He pushed the pistol to one side and stepped toward the door.
The fear that his secret was out dominated the prince. “Stop, or I shoot!” he cried.
At the same instant, drawing nearer in the corridor, sounded the deep voice of Captain Nadson.
CHAPTER XIV
THE FLIGHT WITH THE COUNTESS
FOR an instant Drexel stood appalled. Then the captain’s step sounded just without the threshold—two more steps and all was lost.
Drexel’s desperate eyes fell upon the electric-light key beside the doorway. He sprang swiftly forward, and the room was filled with blackness. He disliked leaving the countess to face the trouble alone, but his first duty was to Sonya. He made for the door, and his shoulder brushed the captain’s. “Excuse me,” he said, and was gone.
Berloff started to rush after him, but the countess, who had caught his pistol, now caught his arm.
“It’s all right,” she whispered. “I’ll tell you.”
He turned on the light and gave her a quick, penetrating look. Then he wheeled upon Captain Nadson, which well-disciplined officer was seeing nothing he was not supposed to see.
“Captain, wait a moment in the study.”