ce, as he made for the door. "Vergis mein nicht!"
and he was gone.

He crept down the stairs, cautiously entered the court, it was deserted.
The moon was up and shining. The gate was locked, but he climbed it
without mishap. Not a sentry was in sight. He followed the path, and
swung off into the forest. He was free. Here he took a breathing spell.
When he started onward he held the revolver ready. Woe to the sentry who
blundered on him! For he was determined to cross the frontier if there
was a breath of life in him. Moreover, he must be in Bleiberg within
twenty hours.

He was positive that Madame the duchess intended to steal a march, to
declare war only when she was within gunshot of Bleiberg. It lay with
him to prevent this move. His cup of wrath was full. From now on he was
resolved to wage war against Madame on his own account. She had laughed
in his face. He pushed on, examining trees, hollows and ditches.
Sometimes he put his hand to his ear and listened. There was no sound in
the great lonely forest, save for the low murmur of the wind through the
sprawling boughs. Shadows danced on the forest floor. Once he turned and
shook his clenched fist toward the spot which marked the location of the
Red Chateau. He thanked Providence that he was never to see it again.
What an adventure to tell at the clubs when he once more regained his
Vienna! Would he regain it?

Why did Madame keep Fitzgerald to her strings? He concluded not to
bother himself with problems abstract; the main object was to cross
the Thalians by a path of his own choosing. When he had covered what he
thought to be a quarter of a mile, he mounted a lookout. The highway was
about three hundred yards to the left. That was where it should be. He
saw no sentries, so he slid down from the tree and resumed his journey.
The chestnuts, oaks, and firs were growing thicker and denser. A dead
branch cracked with a loud report beneath his feet. With his heart
almost in his throat, he lay down and listened. A minute passed; he
listened in vain for an answering noise. He got up and went on.

Presently he came upon a cluster of trees which was capable of affording
a hiding place for three or four men. He stood still and surveyed it.
The moon cast moving shadows on either side of it, but these had no
human shape. He laughed silently at his fear, and as he was about to
pass the cluster a man stepped out from behind it, his eyes gleaming
and his hand extended. He was