he troopers. All were ready to sue
for mercy and to proclaim their willingness to divert allegiance from
dictator to Crown. Herded like so many cattle, guarded like wolves, they
were driven city-ward, few if any of them exhibiting the slightest
symptom of regret or discomfiture. In fact, they seemed more than
philosophic: they were most jovial. These were soldiers of fortune, in
the plainest sense. It mattered little with whom they were allied or
against whom they fought, so long as the pay was adequate and prompt.

Indeed, the leaders of the party--officers by grace of lucky
tosses--benignly proffered the services of themselves and men in the
movement to displace Count Marlanx!

"He cannot hold out," said the evil-faced captain in cool derision. "He
cannot keep his promises to us. So why should we cut our own throats?
All we ask is transportation to Austria after the job's over. That's
where most of us came from, your Excellencies. Count on us, if you need
us. Down with Marlanx!"

"Long live Prince--" Three-fourths of them stopped there because they
did not even know the name of the little ruler.

CHAPTER XXI

THE RETURN

From the highlands below the Monastery, Captain Haas and his men were
able to study the situation in the city. The impracticability of an
assault on any one of the stubborn, well-guarded gates was at once
recognised. A force of seven hundred men, no matter how well trained or
determined, could not be expected to surmount walls that had often
withstood the attack of as many thousands. The wisdom of delaying until
a few thousand loyal, though poorly armed countrymen could be brought
into play against the city appealed at once to Prince Dantan and John
Tullis.

Withdrawing to an unexposed cut in the hills, safe from the shells that
might be thrown up from the fortress, they established their camps,
strongly entrenched and practically invulnerable against any attack from
below. Squads of men were sent without delay into the hills and valleys
to call the panic-stricken, wavering farmers into the fold. John Tullis
headed the company that struck off into the well-populated Ganlook
district.

Marlanx, as if realising the nature of the movement in the hills, began
a furious assault on the gates leading to the Castle. The watchers in
the hills could see as well as hear the conflict that raged almost at
their feet, so to speak. They cheered like mad when the motley army of
the usurper was frus