The Princess Dehra Part 52

What need to tell what he said, as reining in close he drew her over to him! The words were a bit incoherent, may be, but Dehra understood; and presently she put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Come, Sire," she said, "let us go on-and when we get to the Castle, Your Majesty shall have again the Book of Laws."

"The Book! you cannot mean you've been in Lotzen Castle?"

She laughed her merry little laugh. "And out again-and the Book with us, from under our dear cousin's very eyes."

"You brave girl!-you foolish child!-you wonder among women!" he marvelled.

She put out her hand, and took his; and so they rode, back through the valley and up the avenue to the Castle, and as they went she told him the story of the night.

"But better than the Book, sweetheart," she ended, as they drew up before the entrance, "it saves you for Valeria and for me; had you been there, helpless under his guns, not all the troops in the Kingdom would have held Lotzen's hand."

"And better than all else," he said, as he swung her down, "is your own dear self."

"Nonsense," she replied, "I'm but a woman-you are the Dalberg and a King.... Colonel Moore, bring your package to the library, and summon all our friends."

When they had come, the Princess took the bundle, still wrapped in its black cloth, and handed it to Armand.

"Sire," said she, "the Laws of the Dalbergs-found this night in Lotzen Castle."

Without a word he bent and kissed her hand,-then, laying the package on the desk, he cut the strings and removed the cloth, exposing the big, leather-covered, bra.s.s-bound volume.

"Read the decree, Sire!" she exclaimed.

He opened the book-stopped-turned a page-then slowly closed it.

"Suppose we wait, Your Highness, until the Royal Council is present," he said.

But something in his voice alarmed her-she sprang forward, pushed aside his restraining arm, and seized the book. One glance inside-an exclamation of bewildered incredulity; another glance-and the book dropped to the floor.

"False!" she cried, "false!" and flung herself across the desk in an hysteria of tears.

Instantly Courtney turned and quitted the room, and the rest after him, leaving her and the Archduke alone together.

It was evening when the Princess appeared again. She came just as the clock was striking nine, and taking the American Amba.s.sador's arm, led the way in to dinner, which here was en famille, and without any ceremony of the Court.

"Tell me, Mr. Courtney, that I don't look quite so foolish as I feel,"

she laughed.

He let his eyes linger on her-this lovely woman who was a nation's toast-the imperially poised head, with the glorious, gleaming hair, and the haughty, high-bred face that, when she willed, could be so sweet and tender; the slender, rounded figure in its soft white gown of clinging silk-he shook his gray head.

"If you feel as you look," he answered, "you are not of this world, but of Paradise."

"O--h, monsieur! and Lady Helen just across the table."

He fingered his imperial a moment, then leaned close.

"Helen is an angel, too," he said.

"You mean-?" she exclaimed.

He smiled. "Yes, I mean-on our ride this afternoon-but don't tell it, now."

She took his hand low under the board.

"I'm so glad," she said; "Helen's a dear-and so are you." Then she gave a little laugh. "This seems to have been a rather busy afternoon for Cupid."

"Another?-Mlle. d'Essolde and Moore?"

She nodded. "Yes, but not a word of it, either-not even to Helen,"

quizzically.

"No, not even to Helen," he said with well affected gravity, his lips twitching the while.

A footman entered and pa.s.sed a note to Colonel Bernheim, but the Princess' eyes had caught the pink of the envelope and she knew it was a wire, and of exceeding importance to be brought there now-and it was for the Archduke; if it were for her, Moore would have got it. Chatting gayly with Courtney, she yet watched Bernheim, as he read the message, holding it down, out of sight.

It seemed to be very brief, for almost instantly he glanced at the Archduke-hesitated-then sent it to him.

"What is it, Armand?" she said, as he took it. "What has Lotzen done now?"

"Why Lotzen?" he laughed, spreading the sheet on the cloth before them.

It was dated Dornlitz:-

"The Duke arrived here at eight-thirty this evening on the express from the North. He was in disguise.

"Epping."

"I don't understand," said she.

"Neither do I," he answered; "that's the trouble with our cousin, he is always doing queer things."

"But he was at Lotzen Castle this morning."

"And is in Dornlitz now;-" he shoved the wire across to Courtney.-"d.i.c.k, what do you make of this-what's doing now?"

Courtney read it, then stared thoughtfully into his wine gla.s.s, twirling it slowly the while, the amber bubbles streaming upward.

"I make enough of it," he said, "to urge that you hurry back to the Capital. The false Book was intended primarily to lure you here, where you could be killed more easily, but its purpose also was to get you away from Dornlitz. The first failed, because Her Highness forced Lotzen's hand so quickly he was unprepared; the second, however, has won,-he has eluded you. I have always insisted that he hasn't the Book, but now I am persuaded that he knows where it is, and has gone for it."

"Let us go, Armand!" the Princess exclaimed-"let us go instantly."

He put his hand on her arm.

"We will go, dear," he said-"see-" and turning over the sheet, he wrote:-

"Epping, "Dornlitz.