TALKING-TALBOT-Chapter-08

The Princess Sonia tottered for her first steps away from Talbot, casting a piteous, despairing glance back at him. Then, as if summoning the courage she had promised to display, she walked more steadily into the open and waited for the approaching men.

The squad of soldiers remained at the side of the garden, leaving the colonel and the other man to approach the princess. And then Talbot thanked Heaven for the inspiration not to risk a struggle—for, with the men remaining at a distance, he would have been without a chance.

He crouched so as to be better concealed. The men approached within a couple of paces of the princess. The officer saluted; the colonel bowed with scant courtesy.

“You are to go to the castle, highness,” the colonel said.

“Why must I go there?” she asked, a terrible fear taking possession of her. “Why have these soldiers come? What does it mean?”

“I am only obeying orders, highness,” the officer said, saluting again. “If it please your highness to lead the way?”
Talbot saw her droop for a second, then half turn her face toward him and draw herself up. He was sure she was trying to show him that she could be brave when he was near.

He had already been struck by the formality of the escort. It was plainly an attempt to give an air of legality to what was in contemplation ; and it made him realize that the power and the machinery of a state were controlled by the enemies of the princess.

He knew he was enlisted in a desperate cause, and he could see no way to success ; but at least he could keep on trying.

He let the party get some distance away before he moved. He could see the princess leading the way up the path, making a picture of dignity and pathos. She looked so helpless, so small, so alone.

For a long distance he kept between the wall and the shrubbery ; then, as the castle came nearer, he was able to steal out and use trees and clumps of shrubbery for concealment.

The castle was a huge building, or set of buildings; for, although connected by covered passages, it really consisted of the castle proper and a whole village of subordinate buildings.

Smoke issued from the chimneys of the main building, and from what Talbot judged to be the chimneys of the servants’ quarters.

Although still fairly light out of doors, it was evidently dark enough indoors to require lights; for from openings in the curtains of the great windows of the second floor streaks of light came.

A deep and wide moat surrounded the castle, but there was no water in it. and the drawbridge was permanently down.

Over this bridge the men marched, led by the slightly swaying figure of the princess. It seemed to Talbot that halfway across she stopped and cast a for-

lorn look hack. He wondered if she had begun yet to question if he would ever be able to find her.

It was not in his heart to blame the poor child if she doubted him, for he could see no way yet of doing anything.

He crept warily near to the castle and waited, hoping something would occur to suggest a plan to him. In a few minutes the squad of soldiers with the officer marched out again, broke ranks on the turf and went in disorder to the servants’ quarters, laughing and talking.

While they were filing out of the house, a light broke out in one of the windows on the lower floor to the right of the drawbridge. That window was grated, as was plainly evident, and Talbot knew that it was where Sonia had been placed.

There was something too sinister in this disposition of the girl to be doubted, and Talbot could see her drooping and losing all hope. If he could only get a word to her to revive her spirits !

He studied the place as well as he could at the distance, and it seemed to him that where the wall of the castle had once presented a smooth surface all the way down it had in the course of time been worn away at the level of the water in the moat so that perhaps there might be foothold there now.

It was growing darker rapidly, so that he felt safe in approaching nearer to the castle. Finally he found a place that gave him a view into the lighted chamber.

He drew in his breath as he looked. It was plainly a cell, but it had been made fairly comfortable with furniture, though that fact did not seem to have much weight with the princess, who sat on the side of the little bed, a listless, pathetic picture of utter loneliness.

A fury of rage shook Talbot as he looked. Why should that sweet, innocent creature be made a victim of the lust for power? He vowed that some one should pay for what she was being made to suffer; and he dared not think of what he would do if they had the hellish wickedness to take that sweet life.

While waiting for a deeper darkness to come, he made a hasty and cautious survey of the buildings, locating the servants’ quarters, the stables, and other parts of the massive pile.

By the time he had done this, it was dark enough to justify him in trying to reach the window of the princess’ cell.

He crossed the drawbridge lightly, and examined the wall carefully. He found that he could make his way along the face of the castle, with some risk of a fall into the deep moat. He trusted to his skill as an athlete to help him there, however ; and presently was nearing the window from which the light shone.

Looking in first to be sure she was alone, he tapped on the glass. The princess started, half in alarm, half, it seemed, in hope, and looked at the window.

He tapped again, louder. She started up and ran to the window and shaded her eyes so that she might see outside.

“Sonia!” he called gently.

She must have heard his voice, for she made a gesture of joy and nodded her head. Then she unfastened the window and opened it as far as it would B°-

“You are there. Sir Chester,” she cried, in a tone of passionate joy.

