As　he　drew　it　back　its　hinges　gave　forth　no　sound。　　Barney　looked　toward　the　spot　where　he　had　seen　the　shadow。　　Again　he　sa