ly, and he climbed
in beside the maid, who, her fright gone, gave way to womanly instincts.
She took her kerchief and wiped the Lieutenant's cheek, pressing his
hand in hers the while.

Maurice and Scharfenstein worked away at the traces, and dragged the
dead horse to the side of the road. Scharfenstein brought around von
Mitter's horse, took oft the furnishings, and backed him into the pole.

Meanwhile the man lying by the water's edge showed signs of returning
life. He turned his head cautiously. His enemies were a dozen yards away
from him. Slowly he rolled over on his stomach, thence to his knees.
They were paying no attention to him....

"Ho, there! the prisoner!" cried von Mitter, tumbling out of the
carriage. He tried to stand up, but a numbness seized his legs, and he
sank to a sitting posture.

Maurice and Scharfenstein turned too late. Johann had mounted on
Scharfenstein's horse, and was flying away down the road. Maurice coolly
leveled his revolver and sent two bullets after him. The second one
caused Johann to straighten stiffly, then to sink; but he hung on to the
horse.

"Hurry!" cried Maurice; "I've hit him and we'll find him along the road
somewhere."

They lifted von Mitter into the carriage, wheeled it about, and
Scharfenstein mounted the box. Maurice sprang into his saddle, and they
clattered off toward the city.

CHAPTER XX. THE LAST STAND OF A BAD SERVANT

The cuirassiers stationed in the guardroom of the royal palace walked
gently on the tiling, when occasion required them to walk, and when they
entered or left the room, they were particularly careful to avoid
the chink of the spur or the clank of the saber. Although the royal
bedchamber was many doors removed, the Captain had issued a warning
against any unnecessary noise. A loud laugh, or the falling of a saber
carelessly rested, drew upon the unlucky offender the scowling eyes of
the commander, who reclined in front of the medieval fireplace, in
which a solitary log burned, and brooded over past and present. The high
revels in the guardroom were no more, the cuirassiers were no longer
made up of the young nobles of the kingdom; they were now merely watch
dogs.

Twenty years ago the commander had come from Dresden as an instructor in
arms, and after the first year had watched over the royal household, in
the service of the late king and the king who lay dying. He had come of
good family, but others had come oof better, and had c