CHAPTER XV.
THE CZAR IS WARNED.
When Frank left Jack he made all haste toward the railway station andpurchased a ticket for Klaw, the railway division point he had mentionedto Jack. It still lacked an hour to midnight and Frank paced up and downin the station. The train left at twelve sharp and Frank ascertainedthat it would reach Klaw five hours later, barring accidents.
At fifteen minutes to twelve Frank took his seat in a first-classcompartment. Ten minutes later a guard approached and demanded to seehis passport. Frank showed it to him. The guard departed.
Soon the train pulled out and when it was well under way Frank composedhimself to sleep; nor did he awake until the train was on the outskirtsof Klaw.
The lad alighted the moment the train came to a stop and wentimmediately to a hotel a short distance away. He did not wish to attractattention by making inquiries concerning the Czar's train, so he idledabout the hotel, where he was fortunate enough to hear what he hadexpected.
"The Czar's train, I understand, will pass through soon after seveno'clock," he heard one man tell another.
It was all Frank wanted to know.
Fifteen minutes before seven Frank returned to the station, where heloitered about. A large crowd had assembled, for word of the Emperor'scoming had traveled swiftly and the people had turned out to catch aglimpse of "The white father."
It was a quarter after seven when the guards began pushing the crowdback from the track. It was a sign that the royal train was near. Frankedged his way through the crowd as well as he could without drawingattention to himself. The lad realized that the surest way to spoil hisplans was to attract the attention of the guards. Should they see thathe was apparently too anxious to get close, they would immediatelyarrest him and hustle him away.
"I'll have to wait until the train stops and then take a chance," hetold himself.
Came the sound of a shrill whistle from up the track. The Czar's specialwas approaching and the crowd cheered.
Two minutes later the train came to a stop.
The guards and what troops had been summoned were now hard put to it tokeep the crowd back. Several times they charged the crowd with drawnsabers, so close to the train did they push. And then suddenly the crowdbecame silent.
The door to a compartment which bore the royal arms opened suddenly.Instantly two footmen stepped forward, one to either side. Three menalighted, all garbed in military costume. The last to alight was CzarNicholas and again there was a mighty roar from the crowd.
For several moments the cheering continued and then died away as theCzar raised a hand. "The little white father" was going to address hispeople and the people became silent, that they might lose no word.
Quietly they listened as their Emperor addressed them in a few wellchosen words; and how they cheered when he had concluded! Then the Czarturned to his two companions and the three walked up and down theplatform.
Frank now found himself in the front line of the crowd; but armed guardsseparated him from the Czar himself, and the lad knew that it would beinstant death should he attempt to approach the Russian Emperor. As theypassed in front of him, however, less than thirty yards away, Frank madeout that one of the men with the Czar was Lord Hastings.
He raised his voice and called in English: "Lord Hastings!"
The three figures stopped in their tracks and gazed quickly about.
Frank repeated the cry: "Lord Hastings!"
By this time guards had rushed toward Frank and seized him. Apparentlythey believed he was attempting to create a disturbance, for they couldnot understand his words.
This commotion attracted the eyes of the Czar and Lord Hastings, whomoved close to see what was going on. Lord Hastings uttered a suddenexclamation of surprise and turned to the Czar.
"It is Frank Chadwick, my second officer," he exclaimed.
"So," said the Czar. "Then I shall have him brought here."
He gave a command to one of his officers and the latter approached thespot where Frank was struggling in the grasp of half-a-dozen guards. Theofficer thrust the men right and left, saying:
"I shall take command of this man. His Majesty desires to question him."
Immediately the guards fell back, as did the crowd, which had pushedforward to see what was going on and to lend a hand if it becamenecessary to quiet a man who had dared to raise his voice in thepresence of the Czar.
Frank breathed a sigh of relief as the Russian officer took charge ofhim. He knew that he had been successful. He approached the RussianEmperor and his own commander with a smile on his face.
Lord Hastings was about to speak, but the Czar forestalled him.
"So!" he exclaimed. "This is the manner in which you perform a missionfor the Emperor. I send you to Moscow and I find you in Klaw. How do youaccount for that, sir?"
"I have come to warn you, your Majesty," said Frank quietly.
"Warn me? Warn me of what? I had expected word from you before this."
"We have known nothing definite before," was Frank's reply, "nor have wehad the opportunity of warning you. The plot against your Majesty hascome to a head and the coup is to be sprung to-day by Count Blowinski."
