en called perfidious, Major Counsellor. A stab
in the back----'

'Why no, my lord,' said Counsellor; 'our greatest vice is admittedly
that we are always well in front!'

'Come, Baron, have you nothing to say to this?' Sagan asked, ready to
spring at his friends in his torment of baffled rage.

'Nothing, my lord. You will remember I am here to-night entirely at your
request.'

Sagan's laugh was not altogether a pleasant one.

'Put it how you like, Monsieur, I should not have been here either but
for you!'

Elmur stood with folded arms. To stoop to recriminations before the
common enemy! The cause was lost for the moment, but there was the
future, and in that future the fool who figured as his ally should
become his slave! Germany had, after all, gained something in gaining
the knowledge of British designs afoot.

'Then his Highness refuses to see me, although he can give audience
to--you?' the Count at length broke the silence.

'On the contrary, my lord, he looks forward to the pleasure of meeting
you to-morrow. That is the message with which I am charged. Captain
Rallywood, his Highness wishes Lieutenant Unziar to attend him.'

Count Simon made a sign to his men, and a moment later Unziar stalked
into the room, maddened by the outrage put upon him.

'My sword, Count Sagan,' he said huskily.

'Your sword! Is it lost?' returned the Count with an angry sneer. 'In my
day it was not the custom of the guard to lose their swords!'

'When I saw it last it was sticking in your cheek, my lord,' said the
young man with a studied insolence, pointing to a bleeding cut on the
Count's face.

One of the men, coming forward, laid the sword upon the top of the
barricade. Unziar grasped it and thrust it back into the scabbard.

'It was lost by treachery!' he flung out. 'And I leave it to these
gentlemen to say where the shame lies!'

With that he leaped the barricade and passed into the Duke's room.

CHAPTER XIX.

IN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.

It was late on the following morning before the Castle was awake. It
almost seemed as if the guests had waited for the appearance of the
reassuring daylight before they ventured from their rooms. Four huge
fires roared in the four great chimneys round the vast hall where the
breakfast was in progress.

Sagan, in his weather-stained hunting suit and leggings, stood at the
upper window overlooking the courtyard where the huntsmen and gaunt
dogs, the famous Sagan boarhound