Barney looked anxiously aloft. Would Joseph never lower that rope!
Within the room the men were searching. He could hear Maenck
directing them. Only a thin portiere screened him from their view.
It was but a matter of seconds before they would investigate the
window through which Maenck knew the king had found ingress.

Yes! It had come.

"Look to the window," commanded Maenck. "He may have gone as he
came."

Two of the soldiers crossed the room toward the casement. From above
Joseph was lowering the rope; but it was too late. The men would be
at the window before he could clamber out of their reach.

"Hoist away!" he whispered to Joseph. "Quick now, my man, and make
your escape with the Princess von der Tann. It is the king's
command."

Already the soldiers were at the window. At the sound of his voice
they tore aside the draperies; at the same instant the pseudo-king
turned and leaped out into the blackness of the night.

There were exclamations of surprise and rage from the soldiers--a
woman's scream. Then from far below came a dull splash as the body
of Bernard Custer struck the surface of the moat.

Maenck, leaning from the window, heard the scream and the splash,
and jumped to the conclusion that both the king and the princess had