"So?" said the Czar again. "And what kind of a plot, pray?"
"You are to be seized by Count Blowinski's troops, your Majesty, as youaddress them on the palace drill grounds."
"But what if I am surrounded by my own personal body guard, with twentythousand of my own troops within call?" asked the Czar.
"Then your Majesty will be perfectly safe," returned Frank quietly.
The Czar suddenly laughed aloud and turning to Lord Hastings slapped himheartily on the back.
"Ha, my lord," he said. "Your young friend here feared that I wouldventure into the lion's den without weapons. He has come to warn me."
"I have done the best I can, your Majesty," said Frank, with offendeddignity.
The Czar was quick to notice the change in the lad's tone and he at oncefelt the reason.
"Come, my lad, I didn't mean to offend you," he exclaimed. "It is justmy way, as Lord Hastings here, who knows me well, will tell you. I amdeeply your debtor, and your friend's. By the way, where is he?"
"Still in the count's home, your Majesty. We figured it would be unwisefor both of us to leave."
"I see," said the Czar. "Long heads, as you Britishers would say, LordHastings. But come, our train is waiting. We shall continue our journeyinto the lair of my dear friend Count Blowinski."
The Czar laid a hand on Frank's shoulder and guided him toward the royalcarriage. At the door, he turned to the only officer who accompanied himbesides Lord Hastings.
"General Rushtriki," he said, "this young British officer and myselfhave important matters to discuss. He will take your place in mycarriage."
"But, your Majesty," protested the astonished officer, "I--there----"
"Never mind, general," said the Czar. "I shall have my way in this; andif there is no other place for you aboard this train, well, then I guessyou will have to remain here."
"I shall find another place, sire," returned the general, with ruffleddignity.
He stalked majestically away and entered another compartment.
The Czar climbed back in his compartment and motioned Lord Hastings andFrank to follow him.
"Now," he said, when he was comfortably seated and the train had resumedits interrupted journey, "now you shall tell me all about yourself, whatyou have been doing and what you have learned."
Frank plunged into the account of their adventures. When he told ofJack's appearance in the den of the conspirators, the Czar was moved toask:
"And how did you find your way there?"
"Why, your Majesty," returned the lad, "I overheard a conversation inone of the hotels where I chanced to stop; and as it was too late toreturn and acquaint Jack with what I had learned, I took it upon myselfto follow the men."
"I see," smiled the Cza
r. "Then you were undoubtedly surprised to seeyour friend there."
The conversation languished now; and soon the Czar fell asleep. Franktook this opportunity of having a few words with Lord Hastings.
"Then the Czar will not trust himself entirely to the count's troops,sir?" the lad asked.
"Indeed he will not," said Lord Hastings. "He wanted to add a thousandmen to his personal bodyguard and only consented to adding the thousandsupon my suggestion, backed up by his ministers."
"And there are really twenty thousand men coming, sir?"
"There are. Following this train, at ten-minute intervals, are twentymore, each carrying a thousand men. They will not reach Moscow for anhour after the royal train arrives. Then they will be disembarkedrapidly and marched to the palace, where the Czar is to rest beforeaddressing the count's troops. This, too, is my idea, for I figured thatif there were to be any break it would be at that moment. A man engagedin treachery always plays to the spectacular. Then, too, if I werewrong, it could make no difference if the troops were there."
"Then your plan is not to let the count know the Czar's troops havearrived until the time for action comes, sir?"
"Exactly."
"Had I been figuring this thing out, I couldn't have done bettermyself," said Frank modestly. "We seem to have planned just right, sir.There is only one thing I am sorry for."
"And that?"
"That I shall have to remain behind while the Czar goes to the palace."
"And why?"
"Because, if the count saw me back with the Czar he would suspect."
"That's true," replied Lord Hastings.
"But, sir," said Frank, "if you will speak a word to his Majesty,perhaps he will grant me permission to accompany the troops thatfollow."
The answer for this question came from an unexpected source. The Czarhad opened his eyes in time to hear the lad's words, and replied:
"You shall have the permission."
Then he turned to Lord Hastings and added with a smile. "Look from thewindow! You will see that we have arrived in the den of the lion. Beholdthe city of Moscow, where my dear friend Count Blowinski awaits myarrival with aching jaws."