, Dangloss
and the Count and a lot of servants,--a great and increasing crowd.
The captain of the guards, a young fellow named Quinnox, as I heard him
called, came in, worried and humiliated. I fancy he was afraid he'd lose
his job. You see, it was this way: Old Dangloss has had a man watching
us all day. Think of it! Shadowing us like a couple of thieves.
This fellow traced us to the castle gate and then ran back for
reinforcements, confident that we were there to rob. In twenty minutes
he had a squad of officers at the gate, the chief trailing along behind.
They found the pile of tools we had left there, and later the other chap
in the arbor. A couple of guards came charging up to learn the cause of
the commotion, and the whole crew sailed into the castle, arriving just
in time. Well, just as soon as I had told them the full story of the
plot, old Caspar, the chief and the captain held a short consultation,
the result of which I can tell in mighty few words. At six o'clock they
took the whole gang of prisoners down in the ravine and shot them. The
mounted guards are still looking for the two Viennese who were left with
the carriage. They escaped. About an hour after you were hurt you were
carried over here and laid on this couch. I want to tell you, Mr. Lorry,
you are the most interesting object that ever found its way into a royal
household. They have been hanging over you as if you were a new-born
baby, and everybody's charmed because you are a boy and are going to
live. As an adventure this has been a record-breaker, my son! We are
cocks of the walk!"

Lorry was smiling faintly over his enthusiasm.

"You are the real hero, Harry, You saved my life and probably hers. I'll
not allow you or anybody to give me the glory," he said, pressing the
other's hand.

"Oh, that's nonsense! Anybody could have rushed in as I did. I was only
capping the climax you had prepared--merely a timely arrival, as the
novels say. There is a little of the credit due me, of course, and
I'll take it gracefully, but I only come in as an accessory, a sort of
bushwhacker who had only to do the shoot, slap-bang work and close the
act. You did the hero's work. But what do you think of the way they hand
out justice over here? All but two of 'em dead!"

"Whose plan was it to kill those men?" cried Lorry, suddenly sitting
upright.

"Everybody's, I fancy. They didn't consult me, though, come to think of
it. Ah, here is Her Royal Highness!"

The