Princess Zara

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE POWER OF THE FRATERNITY

  The princess did not start--she did not even look surprised when Iuttered the strange sentence, but her great round eyes welled up intears, and she caught her breath in a half-sob once. Then, withoututtering a word, she extended her hand and placed it in mine, and weremained thus, for a moment silent. Presently, in a low whisper, Iheard her repeat after me, the words, "Love, honor, and obey;" and sheadded: "As long as we both shall live."

  With a quick gesture that was purely feminine, she withdrew her handfrom mine and thrust the clustering hair away from her temples. Thenshe went to the window and gazed upon the snow clad city, and thus sheremained for several minutes.

  Presently she returned and came back to where I was standing.

  "It is strange, is it not, Mr. Derrington?" she asked in a low voice."I do not think that I am myself to-day. It is hard to realize thatthis is Zara de Echeveria who speaks to you now. I am like anotherperson; it is as though another spirit had entered my body, and I seemto act without a will of my own. It began last night when you firstentered my presence. It was evident to me when I saw you apparentlyasleep in the garden, knowing that you had overheard the conversationbetween my brother and myself; it asserted itself when we stoodtogether under the green light later in the evening, when you told methat I must keep the engagement made with you to-day, and when youentered this room a few hours ago, it seemed as though you belonged tome--as though you had stolen away my will--as though I had no right toact without your sanction. Can you explain it?"

  "No," I replied, "nobody can explain it. It is a secret that is knownonly to God, and His ways are immutable. But we have each recognized itfrom the first."

  We said nothing of love then. The subject seemed out of place at thatmoment. We both knew all that the other would have said, or could withtruth say, and there was no need to do what would seem like repeatingit.

  "When will you hear from the note that you have sent?" she askedpresently.

  "Very soon, now," I replied. "If your servant has delivered themessage, there should be a reply within a few minutes. Let us go to thewindow and watch."

  So we stood there by the window, silently communing with each otherwithout speaking. Her left hand was clasped within my right one, andthe minutes came and went until I raised my other hand and pointedsilently toward a large, double _britzska_ that was approaching. Ihad recognized the huge proportions of Tom Coyle, holding the reins,and I knew that underneath the covering were trusty followers of minewho would make short work of the waiting assassins.

  "There comes the answer to my note," I said, "Watch that _britzska_."

  "I see it," she replied.

  It dashed up on a run straight for the point where the other one wasstill waiting, and came to a stop with a suddenness that threw thehorses back upon their haunches. At the same instant there dashed frombeneath the covering a half dozen men, and while some seized the horsesof the waiting _britzska_, and others pulled the man from the driver'sseat, still others jerked open the curtains and sprang inside. From ourpost of observation we could see that a severe struggle was takingplace, and twice we heard the reports of pistols; and then the smallercarriage drove away, while the larger one, that which Tom Coyle hadbeen driving, dashed straight for the door of the princess' house.

  "The other contained the prisoners," I said to my companion.

  "This one is coming here. Remember now, Zara, that you promised totrust me implicitly. No matter what happens, remember that."

  "I will remember," she replied.

  Then there came the summons at the door, and the voice of Tom Coylerequesting an audience with the Princess Zara de Echeveria. She lookedat me inquiringly, and I nodded. In a moment more, Tom, followed by twomen, entered the room where we were awaiting them.

  "Your name is Dubravnik?" said one of the men, addressing me.

  "Yes," I replied.

  "And may I ask if this is the Princess d'Echeveria?"

  "That is my name," replied Zara.

  "I am very sorry to disturb you, but I must request you both to go withme, in the name of the Czar."

  Zara started violently, and turned one distrustful glance upon me; butI remained calm and unmoved.

  "Do you mean that we are arrested?" she inquired indignantly, returningher gaze to the officer.

  "Temporarily, princess. We were forced to make an arrest in the streetnear this house just now, and from one of the men taken we learned thatwe had to come here. I can say no more. You will come with us withoutresistance?"

  "Arrested in the name of the czar," murmured Zara blankly. "I did notanticipate this. Yes, I will go with you. Is my house to be searched?"

  "I have no such orders, madame."

  Then he turned to me.

  "And you, sir?" he inquired.

  "I am at your service," I said.

  "One moment----" began Zara, who evidently doubted the regularity of itall, but I interposed.

