TALKING-TALBOT-Chapter-10

For ten minutes, perhaps, the catsped swiftly on without a word being exchanged between the fugitives. Finnally Talbot spoke: “What do you think of the countess’ advice, princess?”

“I’m afraid of her,” she answered timidly.

“What do you think will happen if we take that road?”

“We shall encounter many soldiers, 1 am sure.”

“And most likely friends of Prince SzchymsFs. That was my notion. I know nothing of this country, however. Can you suggest anything? What about going to Budapest?”

“Please, no!” she answered in terror. “They will get me again and go on with the revolution worse than ever. Or they will make me marry the duke. Oh, Sir Chester, don’t take me back !”

“I’ll do nothing you don’t wish me to,” he answered. “But indeed, little Sonia, I don’t know what to do.”

“You are sure to know,” she said confidently. “Perhaps you could get to Serbia or Bosnia. You are so wonderful.”

He knew she wasn’t trying to flatter him, but was speaking her real thought. He was deliciously thrilled by it, and was ready to give his life to bring her to safety ; nevertheless, he was at a loss.

At the great road the countess had spoken of, he turned as she had directed. There was almost no traffic on it, and he went ahead at full speed, his glaring lights showing him that it was safe ahead.

He was absolutely adrift as to a plan of action. Whichever way he turned seemed to be charged with danger. He knew the country toward Serbia was full of soldiers; and the chances were that the countess fully expected him and the princess to he stopped and held for the countess’ orders.

He was cudgeling his brains in silence, when something happened that took the matter out of his hands ; the fuel gave out, and with a few ineffective coughs the car stopped.

He jumped out and looked at the gas tanks. Both were empty ; and as gas was one of the scarce tilings now, he knew lie must abandon the car.

“Come, princes? !” he said. “We must walk now.”

“Where shall we go?” she asked, springing out of the car with the utmost blitheness, as if the breakdown was a matter of little consequence. It was only of human beings that she seemed to be afraid; ordinary troubles slie met cheerfully.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “This looks like a forest here. Wait till I push the car to the side of the road.”

He not only pushed it to the side of the road, but ditched it. He removed one of the headlights and put the other one out. He was not expecting pursuit at once, if at all; though he did not fail to consider that the chauffeur would know how little gas there was in the tanks. In any case, it was prudent to get as far as possible from that spot, where the car stood as evidence against them.

“Have you any idea where we are, princess?” he asked when he rejoined her.

“None at all. All I know is that the Danube must he a short distance to the west of here.”

“The Danube ! Perhaps we can- reach it ami find a boat in which to go down it. I forget my geography, but I think the Danube runs through Bosnia, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, Sir Chester!” she laughed. “Is there something you don’t know ? The Danube goes near Bosnia, but doesn’t touch it. It does run along the edge of

Serbia, though ; and in Serbia we shall be safe; safer than in Bosnia. But everywhere there are troops these

days.”

“If we can find a boat, we can travel only by night and hide in the daytime. Would you be afraid?”

“I think 1 am afraid of nothing when you are by my side, Sir Chester. I am sure I would learn to be brave in time.”

“You are brave now, little Sonia. Come, then ! Take my arm and hold tightly. We will try to find the river.”

The ditch by the roadside was a deep one, but easily crossed ; and in a few minutes they were making their way through a noble forest, almost free of undergrowth.

The walking was good, the powerful light of the automobile lamp made the way clear, and to crown all the princess was happier than Talbot had yet seen her. Like the child she was, she had thrown her cares away, confident in the prowess and wisdom of her knight.

He felt anything but confident himself, but it rejoiced him to see how completely she trusted him ; and he listened to her as he had never listened to music in his life.

He wished his light had been a smaller one. he wished they would soon come to the river, and he prayed that he could justify the confidence of the princess by taking her to safety.

In the meantime there was a strange delight in walking in the lonely woods with that beautiful creature hanging on his arm, pressing close to his side, and talking to him as if they had known each other for years instead of mere hours.

She was full of admiration for his strength, courage, and resourcefulness, and wondered how he had dared to do the things he had. And why had he? That seemed to puzzle her.

“I don’t understand why you should take so much trouble for me,” she said. “It isn’t as if you had known me. You just came on me, all frightened to death, and started in to rescue me. Why did you do it, Sir Chester? Did you have a reason ?”

“You were reason enough,” he answered, troubled to know what to say. “How could any man have left you in such a plight?”

•”W ould any American have done it, just as you did?” she asked.

“Some might have done it better. I don’t feel very proiid of making you take a walk like this at such an hour. Are you tired?”

“Oh, no! I’m not like a storybook princess. I have been a poor girl all my life, and if it had not been that I had some of that wretched blood royal in my veins nobody would ever have given me a second thought. Why, I am used to climbing the mountains; I’m strong, even if I am such a coward. Are you very much ashamed of me?”

“I’m proud of you, princess.”

“I like it best when you call me Sonia.”

