The Mad King Read online

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  ON THE BATTLEFIELD

  All that night and the following day Barney Custer and his aide rodein search of the missing king.

  They came to Blentz, and there Butzow rode boldly into the greatcourt, admitted by virtue of the fact that the guard upon the gateknew him only as an officer of the royal guard whom they believedstill loyal to Peter of Blentz.

  The lieutenant learned that the king was not there, nor had he beensince his escape. He also learned that Peter was abroad in thelowland recruiting followers to aid him forcibly to regain the crownof Lutha.

  The lieutenant did not wait to hear more, but, hurrying from thecastle, rode to Barney where the latter had remained in hiding inthe wood below the moat--the same wood through which he had stumbleda few weeks previously after his escape from the stagnant waters ofthe moat.

  "The king is not here," said Butzow to him, as soon as the formerreached his side. "Peter is recruiting an army to aid him in seizingthe palace at Lustadt, and king or no king, we must ride for thecapital in time to check that move. Thank God," he added, "that weshall have a king to place upon the throne of Lutha at noon tomorrowin spite of all that Peter can do."

  "What do you mean?" asked Barney. "Have you any clue to thewhereabouts of Leopold?"

  "I saw the man at Tafelberg whom you say is king," replied Butzow."I saw him tremble and whimper in the face of danger. I saw him runwhen he might have seized something, even a stone, and fought at thesides of the men who were come to rescue him. And I saw you therealso.

  "The truth and the falsity of this whole strange business is beyondme, but this I know: if you are not the king today I pray God thatthe other may not find his way to Lustadt before noon tomorrow, forby then a brave man will sit upon the throne of Lutha, yourmajesty."

  Barney laid his hand upon the shoulder of the other.

  "It cannot be, my friend," he said. "There is more than a throne atstake for me, but to win them both I could not do the thing yousuggest. If Leopold of Lutha lives he must be crowned tomorrow."

  "And if he does not live?" asked Butzow.

  Barney Custer shrugged his shoulders.

  It was dusk when the two entered the palace grounds in Lustadt. Thesight of Barney threw the servants and functionaries of the royalhousehold into wild excitement and confusion. Men ran hither andthither bearing the glad tidings that the king had returned.

  Old von der Tann was announced within ten minutes after Barneyreached his apartments. He urged upon the American the necessity forgreater caution in the future.

  "Your majesty's life is never safe while Peter of Blentz is abroadin Lutha," cried he.

  "It was to save your king from Peter that we rode from Lustadt lastnight," replied Barney, but the old prince did not catch the doublemeaning of the words.

  While they talked a young officer of cavalry begged an audience. Hehad important news for the king, he said. From him Barney learnedthat Peter of Blentz had succeeded in recruiting a fair-sized armyin the lowlands. Two regiments of government infantry and a squadronof cavalry had united forces with him, for there were those whostill accepted him as regent, believing his contention that the trueking was dead, and that he whose coronation was to be attempted wasbut the puppet of old Von der Tann.

  The morning of November 5 broke clear and cold. The old town ofLustadt was awakened with a start at daybreak by the booming ofcannon. Mounted messengers galloped hither and thither through thesteep, winding streets. Troops, foot and horse, moved at the doublefrom the barracks along the King's Road to the fortifications whichguard the entrance to the city at the foot of Margaretha Street.

  Upon the heights above the town Barney Custer and the old Prince vonder Tann stood surrounded by officers and aides watching the advanceof a skirmish line up the slopes toward Lustadt. Behind, the thinline columns of troops were marching under cover of two batteries offield artillery that Peter of Blentz had placed upon a wooden knollto the southeast of the city.

  The guns upon the single fort that, overlooking the broad valley,guarded the entire southern exposure of the city were answering thefire of Prince Peter's artillery, while several machine guns hadbeen placed to sweep the slope up which the skirmish line wasadvancing.

  The trees that masked the enemy's pieces extended upward along theridge and the eastern edge of the city. Barney saw that a force ofmen might easily reach a commanding position from that direction andenter Lustadt almost in rear of the fortifications. Below him asquadron of the Royal Horse were just emerging from their stables,taking their way toward the plain to join in a concerted movementagainst the troops that were advancing toward the fort.

  He turned to an aide de camp standing just behind him.

  "Intercept that squadron and direct the major to move due east alongthe King's Road to the grove," he commanded. "We will join himthere."

  And as the officer spurred down the steep and narrow street theAmerican, followed by Von der Tann and his staff, wheeled andgalloped eastward.

  Ten minutes later the party entered the wood at the edge of town,where the squadron soon joined them. Von der Tann was mystified atthe purpose of this change in the position of the general staff,since from the wood they could see nothing of the battle waging uponthe slope. During his brief intercourse with the man he thought kinghe had quite forgotten that there had been any question as to theyoung man's sanity, for he had given no indication of possessingaught but a well-balanced mind. Now, however, he commenced to havemisgivings, if not of his sanity, then as to his judgment at least.

