ighteous vengeance. No countenance present wore the insignia
of guilt. "Where is the traitor?" he asked. For the first time Josef's
absence was noted.

Sobieska ran to the door. "Stop Josef before he gets to the road," he
cried to the sergeant, who seemed utterly amazed at such a command.

"Excellency," he replied, "Josef never passed me through this door."
Trusia approached the excited Minister.

"It is no use to attempt to stop him," she said with a shake of the
head. "He knows of the secret passage to the inn. Doubtless he has
already joined his comrades."

Sobieska groaned. "He'll give the alarm. We will be cut off."

"If we want to save Her Grace," said Carter, "we will have no time to
lose. We do not wish to be mewed up here. We'd better make a dash for
the forest and trust to God to reach the frontier. Take this, Paul," he
said, thrusting a flask into the hands of the nobleman, who was swaying
upon uncertain legs. "Brace up." He caught his friend as the latter was
about to topple over.

"It must be Trusia first," said the Krovitzer, grasping the American's
hand with a pressure which was fervently returned.

"It will always be Trusia," he replied firmly.

Not yet enlightened, Zulka now approached Delmotte, before whom he
knelt. "Your Majesty absolves me for leaving my post?" he besought.

"I am not your king, Count," said the Parisian, honestly chagrined at
his false position. "He lies dead over there," and he indicated the
temporary bier. "I have unhappily been the victim of an imposture." Then
hurriedly Sobieska recited to Zulka the outline of the conspiracy and
Delmotte's connection with it.

"If you will let me help," said the artist appealing to them all, "I'll
show you that though a bourgeois Frenchman, I know how to die."

Trusia held out her hand impulsively. "I thank you, monsieur," she said
simply. "Forgive me if I have been late in discovering that you are a
brave man."

Divested of his fancied power, Delmotte was again the amiable
boulevardier, as could be seen by the manner in which he received the
plaudits of the men, with whom he now was rated as a comrade-in-arms.

Zulka, meanwhile, having learned how Sobieska had unearthed Carrick's
claims to the crown, had approached and lifted the lifeless hand to his
lips.

"May God rest Your Majesty," he murmured reverently. He arose and spoke
quietly to his companions. "He must be interred before we leave. In a
few days, no doubt, the castle