Rupert of Hentzau

g-lodge. He could have arrived sooner, but prudence did not allow him to enter the populous suburbs of the town till the darkness guarded him from notice. The

ars, while the gusts of wind made the cramming of his hat low down over his eyes no more than a natural precaution against its loss. Thus masked from curious eyes, he drew rein before my door, and, having dismounted, rang the bell. When the butler came a strange hoarse voice, half-stifled by folds of scarf, asked for the countess, alleging for pretext a message from myself. The man hesitated, as well he might, to leave the stranger alone with the door open and the contents of the hall at his mercy. Murmuring an apology in case his visitor should prove to be a gentleman, he shut the door and went in search of his mistress. His description of the untimely c

eft him out in the rain?" She was anxious lest Rudolf's features

night. Helga cut him short with an impatient gesture, crying, "How stupid of you!" and herself ran quickly down and opened the doo

Pray come in. Oh, but your horse!" She turned to the penitent butler, who had

some one at o

f - take it at once. I'l

the hall. With a finger on her lips, she led him swiftly into a small sitting-room on the ground floor, which I used as a sort of office or place of business. It

my dear countes

shrug. "Do tell me what brings y

alarm at hearing that I might perhaps meet Rupert at the

e, and, if need be, back a

night, and only Fritz a

ye traveled to the

hrough there," said he. "So we'd better no

night and keep ever

d if I bungle my work a

asked, shrinkin

what it is, Countess. It

do anything and everyt

pressed it in a frien

e my orders?" he

hall be

le supper, and this room

oom, opened the door, and, while Rudolf turned his back, directed the man to br

said to Rudolf, direct

clear for his return to the sitting-room. He came, expressing admiration for her courage and address; I take leave to think that she deserved his compliments. He made a hasty supper; then they talked together, Rudolf smoking his cigar. Eleven came and went. It was not yet time. My wife opened

whispered. "If I come back, I'll kno

careful," she murmure

he pavement, his face again wrapped up. She watched his tall figure stride quickly along till a turn of the road hid it. Then, having closed the window and the shutters again, she sat down

lf was on his way back to the city, and the queen was meditating, in her restless vigil, on the resolve that in a few hours was to bring her also to Strelsau. Even in the dead of night both sides were active. For, plan cautiously and skillfully as he might, Rudolf fought with an an

nd Bauer to keep an eye on my house during his absence; for it was there that any of us who found our way to the city would naturally resort in the first instance. As a fact, he had not omitted this precaution. The night was so dark that the spy, who had seen the king but once and never Mr. Rassendyll, did not recognize who the visitor was, but he rightly conceived that he should serve his employer by tracking the steps of the tall man who made so mysterious an arrival and so surreptitious a departure from the suspected house. Accordingly, as Rudolf turned the corner and Helena closed the window, a short, thickset figure started cautiously out of the projecting shadow, and followed in Rudolf's wake through the

d have been to betray his suspicions to his follower; but he crossed the road to the opposite side to that where No. 19 was situated, and slackened his pace a little, so that there was a longer interval between his own footfalls. The steps behind him grew slower, even as his did; their sound cam

threw him one of them. Mr. Rassendyll asked no better than to meet his enemy thus in the open. They could fight a fair fight, and if he fell the lamp would be caught up and carried on by Sapt's hand or mine; if he got the better of Rupert, the letter would be his; a moment would destroy it and give safety to the queen. I do not suppose that he spent time in thinking how he should escape arrest at the hands of the police whom the fracas

confederate, or, after all, some person innocent of our secret and indifferent to our schemes. On came Bauer, softly, whistling and slushing his feet carelessly through the liquid mud. Now he was nearly opposite where Mr. Rassendyll stood. Rudolf was well-nigh convinced that the man had been on his track: he would make certainty surer. The b

my friend, for a

his wits about him. Whether he identified Rudolf at once, I do

d early, sir," said he, arresting his shuffling steps, and look

if Bauer knew or guessed who his challenger was, Mr

eaven forbid that you or any man should walk the streets a night like this. Co

owed that his thoughts had turned towards flight. Rudolf gave no time for putting any such notion into

night, my lad, as sure as I'm alive. Come along with

ld in Rudolf's grasp. He had no alternative but to obey the suasion of Mr. Rassendyll's arm, and they two began to walk down the Konigstrasse. Bauer's whistle had died away, not to return; but from time to time Rudolf

said Rudolf encouragingly; and he laughed a l

numbers at the station end of the Konigstrass

he. "Pray, lad, can you m

had gone home. Bauer was a clever scoundrel, but his nerves were

sir?" he

bound for, you and I. There I ho

he was at a loss how either to und

e to old Mother Holf's little shop. "Isn't that a one and a nine over the door, my

longer with a friendly pressure, but with a grip of iron; in the

you? It would startle them if I roused them with a shot." A motio

ell," said Ba

en you

ppose

ticular way

now," grow

Can't yo

ow nothin

and - Listen, my lad. You mus

asked Bauer, in an

en in two minutes, I shall arouse the good folk with a shot. You see? You quite see,

e noise of the bolt being cautiously worked back into its socket. As it shot home a chink of the door opened. At the same moment Rudolf's hand slipped from Bauer's arm. With a swift movement he caught the fellow by the nape of the neck and flung him violently forward into the roadway, where, losing his footing, he fell sprawling fa

ing to Strelsau. Indeed the girl had seemed to haunt the king's foot-steps, and he had himself joked on her obvious efforts to attract his attention, and the languishing glances of her great black eyes. But it is the lot of prominent personages to inspire these strange passions, and the king had spent as little thought on her as on any of the romant

ise by the murky light of the strong-smelling oil-lamp. The lamp shook and almost fell from her hand when she saw him; for the s

mazement. "No, but -" And she

s shave when they please, as well as other men?" Her face still expressed

over-anxious to

ure at the confidence

ispered, with a glance of the great

ll help me

my l

, merely with a little info

moth

takes l

utious approaches. "Tell me what

who's

Count of Luza

at's he

ng and swearing, because his

nobody e

and sank her voice to a

now - nob

Rudolf. "I want to see him alone. It's

mea

u know wh

one; but he's go

ke it! How do you know

r tol

r! And wh

cked. Why did yo

be sure. So Bauer tells

quettish laugh. It was not amiss for th

foolish count gone to meet

ven't s

aight from the

ge. Ah, but now I recollect! The Count of Rischenheim was gre

Rischenheim brought a messa

ed one another

In this remark, at least, Rudolf spoke no more and no other than

ng, your Majesty -

, and took a couple of go

ney, your Majest

n them and hang th

to me," she cried, hold

asked, playfully holdin

ow

me when I come at eleven

'll be

t I've been here to-night.

my mo

N

nt of Luzau–

obody. My business is very private

tell me. But -

"Bauer knows. Well, w

door. Suddenly the girl bent, sn

for you," s

profit, even in the queen's service, of her poor foolish lo

nothing. Mind, nothing! I threat

them you hav

st they won't know when I sha

house, his visit must be known; but if he could intercept Bauer, the girl's silence was assured. H