f
Johanna Elizabetha began anything, she invariably completed her task; so
although she imagined her strategy spoiled through her use of the French
language, she kept steadily moving across the large dark room. As she
gained the door leading to the audience-chamber she heard the man's
bitten, jagged nails scrape the silk brocade of the hangings. He had
pushed aside the curtains, then--he was following her! 'God give me
strength,' she prayed again. With unhurried step she passed across the
whole length of the long audience-chamber, and gently opened the door of
the ante-hall. The page-in-waiting, a slight child of fourteen years,
sprang to his feet, bowing deeply, as her Highness entered.

'Are you alone?' said the Duchess quietly. 'Is no lackey in waiting?'

'No, your Highness; I have had the honour to guard your Highness alone
for the last few minutes. There is no one else at all,' the boy replied,
proud of the trust reposed in him.

'I cannot give up this child to the assassin's dagger,' thought the
Duchess.

To her strained hearing there seemed to be a creeping movement behind
her. Quickly she pulled the key from the lock on the inner door of the
audience-chamber, and with trembling hand fitted it into the keyhole on
the ante-hall side.

'Quick, boy! fasten the other door leading to my apartment!' she
whispered.

The youth ran forward to do her bidding, and as she heard the bolt fall
under his hand she succeeded in turning the key in the lock noiselessly.

'Call the guard! Quick! quick!'

Instantly the page rushed off, and once more Johanna Elizabetha was alone
with the owner of that yellow, hairy hand, but with a bolted door between
her and death this time. Still she held the door-handle firmly, and she
felt it being gently tried from inside. Then she heard distinctly
stealthy footsteps stealing away across the audience-chamber.

The guard clattered into the ante-hall--fifty men in yellow and silver
uniforms, with drawn swords, and pistols showing grimly at their sides.
The captain of the guard inquired her Highness's pleasure. The page had
summoned him, saying her Highness was in danger of her life.

'Yes,' said Johanna Elizabetha shortly, 'assassination. Search my
apartments, the doors are locked.'

The men poured in: some straight through the audience-chamber, others
through the narrow corridor leading round at the back of the Duchess's
sleeping apartment. In a short time the captain returned.

'We