“Put your light very low,” he whispered.

She ran over to it and turned it down. It was an old-fashioned oil lamp. Then she returned to the window.

“I was thinking you never, never could see me or speak to me again,” she said. “I’ll never doubt again. Oh, how brave and good you are !”

He reached in and took her hand and

put it to his lips. “While I live you can count on me, Sonia. Have you found out why they have brought vou here?”

“No, but I am afraid. Oh, I am not afraid as I was before — before I knew you. But I know they have brought me here for some evil purpose.”

“Don’t lose hope, dear, no matter what happens. 1 must not stay here, or I shall be seen. Good-by for a little while.”

He had held her hand all the while. He kissed it now twice, and then again. She drew her hand back, and in the dim light he was sure he saw her press the back of her hand to her own sweet lips.

“My brave, true knight!” she murmured.

“Sonia, dearest I” he said softly.

He crept back, and was almost on the bridge again when the door opened. He shrank back, and stooped so that he was in the shadow of one of the old supports of the ancient- portcullis.

“I must have a word with you alone, prince,” said a voice Talbot recognized at once as that of the Countess Elsa’s brother.

“Yes, yes, Maurus,” was the impatient response. Talbot was sure it was the military governor who was speaking.

“I don’t like this plan of a summary court-martial. Elsa is too drastic in her methods.”

“I tell you it is the one wise thing to do.”

“It is the one wicked and cruel thing to do. Why should we stain our hands with innocent blood ? Our cause is just, the people are with us, the whole game is in our hands.”

“It will be in our hands when ”

“Maurus is still arguing?” broke in the rich voice of the Countess Elsa. “Nonsense 1 You are military governor, endowed with absolute power to act in the interests of the government. Do your duty, highness.” The mocking note was in her voice even while she urged what Talbot knew in his heart was the one most awful deed.

“But, Elsa !” pleaded the young count.

“Come, prince !” she said curtly. “The longer you put it oflf, the longer will Maurus waste our time. It is the only thing to do. What is one life to the security of a kingdom?”

The door was closed, and Talbot heard no more. It was what he had believed was contemplated, but to have heard it discussed in such a way left him quivering with horror.

He rose up, and stood staring out into the darkness. What could he do alone against these cold-blooded plotters? He saw no way but to act blindly. To be reckless under such conditions was to be wise.

Acting on this conclusion, he listened for a moment at the door that had just been closed, and then opened it. His revolver was in his hand, every sense alert.

The door, as it turned out, was an ordinary one made in the great arch that had once opened from the drawbridge into a semicircular courtyard. The massive grating that had once guarded the entrance had been replaced by masonry, excepting for the space occupied by the door. The courtyard remained as it had been.

In front of him, at the top of a flight of broad stone steps, was a great, wide door which manifestly opened into the part of the castle occupied by the noble owner. At his left, on the level of the stone flagging, was a small, plain door. A similar door opened at his right. This much was plainly visible even in the growing darkness.

He took it for granted that the Countess Elsa and her companions had gone in by the great door at the center; also that the door at the right led to the part where the princess was imprisoned.

His heart gave a bound. Why not take this opportunity to free her and

escape? It was a thing so little expected by her captors that they had taken no pains to guard her.

It was no sooner in his brain than he was executing it. He ran to the door and pulled it open. Once inside, he was in total darkness; but after a moment or two of hesitation he was able to see where a streak of light touched the blackness of the floor.

Feeling his way along the wall until he came to the light, he then tried to find some way of looking into the room to assure himsel f that it was the one he sought. The door was tight, however.

He might have spoken to her, but if it really were she who was there, it would serve no good purpose, and if it were not, the sound might serve to notify some unfriendly person that a stranger was there.

He felt about for the lock, and found that the door was secured by a padlock, the strap and staples of which were of -heavy wrought iron, although the lock itself was ordinary. It would have withstood almost any pressure from within, but was easily breakable from outside.

With any ordinary tool, or even with a stout stick of wood, it would have been a matter of only a minute to burst the padlock ; as it was, he took the thing in both hands, and, exerting his great strength, began twisting it.

It was not easy to do, and it was several minutes before the loop of the lock began to give way; but once it did begin, progress was swift. When the lock came apart, perspiration was rolling down Talbot’s face. He wiped it hastily away and pulled the door open.

The princess had heard him working at her door, and, not suspecting that it could be he, had been alarmed ; and, when he saw her, she was at the far end of the little cell, her back to the wall, her great gray eyes staring in terror.

“Sonia !” he cried softly.
“Sir Chester ! Oh. Sir Chester !” she murmured, and ran to him in a passion of joy.