  "I fear, your majesty," he ventured, "that we are putting ourselvestoo much out of touch with the main body of the army. We can neithersee nor accomplish anything from this position."

  "We were too far away to accomplish much upon the top of thatmountain," replied Barney, "but we're going to commence doing thingsnow. You will please to ride back along the King's Road and takedirect command of the troops mobilized near the fort.

  "Direct the artillery to redouble their fire upon the enemy'sbattery for five minutes, and then to cease firing into the woodentirely. At the same instant you may order a cautious advanceagainst the troops advancing up the slope.

  "When you see us emerge upon the west side of the grove where theenemy's guns are now, you may order a charge, and we will take themsimultaneously upon their right flank with a cavalry charge."

  "But, your majesty," exclaimed Von der Tann dubiously, "where willyou be in the mean time?"

  "We shall be with the major's squadron, and when you see us emergingfrom the grove, you will know that we have taken Peter's guns andthat everything is over except the shouting."

  "You are not going to accompany the charge!" cried the old prince.

  "We are going to lead it," and the pseudo-king of Lutha wheeled hismount as though to indicate that the time for talking was past.

  With a signal to the major commanding the squadron of Royal Horse,he moved eastward into the wood. Prince Ludwig hesitated a moment asthough to question further the wisdom of the move, but finally witha shake of his head he trotted off in the direction of the fort.

  Five minutes later the enemy were delighted to note that the fireupon their concealed battery had suddenly ceased.

  Then Peter saw a force of foot-soldiers deploy from the city andadvance slowly in line of skirmishers down the slope to meet his ownfiring line.

  Immediately he did what Barney had expected that he would--turnedthe fire of his artillery toward the southwest, directly away fromthe point from which the American and the crack squadron wereadvancing.

  So it came that the cavalrymen crept through the woods upon the rearof the guns, unseen; the noise of their advance was drowned by thedetonation of the cannon.

  The first that the artillerymen knew of the enemy in their rear wasa shout of warning from one of the powder-men at a caisson, who hadcaught a glimpse of the grim line advancing through the trees at hisrear.

  Instantly an effort was made to wheel several of the pieces ab
outand train them upon the advancing horsemen; but even had there beentime, a shout that rose from several of Peter's artillerymen as theRoyal Horse broke into full view would doubtless have prevented themaneuver, for at sight of the tall, bearded, young man who gallopedin front of the now charging cavalrymen there rose a shout of "Theking! The king!"

  With the force of an avalanche the Royal Horse rode through thosetwo batteries of field artillery; and in the thick of the fight thatfollowed rode the American, a smile upon his face, for in his earsrang the wild shouts of his troopers: "For the king! For the king!"

  In the moment that the enemy made their first determined stand abullet brought down the great bay upon which Barney rode. A dozen ofPeter's men rushed forward to seize the man stumbling to his feet.As many more of the Royal Horse closed around him, and there, forfive minutes, was waged as fierce a battle for possession of a kingas was ever fought.

  But already many of the artillerymen had deserted the guns that hadnot yet been attacked, for the magic name of king had turned theirblood to water. Fifty or more raised a white flag and surrenderedwithout striking a blow, and when, at last, Barney and his littlebodyguard fought their way through those who surrounded them theyfound the balance of the field already won.

  Upon the slope below the city the loyal troops were advancing uponthe enemy. Old Prince Ludwig paced back and forth behind them,apparently oblivious to the rain of bullets about him. Every momenthe turned his eyes toward the wooded ridge from which there nowbelched an almost continuous fusillade of shells upon the advancingroyalists.

  Quite suddenly the cannonading ceased and the old man halted in histracks, his gaze riveted upon the wood. For several minutes he sawno sign of what was transpiring behind that screen of sere andyellow autumn leaves, and then a man came running out, and after himanother and another.

  The prince raised his field glasses to his eyes. He almost criedaloud in his relief--the uniforms of the fugitives were those ofartillerymen, and only cavalry had accompanied the king. A momentlater there appeared in the center of his lenses a tall figure witha full beard. He rode, swinging his saber above his head, and behindhim at full gallop came a squadron of the Royal Horse.

  Old von der Tann could restrain himself no longer.

  "The king! The king!" he cried to those about him, pointing in thedirection of the wood.

  The officers gathered there and the soldiery before him heard andtook up the cry, and then from the old man's lips came the command,"Charge!" and a thousand men tore down the slopes of Lustadt uponthe forces of Peter of Blentz, while from the east the king chargedtheir right flank at the head of the Royal Horse.

  Peter of Blentz saw that the day was lost, for the troops upon theright were crumpling before the false king while he and hiscavalrymen were yet a half mile distant. Before the retreat couldbecome a rout the prince regent ordered his forces to fall backslowly upon a suburb that lies in the valley below the city.

  Once safely there he raised a white flag, asking a conference withPrince Ludwig.

