clear of the ground to drop him, dazed and bewildered, at
the foot of the monarch he had outraged. Maenck drew a revolver only
to have it struck from his hand by the sword of Butzow, who had
followed closely upon the American's heels.

Barney, seizing the king by the arm, started on a run for the
gateway. In his wake came Butzow with a drawn sword beating back
Stein, who was armed with a cavalry saber, and Maenck who had now
drawn his own sword.

The American saw that the two were pressing Butzow much too closely
for safety and that Coblich had now recovered from the effects of
the blow and was in pursuit, drawing his saber as he ran. Barney
thrust the king behind him and turned to face the enemy, at Butzow's
side.

The three men rushed upon the two who stood between them and their
prey. The moonlight was now full in the faces of Butzow and the
American. For the first time Maenck and the others saw who it was
that had interrupted them.

"The impostor!" cried the governor of Blentz. "The false king!"

Imbued with temporary courage by the knowledge that his side had the
advantage of superior numbers he launched himself full upon the
American. To his surprise he met a sword-arm that none might have
expected in an American, for Barney Custer had been a pupil of the
redoubtable Colonel Monstery, who was, as Barney was wont to say,
"one of the thanwhomest of fencing masters."

Quickly Maenck fell back to give place to Stein, but not before the
American's point had found him twice to leave him streaming blood
from two deep flesh wounds.

Neither of those who fought in the service of the king saw the
trembling, weak-kneed figure, which had stood behind them, turn and
scurry through the gateway, leaving the men who battled for him to
their fate.

The trooper whom Barney had felled had regained consciousness and as
he came to his feet rubbing his swollen jaw he saw a disheveled,
half-dressed figure running toward him from the sanatorium grounds.
The fellow was no fool, and knowing the purpose of the expedition as
he did he was quick to jump to the conclusion that this fleeing
personification of abject terror was Leopold of Lutha; and so it was
that as the king emerged from the gateway in search of freedom he
ran straight into the widespread arms of the trooper.

Maenck and Coblich had seen the king's break for liberty, and the
latter maneuvered to get himself between Butzow and the open gate
that he might follow aft