"But if you're seen, if you're found out?"

"Better I than the queen's letter," said he. Then he laid his
hand on my arm and said, quite quietly, "If the letter gets to
the king, I and I only can do what must be done."

I did not know what he meant; perhaps it was that he would carry
off the queen sooner than leave her alone after her letter was
known; but there was another possible meaning that I, a loyal
subject, dared not inquire into. Yet I made no answer, for I was
above all and first of all the queen's servant. Still I cannot
believe that he meant harm to the king.

"Come, Fritz," he cried, "don't look so glum. This is not so
great an affair as the other, and we brought that through safe."
I suppose I still looked doubtful, for he added, with a sort of
impatience, "Well, I'm going, anyhow. Heavens, man, am I to sit
here while that letter is carried to the king?"

I understood his feeling, and knew that he held life a light
thing compared with the recovery of Queen Flavia's letter. I
ceased to urge him. When I assented to his wishes, every shadow
vanished from his face, and he began to discuss the details of
the plan with business-like brevity.

"I shall leave James with you," said Rudolf. "He'll be very
useful, and you can rely on him absolutely. Any message that you
dare trust to no other conveyance, give to him; he'll carry it.
He can shoot, too." He rose as he spoke. "I'll look in before I
start," he added, "and hear what the doctor says about you."