the mad king-第25部分

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saw　it　scuttle　hurriedly　beneath　another　tree　nearer　the　house。　　This　time　there　was　no　doubt。　　It　was　a　man！

Directly　before　the　door　where　Barney　stood　was　a　per…　gola；　ivy…covered。　　Behind　this　he　slid；　and；　running　its　length；　came　out　among　the　trees　behind　the　night　prowler。　Now　he　saw　him　distinctly。　　The　fellow　was　bearded；　and　in　his　right　hand　he　carried　a　package。　　Instantly　Barney　recalled　Butzow's　comment　upon　the　destruction　of　the　mill　〃if　it　WAS　lightning！〃

Cold　sweat　broke　from　every　pore　of　his　body。　　His　mother　and　father　were　there　in　the　house；　and　Vicall　sleeping　peacefully。　　He　ran　quickly　toward　the　menacing　figure；　and　as　he　did　so　he　saw　the　other　halt　behind　a　great　tree　and　strike　a　match。　　In　the　glow　of　the　flame　he　saw　it　touch　close　to　the　package　that　the　fellow　held；　and　then　he　was　upon　him。

There　was　a　brief　and　terrific　struggle。　　The　stranger　hurled　the　package　toward　the　house。　　Barney　caught　him　by　the　throat；　beating　him　heavily　in　the　face；　and　then；　realizing　what　the　package　was；　he　hurled　the　fellow　from　him；　and　sprang　toward　the　hissing　and　sputtering　missile　where　it　lay　close　to　the　foundation　wall　of　the　house；　though　in　the　instant　of　his　close　contact　with　the　man　he　had　recognized　through　the　disguising　beard　the　features　of　Captain　Ernst　Maenck；　the　principal　tool　of　Peter　of　Blentz。

Quick　though　Barney　was　to　reach　the　bomb　and　ex…　tinguish　the　fuse；　Maenck　had　disappeared　before　he　re…　turned　to　search　for　him；　and；　though　he　roused　the　gardener　and　chauffeur　and　took　turns　with　them　in　standing　guard　the　balance　of　the　night；　the　would…be　assassin　did　not　return。

There　was　no　question　in　Barney　Custer's　mind　as　to　whom　the　bomb　was　intended　for。　　That　Maenck　had　hurled　it　toward　the　house　after　Barney　had　seized　him　was　merely　the　result　of　accident　and　the　man's　desire　to　get　the　death…　dealing　missile　as　far　from　himself　as　possible　before　it　ex…　ploded。　　That　it　would　have　wrecked　the　house　in　the　hope　of　reaching　him；　had　he　not　fortunately　interfered；　was　too　evident　to　the　American　to　be　questioned。

And　so　he　decided　before　the　night　was　spent　to　put　him…　self　as　far　from　his　family　as　possible；　lest　some　future　attempt　upon　his　life　might　endanger　theirs。　　Then；　too；　righteous　anger　and　a　desire　for　revenge　prompted　his　de…　cision。　　He　would　run　Maenck　to　earth　and　have　an　ac…　counting　with　him。　　It　was　evident　that　his　life　would　not　be　worth　a　farthing　so　long　as　the　fellow　was　at　liberty。

Before　dawn　he　swore　the　gardener　and　chauffeur　to　si…　lence；　and　at　breakfast　announced　his　intention　of　leaving　that　day　for　New　York　to　seek　a　commission　as　correspondent　with　an　old　classmate；　who　owned　the　New　York　Evening　National。　　At　the　hotel　Barney　inquired　of　the　proprietor　relative　to　a　bearded　stranger；　but　the　man　had　had　no　one　of　that　description　registered。　　Chance；　however；　gave　him　a　clue。　　His　roadster　was　in　a　repair　shop；　and　as　he　stopped　in　to　get　it　he　overheard　a　conversation　that　told　him　all　he　wanted　to　know。　　As　he　stood　talking　with　the　foreman　a　dust…covered　automobile　pulled　into　the　garage。

〃Hello；　Bill；〃　called　the　foreman　to　the　driver。　　〃Where　you　been　so　early？〃

〃Took　a　guy　to　Lincoln；〃　replied　the　other。　　〃He　was　in　an　awful　hurry。　　I　bet　we　broke　all　the　records　for　that　stretch　of　road　this　morningI　never　knew　the　old　boat　had　it　in　her。〃

