hall. Then you called, and I knew the jig was on in full blast.
The door was open, and I saw him strike you. I shot him, but she
was at your side before I could get to you. The other fellows
who were in the room succeeded in escaping while I was bending
over you, but neither of them shot at me. They were too badly
frightened. I had sense enough left to follow and shoot a couple
of times as they tore down the stairs. One of them stumbled and
rolled all the way to the bottom. He was unconscious and
bleeding when I reached his side. The other fellow flew toward
the dining-hall, where he was nabbed by two white uniformed men
and throttled. Other men in white--they were regular police
officers--pounced upon me, and I was a prisoner. By George, I
was knocked off my feet the next minute to see old Dangloss
himself come puffing and blowing into the hall, redder and
fiercer than ever. 'Now I know what you want in Edelweiss!' he
shrieked, and it took me three minutes to convince him of his
error. Then he and some of the men went up to the Princess'
room, while I quickly led the way to the big gate and directed a
half-dozen officers toward the ravine. By this, time the grounds
were alive with guards. They came up finally with the two
fellows who had been stationed beneath the window and who were
unable to find the gate. When I got back to where you were the
room was full of terrified men and women, half dressed. I was
still dazed over the sudden appearance of the police, but managed
to tell my story in full to Dangloss and Count Halfont--that's
Uncle Caspar--and then the chief told me how he and his men
happened to be there. In the meantime, the castle physician was
attending to you. Dannox had been carried away. I never talked
to a more interested audience in my life! There was the Princess
at my elbow and the Countess--pretty as a picture--back of her,