His hand came in contact with a heavy hanging or tapestry, and he
quickly squirmed behind its folds, finding himself against a door
which moved as his body touched it. He felt it swing open
slightly and drew back, intending to return to the hall,
uncertain and very much undecided as to the course to pursue.
His revolver was in his hand. Just as he was about to pull aside
the curtain a man glided past, quickly followed by another.
Providence had kept him from running squarely into them. They
were going toward the left, and he realized that they were now
approaching the Princess's room. How he came to be ahead of them
he could not imagine. Strange trembling seized his legs, so
great was the relief after the narrow escape. Again he felt the
door move slightly as he pressed against it. The necessity for a
partial recovery of his composure before the next and most
important step, impelled him softly to enter the room for an
instant's breath.

Holding to the door he stood inside and drew himself to his full
height, taking a long and tremulous breath. There was no light
in the room, but through the door crack to his left came a dim,
broad streak. He now knew where he was. This room was next to
that in which the Princess slept, for had he not seen the light
from her window? Perhaps he was now in the room of the Countess
Dagniar. Next door! Next door! Even now the daring Geddos and
Ostrom were crawling towards the bed of the ruler of Graustark,
not twenty feet away. His first impulse was to cross and open
the door leading to the next room, surmising that it would be
unlocked, but he remembered Anguish, who was doubtless, by this
time, stealing up the stairs. They must not be separated, for it