Now the Czar began to speak and a hush fell over the vast assemblage.
“Soldiers!” said the Czar. “It gives me happiness to address you; and it would give me ever more happiness, were it not for one thing.”
Here the Czar paused and his gaze went to the troops farther back, his own men, whom he knew could be trusted.
Jack saw the officers there exhorting their men to some sort of action as the Czar continued: “Yes, it would give me greater happiness did I not know that there are traitors among you—men who would betray me to the enemy. I——”
What else the Czar might have said was lost in two sharp revolver reports. For a moment thereafter there was a deathly silence; followed by a tremendous uproar and the sharp crack, crack of rifles.
Jack, his eye ever keen, had been watching Count Blowinski like a hawk. As the emperor spoke of traitors, the lad saw the count’s form stiffen. Then the big Russian suddenly whipped out his revolver and fired at the Czar.
But Jack had acted just as promptly. As he saw the count’s revolver leap forth, the lad jerked out his own weapon. Hardly taking time to aim, but breathing a fervent prayer, Jack pressed the trigger a moment before the count’s finger tightened on the trigger of his revolver.
There was not the space of a second between the two sharp reports, but Jack’s revolver spoke the fraction of a second before that of the count.
Count Blowinski staggered back. The bullet from Jack’s revolver had struck him in the shoulder, but his finger had already tightened on the trigger, discharging his weapon. But his aim had been deflected by Jack’s bullet and the missile went wide of its mark.
Before he could fire again, had such been his intention, Jack had leaped forward and his powerful fingers were clasped about the big Russian’s throat.