by
the tapestried panels to reach Saint Simon and the King at last.

No word was spoken now but the single one "Follow," as Leoni softly took
the King's hand and led him over the ground he so lately had traversed,
pausing after a time as the trio came within sight of the sentry, and
standing close up against the wall, to wait till the man reached his
nearest point to the secret door to turn in his automaton-like fashion
and begin marching back.

Leoni waited till the sentry half covered the distance he had to
traverse, and then led the King swiftly and silently till they were
nearly opposite the panel door, to pause once more--three shadowy
figures now--to wait there during the most crucial time, for the great
test was now at hand.

Could he trust the King to remain silent till the man turned back--if he
did turn back without distinguishing that he was not alone in the gloomy
gallery?

But Leoni was a man of resource, and to meet this difficulty he bade
Saint Simon lie down at full-length close to the wall, while he pressed
the King behind the pedestal of a statue standing in a niche a few yards
away.

It was a great risk, but the King seemed plunged in a deep sleep, and at
a time like that something had to be risked. It was the daring of the
plan that carried it through, and the fact that the sentry's perceptions
were dulled by habit. Hence it was that he came on, gazing
introspectively and seeing nothing but his own thoughts, which were of
the near approaching time when he would be relieved, and return to the
guard chamber, supper, and sleep.

Leoni hardly breathed as once more he watched the man come on nearer and
nearer, apparently to his death, for this time Leoni softly drew the
keen stiletto that he wore, and crouched ready to ensure silence and
save the King if he were driven to the last extremity. But that was not
to be.

The man came to the full extent of his paced-out beat, turned, and
marched back, while before he was half the distance to the other end the
doctor had glided across the gallery, raised the arras, and pressed the
boss, fully expecting to find that the door was fast; but it yielded
silently, and the doctor's heart leaped as he drew in a long deep breath
of cool moist air.

Dropping the arras, he stood for a moment gazing after the shadowy
sentry, feeling startled to see how far he was still from the end of his
beat; and, acting contrary to the mode he had planned in his
determina