The little group at that moment presented a picturesque tableau. In that old castle within which the centuries had seen enacted many tragedies, comedies, farce-comedies, and burlesques, lost to the world forever for lack of imminent playwrights, an episode in a stirring drama was about to take place against an appropriate mise-en-scène.
The king’s face, flushed with the excitement of the crisis, wore an expression of mingled cupidity and impatience. His fat, reddish hand rapped the table nervously. Opposite to him sat Bennett, a prey to conflicting emotions, but outwardly calm. He had hitherto been too much occupied in gaining an influence over King Rudolph to notice the beauty of Princess Hilda, but as she stood there, cold, disdainful, silent, while the breeze gently caressed her golden-brown hair, the American adventurer felt tempted to throw the mischievous cards into the king’s face and beg forgiveness from the princess on his bended knees.
“Count von Hohenlinden,” began the princess stubbornly.
The king put up his hand deprecatingly.
“The Count von——!” Princess Hilda got no further.
“I draw to my pair of knaves,” cried King Rudolph, thrusting three useless cards aside excitedly.
“You do, indeed,” said Hilda, under her breath, and glancing pointedly at Bennett. She had not lowered her voice sufficiently to prevent the American from catching the drift of her remark. He tossed three cards toward the king.
“Four of a kind!” cried the delighted Schwartzburger, pointing at the cards triumphantly. “My jacks will take your farm, Herr Bennett.”
“But I draw to queens,” remarked the American quietly and casting a quick glance at Princess Hilda. “Ha, was I not right? Are not the queens on my side? Look at that, your majesty! Four queens! I win my contract. Das ist wahr!”
King Rudolph gazed blankly at the cards before him. By a marvellous stroke of luck the American had beaten the king’s four jacks. Novice though he was at poker, the Schwartzburger realized that he had lost the stakes at a moment when the chances were a thousand to one in his favor.