art of the
saluting soldier to halt him, and once outside he realized why this
latitude was allowed him. In addition to the man at the door, a second
walked back and forth by the outer wall. As Karyl stepped into the
moonlight this man, himself in the shadow, saluted as his fellow had
done.

"I have the honor to command the guard, Your Grace," said the man in a
respectful voice. "It is by the order of His Majesty, King Louis."
Something in the enunciation puzzled Karyl with a hint of the familiar.

"Why do you remain outside?" he asked.

"Over this wall, any comparatively agile man might make his way to the
beach, if he succeeded in passing the muskets of the sentry-boxes--and
there are boats at the water's edge," explained the soldier with a short
laugh. "I am responsible for the guard, so I keep this post myself. I
believe myself incorruptible and men with thrones at stake might make
tempting offers."

Karyl smiled. "What would you regard as a tempting offer?" he suggested.

For answer the man came into the light and lifted his cap. The King
looked into the dark eyes of Manuel Blanco. "I won into their confidence
by the hardest," he explained in a lowered tone, "but after that, I had
no opportunity to leave them or communicate with you. This was all I
could do. As it is, I shall be recognized as soon as the Duke arrives."

Blanco raised his voice again in casual conversation and beckoned to the
sentinel at the door. When the man approached the Spaniard pointed over
the wall. "Do you see that rock? Is that a figure crouching behind its
shelter?" he demanded. As the man leaned forward, Manuel suddenly struck
him heavily at the back of the neck with a loose stone caught up from
the masonry's coping. The soldier dropped without a sound.

"Now, Your Majesty, we must risk it down the rock," prompted the man
from Cadiz, in hurried, low-pitched words. "Moments are invaluable....
It is only while I command the guard that there is a chance of your
escape.... An officer may come at any instant on a round of
inspection--my discovery as the Duke's kidnapper is a matter of
minutes.... I have been watched and tested in a hundred ways; it was
only to-day that I convinced them of my fanatic zeal."

Blanco hurriedly gave his cap and cape to the King, donning himself the
blouse of Karyl's undress uniform. Then the two crept cautiously down
the rifted face of the cliff, holding the shadow of the crevices. One
sentry-box they pas