.

"Death?" he smiled. "Who knows? God defends the Empire. It lives on in
my sons and yours."

"Amen!" said the Archduke solemnly.

"For the present," continued the other quietly, "silence! I shall advise
you. You can rely upon Von Hoetzendorf?"

"Utterly. In two weeks I shall attend the grand maneuvers at Savajevo."

"Oh, yes, of course. You shall hear from me." He took a few steps toward
the door of the arbor. "It does not do to stay here too long. We must
join the others. Berchtold, you said, is coming?"

The Archduke nodded with a frown, and followed with the Admiral into the
garden. The sun had declined and the warm glow of late afternoon fell
upon the roses, dyeing them with a deeper red. But along the crimson
alleys the three men walked calmly, the smaller one still gesturing with
his ebony cane. Presently the sound of their footsteps upon the gravel
diminished and in a moment they disappeared beyond the hedge by the
greenhouses.

Renwick in his place of concealment trembled again. The reaction had
come. He drew a long breath, moved his stiffened limbs and glanced at
his companion. Her face was like wax, pale as death and as colorless.
Her fingers in his were ice-cold. Her eyes, dark with bewilderment,
sought his blankly like those of a somnambulist. Renwick rose stiffly to
his knees and peered through the bushes.

"They have gone," he muttered.

"The Archduke!" she gasped. "You heard?"

He nodded.

"Have we dreamed? I cannot believe----"

Renwick was thinking quickly. Marishka--their position--his duty--a way
of escape--one thought crowded another in his mind. He glanced about
through the foliage behind them and then rose to his feet.

"I must get back to Vienna, at once," he said hoarsely.

Marishka stood beside him, clinging to his arm.

"And I--I know not what to do. I could not look Her Highness in the
face. But I too must go to Vienna. I am not versed in politics, but the
secret that we share is terrible. It oppresses me. Austria--my country!"

She hid her face in her hands and stood silent a moment, in the throes
of a struggle, still trembling violently. At the touch of Renwick's
fingers upon her arm, she straightened, lowered her hands, her face now
quite composed.

"I too must leave here at once," she said quietly. "I have an allegiance
stronger than my duty to Sophie Chotek. I am going----"

"Where?" he asked.

"To Schoenbrunn."

"But Marishka, have you thought----?"

"I pray