The Princess Dehra Part 36

The Archduke followed her motion, and understood. It was a most infernally unfortunate contretemps, but it would have to be met, and at once.

"The Regent is on the porch," he said. "I do not care for her to know of this meeting nor its purport, until after to-night. Madame, will you please be good enough to conceal yourself; the door is the only exit, and it is impossible now-I will try to prevent Her Highness entering here, but I may fail; I likely shall. Come, Moore," and he hurried out.

But Madeline Spencer only laughed, and, winding the veil into place, went and stood by the chimney-here was a very G.o.d-given opportunity, and a.s.suredly she had no notion to let it pa.s.s unused.

And the landlord, slumbering in the hall, had been tardily aroused by the cheering, and coming forth, still half asleep, he met the Princess just at the entrance.

"Scartman," she said sharply, "where are His Highness and Colonel Moore?"

The landlord awoke with a suddenness that was painful, and which left him staring at her in silly-eyed speechlessness.

"What ails you, man?" she demanded-"tell the Archduke I'm here-we shall be in the large room."

This brought back a bit of his senses, and he bowed to the ground, hoping to get back more of them before he need come up.

"I will find His Royal Highness at once," he said; "I did not know he was here-I've been asleep-but if Your Majesty-Your Regency-Your Highness, I mean, will permit-the large room is occupied, I will--"

At that moment, Armand and Moore came out.

"So it would seem," the Princess remarked dryly.

"Don't blame the poor fellow, Dehra," the Archduke laughed; "he did the best he could, doubtless, and at my order. We are here on the business I spoke of this morning-it's finished now, and we will ride back with you, if we may."

Dehra held out her hand, and gave him the smile she knew he loved.

"Of course you may," she said, "and gladly; but first I want a cup of tea-Scartman, the kettle instantly!"-and before Armand could detain her, she was past him and into the room.

As she crossed the threshold, she caught the faint perfume that a woman always carries, and which often-times is so individualized, as to betray her ident.i.ty instantly. It was a peculiar odor-the blended fragrance of many flowers-and she recognized that she had known it before;-but what was it doing in this room, now!-it was too fresh to be many minutes old.

"Armand," she said, "what woman has been here?" glancing laughingly around.-"And is here still!" and pointed with her crop to the veiled figure in the shadow near the chimney.

The Archduke ground back an oath, and stepping forward bowed to Madeline Spencer.

"Madame," said he, "will you do the Governor of Dornlitz the favor to excuse him, and to accept his thanks for your service? Colonel Moore, madame's horse."

"Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Prince," she murmured, taking Moore's arm, and moving with sinuous grace toward the door. But as she pa.s.sed the Princess Regent, who had stepped aside to give her way, the veil slipped from her face, and the two women looked into each other's eyes-the one with a smile of mocking impertinence, the other with a calmly ignoring stare, and showing, by not so much as the quiver of a muscle, her anger and surprise.

And when they had gone, the Princess turned her gaze upon the Archduke, the blue eyes ominous in their steadiness; and as he would have spoken, she repelled him with an imperious gesture, and gave him her back.

"Come, Elise!" she said, and left the room.

In the courtyard, Colonel Moore had just swung Mrs. Spencer to saddle, and was fixing her skirt. Dehra paused in the entry until the black horse had pa.s.sed the gate; then she went leisurely down the steps, waved Moore to Mlle. d'Essolde, and let the groom put her up.

Acknowledging Moore's farewell salute, with her crop, but no smile, and with never a glance toward the window, behind whose curtain she must have known the Archduke would surely be, she rode away-the Lancers again cheering her devotedly as she pa.s.sed.

XVI A TOO CONVINCING ARGUMENT

Colonel Moore went slowly up the steps and into the room, through the half open door of which he saw the Archduke standing, with chin on breast and back to the fireplace. He looked up, as the Adjutant paused at the threshold, and nodded for him to come in.

"Ordinarily it would be proper now for us to have a good, stiff drink, may be several of them," he remarked, "but the only kind that fits this situation, so far as I'm concerned, is straight whisky, and I don't believe this cursed place can supply it."

"Quite right; it can't," said Moore; "I tried the other day-won't anything else do?"

"No-nothing else; and it's just as well I can't get the whisky; I may need a clear head to night."

"You are not going, sir!"

Armand nodded. "Going? of course I'm going-why not? and I only hope I'll get a chance at my sweet cousin. We promised only to look-to raise no disturbance-and on Spencer's account it is right enough that we should do nothing to betray her; but if Lotzen get in the way, Colonel, we are not obligated to avoid him."

"Why should Your Highness walk deliberately into the tiger's lair-when another can go quite as well, and without danger?" Moore protested.

The Archduke took a cigarette and tossed the case across to the Adjutant.

"Because I'm really hunting the tiger," he laughed; "and I like excitement in good company-though I fear it will be a very tame affair."

The other shook his head dubiously. "It's not right, sir, for you to expose yourself so unnecessarily-let me go in command."

"Nonsense, Ralph, you're getting in Bernheim's cla.s.s; quit it. What I wish you would tell me is whether Spencer dropped her veil intentionally or by accident."

"It seemed so accidental it must have been intentional," said Moore.

"If I were sure of it, that would cancel a trifle more of my obligation."

"Her Highness will know-" the Colonel began, and stopped abashed at his blunder.

"And so will Mademoiselle d'Essolde," said Armand. "I may have to depend on you for information."

"Then Your Highness will likely have to get it, yourself," Moore laughed.

"We're not speaking either, it seems; she let me put her up, because the Regent sent me to her, but-I'm chilly yet. Did you ever notice, sir, how disconcerting it is to think you're talking to a woman, and then find it's a mistake and that really you're talking only to yourself?"

The Archduke smiled. "Yes," said he, "I've noticed it; and we may have a rather frigid atmosphere for a few moments this evening until I can explain-we are to dine with Her Highness and Mademoiselle."

"If you don't mind, sir, I'll violate propriety and let you arrive first; your explanation will do for both-and besides, I fancy such things are best done a deux."

"You fancy!-you innocent-Irishman-afraid-of-a-woman!" He drew on his gloves. "Come along-put on a brave front and I'll take you home. Five minutes talk will set matters right."

"If you're not talking to yourself," Moore observed.

The landlord was awaiting them in distress and trepidation almost pitiful. Such ill luck had not befallen the Inn in all its years of busy life. The Regent and the Governor! It was the end of his favor-the end of the Twisted Pines. To-morrow-may be to-day-would come the police, and the nails would go into the doors, and boards across the windows, and the big gates, that had always swung open at daybreak, would swing no more, and in disgrace and shame he and his would be turned out, with the curt admonition to seek a harbor in another land.

He almost dropped as the Archduke's hand fell on his shoulder.

"Scartman," said he kindly, yet incisively, "doubtless your mind is much too occupied to remember everything that happens here-but let me suggest that it would be well even to make a special effort to forget what has occurred this afternoon. I have known such forgetfulness to merit special reward."

The landlord looked up in bewildered joy.