〃Who　was　it？〃　asked　Barney。

〃I　dunno；〃　replied　the　driver。　　〃Talked　like　a　furriner；　and　looked　the　part。　　Bushy　black　beard。　　Said　he　was　a　German　army　officer；　an'　had　to　beat　it　back　on　account　of　the　war。　Seemed　to　me　like　he　was　mighty　anxious　to　get　back　there　an'　be　killed。〃

Barney　waited　to　hear　no　more。　　He　did　not　even　go　home　to　say　good…bye　to　his　family。　　Instead　he　leaped　into　his　gray　roadstera　later　model　of　the　one　he　had　lost　in　Luthaand　the　last　that　Beatrice；　Nebraska；　saw　of　him　was　a　whirling　cloud　of　dust　as　he　raced　north　out　of　town　toward　Lincoln。

He　was　five　minutes　too　late　into　the　capital　city　to　catch　the　eastbound　limited　that　Maenck　must　have　taken；　but　he　caught　the　next　through　train　for　Chicago；　and　the　second　day　thereafter　found　him　in　New　York。　　There　he　had　little　difficulty　in　obtaining　the　desired　credentials　from　his　newspaper　friend；　especially　since　Barney　offered　to　pay　all　his　own　expenses　and　donate　to　the　paper　anything　he　found　time　to　write。

Passenger　steamers　were　still　sailing；　though　irregularly；　and　after　scanning　the　passenger…lists　of　three　he　found　the　name　he　sought。　　〃Captain　Ernst　Maenck；　Lutha。〃　　So　he　had　not　been　mistaken；　after　all。　　It　was　Maenck　he　had　appre…　hended　on　his　father's　grounds。　　Evidently　the　man　had　little　fear　of　being　followed；　for　he　had　made　no　effort　to　hide　his　identity　in　booking　passage　for　Europe。

The　steamer　he　had　caught　had　sailed　that　very　morning。　Barney　was　not　so　sorry；　after　all；　for　he　had　had　time　during　his　trip　from　Beatrice　to　do　considerable　thinking；　and　had　found　it　rather　difficult　to　determine　just　what　to　do　should　he　have　overtaken　Maenck　in　the　United　States。　He　couldn't　kill　the　man　in　cold　blood；　justly　as　he　may　have　deserved　the　fate；　and　the　thought　of　causing　his　ar…　rest　and　dragging　his　own　name　into　the　publicity　of　court　proceedings　was　little　less　distasteful　to　him。

Furthermore；　the　pursuit　of　Maenck　now　gave　Barney　a　legitimate　excuse　for　returning　to　Lutha；　or　at　least　to　the　close　neighborhood　of　the　little　kingdom；　where　he　might　await　the　outcome　of　events　and　be　ready　to　give　his　services　in　the　cause　of　the　house　of　Von　der　Tann　should　they　be　required。

By　going　directly　to　Italy　and　entering　Austria　from　that　country　Barney　managed　to　arrive　within　the　boundaries　of　the　dual　monarchy　with　comparatively　few　delays。　　Nor　did　he　encounter　any　considerable　bodies　of　troops　until　he　reached　the　little　town　of　Burgova；　which　lies　not　far　from　the　Serbian　frontier。　　Beyond　this　point　his　credentials　would　not　carry　him。　　The　emperor's　officers　were　polite；　but　firm。　No　newspaper　correspondents　could　be　permitted　nearer　the　front　than　Burgova。

There　was　nothing　to　be　done；　therefore；　but　wait　until　some　propitious　event　gave　him　the　opportunity　to　approach　more　closely　the　Serbian　boundary　and　Lutha。　　In　the　mean…　time　he　would　communicate　with　Butzow；　who　might　be　able　to　obtain　passes　for　him　to　some　village　nearer　the　Luthanian　frontier；　when　it　should　be　an　easy　matter　to　cross　through　to　Serbia。　　He　was　sure　the　Serbian　authori…　ties　would　object　less　strenuously　to　his　presence。

The　inn　at　which　he　applied　for　accommodations　was　al…　ready　overrun　by　officers；　but　the　proprietor；　with　scant　apologies　for　a　civilian；　offered　him　a　little　box　of　a　room　in　the　attic。　　The　place　was　scarce　more　than　a　closet；　and　for　that　Barney　was　in　a　way　thankful　since　the　limited　space　could　accommodate　but　a　single　cot；　thus　insuring　him　the　privacy　that　a　larger　chamber　would　have　precluded。

