ed close to him, the young man turned at the edge
of the brush to meet the charge of the two ruffians. The wounding of
the youth had delayed them just enough to preclude their making this
temporary refuge in safety.

As Barney turned both the men fired simultaneously, and both missed.
The American raised his revolver, and with the flash of it the
foremost brigand came to a sudden stop. An expression of
bewilderment crossed his features. He extended his arms straight
before him, the revolver slipped from his grasp, and then like a
dying top he pivoted once drunkenly and collapsed upon the turf.

At the instant of his fall his companion and the American fired
point-blank at one another.

Barney felt a burning sensation in his shoulder, but it was
forgotten for the moment in the relief that came to him as he saw
the second rascal sprawl headlong upon his face. Then he turned his
attention to the limp little figure that hung across his left arm.

Gently Barney laid the boy upon the sward, and fetching water from
the pool bathed his face and forced a few drops between the white
lips. The cooling draft revived the wounded child, but brought on a
paroxysm of coughing. When this had subsided Rudolph raised his eyes
to those of the man bending above him.

"Thank God, your majesty is unharmed," he whispered. "Now I can die
in peace."

The white lids drooped lower, and with a tired sigh the boy lay
quiet. Tears came to the young man's eyes as he let the limp body
gently to the ground.

"Brave little heart," he murmured, "you gave up your life in the
service of your king as truly as though you had not been all
mistaken in the object of your veneration, and if it lies within the
power of Barney Custer you shall not have died in vain."

VII

THE REAL LEOPOLD

Two hours later a horseman pushed his way between tumbled and
tangled briers along the bottom of a deep ravine.

He was hatless, and his stained and ragged khaki betokened much
exposure to the elements and hard and continued usage. At his
saddle-bow a carbine swung in its boot, and upon either hip was
strapped a long revolver. Ammunition in plenty filled the cross
belts that he had looped about his shoulders.

Grim and warlike as were his trappings, no less grim was the set of
his strong jaw or the glint of his gray eyes, nor did the patch of
brown stain that had soaked through the left shoulder of his jacket
tend to lessen the martial atmosphere which sur