“Come on,” said the dwarf, seizing Carl’s hand. “We have not far to go; we are taking a short cut to my apartments—the real centre of royalty in Hesse-Heilfels.”
A moment later they stepped out into a passageway that soon led them to the main entrance of the rooms in which the dwarf had ensconced Rudolph XI. and his small suite. Cautiously opening the heavy door, Cousin Fritz tightly gripped Carl Eingen’s arm and silently pointed to the scene before them.
In the centre of the hall the deposed king was seated at a table, at the opposite side of which Count von Reibach shuffled a pack of cards. Between them were small piles of pebbles that roughly served as chips. Baron Wollenstein, with a surly expression upon his heavy face, appeared to watch the game, but his restless eyes constantly turned toward a group at the farther corner of the room. The Princess Hilda, attended by Fraulein Müller, was seated in an antique chair of state, against the back of which her head rested as she gazed upward at Herr Bennett. The American, oblivious of the threatening glances of Baron Wollenstein, was bending forward talking earnestly to the golden-haired princess. A smile played across her face as she listened to his words.
“There, Carl Eingen,” whispered the dwarf mischievously, “is the game as it stands. Will you draw cards?”
“Yes,” answered the youth hoarsely as he met the eye of Fraulein Müller, who turned white with amazement as she caught sight of him.
CHAPTER XII.
There was nothing in the topic upon which Bennett was discoursing to the Princess Hilda to arouse the jealousy of Baron Wollenstein. The American was speaking eloquently, but impersonally, of his native land. The events of the night and the ominous inaction of the morning had rendered the princess a willing listener to the voice of a man to whom, she felt, she had shown great injustice. Woman-like, having reached the conclusion that she had not treated him with fairness, she now went to the extreme of trusting Bennett fully. Her discovery of the utter baseness of Wollenstein and von Reibach added to the longing she felt to prove that the American was not unworthy of her regard.
“It is true,” said Bennett smilingly, “that my beautiful country is not made picturesque by antique castles, but, your Royal Highness, you must admit that I have no cause to hold it in contempt for that reason.” He glanced around the gloomy apartment meaningly.