登陆注册
5235800000078

第78章 IX THE CAPTURE(6)

At the stables a sleepy groom answered the summons of the officer, whom Barney had warned not to divulge the identity of himself or the princess. He left the princess in the shadows outside the building. After what seemed an eternity to the American, three horses were led into the courtyard, saddled, and bridled. The party mounted and approached the gates. Here, Barney knew, might be en-countered the most serious obstacle in their path. He rode close to the side of their unwilling conductor. Leaning for-ward in his saddle, he whispered in the man's ear.

"Failure to pass us through the gates," he said, "will be the signal for your death."The man reined in his mount and turned toward the American.

"I doubt if they will pass even me without a written order from Prince Peter," he said. "If they refuse, you must reveal your identity. The guard is composed of Luthanians --I doubt if they will dare refuse your majesty."Then they rode on up to the gates. A soldier stepped from the sentry box and challenged them.

"Lower the drawbridge," ordered the officer. "It is Captain Krantzwort on a mission for the king."The soldier approached, raising a lantern, which he had brought from the sentry box, and inspected the captain's face. He seemed ill at ease. In the light of the lantern, the American saw that he was scarce more than a boy--doubt-less a recruit. He saw the expression of fear and awe with which he regarded the officer, and it occurred to him that the effect of the king's presence upon him would be abso-lutely overpowering. Still the soldier hesitated.

"My orders are very strict, sir," he said. "I am to let no one leave without a written order from Prince Peter. If the sergeant or the lieutenant were here they would know what to do; but they are both at the castle--only two other soldiers are at the gates with me. Wait, and I will send one of them for the lieutenant.""No," interposed the American. "You will send for no one, my man. Come closer--look at my face."The soldier approached, holding his lantern above his head. As its feeble rays fell upon the face and uniform of the man on horseback, the sentry gave a little gasp of as-tonishment.

"Now, lower the drawbridge," said Barney Custer, "it is your king's command."Quickly the fellow hastened to obey the order. The chains creaked and the windlass groaned as the heavy planking sank to place across the moat.

As Barney passed the soldier he handed him the pardon Leopold had written for the American.

"Give this to your lieutenant," he said, "and tell him to hand it to Prince Peter before dawn tomorrow. Do not fail."A moment later the three were riding down the winding road toward Blentz. Barney had no further need of the officer who rode with them. He would be glad to be rid of him, for he anticipated that the fellow might find ample opportunity to betray them as they passed through the Austrian lines, which they must do to reach Lustadt.

He had told the captain that they were going to Tann in order that, should the man find opportunity to institute pur-suit, he might be thrown off the track. The Austrian sentries were no great distance ahead when Barney ordered a halt.

"Dismount," he directed the captain, leaping to the ground himself at the same time. "Put your hands behind your back."The officer did as he was bid, and Barney bound his wrists securely with a strap and buckle that he had re-moved from the cantle of his saddle as he rode. Then he led him off the road among some weeds and compelled him to lie down, after which he bound his ankles together and stuffed a gag in his mouth, securing it in place with a bit of stick and the chinstrap from the man's helmet. The threat of the revolver kept Captain Krantzwort silent and obedient throughout the hasty operations.

"Good-bye, captain," whispered Barney, "and let me sug-gest that you devote the time until your discovery and re-lease in pondering the value of winning your king's confi-dence in the future. Had you chosen your associates more carefully in the past, this need not have occurred."Barney unsaddled the captain's horse and turned him loose, then he remounted and, with the princess at his side, rode down toward Blentz.

同类推荐
  • 禅宗决疑集

    禅宗决疑集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 春日游曲江

    春日游曲江

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 地震问答

    地震问答

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严道场起止大略

    华严道场起止大略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 讲瑞篇

    讲瑞篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 热武侠

    热武侠

    一点星火燃起广阔原野,寂静百年的天朝上国从此沸腾起来。金戈铁马,龙蛇起舞,又一个武侠的大时代从此拉开。(数群:312700689)
  • 七九年之战目击记

    七九年之战目击记

    在当前现代化建设轰轰烈烈,改革热潮震撼祖国大地的重大时期,广阔的社会生活和人们的精神世界都在发生急剧的变化和更新,新的信息纷至沓来,这无疑是报告文学这种样式大展身手的好时候,有人甚至说,现在是报告文学的时代,这虽然不无夸大,但这种最能有声有色地传递信息曲文学样式,越来越受群众欢迎,越来越为读者所欣赏喜爱,却是事实。
  • 夏日失踪事件

