The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope Page B

in the child’s hand. Sapt gave her a crown.
    â€œHere’s an order from the King. Show it to your father. Orderly, open the gate!”
    I leapt down. Between us we rolled back the great gate, led our horses out, and closed it again.
    â€œI shall be sorry for the doorkeeper if Michael finds out that he wasn’t there. Now then, lad, for a canter. We mustn’t go too fast while we’re near the town.”
    Once, however, outside the city, we ran little danger, for everybody else was inside, merry-making; and as the evening fell we quickened our pace, my splendid horse bounding along under me as though I had been a feather. It was a fine night, and presently the moon appeared. We talked little on the way, and chiefly about the progress we were making.
    â€œI wonder what the duke’s despatches told him,” said I, once.
    â€œAy, I wonder!” responded Sapt.
    We stopped for a draught of wine and to bait our horses, losing half an hour thus. I dared not go into the inn, and stayed with the horses in the stable. Then we went ahead again, and had covered some five-and-twenty miles, when Sapt abruptly stopped.
    â€œHark!” he cried.
    I listened. Away, far behind us, in the still of the evening—it was just half-past nine—we heard the beat of horses’ hoofs. The wind blowing strong behind us, carried the sound. I glanced at Sapt.
    â€œCome on!” he cried, and spurred his horse into a gallop. When we next paused to listen, the hoof-beats were not audible, and we relaxed our pace. Then we heard them again. Sapt jumped down and laid his ear to the ground.
    â€œThere are two,” he said. “They’re only a mile behind. Thank God the road curves in and out, and the wind’s our way.”
    We galloped on. We seemed to be holding our own. We had entered the outskirts of the forest of Zenda, and the trees, closing in behind us as the track zigged and zagged, prevented us seeing our pursuers, and them from seeing us.
    Another half-hour brought us to a divide of the road. Sapt drew rein.
    â€œTo the right is our road,” he said. “To the left, to the Castle. Each about eight miles. Get down.”
    â€œBut they’ll be on us!” I cried.
    â€œGet down!” he repeated brusquely; and I obeyed. The wood was dense up to the very edge of the road. We led our horses into the covert, bound handkerchiefs over their eyes, and stood beside them.
    â€œYou want to see who they are?” I whispered.
    â€œAy, and where they’re going,” he answered.
    I saw that his revolver was in his hand.
    Nearer and nearer came the hoofs. The moon shone out now clear and full, so that the road was white with it. The ground was hard, and we had left no traces.
    â€œHere they come!” whispered Sapt.
    â€œIt’s the duke!”
    â€œI thought so,” he answered.
    It was the duke; and with him a burly fellow whom I knew well, and who had cause to know me afterwards—Max Holf, brother to Johann the keeper, and body-servant to his Highness. They were up to us: the duke reined up. I saw Sapt’s finger curl lovingly towards the trigger. I believe he would have given ten years of his life for a shot; and he could have picked off Black Michael as easily as I could a barn-door fowl in a farmyard. I laid my hand on his arm. He nodded reassuringly: he was always ready to sacrifice inclination to duty.
    â€œWhich way?” asked Black Michael.
    â€œTo the Castle, your Highness,” urged his companion. “There we shall learn the truth.”
    For an instant the duke hesitated.
    â€œI thought I heard hoofs,” said he.
    â€œI think not, your Highness.”
    â€œWhy shouldn’t we go to the lodge?”
    â€œI fear a trap. If all is well, why go to the lodge? If not, it’s a snare to trap us.”
    Suddenly the duke’s horse neighed. In an instant we folded our cloaks close round our horses’ heads, and, holding