“Not I. We’ve nothing to fight with,” I said, smiling; “but we’ve gained twenty minutes and more. I wish Marvyn would come.”
“You took me in. I thought you were in earnest,” she replied, in a tone of intense relief.
M. Drougoff was away longer than even I had hoped; and when he returned he had a surprise for us.
“His Highness himself is coming, monsieur,” he announced, shortly.
“I don’t see that he can do any good, but that’s his matter,” I said; and then we all stood in silence.
The shuffling of many feet was heard, the door was thrown wide open, and the indomitable old man was carried in lying on an improvised litter, with two doctors at his side.
They set him down in the middle of the room, and the bearers drew away.
“I have come to see my orders obeyed,” he said, with a glance at Drougoff, and then at Helga and myself. His voice was weak, but his manner implacably stern.
“Then you have come to see an ugly fight,” said I, as firmly as though I meant resisting to the last.
“Arrest them both, Drougoff. You have my authority for using any force necessary.”