them, and they are to leave the country as quickly as possible.
At Caias they will be able to join a pack-train that will carry
them to the Great Northern Railroad. From there they will have
no trouble in reaching Vienna. You will explain to them,
Geddos. All we need them for, as you know, is to prove by their
mere presence in case of capture that the attempt was no more
than a case of burglary conceived by a band of Viennese robbers.
There will be no danger of capture if you once get her outside
the walls. You can be half way to Ganlook before she is missed
from the castle. Nor can she be found at Ganlook if you follow
the instructions I gave last night. It is now nearly one
o'clock, and in half an hour the night will be as dark as
Erebus. Go, men; you have no more time to lose, for this must
be accomplished slowly, carefully, deliberately. There must be
no haste until you are ready for the race to Ganlook. Go, but
for God's sake, do not harm her! And do not fail!"

"Failure means more to us than to you, Michael," half whispered
the hoarse Ostrom.

"Failure means everything to me! I must have her!"

Already the two hirelings were moving off toward the road that
ran west of the castle grounds. Michael watched them for a
moment and then started swiftly in the direction of the city.
The watchers had not been able to distinguish the faces of the
conspirators, but they could never forget the calm, cold voice
of Michael, with its quaint, jerky English.

"What shall we do?" whispered Anguish when the men were out of