h its curling lips and scornful eyes. He had
the letter now, and a gleam of joy danced in his eyes as he tore it
open. A hasty glance showed him what his prize was; then, coolly and
deliberately he settled himself to read, regarding neither Rischenheim's
nervous hurry nor my desperate, angry glance that glared up at him. He
read leisurely, as though he had been in an armchair in his own house;
the lips smiled and curled as he read the last words that the queen had
written to her lover. He had indeed come on more than he thought.

Rischenheim laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Quick, Rupert, quick," he urged again, in a voice full of agitation.

"Let me alone, man. I haven't read anything so amusing for a long
while," answered Rupert. Then he burst into a laugh, crying, "Look,
look!" and pointing to the foot of the last page of the letter. I was
mad with anger; my fury gave me new strength. In his enjoyment of what
he read Rupert had grown careless; his knee pressed more lightly on me,
and as he showed Rischenheim the passage in the letter that caused him
so much amusement he turned his head away for an instant. My chance
had come. With a sudden movement I displaced him, and with a desperate
wrench I freed my right hand. Darting it out, I snatched at the letter.
Rupert, alarmed for his treasure, sprang back and off me. I also sprang
up on my feet, hurling away the fellow who had gripped my other hand.
For a moment I stood facing Rupert; then I darted on him. He was too
quick for me; he dodged behind the man with the lantern and hurled the
fellow forward against me. The lantern fell on the ground.

"Give me your stick!" I heard Rupert say. "Where is it? That's right!"

Then came Rischenheim's voice again, imploring and timid:

"Rupert, you promised not to kill him."

The only answer was a short, fierce laugh. I hurled away the man who had
been thrust into my arms and sprang forward. I saw Rupert of Hentzau;
his hand was raised above his head and held a stout club. I do not
know what followed; there came--all in a confused blur of instant
sequence--an oath from Rupert, a rush from me, a scuffle, as though some
one sought to hold him back; then he was on me; I felt a great thud on
my forehead, and I felt nothing more. Again I was on my back, with a
terrible pain in my head, and a dull, dreamy consciousness of a knot of
men standing over me, talking eagerly to one another.

I could not hear what they were saying; I had no