He　was　very　tired　after　his　long　and　comfortless　land　journey；　so　after　an　early　dinner　he　went　immediately　to　his　room　and　to　bed。　　How　long　he　slept　he　did　not　know；　but　some　time　during　the　night　he　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　voices　apparently　close　to　his　ear。

For　a　moment　he　thought　the　speakers　must　be　in　his　own　room；　so　distinctly　did　he　overhear　each　word　of　their　conversation；　but　presently　he　discovered　that　they　were　upon　the　opposite　side　of　a　thin　partition　in　an　adjoining　room。　　But　half　awake；　and　with　the　sole　idea　of　getting　back　to　sleep　again　as　quickly　as　possible；　Barney　paid　only　the　slightest　attention　to　the　meaning　of　the　words　that　fell　upon　his　ears；　until；　like　a　bomb；　a　sentence　broke　through　his　sleepy　faculties；　banishing　Morpheus　upon　the　instant。

〃It　will　take　but　little　now　to　turn　Leopold　against　Von　der　Tann。〃　　The　speaker　evidently　was　an　Austrian。　　〃Already　I　have　half　convinced　him　that　the　old　man　aspires　to　the　throne。　　Leopold　fears　the　loyalty　of　his　army；　which　is　for　Von　der　Tann　body　and　soul。　　He　knows　that　Von　der　Tann　is　strongly　anti…Austrian；　and　I　have　made　it　plain　to　him　that　if　he　allows　his　kingdom　to　take　sides　with　Serbia　he　will　have　no　kingdom　when　the　war　is　overit　will　be　a　part　of　Austria。

〃It　was　with　greater　difficulty；　however；　my　dear　Peter；　that　I　convinced　him　that　you；　Von　Coblich；　and　Captain　Maenck　were　his　most　loyal　friends。　　He　fears　you　yet；　but；　nevertheless；　he　has　pardoned　you　all。　　Do　not　forget　when　you　return　to　your　dear　Lutha　that　you　owe　your　repatria…　tion　to　Count　Zellerndorf　of　Austria。〃

〃You　may　be　assured　that　we　shall　never　forget；〃　replied　another　voice　that　Barney　recognized　at　once　as　belonging　to　Prince　Peter　of　Blentz；　the　one　time　regent　of　Lutha。

〃It　is　not　for　myself；〃　continued　Count　Zellerndorf；　〃that　I　crave　your　gratitude；　but　for　my　emperor。　　You　may　do　much　to　win　his　undying　gratitude；　while　for　yourselves　you　may　win　to　almost　any　height　with　the　friendship　of　Austria　behind　you。　　I　am　sure　that　should　any　accident；　which　God　forfend；　deprive　Lutha　of　her　king；　none　would　make　a　more　welcome　successor　in　the　eyes　of　Austria　than　our　good　friend　Peter。〃

Barney　could　almost　see　the　smile　of　satisfaction　upon　the　thin　lips　of　Peter　of　Blentz　as　this　broad　hint　fell　from　the　lips　of　the　Austrian　diplomata　hint　that　seemed　to　the　American　little　short　of　the　death　sentence　of　Leopold；　King　of　Lutha。

〃We　owed　you　much　before；　count；〃　said　Peter。　　〃But　for　you　we　should　have　been　hanged　a　year　agowithout　your　aid　we　should　never　have　been　able　to　escape　from　the　fortress　of　Lustadt　or　cross　the　border　into　Austria…Hungary。　I　am　sorry　that　Maenck　failed　in　his　mission；　for　had　he　not　we　would　have　had　concrete　evidence　to　present　to　the　king　that　we　are　indeed　his　loyal　supporters。　　It　would　have　dispelled　at　once　such　fears　and　doubts　as　he　may　still　entertain　of　our　fealty。〃

〃Yes；　I；　too；　am　sorry；〃　agreed　Zellerndorf。　　〃I　can　assure　you　that　the　news　we　hoped　Captain　Maenck　would　bring　from　America　would　have　gone　a　long　way　toward　re…　storing　you　to　the　confidence　and　good　graces　of　the　king。〃

〃I　did　my　best；〃　came　another　voice　that　caused　Barney's　eyes　to　go　wide　in　astonishment；　for　it　was　none　other　than　the　voice　of　Maenck　h