t cleanly. This man had taken his degree at Heidelberg, and the Germans
are the finest gymnasts in the world. Moreover, muscle, once made,
remains till death. It was his only chance, for the Frenchman had dodged
the novel, but it spoiled his aim. Steinmetz vaulted right on to him,
and De Chauxville staggered back.

In a moment Steinmetz had him by the collar; his face was gray, his
heavy eyes ablaze. If any thing will rouse a man, it is being fired at
point-blank at a range of four yards with a .280 revolver.

"Ach!" gasped the German; "you would shoot me, would you?"

He wrenched the pistol from De Chauxville's fingers and threw it into
the corner of the room. Then he shook the man like a garment.

"First," he cried, "you would kill Paul, and now you try to shoot me!
Good God! what are you? You are no man. Do you know what I am going to
do with you? I am going to thrash you like a dog!"

He dragged him to the fire-place. Above the mantelpiece a stick-rack was
affixed to the wall, and here were sticks and riding-whips. Steinmetz
selected a heavy whip. His eyes were shot with blood; his mouth worked
beneath his mustache.

"So," he said, "I am going to settle with you at last."

De Chauxville kicked and struggled, but he could not get free. He only
succeeded in half choking himself.

"You are going to swear," said Steinmetz, "never to approach the
princess again--never to divulge what you know of her past life."

The Frenchman was almost blue in the face. His eyes were wild with
terror.

And Karl Steinmetz thrashed him.

It did not last long. No word was spoken. The silence was only broken by
their shuffling feet, by the startling report of each blow, by De
Chauxville's repeated gasps of pain.

The fur jacket was torn in several places. The white shirt appeared here
and there. In one place it was stained with red.

At last Steinmetz threw him huddled into one corner of the room. The
chattering face, the wild eyes that looked up at him, were terrible to
see.

"When you have promised to keep the secret you may go," said Steinmetz.
"You must swear it."

De Chauxville's lips moved, but no sound came from them. Steinmetz
poured some water into a tumbler and gave it to him.

"It had to come to this," he said, "sooner or later. Paul would have
killed you; that is the only difference. Do you swear by God in heaven
above you that you will keep the princess's secret?"

"I swear it," answered De Chauxville hoars