t. With the swiftness of lightning he drew
and levelled a revolver; I saw Holgate's fat bull neck and body lean to
one side and drop awkwardly, and then an exclamation sprang up on my
left, where Gray and another were holding Barraclough captive. The
bullet had gone over Holgate's head as he dodged it and had found its
home in Sir John's heart. His body dropped between the captors. The
Princess gave a cry of horror. Holgate cast a glance behind him.

"You're too mighty dangerous," he said easily, and put up his own
weapon. But before it could reach the level, the Prince with a slight
start clapped the revolver to his own head and pulled the trigger.
"Alix!" he cried weakly, and then something low in German, and as he
fell the life must have left him.

His sister bent over him, her face white like the cerements of the
dead, and Mademoiselle ran forward.

"Frederic!" she cried. "_Mon Frederic!_" and broke into violent sobs.

"Good God!" said Legrand, trembling.

CHAPTER XX

THE ESCAPE

The shock of the tragedy which had taken place in so brief a space and
so unexpectedly threw me into confusion. I knew I was gazing at the
Princess, who was bent over her brother, and I heard the weeping of
Mademoiselle Trebizond punctuating the deep silence which had fallen
after those two reports. There was some movement among the mutineers
which I did not understand, and presently I found that Legrand and I
were being marched to one of the cabins.

"Doctor, do you know anything of this?" sounded a voice in my ear, and
I was aware that Holgate was speaking. "The treasure, man, the
treasure!" he added, seeing, I suppose, some bewilderment in my face.

"No," said I shortly; "the only man who did is dead."

"Very well," said he sharply, "I'll deal with you when I have time,"
and he hurried off.

Our captors shoved Legrand and myself into what had been the Prince's
smoking-room, and gave us to understand that we were to be shot down if
we made any attempt to escape. The rest of these pirates, I conceived,
must be in full cry after the spoils, for I heard the sound of the
doors being opened and the noise of voices exchanging calls and sour
oaths. Presently the door was thrust aside, and the Princess and
Mademoiselle were ushered in unceremoniously by the foul-faced Pierce.
They were resolved to box us up in our prison until they had settled on
a fate for us.

The Princess was pale, but quiet, in contrast with her compani