ant mustered
a smile in answer. I crossed over to the doctors. "Well, gentlemen?" I
asked.

They looked at one another, then the greatest of them said gravely:

"The king may live an hour, Count Fritz. Should you not send for a
priest?"

I went straight back to Rudolf Rassendyll. His eyes greeted me and
questioned me. He was a man, and I played no silly tricks with him. I
bent down and said: "An hour, they think, Rudolf."

He made one restless movement, whether of pain or protest I do not know.
Then he spoke, very low, slowly, and with difficulty.

"Then they can go," he said; and when I spoke of a priest he shook his
head.

I went back to them and asked if anything more could be done. The answer
was nothing; but I could not prevail further than to get all save one
sent into an adjoining room; he who remained seated himself at a table
some way off. Rudolf's eyes had closed again; old Sapt, who had not once
spoken since the shot was fired, raised a haggard face to mine.

"We'd better fetch her to him," he said hoarsely. I nodded my head.

Sapt went while I stayed by him. Bernenstein came to him, bent down,
and kissed his hand. The young fellow, who had borne himself with such
reckless courage and dash throughout the affair, was quite unmanned now,
and the tears were rolling down his face. I could have been much in
the same plight, but I would not before Mr. Rassendyll. He smiled at
Bernenstein. Then he said to me:

"Is she coming, Fritz?"

"Yes, she's coming, sire," I answered.

He noticed the style of my address; a faint amused gleam shot into his
languid eyes.

"Well, for an hour, then," he murmured, and lay back on his pillows.

She came, dry-eyed, calm, and queenly. We all drew back, and she knelt
down by his bed, holding his hand in her two hands. Presently the hand
stirred; she let it go; then, knowing well what he wanted, she raised it
herself and placed it on her head, while she bowed her face to the bed.
His hand wandered for the last time over the gleaming hair that he had
loved so well. She rose, passed her arm about his shoulders, and kissed
his lips. Her face rested close to his, and he seemed to speak to her,
but we could not have heard the words even if we would. So they remained
for a long while.

The doctor came and felt his pulse, retreating afterwards with
close-shut lips. We drew a little nearer, for we knew that he would
not be long with us now. Suddenly strength seemed to come upon