“Have I your permission to do so, Your Excellency?” asked Hal.
The Grand Duke waved his hand.
“You shall have three minutes to produce him,” he said angrily.
“Good!” said Hal. “It will require even less.”
His right hand was in his pocket. Suddenly it flashed forth, and with it something white. Straight toward Count de Reslau the lad sprang, and before the latter could leap out of the way Hal grasped him firmly by the back of the neck with his left hand, and with his right clapped a long, flowing white beard to his face. Then with a twist, he whirled him so that he faced the Grand Duke.
“Behold Brunnoi, chief of the bandits!” he cried.
The Grand Duke staggered back again, and put one hand to his eyes.
“Impossible!” he exclaimed.
But he was forced to believe what his eyes saw. Count de Reslau and Brunnoi, the bandit chief, were one and the same man. There could be no doubt of that.
In vain did the bandit struggle to free himself from Hal’s firm grasp. The lad clung to him tightly in spite of all his efforts. Then, realizing that the Grand Duke must be convinced, he dropped the beard to the ground and stepped back while half a dozen rifles covered the count.