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king?"
"Treat with him," replied the American. "He may be hon-
est enough in his belief that I am an impostor."
Von der Tann shrugged his shoulders, but did as Barney
bid, and for half an hour the young man waited with Butzow
while Von der Tann and Peter met halfway between the
forces for their conference.
A dozen members of the most powerful of the older no-
bility accompanied Ludwig. When they returned their faces
were a picture of puzzled bewilderment. With them were
several officers, soldiers and civilians from Peter's contingency.
"What said he?" asked Barney.
"He said, your majesty," replied Von der Tann, "that he
is confident you are not the king, and that these men he
has sent with me knew the king well at Blentz. As proof
that you are not the king he has offered the evidence of
your own denials--made not only to his officers and soldiers,
but to the man who is now your loyal lieutenant, Butzow, and
to the Princess Emma von der Tann, my daughter.
"He insists that he is fighting for the welfare of Lutha,
while we are traitors, attempting to seat an impostor upon
the throne of the dead Leopold. I will admit that we are at
a loss, your majesty, to know where lies the truth and where
the falsity in this matter.
"We seek only to serve our country and our king but
there are those among us who, to be entirely frank, are not
yet convinced that you are Leopold. The result of the con-
ference may not, then, meet with the hearty approval of
your majesty."
"What was the result?" asked Barney.
"It was decided that all hostilities cease, and that Prince
Peter be given an opportunity to establish the validity of
his claim that your majesty is an impostor. If he is able to
do so to the entire satisfaction of a majority of the old no-
bility, we have agreed to support him in a return to his
regency."
For a moment there was deep silence. Many of the nobles
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stood with averted faces and eyes upon the ground.
The American, a half-smile upon his face, turned toward
the men of Peter who had come to denounce him. He knew
what their verdict would be. He knew that if he were to
save the throne for Leopold he must hold it at any cost until
Leopold should be found.
Troopers were scouring the country about Lustadt as far
as Blentz in search of Maenck and Coblich. Could they lo-
cate these two and arrest them "with all found in their
company," as his order read, he felt sure that he would be
able to deliver the missing king to his subjects in time for
the coronation at noon.
Barney looked straight into the eyes of old Von der Tann.
"You have given us the opinion of others, Prince Lud-
wig," he said. "Now you may tell us your own views of
the matter."
"I shall have to abide by the decision of the majority,"
replied the old man. "But I have seen your majesty under
fire, and if you are not the king, for Lutha's sake you ought
to be."
"He is not Leopold," said one of the officers who had ac-
companied the prince from Peter's camp. "I was governor
of Blentz for three years and as familiar with the king's
face as with that of my own brother."
"No," cried several of the others, "this man is not the
king."
Several of the nobles drew away from Barney. Others
looked at him questioningly.
Butzow stepped close to his side, and it was noticeable
that the troopers, and even the officers, of the Royal Horse
which Barney had led in the charge upon the two batteries
in the wood, pressed a little closer to the American. This
fact did not escape Butzow's notice.
"If you are content to take the word of the servants of a
traitor and a would-be regicide," he cried, "I am not. There
has been no proof advanced that this man is not the king.
In so far as I am concerned he is the king, nor ever do I
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expect to serve another more worthy of the title.
"If Peter of Blentz has real proof--not the testimony of
his own faction--that Leopold of Lutha is dead, let him
bring it forward before noon today, for at noon we shall
crown a king in the cathedral at Lustadt, and I for one
pray to God that it may be he who has led us in battle
today."
A shout of applause rose from the Royal Horse, and from
the foot-soldiers who had seen the king charge across the
plain, scattering the enemy before him.
Barney, appreciating the advantage in the sudden turn
affairs had taken following Butzow's words, swung to his
saddle.
"Until Peter of Blentz brings to Lustadt one with a better
claim to the throne," he said, "we shall continue to rule
Lutha, nor shall other than Leopold be crowned her king.
We approve of the amnesty you have granted, Prince Lud-
wig, and Peter of Blentz is free to enter Lustadt, as he will,
so long as he does not plot against the true king.
"Major," he added, turning to the commander of the
squadron at his back, "we are returning to the palace. Your
squadron will escort us, remaining on guard there about the
grounds. Prince Ludwig, you will see that machine guns are
placed about the palace and commanding the approaches to
the cathedral."
With a nod to the cavalry major he wheeled his horse
and trotted up the slope toward Lustadt.
With a grim smile Prince Ludwig von der Tann mounted
his horse and rode toward the fort. At his side were several
of the nobles of Lutha. They looked at him in astonishment.
"You are doing his bidding, although you do not know
that he is the true king?" asked one of them.
"Were he an impostor," replied the old man, "he would
have insisted by word of mouth that he is king. But not
once has he said that he is Leopold. Instead, he has proved
his kingship by his acts."
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XI
A TIMELY INTERVENTION
NINE O'CLOCK found Barney Custer pacing up and down his
apartments in the palace. No clue as to the whereabouts of
Coblich, Maenck or the king had been discovered. One by
one his troopers had returned to Butzow empty-handed,
and as much at a loss as to the hiding-place of their quarry
as when they had set out upon their search.
Peter of Blentz and his retainers had entered the city and
already had commenced to gather at the cathedral.
Peter, at the residence of Coblich, had succeeded in
gathering about him many of the older nobility whom he
pledged to support him in case he could prove to them that
the man who occupied the royal palace was not Leopold
of Lutha.
They agreed to support him in his regency if he produced
proof that the true Leopold was dead, and Peter of Blentz
waited with growing anxiety the coming of Coblich with
word that he had the king in custody. Peter was staking all
on a single daring move which he had decided to make in
his game of intrigue.
As Barney paced within the palace, waiting for word
that Leopold had been found, Peter of Blentz was filled with
equal apprehension as he, too, waited for the same tidings.
At last he heard the pound of hoofs upon the pavement
without and a moment later Coblich, his clothing streaked
with dirt, blood caked upon his face from a wound across
the forehead, rushed in to the presence of the prince regent.
Peter drew him hurriedly into a small study on the first
floor.
"Well?" he whispered, as the two faced each other.
"We have him," replied Coblich. But we had the devil's
own time getting him. Stein was killed and Maenck and I
both wounded, and all morning we have spent the time
hiding from troopers who seemed to be searching for us.
Only fifteen minutes since did we reach the hiding-place
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