Someone somewhere was waiting to receive the Princess from the hands of the men; and when they did not arrive with her, the sands of patience would be few and would soon run out, and a fresh guard sent to know the reason. When they came, they would bring a heap of trouble with them; unless I could hurry Gatrina from the house in time.
The need for haste was thus imperative; and I fretted and worried at the delay she made, all unconscious as she was of the peril it meant to her and all.
The instant the five minutes’ grace had expired, I sent the two men upstairs to bring her down, despatching one of the scared maid-servants to shew them her room.
At that moment we heard sounds below and Chris growled and barked. Karasch and I, followed by the two men, ran down instantly and found trouble; one of the soldiers, carelessly bound, had wriggled out of his cords and liberated a companion; and as we reached the bottom of the stairs, the two were in the passage with the dog blocking the way to the door and snarling fiercely.
We rushed toward them, but they slipped into the room where Chris had had the fight with the leader; and slamming the door in our faces, set up a clatter loud enough to wake the dead.
Karasch and I dashed ourselves against the door and as we strained to force it, we heard the crash of glass.
“The garden, Karasch,” I cried; and we unfastened the door and rushed out. Chris darted out with a growl and in a moment had brought one of the men to bay. The other fled toward the stable and we ran in pursuit of him. But he was a quick, agile fellow, and using the little door at the end as a means of escape, he sprang up it, mounted the wall and disappeared—to carry the news of our doings heaven alone knew where.
“Back to the house, Karasch. We must get away before that man can bring help.” We took back his comrade, thrust him into a room, turned the key upon him, and hurried again up the stairs.
Matters were going against me in the house also; and I was beginning to realise that I had grievously bungled matters in choosing such a method to serve Gatrina.
She had done precisely what, if I had not been a dolt, I might have known a girl of her courage and resolution would do. She had used the minutes of grace to barricade herself into the room.