rom the gate Barney replied that he bore a message
for the prince. Slowly the portcullis sank into position across the
moat and an officer advanced to meet the rider.

"The prince has ridden to Lustadt with a large retinue," he said,
"to attend the coronation of Peter of Blentz tomorrow."

"Prince Ludwig von der Tann has gone to attend the coronation of
Peter!" cried Barney in amazement. "Has the Princess Emma returned
from her captivity in the castle of Blentz?"

"She is with her father now, having returned nearly three weeks
ago," replied the officer, "and Peter has disclaimed responsibility
for the outrage, promising that those responsible shall be punished.
He has convinced Prince Ludwig that Leopold is dead, and for the
sake of Lutha--to save her from civil strife--my prince has patched
a truce with Peter; though unless I mistake the character of the
latter and the temper of the former it will be short-lived.

"To demonstrate to the people," continued the officer, "that Prince
Ludwig and Peter are good friends, the great Von der Tann will
attend the coronation, but that he takes little stock in the
sincerity of the Prince of Blentz would be apparent could the latter
have a peep beneath the cloaks and look into the loyal hearts of the
men of Tann who rode down to Lustadt today."

Barney did not wait to hear more. He was glad that in the gathering
dusk the officer had not seen his face plainly enough to mistake him
for the king. With a parting, "Then I must ride to Lustadt with my
message for the prince," he wheeled his tired mount and trotted down
the steep trail from Tann toward the highway which leads to the
capital.

All night Barney rode. Three times he wandered from the way and was
forced to stop at farmhouses to inquire the proper direction; but
darkness hid his features from the sleepy eyes of those who answered
his summons, and daylight found him still forging ahead in the
direction of the capital of Lutha.

The American was sunk in unhappy meditation as his weary little
mount plodded slowly along the dusty road. For hours the man had not
been able to urge the beast out of a walk. The loss of time
consequent upon his having followed wrong roads during the night and
the exhaustion of the pony which retarded his speed to what seemed
little better than a snail's pace seemed to assure the failure of
his mission, for at best he could not reach Lustadt before noon.

There was no possibility of bringing