lding his queer package in his right hand.

In the office the watchman came upon the three friends. At sight of
him they looked at one another in surprise.

"Why, what time is it?" exclaimed Custer, and as he looked at his
watch he rose with a laugh. "Late to dinner again," he cried. "Come
on, we'll go out this other way." And with a cheery good night to
the watchman Barney and his friends hastened from the building.

Upon the opposite side the stranger approached the doorway to the
mill. The rain was falling in blinding sheets. Ominously the thunder
roared. Vivid flashes of lightning shot the heavens. The watchman,
coming suddenly from the doorway, his hat brim pulled low over his
eyes, passed within a couple of paces of the stranger without seeing
him.

Five minutes later there was a blinding glare accompanied by a
deafening roar. It was as though nature had marshaled all her forces
in one mighty, devastating effort. At the same instant the walls of
the great mill burst asunder, a nebulous mass of burning gas shot
heavenward, and then the flames settled down to complete the
destruction of the ruin.

It was the following morning that Victoria and Barney Custer, with
Lieutenant Butzow and Custer's partner, stood contemplating the
smoldering wreckage.

"And to think," said Barney, "that yesterday this muss was the
largest corn mill west of anywhere. I guess we can both take
vacations now, Bert."

"Who would have thought that a single bolt of lightning could have
resulted in such havoc?" mused Victoria.

"Who would?" agreed Lieutenant Butzow, and then, with a sudden
narrowing of his eyes and a quick glance at Barney, "if it WAS
lightning."

The American looked at the Luthanian. "You think--" he started.

"I don't dare think," replied Butzow, "because of the fear of what
this may mean to you and Miss Victoria if it was not lightning that
destroyed the mill. I shouldn't have spoken of it but that it may
urge you to greater caution, which I cannot but think is most
necessary since the warning I received from Lutha."

"Why should Leopold seek to harm me now?" asked Barney. "It has
been almost two years since you and I placed him upon his throne,
only to be rewarded with threats and hatred. In that time neither of
us has returned to Lutha nor in any way conspired against the king.
I cannot fathom his motives."

"There is the Princess Emma von der Tann," Butzow reminded him.
"She still repulses him. He may th