    夏日失踪事件

    17岁的完美男孩凌佑希一直想体会叛逆的感觉,他决心在这个夏天重新寻找他自己。在遇到了夏晓娆和酒吧后巷尸体事件之后,他变成了神秘男孩莫梓孑,从此被卷入一系列惊心动魄的诡异事件。经历了这个冒着生命危险的夏天之后,他终于发现隐藏在朋友们内心世界里的黑暗秘密和那个危险至极又无法反抗的阴谋……
  • 寻龙笔记

    寻龙笔记

    搬山派起源古老的西域部落,因受某种诅咒年龄一般不超过60岁,以盗墓为业,擅长生克制化之术,行踪隐秘难寻,许多年来很少与外人相通,但他们所做只为求取“雮尘珠”不为财物。传闻“雮尘珠”是地母所化的凤凰,自商周时代起,就被认为可以通过这件神器,修炼成仙,有脱胎换骨之效,但是需要在特殊的地点,才能发挥它的作用。在一个搬山派传人的带领下,一群盗墓贼游走幅员辽阔的华夏大地,开启了一座座被尘封的皇陵巨冢,在古老的陵墓当中,斗鬼斗怪斗人心,寻找着生死轮回的奥秘。
  • 斌雅禅师语录

    斌雅禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 血腥的盛唐3:武则天夺权

    血腥的盛唐3:武则天夺权

    在最鼎盛时期,唐朝经济GDP高达世界总量的六成,领土面积是当今中国的两倍,300多个国家的人们怀着崇敬之心,涌入长安朝圣,2300多名诗人创造了无法逾越的文化盛世;然而事实上,如此繁荣的景象只持续了不到整个朝代一半的时间,大唐王朝的最后近百年间,连年内战,四处硝烟,黄河流域尸横遍野,千里无鸡鸣,万里无狗吠,落日的余辉下,是一望无际的地狱之国。翻开本书,中国历史上最著名的主角们:李渊、李世民、武则天、杨贵妃、唐明皇、李白、安禄山、黄巢……帝王将相,轮番上阵,诗人草寇,粉墨登场,紧锣密鼓,不容喘息,连演数场好戏:一场比一场令人血脉贲张!一场比一场起伏跌宕!一场比一场充满血腥和阴谋!
  • 佛说老女人经

    佛说老女人经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 噬界之兽

    噬界之兽

    “延伸到无限,啃食着世界的内脏;将能够燃烧的一切,吞噬殆尽掉。”这是一个出身不平凡的男孩与他的白龙一同走向世界的故事。然而他们所期待的这个世界正在腐朽崩坏,她的躯体感染了寄生虫。“这个世界已经无可救药,名为人性弱点的瘟疫在人与人之间传播着;当最天真无邪的心灵被这瘟疫感染并腐朽时,其中孕育着的怪物会诞生……”注:本作主要走日常流,以角色们的视角来观察这个世界,同时还有上帝视角型角色。
  • 逆天狂龙

    逆天狂龙

    上古大神鸿钧舍身化为天道,一统天运。天道真的可以统治一切,不能反抗吗?错!大道五十,天道四十九,终有一道要逆天。那一道,便是秦殊的逍遥之道!逆天的狂徒,重生在远古,与盘古称兄道弟,和三清争上斗下。
  • 无尽神幻

    无尽神幻

    这是一个令人着迷的神幻世界!在汪洋大海里遨游的誓灵海兽,在大地上践踏万物的泰坦之主。蔚蓝的天空中展翅翱翔的玄鹰,光明山上沐浴着圣光的光明之子。深渊魔窟里吞噬岩浆的熔岩巨魔,百花谷里翩翩起舞的万花女皇。火狐、死亡之主、始祖灵兽、战争狂魔、恶魔男爵······火系、武斗系、魔系、神系,形形色色的神幻成为神幻使的战斗伙伴!黑暗深处,更有窥觑着这方世界的邪灵,试图毁灭这个刚有起色的世界!而我们的主角,一位从地球穿越到这方世界的幸运儿,励志要成为神幻大师,以在世界神幻联盟大赛上取得冠军为目标,并为之不懈努力着。一路上披荆斩棘,收服许多珍贵稀有的神幻,获得了友情、爱情,最终站在了世界巅峰的故事。