“I like Sonia, too; but I thought maybe ”

“Maybe what?”

“That you might not like me to be so familiar. In moments of excitement or danger, it seemed natural to call you Sonia, but I wouldn’t have you think I lacked respect for you.”

“You lack “respect !” and she laughed merrily, laying her head against his shoulder as she did so. “Isn’t that funny ? Why. you are the most splendid and wonderful man I ever heard of. You are like a storybook knight. I couldn’t imagine you doing anything that wasn’t exactly right and proper.”

“I would never mean to,” he said gravely.

“Of course you wouldn’t. Ah, if you

had been the duke ” She stopped,

embarrassed.

“Who is this duke ?’ he asked hastily.

“The Duke of Jankovacz.”

That meant nothing to Talbot, but he

said “Oh I” and then asked : “Why do you dislike him so much ? You said you disliked him.”

“I hate him. He’s big^and stupid and — and horrid. I met him twice in Budapest. The nobles who were trying to make me queen found they were not strong enough, so they thought it would be a good idea to marry me to the duke. You see, they wanted to get the power out of the hands of Prince Szchmysl and the Countess Elsa.”

“Yes, I see. And so they contrived the interview?”

“Yes. the duke was secretly brought to my hiding place. I think he had seen me once before when I didn’t know it. The first time we met, he did nothing but stare at me. I was frightened, and was as still as he was.”

“Then he saw you again?” Talbot suggested. He was deeply interested in the matter.

“Yes. After he had gone the first time my nobles told me he was very much taken with me, and was ready to enter into an alliance. I let them know that I didn’t like him, but they only laughed at me. You see, I was powerless in their hands.”

“No, I don’t see. Why were you ?”

“Well, my uncle was on their side. He had brought me up, and I was afraid of him. I always had done what he wanted me to, though he had never troubled me much till this revolution was thought of after this awful war was started. He said I must be queen, and then he said I must marry the duke. What could I do?”

“Poor little Sonia ! And the duke saw you a second time.”

“Yes, he came again. I think he had been drinking a great deal that time, for he had plenty to say. He told me he adored me, and that Hungary would be fortunate to have such a queen ; and once he tried to kiss me. I — I was afraid, but I struck him.”

“My brave little Sonia !”
”Do you think it was brave? I was afraid you would think it horrid of me. My uncle said it was unwomanly. The duke only laughed and said he was glad I wasn’t such a mouse as I seemed. How 1 hated him. 1 had never wanted to be a queen; after that it seemed horrible to me. The Countess Elsa would make a much better queen. She is very beautiful, isn’t she?”

‘”Very ; but not pleasing, Why didn’t your nobles try to rescue you when you were stolen from them?”

“They knew that, with me gone. Prince Szchymsl would arrest them and try them by court-martial the minute they tried to do anything. You see, with me they could start a revolution any time. I don’t know why, for I never could understand. But that is what they said.”

”Would you have let them marry you to the duke?” Talbot asked.

“] suppose so.” she answered, clinging closer to him. “I hated him, but 1 didn’t know what to do. Was it very, very cowardly of me?”

“Perhaps,” he answered hesitatingly. “It is hard for me to understand. Of course, you were in their hands.”

“Sir Chester!” she said softly.

•’Yes ?”

‘”I wouldn’t marry him now. I am braver than I was. I’m sure they couldn’t make me do it now.”

“1 like to hear you say that. I am sure you would be very unhappy to marry a man like that.”

“Do you think I would be brave enough now. Sir Chester?”

“I hope so.”

“I know I would if I was sure you were ready to help me. You won’t

leave me until ” She stopped at the

thought of a time when this wonderful man would leave her.

“I will not leave you until you wish it,” he said.

They both fell silent after that, and were walking along quietly, preceded by

the cone-shaped flood of light, when they were suddenly halted by a voice behind them. The speech was Hungarian, and the princess, with a cry, stopped short.

Talbot stopped, too. understanding by the tone that it was a command to halt. He swung about, putting the princess behind him. bringing the light to bear on the speaker, and drawing his revolver.

“Who are you?” he demanded in German.

“Who are you who walks in these forests with an automobile lamp?”

‘”By what right do you ask?” demanded Talbot fiercely.

“The right of might,” was the curt response. “”Behind you and all about you are my men. Now tell me what you are doing here? And lower that light so that it won’t be in my eyes.”

Talbot lowered the light so that it fell on the earth only. He had seen that his interlocutor was in the uniform of an officer, and that several soldiers were back of him.

“We were automobiling,” he said, “and our machine ran out of gas. We left it by the roadside and came hunting for a house, hoping we might get gasoline.”

“Who are you? Put your weapon away t”

Still affecting a docility he was far from feeling, Talbot put his revolver back and answered: “I am an American, and have been visiting the prisoners’ camp to find a friend. My passport is in order, and I have papers to show that 1 went by permission of the military governor of Budapest.”

“Who is the lady?”

“A friend of mine.”

