as open and two figures
hooded and cloaked came forth. But hooded and cloaked as they were John
knew at once the first and slenderer one. The step disclosed the
goddess. Julie and Suzanne were going somewhere and he was to take them
and there was the prince himself coming through the open gate to give
him his instructions.

John's first emotion was one of extraordinary wonder, qualified in a
moment or two by humor. Suzanne opened the door of the machine and Julie
stepped in. Then the maid followed into the darkness of the interior and
closed the door. Truly that variable goddess, Fortune, had chosen to
play one of her oddest tricks and for the time, at least, she had chosen
him also as her favorite. But with a presence of mind bred in the
terrible school of war, he stood waiting ready to receive all her gifts
with a thankful heart. "These are two Frenchwomen, prisoners, whom I
hold," said the prince in a whisper. "There are reasons of state why
they should be taken from Zillenstein and be hidden at my hunting lodge
in the mountains. Follow the road that you see there in the moonlight
leading up the slope, and on the crest six leagues away you will come to
the lodge. You cannot miss it because no other building is there. It
lies off the road in a deep pine forest, and here is a letter to my
forester Muller who lives there. You and he will hold the women at the
lodge until I send for them, and let them speak with nobody, though
there is little chance of such a thing on the mountain, where the winter
has not yet gone. I hold you responsible for them. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness," replied John, and he meant it.

"And here is a purse of gold for you. See that you serve me well in this
matter, and there is another purse at the end of it. Now go at once!"

John touched his cap, sprang into the seat and started the great
automobile up the mountain road. He could not look back, but he knew
instinctively that the prince had gone into the castle as silently as he
had come from it. And he was alone at the wheel with Julie and Suzanne
inside. In very truth chance or fortune had moved the pawns for him in a
way that the most skillful player could not have equaled. For a moment,
the whole world seemed to swim beneath his feet.

The night was dark and cold, and although the road up the slope showed
for a long distance in the moonshine the top of the mountain was wrapped
in mist. A wind began to blow and he felt raw and