be surely does. Anything can happen in the interior. I recall,
for instance, a couple of Danes, who went with a guide not long ago,
and simply disappeared. There are outlaws everywhere, and it's more
than a theory that the public officials are in league with them."

"What a joke if we find the old family castle is a nest of robbers,"
smiled Monty.

"Still!" corrected Fred.

I was watching the consul's eyes. He was troubled, but the prospect
of massacre did not account for all of his expression. There was
debate, inspiration against conviction, being fought out under cover
of forced calm. Inspiration won the day.

"I was wondering," he said, and lit a fresh cigar while we waited
for him to go on.

"I vouch for my friends," said Monty.

"It wasn't that. I've no right to make the proposal--no official
right whatever--I'm speaking strictly unofficially--in fact, it's
not a proposal at all--merely a notion."

He paused to give himself a last chance, but indiscretion was too
strong.

"I was wondering how far you four men would go to save twenty or
thirty thousand lives."