The officer laughed. “Likely enough. Let me look at her.”

“Will you be so ungentlemanly ?” demanded Talbot.

“If you will kindly let me have your lamp you shall see,” was the response,with a good-natured laugh. “Come, sir ! I must do my duty. I’m sure she can’t be so ugly that she will object to being seen.”

Talbot saw himself trapped and helpless. It was a time for wit, not muscle. He handed the lamp to the officer, who immediately turned it full on them.

“I beg you let me see your face, fair lady,” he laughed.

“It is better,” Talbot said, in a low tone to the princess, who was obstinately sheltering herself behind him. At his word she came into view.

The officer was now in the shadow, and they could not see his face. He was silent for a moment before crying out in a tone of wonder and delight: “It is the Princess Sonia Kotorska.”

The princess, with a cry of terror, drew close to Talbot, whose revolver was out in an instant, though he knew very well that all the odds were now against him.

In fact, his weapon had hardly been drawn when he regretted it ; and it only needed the words of the officer to cause him to put it away again.

“Put it back, sir; you are with friends. Come with me and you will he well taken care of and joyfully received. Your luck is surely with you. highness! How did you escape?”

He gave the lamp to one of the soldiers, issued a few orders in Hungarian, and stood at respectful attention, though Talbot noted that the soldiers formed about them ; a guard of honor, perhaps, but none the less a security against their escape.

“May I ask who are the friends you speak of?” Talhot inquired.

“Let it remain a pleasant surprise,” was the cautious response. “I pledge you my word that the princess will receive a royal welcome, as befits her dignity,” and he made a low, respectful bow.

“What do you wish to do, princess?” he asked her.

“You must decide,” she answered tremulously.

“Pardon me I” interposed the officer respectfully, “but I have no choice but to escort you to the castle.”

“Whose castle?” the princess demanded quickly.

“Forgive me if in prudence I leave that question unanswered. May I hope you will follow me, highness?”

She looked up at Talbot, pressing his arm as if to let him know that she woidd follow his command.

“I think we must go, princess,” he said aloud, adding, in a whisper, “I see no other way. I will not leave you.”

“We will go with you,” the princess said, with an air of dignity that sat well on her, Talbot thought.

The soldier carrying the lamp lighted the way at one side, the officer led, the princess and Talbot followed, the guard flanked them, and brought up the rear.

“Can you guess whose house it is?” Talbot asked her in a low tone.

“It may be one of my nobles; but I don’t understand why he should not tell us so,” she answered. “I am almost afraid again. You won’t leave me? But I know you won’t.”

“While life lasts you may depend on me, Sonia. Never doubt that.”

She pressed his arm in assurance of her trust in him. He felt her tremble, nevertheless, and it set his heart throbbing to realize how much he was to her. and that she trusted him so utterly.

Excepting for his occasional whispers of comfort, the walk through the woods was a silent one. The officer evidently had decided that it was better he should not try to converse with the princess. He walked ahead without even looking back.

After ten minutes’ walk the many brilliantly lighted windows of the castle came into view. It was plainly a large place, and held many people.

As they drew nearer, music and singing could be heard, as well as gay laugh-ter; and the shadows on the curtains of the windows showed many rooms occupied.

“There is a great dinner party on tonight,” the officer said, turning and saluting.

“And you will not tell me whose castle this is?” the princess said.

“Forgive me, highness, if I ask you to wait. You have no more humble servant than 1, but I am sure I am doing as my master would wish.”

“You are sure, then, that I shall be among friends?”

“Devoted friends, your — your majesty.” he answered, lowering his voice, a? if startled by his own boldness.

“Don’t say that!” she cried, clinging fearfidly to Talbot, and then whispering to him: “It must be the house of one of my nobles. Oh, Sir Chester, keep close to me. I want to be brave, but 1 am afraid. I fear others besides my nobles.”

At the main entrance they were left on the driveway by the officer, who had first given orders to his men which resulted in their gathering closer about the two.

Talbot looked at their guard, wondering if it might be possible to break through them and escape again ; but when he saw how many of them there were he realized that it would be a mad tiling to do. If they were going to meet avowed enemies, the case would have been different ; but it seemed quite certain that whover these people were, they wished the princess no harm, so that it would be wiser to accept the situation now and escape later if need there were.

The substance of this he said to the princess. “Be of good courage, Sonia. You may not like these people, but it is sure that they wish you no harm. Put a good face on it, whatever comes, and later, if you wish it, I will find a way of escape for you. Are you feeling a little braver now?”

“The fear comes suddenly, and I for-

get to be brave.” she answered. “I shall be brave, I think. Don’t be ashamed of me yet.”

“I shall never be ashamed of you,” he said fervently. “I know that you are a brave little woman.”

“1 am trying,” she said softly.

The doors of the castle were thrown open, a burst of light flooding the scene out of doors. A large, handsome man, as he seemed at first glance, stepped to the threshold and looked eagerly out.

“The duke! It is the duke!” wailed the princess.