e.
Men and women passed to and fro on their daily labors or pleasures;
there was no unusual stir in the city. Looking over the roofs, Rupert
could see the royal standard floating in the wind over the palace and
the barracks. He took out his watch; Rischenheim imitated his action; it
was ten minutes to ten.

"Rischenheim," he called, "come here a moment. Here--look out."

Rischenheim obeyed, and Rupert let him look for a minute or two before
speaking again.

"Do you see anything remarkable?" he asked then.

"No, nothing," answered Rischenheim, still curt and sullen in his
fright.

"Well, no more do I. And that's very odd. For don't you think that Sapt
or some other of her Majesty's friends must have gone to the lodge last
night?"

"They meant to, I swear," said Rischenheim with sudden attention.

"Then they would have found the king. There's a telegraph wire at
Hofbau, only a few miles away. And it's ten o'clock. My cousin, why
isn't Strelsau mourning for our lamented king? Why aren't the flags at
half-mast? I don't understand it."

"No," murmured Rischenheim, his eyes now fixed on his cousin's face.

Rupert broke into a smile and tapped his teeth with his fingers.

"I wonder," said he meditatively, "if that old player Sapt has got a
king up his sleeve again! If that were so--" He stopped and seemed to
fall into deep thought. Rischenheim did not interrupt him, but stood
looking now at him, now out of the window. Still there was no stir in
the streets, and still the standards floated at the summit of the flag
staffs. The king's death was not yet known in Strelsau.

"Where's Bauer?" asked Rupert suddenly. "Where the plague can Bauer be?
He was my eyes. Here we are, cooped up, and I don't know what's going
on."

"I don't know where he is. Something must have happened to him."

"Of course, my wise cousin. But what?"

Rupert began to pace up and down the room, smoking another cigarette at
a great pace. Rischenheim sat down by the table, resting his head on
his hand. He was wearied out by strain and excitement, his wounded arm
pained him greatly, and he was full of horror and remorse at the event
which happened unknown to him the night before.

"I wish I was quit of it," he moaned at last. Rupert stopped before him.

"You repent of your misdeeds?" he asked. "Well, then, you shall be
allowed to repent. Nay, you shall go and tell the king that you repent.
Rischenheim, I must know what they are doing. You must