Meanwhile the dismounted men who had accompanied Von Sungen from the road, had halted at a respectful distance from him, and they now stood awaiting orders, which he was too much occupied with Catherine's movements to give. The men could not see the inside of the barn, or hear what was said there.
"Oho!" said Romberg to Von Sungen. "Your interest in mademoiselle's welfare betrays you. You have orders to take her back alive."
"You have the gift of second sight, my dear Romberg," said Von Sungen, watching Catherine, who still held the phial to her lips, although Dick's hand upon her wrist could have dashed it from her at any moment.
"Then," said she to Von Sungen, "the instant your men approach, I will take this poison, I swear!"
"Therefore, Baron," put in Dick, "to prevent accident, you would better order your men away, while we discuss matters."
"If your frame of mind is for discussion, I am quite willing to do that," said Von Sungen, who himself feared that some sudden movement of his men might precipitate Catherine's threatened action. He turned and spoke a few words to the six, who thereupon faced about and marched back to the road, where the two mounted forces waited. Only Von Sungen as yet knew who were in the barn. He had given his followers the impression that his talk was with peasants who might put him on the track of the fugitives.
"And now, mademoiselle and messieurs," said Von Sungen, "will you listen to reason? You cannot fail to see how impossible is your escape from this place, with all those horse-guards watching from the road. Even if you could kill me—"
"We have no desire to do that," said Dick. "God knows there are few enough kind hearts and cheerful faces in the world, as it is. But we are as determined to escape, or all to die together, as you probably are to capture us."
Von Sungen here stepped into the barn, but the look on Catherine's face promptly checked him from going any nearer to her.
"My orders are," he said, "to bring back Monsieur Wetheral and Mademoiselle de St. Valier, both alive, if possible; or, if need be, the gentleman dead, but the lady alive in any event. Nothing was said of Captain von Romberg."