y knees. But my advantage was not to
last long. Another man, whom I had not seen, sprang suddenly on me like
a bullet from a catapult. His fierce onset overthrew me; I was stretched
on the ground again, on my back now, and my throat was clutched
viciously in strong fingers. At the same moment my arms were again
seized and pinned. The face of the man on my chest bent down towards
mine, and through the darkness I discerned the features of Rupert of
Hentzau. He was panting with the sudden exertion and the intense force
with which he held me, but he was smiling also; and when he saw by
my eyes that I knew him, he laughed softly in triumph. Then came
Rischenheim's voice again.

"Where's the bag he carried? It may be in the bag."

"You fool, he'll have it about him," said Rupert, scornfully. "Hold him
fast while I search."

On either side my hands were still pinned fast. Rupert's left hand did
not leave my throat, but his free right hand began to dart about
me, feeling, probing, and rummaging. I lay quite helpless and in the
bitterness of great consternation. Rupert found my revolver, drew it out
with a gibe, and handed it to Rischenheim, who was now standing beside
him. Then he felt the box, he drew it out, his eyes sparkled. He set
his knee hard on my chest, so that I could scarcely breathe; then he
ventured to loose my throat, and tore the box open eagerly.

"Bring a light here," he cried. Another ruffian came with a
dark-lantern, whose glow he turned on the box. Rupert opened it, and
when he saw what was inside, he laughed again, and stowed it away in his
pocket.

"Quick, quick!" urged Rischenheim. "We've got what we wanted, and
somebody may come at any moment."

A brief hope comforted me. The loss of the box was a calamity, but I
would pardon fortune if only the letter escaped capture. Rupert might
have suspected that I carried some such token as the box, but he could
not know of the letter. Would he listen to Rischenheim? No. The Count of
Hentzau did things thoroughly.

"We may as well overhaul him a bit more," said he, and resumed his
search. My hope vanished, for now he was bound to come upon the letter.

Another instant brought him to it. He snatched the pocketbook, and,
motioning impatiently to the man to hold the lantern nearer, he began to
examine the contents. I remember well the look of his face as the fierce
white light threw it up against the darkness in its clear pallor and
high-bred comeliness, wit