第63章 VI A TRAP IS SPRUNG(1)

LONG BEFORE Prince von der Tann reached Lustadt he had come to the conclusion that Leopold was in virtue a prisoner in Blentz. To prove his conclusion he directed one of his staff to return to Blentz and attempt to have audience with the king.

"Risk anything," he instructed the officer to whom he had entrusted the mission. "Submit, if necessary, to the humilia-tion of seeking an Austrian pass through the lines to the castle. See the king at any cost and deliver this message to him and to him alone and secretly. Tell him my fears, and that if I do not have word from him within twenty-four hours I shall assume that he is indeed a prisoner.

"I shall then direct the mobilization of the army and take such steps as seem fit to rescue him and drive the in-vaders from the soil of Lutha. If you do not return I shall understand that you are held prisoner by the Austrians and that my worst fears have been realized."But Prince Ludwig was one who believed in being fore-handed and so it happened that the orders for the mobiliza-tion of the army of Lutha were issued within fifteen minutes of his return to Lustadt. It would do no harm, thought the old man, with a grim smile, to get things well under way a day ahead of time. This accomplished, he summoned the Serbian minister, with what purpose and to what effect be-came historically evident several days later. When, after twenty-four hours' absence, his aide had not returned from Blentz, the chancellor had no regrets for his forehanded-ness.

In the castle of Peter of Blentz the king of Lutha was be-ing entertained royally. He was told nothing of the attempt of his chancellor to see him, nor did he know that a messen-ger from Prince von der Tann was being held a prisoner in the camp of the Austrians in the village. He was sur-rounded by the creatures of Prince Peter and by Peter's staunch allies, the Austrian minister and the Austrian officers attached to the expeditionary force occupying the town.

They told him that they had positive information that the Serbians already had crossed the frontier into Lutha, and that the presence of the Austrian troops was purely for the protection of Lutha.

It was not until the morning following the rebuff of Prince von der Tann that Peter of Blentz, Count Zellern-dorf and Maenck heard of the occurrence. They were cha-grined by the accident, for they were not ready to deliver their final stroke. The young officer of the guard had, of course, but followed his instructions--who would have thought that old Von der Tann would come to Blentz! That he suspected their motives seemed apparent, and now that his rebuff at the gates had aroused his ire and, doubtless, crystallized his suspicions, they might find in him a very ugly obstacle to the fruition of their plans.

With Von der Tann actively opposed to them, the value of having the king upon their side would be greatly mini-mized. The people and the army had every confidence in the old chancellor. Even if he opposed the king there was reason to believe that they might still side with him.

"What is to be done?" asked Zellerndorf. "Is there no way either to win or force Von der Tann to acquiescence?""I think we can accomplish it," said Prince Peter, after a moment of thought. "Let us see Leopold. His mind has been prepared to receive almost gratefully any insinuations against the loyalty of Von der Tann. With proper evidence the king may easily be persuaded to order the chancellor's arrest--possibly his execution as well."So they saw the king, only to meet a stubborn refusal upon the part of Leopold to accede to their suggestions. He still was madly in love with Von der Tann's daughter, and he knew that a blow delivered at her father would only tend to increase her bitterness toward him. The conspirators were nonplussed.

They had looked for a comparatively easy road to the consummation of their desires. What in the world could be the cause of the king's stubborn desire to protect the man they knew he feared, hated, and mistrusted with all the energy of his suspicious nature? It was the king himself who answered their unspoken question.

"I cannot believe in the disloyalty of Prince Ludwig," he said, "nor could I, even if I desired it, take such drastic steps as you suggest. Some day the Princess Emma, his daughter, will be my queen."Count Zellerndorf was the first to grasp the possibilities that lay in the suggestion the king's words carried.

"Your majesty," he cried, "there is a way to unite all factions in Lutha. It would be better to insure the loyalty of Von der Tann through bonds of kinship than to an-tagonize him. Marry the Princess Emma at once.

"Wait, your majesty," he added, as Leopold raised an ob-jecting hand. "I am well informed as to the strange obsti-nacy of the princess, but for the welfare of the state--yes, for the sake of your very throne, sire--you should exert your royal prerogatives and command the Princess Emma to carry out the terms of your betrothal.""What do you mean, Zellerndorf?" asked the king.

"I mean, sire, that we should bring the princess here and compel her to marry you."Leopold shook his head. "You do not know her," he said.

"You do not know the Von der Tann nature--one cannot force a Von der Tann.""Pardon, sire," urged Zellerndorf, "but I think it can be accomplished. If the Princess Emma knew that your majesty believed her father to be a traitor--that the order for his arrest and execution but awaited your signature--I doubt not that she would gladly become queen of Lutha, with her father's life and liberty as a wedding gift."For several minutes no one spoke after Count Zellerndorf had ceased. Leopold sat looking at the toe of his boot.

Peter of Blentz, Maenck, and the Austrian watched him in-tently. The possibilities of the plan were sinking deep into the minds of all four. At last the king rose. He was mum-bling to himself as though unconscious of the presence of the others.