er the fleeing monarch.

At the same instant Maenck, seeing that Stein was being worsted by
the American, rushed in upon the latter, and thus relieved, the
rat-faced doctor was enabled to swing a heavy cut at Barney which
struck him a glancing blow upon the head, sending him stunned and
bleeding to the sward.

Coblich and the governor of Blentz hastened toward the gate, pausing
for an instant to overwhelm Butzow. In the fierce scrimmage that
followed the lieutenant was overthrown, though not before his sword
had passed through the heart of the rat-faced one. Deserting their
fallen comrade the two dashed through the gate, where to their
immense relief they found Leopold safe in the hands of the trooper.

An instant later the precious trio, with Leopold upon the horse of
the late Dr. Stein, were galloping swiftly into the darkness of the
wood that lies at the outskirts of Tafelberg.

When Barney regained consciousness he found himself upon a cot
within the sanatorium. Close beside him lay Butzow, and above them
stood an interne and several nurses. No sooner had the American
regained his scattered wits than he leaped to the floor. The interne
and the nurses tried to force him back upon the cot, thinking that
he was in the throes of a delirium, and it required his best efforts
to convince them that he was quite rational.

During the melee Butzow regained consciousness; his wound being as
superficial as that of the American, the two men were soon donning
their clothing, and, half-dressed, rushing toward the outer gate.

The interne had told them that when he had reached the scene of the
conflict in company with the gardener he had found them and another
lying upon the sward.

Their companion, he said, was quite dead.

"That must have been Stein," said Butzow. "And the others had
escaped with the king!"

"The king?" cried the interne.

"Yes, the king, man--Leopold of Lutha. Did you not know that he who
has lain here for three weeks was the king?" replied Butzow.

The interne accompanied them to the gate and beyond, but everywhere
was silence. The king was gone.

X

ON THE BATTLEFIELD

All that night and the following day Barney Custer and his aide rode
in search of the missing king.

They came to Blentz, and there Butzow rode boldly into the great
court, admitted by virtue of the fact that the guard upon the gate
knew him only as an officer of the royal guard whom they believed
still loyal to Pete