orward until they stood, with
bared swords, a solid rank of fighting men in grim semicircle behind
their chief. There were cries from different parts of the cathedral
of: "Crown Leopold, our true king! Down with Peter! Down with the
assassin!"
"Enough of this," cried Peter. "Clear the cathedral!"
He drew his own sword, and with half a hundred loyal retainers at
his back pressed forward to clear the chancel. There was a brief
fight, from which Barney, much to his disgust, was barred by the
mighty figure of the old prince and the stalwart sword-arm of
Butzow. He did get one crack at Maenck, and had the satisfaction of
seeing blood spurt from a flesh wound across the fellow's cheek.
"That for the Princess Emma," he called to the governor of Blentz,
and then men crowded between them and he did not see the captain
again during the battle.
When Peter saw that more than half of the palace guard were shouting
for Leopold, and fighting side by side with the men of Tann, he
realized the futility of further armed resistance at this time.
Slowly he withdrew, and at last the fighting ceased and some
semblance of order was restored within the cathedral.
Fearfully, the bishop emerged from hiding, his robes disheveled and
his miter askew. Butzow grasped him none too reverently by the arm
and dragged him before Barney. The crown of Lutha dangled in the
priest's palsied hands.
"Crown the king!" cried the lieutenant. "Crown Leopold, king of
Lutha!"
A mad roar of acclaim greeted this demand, and again from all parts
of the cathedral rose the same wild cry. But in the lull that
followed there were some who demanded proof of the tattered young
man who stood before them and claimed that he was king.
"Let Prince Ludwig speak!" cried a dozen voices.
"Yes, Prince Ludwig! Prince Ludwig!" took up the throng.
Prince Ludwig von der Tann turned toward the bearded young man.
Silence fell upon the crowded cathedral. Peter of Blentz stood
awaiting the outcome, ready to demand the crown upon the first
indication of wavering belief in the man he knew was not Leopold.
"How may we know that you are really Leopold?" again asked Ludwig of
Barney.
The American raised his left hand, upon the third finger of which
gleamed the great ruby of the royal ring of the kings of Lutha. Even
Peter of Blentz started back in surprise as his eyes fell upon the
ring.
Where had the man come upon it?
Prince von der Tann dropped to one knee b
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