he last stage of
their march toward the city. John Tullis was now in feverish haste to
reach the city, where at least he might find a communication from the
miscreants, demanding ransom. He had made up his mind to pay whatever
they asked. Down in his heart, however, there was a restless fear that
she had not fallen into the hands of ordinary bandits. He could not
banish the sickening dread that she was in the power of Marlanx, to whom
she alone could pay the ransom exacted.

Hardly had the men thrown themselves from their horses when the sound of
shooting in the distance struck their ears. Instantly the entire force
was alert. A dozen shots were fired in rapid succession; then single
reports far apart. The steady beat of horses' feet was now plain to the
attentive company. There was a quick, incisive call to arms; a squad
stood ready for action. The clatter of hoofs drew nearer; a small group
of horsemen came thundering down the defile. Three minutes after the
firing was first heard, sentries threw their rifles to their shoulders
and blocked the approach of the riders.

A wild, glad shout went up from the foremost horseman. He had pulled his
beast to its haunches almost at the muzzles of the guns.

"Tullis!" he shouted, waving his hat.

John Tullis ran toward the excited group in the road. He saw three men,
one of whom was shouting his name with all the power in his lungs.

"Thank God, we've found you!" cried the horseman, swinging to the ground
despite the proximity of strange rifles. "Put up your guns! We're
friends!"

"King!" exclaimed Tullis, suddenly recognising him. A moment later they
were clasping hands.

"This is luck! We find you almost as soon as we set out to do so. Glory
be! You've got a fair-sized army, too. We'll need 'em--and more."

"What has happened, King? Where have you been? We looked for you after
your disap--"

"That's ancient history," interrupted the other. "How soon can you get
these troops on the march? There's not a moment to be lost."

"Good God, man, tell me what it is--what has happened? The Prince? What
of him?" cried Tullis, grasping King's arm in the clutch of a vise.

"He sends his love and rescinds the order of exile," said King, smiling.
Then seriously: "Marlanx has taken the city. It was all a game, this
getting rid of you. He's superstitious about Americans. There was
bomb-throwing in the square and a massacre afterward. The Prince and all
the others are besieged in th