  "Your majesty," said the old man, "what answer shall we send thetraitor who even now ignores the presence of his king?"

  "Treat with him," replied the American. "He may be honest enough inhis belief that I am an impostor."

  Von der Tann shrugged his shoulders, but did as Barney bid, and forhalf an hour the young man waited with Butzow while Von der Tann andPeter met halfway between the forces for their conference.

  A dozen members of the most powerful of the older nobilityaccompanied Ludwig. When they returned their faces were a picture ofpuzzled bewilderment. With them were several officers, soldiers andcivilians from Peter's contingency.

  "What said he?" asked Barney.

  "He said, your majesty," replied Von der Tann, "that he is confidentyou are not the king, and that these men he has sent with me knewthe king well at Blentz. As proof that you are not the king he hasoffered the evidence of your own denials--made not only to hisofficers and soldiers, but to the man who is now your loyallieutenant, Butzow, and to the Princess Emma von der Tann, mydaughter.

  "He insists that he is fighting for the welfare of Lutha, while weare traitors, attempting to seat an impostor upon the throne of thedead Leopold. I will admit that we are at a loss, your majesty, toknow where lies the truth and where the falsity in this matter.

  "We seek only to serve our country and our king but there are thoseamong us who, to be entirely frank, are not yet convinced that youare Leopold. The result of the conference may not, then, meet withthe hearty approval of your majesty."

  "What was the result?" asked Barney.

  "It was decided that all hostilities cease, and that Prince Peter begiven an opportunity to establish the validity of his claim thatyour majesty is an impostor. If he is able to do so to the entiresatisfaction of a majority of the old nobility, we have agreed tosupport him in a return to his regency."

  For a moment there was deep silence. Many of the nobles stood withaverted faces and eyes upon the ground.

  The American, a half-smile upon his face, turned toward the men ofPeter who had come to denounce him. He knew what their verdict wouldbe. He knew that if he were to save the throne for Leopold he musthold it at any cost until Leopold should be found.

  Troopers were scouring the country about Lustadt as far as Blentz insearch of Maenck and Coblich. Could they locate these two and arrestthem "with all found in their company," as his order read, he feltsure that he would be able to deliver the missing king to hissubjects in time for the coronation at noon.

  Barney looked straight into the eyes of old Von der Tann.

  "You have given us the opinion of others, Prince Ludwig," he said."Now you may tell us your own views of the matter."

  "I shall have to abide by the decision of the majority," replied theold man. "But I have seen your majesty under fire, and if you arenot the king, for Lutha's sake you ought to be."

  "He is not Leopold," said one of the officers who had accompaniedthe prince from Peter's camp. "I was governor of Blentz for threeyears and as familiar with the king's face as with that of my ownbrother."

  "No," cried several of the others, "this man is not the king."

  Several of the nobles drew away from Barney. Others looked at himquestioningly.

  Butzow stepped close to his side, and it was noticeable that thetroopers, and even the officers, of the Royal Horse which Barney hadled in the charge upon the two batteries in the wood, pressed alittle closer to the American. This fact did not escape Butzow'snotice.

  "If you are content to take the word of the servants of a traitorand a would-be regicide," he cried, "I am not. There has been noproof advanced that this man is not the king. In so far as I amconcerned he is the king, nor ever do I expect to serve another moreworthy of the title.

  "If Peter of Blentz has real proof--not the testimony of his ownfaction--that Leopold of Lutha is dead, let him bring it forwardbefore noon today, for at noon we shall crown a king in thecathedral at Lustadt, and I for one pray to God that it may be hewho has led us in battle today."

  A shout of applause rose from the Royal Horse, and from thefoot-soldiers who had seen the king charge across the plain,scattering the enemy before him.

  Barney, appreciating the advantage in the sudden turn affairs hadtaken following Butzow's words, swung to his saddle.

  "Until Peter of Blentz brings to Lustadt one with a better claim tothe throne," he said, "we shall continue to rule Lutha, nor shallother than Leopold be crowned her king. We approve of the amnestyyou have granted, Prince Ludwig, and Peter of Blentz is free toenter Lustadt, as he will, so long as he does not plot against thetrue king.

  "Major," he added, turning to the commander of the squadron at hisback, "we are returning to the palace. Your squadron will escort us,remaining on guard there about the grounds. Prince Ludwig, you willsee that machine guns are placed about the palace and commanding theapproaches to the cathedral."

  With a nod to the cavalry major he wheeled his horse and trott
ed upthe slope toward Lustadt.

  With a grim smile Prince Ludwig von der Tann mounted his horse androde toward the fort. At his side were several of the nobles ofLutha. They looked at him in astonishment.

  "You are doing his bidding, although you do not know that he is thetrue king?" asked one of them.

  "Were he an impostor," replied the old man, "he would have insistedby word of mouth that he is king. But not once has he said that heis Leopold. Instead, he has proved his kingship by his acts."