He took her two hands in his. He wanted to take her in his arms. ‘ Put your hat and coat on quickly,” he said. “We mast escape at once.”

She flashed a look of admiration at him. “You are afraid of nothing,” she said.

Praise had never greatly mattered to him. He was a masterful man who knew himself capable, and had been, in the main, indifferent to the admiration his strength and courage had elicited. It seemed, however, that the opinion of the princess was of the utmost consequence, for the expression of it set his heart beating quicker.

He helped her on with her coat. Her hat was a readily adjusted felt affair that she merely pulled down over her brown curls. It was no time to speak of such a thing, but Talbot could not help thinking that the effect was ravishing.

He took her by the hand, whispering: “There is danger, but you must trust me.”‘

She pressed his hand. “I’m learning not to be such a coward,”‘ she said, in her soft tones.

He led her out into the courtyard, and had reached the exit door when there came the sound of voices from outside.

Talbol could not understand what was said because Hungarian was used, but the princess gasped and pulled back in terror.

“The soldiers!” she whispered. “They are coming in ! We are caught !”

There was the impulse to dash out and try to take them by surprise, but it was dismissed at once. He might overcome them, but the chances were terribly against it.

He turned and dragged her to the flight of steps and up them. She followed him docilely. He pushed open

the door and went in, closing the door after him. . Then he stood there, ready to defend her against her enemies on the inside in case they should be attracted by any noise they had made in entering.

A murmur of voices came from somewhere, but no sound to indicate that any alarm had been raised.

He listened to the sounds outside. He could hear the heavy-footed soldiers enter and draw up together; then some loudly spoken words.

“What was said?” he demanded, feeling her two hands catch and cling to his arm.

“The man is going after me, and the soldiers are to wait there for him. Oh, Sir Chester!”

It was a desperate situation. Instinctively the princess got as close to him as possible, and he put his arm about her.

“Come !” he said, with sudden decision, and led her into the castle. “Make no noise. Do you know where we are? Have you ever been in here before?”

“This is a big hall, – ‘ she answered, in a whisper. “There are big rooms on both sides of it. There is a great stairway in the middle Oh!”

A door had been thrown open from a brightly lighted room. The princess trembled so violently that she would surely have sunk to the floor if Talbot had not sustained her. He held himself tense, his revolver ready.

A man looked into the hall. “They are not here yet,” he said, and went back, leaving the door open. He hail spoken in German, so that Talbot understood.

He knew what the words meant, too. The summary court-martial, that horrible mockery of the forms of justice, was to be held in that room.

“Come, dear!” he said, and led her toward the great stairway, which was now visible.

For a few steps she managed to go with him, but the thought of passing that open door robbed her of strength, and she drooped. Without a moment of hesitation, he picked her up in his arms and carried her across the broad band of light to the stairway.

His intention was to make the upper floor, if possible; and. since it could be done only by taking the risk of crossing the band of light, he meant to do it even if they were discovered. W hat he hoped, and what happened, was that the persons in the room were not looking out.

He won to the stairs and up them before the outer door was flung open by the jailer of the princess, crying frantically: “She has escaped! She is gone!” He spoke in Hungarian, but his meaning was clear.

It was very dark where they were, but Talbot followed the baluster rail and found it ran around a sort of balcony that looked down into the great hall.

From inside the lighted room rose a hubbub of voices, followed by an eruption into the hall of the persons there. A swift questioning of the man took place on the part of Prince Szchymsl, whose rage grew as he learned what had happened.

Suddenly a voice rose clear and distinct above the others. It came from the opposite side of the hall. “‘If the cell was broken open from the outside,” it said in German “it means we have a traitor among us. Where is Maurus?”

It was the Countess Elsa who spoke; her brother who answered from another part of the hall : “I am here, Elsa. Are you calling me a traitor? Is that what your words mean ?”

“You were opposed to us. Did you help her escape?”

“If a man asked me that question, he would not live to hear the answer.”

“I suppose we must take that for a denial,” she cried sharply. “Come,

prince ! Let us go to the cell. Set everybody searching for her. She can’t have gone far.” She changed to Hungarian and gave the frightened jailer a number of stern orders.

“‘This is a frightful misfortune.” said Prince Szchymsl. “If the princess escapes, we are all in danger.”

“Then lose no time,” cried the countess, furiously stamping her foot. “Come! The rest of you wait here till we come back. Maurus, the least you can do is to join the hunt.”

He turned and left the hall, followed by his sister and the prince. The others remained where they were, talking in low, frightened tones.