gazing at Rudolf's face and letting his arm fall to his side.
"My God!" he said then, and his mouth hung open. Again Rudolf laughed at
his terrified stare.

"A bigger job than you fancied, is it?" he asked, pushing his scarf well
away from his chin.

The man gaped at him; the other's eyes asked wondering questions, but
neither did he attempt to resume the attack. The first at last found
voice, and he said, "Well, it'd be damned cheap at ten crowns, and
that's the living truth."

His friend--or confederate rather, for such men have no friends--looked
on, still amazed.

"Take up that fellow by his head and his heels," ordered Rudolf.
"Quickly! I suppose you don't want the police to find us here with him,
do you? Well, no more do I. Lift him up."

As he spoke Rudolf turned to knock at the door of No. 19. But even as he
did so Bauer groaned. Dead perhaps he ought to have been, but it seems
to me that fate is always ready to take the cream and leave the scum.
His leap aside had served him well, after all: he had nearly escaped
scot free. As it was, the bullet, almost missing his head altogether,
had just glanced on his temple as it passed; its impact had stunned, but
not killed. Friend Bauer was in unusual luck that night; I wouldn't have
taken a hundred to one about his chance of life. Rupert arrested his
hand. It would not do to leave Bauer at the house, if Bauer were likely
to regain speech. He stood for a moment, considering what to do, but in
an instant the thoughts that he tried to gather were scattered again.

"The patrol! the patrol!" hoarsely whispered the fellow who had not yet
spoken. There was a sound of the hoofs of horses. Down the street
from the station end there appeared two mounted men. Without a second
moment's hesitation the two rascals dropped their friend Bauer with a
thud on the ground; one ran at his full speed across the street, the
other bolted no less quickly up the Konigstrasse. Neither could afford
to meet the constables; and who could say what story this red-haired
gentleman might tell, ay, or what powers he might command?

But, in truth, Rudolf gave no thought to either his story or his powers.
If he were caught, the best he could hope would be to lie in the lockup
while Rupert played his game unmolested. The device that he had employed
against the amazed ruffians could be used against lawful authority only
as a last and desperate resort. While he could run, run he would. In an
instant