d go, not to the house itself, but to the gate-keeper's lodge.
Here he was to leave his machine, and tap at the door. On its being
opened, he was to say nothing, but to give the letter to him who opened
the door. After that he was to take the machine away to the capital,
some sixty miles farther on.

The message, then, was to the King himself. For Nikky, as all the world,
knew that Karl, with some kindred spirits, was at Wedeling, shooting.
That is, if the messenger told the truth. Nikky intended to find out. He
was nothing if not thorough.

Nikky had lost much of his jaunty air by that time. On the surface
he was his usual debonair self; but his mouth was grim and rather
contemptuous. This was Karl's way: to propose marriage with a Princess
of Livonia, and yet line the country with his spies! Let him but
return, God willing, with his report, and after that, let them continue
negotiations with Karl if they dared.

When at last the lights of the lodge at the gate of Wedeling gleamed
out through the trees, it was half-pass three, and a wet spring snow was
falling softly. In an open place Nikky looked up. The stars were gone.

The lodge now, and the gate-keeper's house. Nikky's heart hammered as he
left the car--hammered with nervousness, not terror. But he went boldly
to the door, and knocked.

So far all was well. There were footsteps within, and a man stepped out
into the darkness, closing the door behind him. Nikky, who had come so
far to see this very agent, and to take back a description of him,
felt thwarted. Things were not being done, he felt, according to
specification. And the man spoke, which was also unexpected.

"You have the letter?" he asked.

"It is here." Luckily he did not speak the patois.

"I will take it."

Nikky held it out. The man fumbled for it, took it.

"Orders have come," said the voice, "that you remain here for the night.
In the morning you are to carry dispatches to the city."

Poor Nikky! With his car facing toward the lodge, and under necessity,
in order to escape, to back it out into the highway! He thought quickly.
There was no chance of overpowering his man quickly and silently. And
the house was not empty. From beyond the door came the sounds of men's
voices, and the thud of drinking-mugs on a bare table.

"You will take me up to the house, and then put the car away until
morning."

Nikky breathed again. It was going to be easy, after all. If only the
road went straight