  "Princess," I said. "I do not think that these men mean to treat usunkindly. It is evidently some official inquiry brought about by thearrest that he had mentioned. I think it decidedly best to go withoutquestion."

  Her face flushed and she said nothing more, but having had her wrapsbrought to her, followed me into the street, and we were soon drivingrapidly away. The men were thoughtful enough to give us the interior ofthe vehicle to ourselves, and as soon as we were seated Zara turned herwistful eyes towards me.

  "What does it mean?" she asked.

  "It means that you are to be protected from the hands of your friends,"I replied. "It means that I know that the nihilists would take yourlife as soon as they know that betrayal of those who were waiting forme came from your home. I do not propose that they shall have such anopportunity. It means that I am going to place you for a time where noharm can come to you, and that not one of them will know where youare."

  "But how, how have you the authority to do all this?"

  "Did I not tell you that I am in the service of the czar?"

  "Of my worst enemy, yes."

  "Is it not wise to compel your enemies to do your service?"

  "Can I accept a service from one whom I hate as I do him?"

  "I think so, if your life and mine are both dependent upon thatservice."

  "But where are we going?"

  "To the Vladek prison."

  "I? Zara de Echeveria, to _prison_?"

  "Yes."

  "And you?"

  "To the same place."

  "How long are we to be detained there?"

  "Only a sufficient time for us to pass through it and take ourdeparture by another door, to enter another carriage, and to be drivento the house of a friend."

  "Ah! I begin to understand. To whose house, then?"

  "To the house of Prince Michael."

  "I cannot go there! Oh, indeed, I cannot go there!"

  "You must disappear for a time, Zara. The prince is my friend andyours; more than that, he loves you, and better than all, he is aprince among men as well as a Prince in rank. Will you not still trustme?"

  She sighed and said no more, but as the _britzska_ dashed onward shenestled closer to me, as though she found comfort in the thought thatthe authority was taken out of her hands, and when at last we came to astop before the prison doors, she whispered:

  "I trust you. Do with me as you will. I will obey."

  Within the prison, I found Canfield awaiting me, and I gave him andCoyle a few hurried instructions; but we were soon on the road again,and in due time arrived at the house of the prince, we passing in by aside entrance. Presently, courtly and grave, but as white as mentalsuffering can render the face of a man, he came to us.

  "You are welcome," he said, extending his hand, first to her and thento me. "The house is at your disposal, princess, and I need not saythat there are no servants here to spy on you. I know them all, andyour presence will be as secret as the grave."

  She thanked him, and was proceeding
to explain some of thecircumstances which had brought us there when he stopped her with agesture.

  "It is true that I do not understand," he said, "but Dubravnik is mybest friend and he will tell me all that is necessary to tell. In themeantime, I am commanded by his majesty, the czar, to remain at thepalace for a few days. Let me entreat you to regard everything here asyour own."

  "Twenty-four hours will suffice, prince," I said. "After that time theprincess can return in safety to her own home."

  "Then, if you will excuse me," he murmured, bowing low over Zara'shand, "I will proceed at once to the palace, where I am even nowexpected. I will await you there, Dubravnik," he added, and the glancethat he cast upon me made me wonder if I had not, perhaps, trusted--or,rather, tried--this chivalrous man too far, in taking the princess tohis house.

  Zara saw and correctly interpreted the glance, for as he left the roomupon my assurance that I would follow him at once she put her hands inmine and said:

  "Are you indeed assured of your own safety, Dubravnik? Ah, yes, I shallalways call you by that name. Are you assured of your own safety? Tellme truly."

  "Perfectly; and of yours, also. Have no fears."

  Then I raised her hands to my lips, and kissed them both, first one andthen the other, again and again; and she, standing on tiptoe, pressedher lips to my forehead.

  "Love, honor, and obey," I murmured; and she repeated after me:

  "Love, honor, and obey."

  Then I left her.

  It was still early in the day, but at that time of the year darknesssettles over the earth while yet the day is young, and night wasalready abroad in the streets. I had much to do ere the dawn of anotherday, for the time had come when the power of the Fraternity of Silencemust be asserted; when I felt that the work that I had agreed to do forthe czar was nearly completed. My drag net was ready, and the time hadcome to cast it.