The Prince Commands Read online

  Urich leaned across the back of Michael Karl’s chair. “Be ready, Your Highness. The witnesses are called according to rank and you are first. When your name is read, step down into the center aisle and face the hall.”

  Michael Karl had just time enough to hiss back “Thank you,” when Johann called, “His Highness, Michael Karl, Prince of Rein.”

  Michael Karl obeyed Urich’s instructions and stepped down into the center aisle.

  “Do you swear upon the honor of your house that what you are about to say is the truth?” asked the Duke sternly.

  Michael Karl’s “I do!” quavered a little with excitement.

  “Did Your Highness receive certain orders from His Majesty on the night that His Majesty took the city of Rein?”

  “I did.”

  “Repeat those orders to the Court if you please, Your Highness.”

  “I was to wait for the green rocket from the bridge and then enter with my men and go straight to the Cathedral Square, holding it open that His Majesty might receive reinforcements in the Fortress.”

  “What happened when Your Highness reached the Cathedral Square?”

  “A body of the Household Horse attempted to stop us, but we won through to find that the rebels had fortified the Cathedral and barricaded the approach to it.”

  “With what result did Your Highness attack the barricade?”

  “We took it with a large loss.”

  “Was the Marquisa Cobentz among Your Highness’s prisoners at the end of the engagement?”

  “There were no prisoners,” answered Michael Karl slowly.

  At his answer there was a murmur through the hall.

  “Had Your Highness given any orders that there were to be no prisoners?”

  Michael Karl shook his head. “No. The rebels refused to surrender and fought to the end. There was no cry for quarter from either side.”

  “After Your Highness had swept the barricade what occurred?”

  “Colonel Grimvich and the Foreign Legion reached the Square. The Colonel informed me that His Majesty seemed to be holding out successfully and that he would report the progress made in the Square when he reached His Majesty. He offered me reinforcements which I accepted. I had but ten men left.”

  “How many men did Your Highness have when you left His Majesty’s mountain camp?”

  “Forty.”

  Again Michael Karl heard the murmur of the listeners.

  “When Your Highness received reinforcements from Colonel Grimvich what did you do?”

  “My men informed me that the Marquisa Cobentz and his officers had withdrawn into the Cathedral. I rapped on the door and called upon them to surrender. There was no answer. Then I threatened them with the Fortress guns.”

  “With what result, Your Highness?”

  “His Grace, the Archbishop, fearing for the safety of the Cathedral, opened to us. He informed us that the rebels were by the High Altar; a moment later he was shot.”

  “Did Your Highness then make preparations to take the Marquisa and his officers?”

  “I did. My party separated and a group went up each aisle out of sight of the rebels. They called to us that they had taken sanctuary. I replied that the murder of His Grace denied them sancturary. One of them called again that they had disarmed the Marquisa and were coming down to surrender.”

  “Did they do so?”

  “They did.”

  “What was the attitude of the Marquisa Cobentz when he was brought before you?”

  Michael Karl flushed. “He seemed unlike himself.”

  “In what manner was he unlike himself, Your Highness?”

  “He seemed very much afraid.”

  “What orders did Your Highness give concerning the Marquisa?”

  “That he should be guarded. His Majesty then arrived and took charge.”

  “His Majesty thanks Your Highness for your cooperation with the Crown in answering these inquiries. Has the Defense any questions to ask?”

  The man in the black gown, who had entered Cobentz’s plea of not guilty, arose and turned to the throne.

  “If it please Your Majesty,” he began, “the Defense has certain questions to put to His Highness. Have we Your Majesty’s gracious permission to proceed?”

  “The Defense may proceed,” answered Urlich Karl.

  Duke Johann stepped back and seated himself at the table while the black gown took his place.

  “Your Highness has stated that you acted upon the direct orders of His Majesty in taking the Cathedral Square?”

  “That is true.”

  “Was Your Highness wounded in the engagement which took place directly before you reached the Square?”

  “I received a slight scratch on one cheek. Nothing serious.”

  “Your Highness bears a scar from that wound?”

  “I do.”

  For the life of him Michael Karl couldn’t understand what the smooth voiced lawyer was attempting to prove. However, it wouldn’t be a bad plan to be wary, very wary.

  “During the engagement upon the steps of the Cathedral, did Your Highness ever lose your footing?”

  “I ducked once to escape a bullet.”

  “Was that bullet fired by one of the officers commanding the rebels?”

  Michael Karl shook his head. “The party of officers had disappeared before that.”

  “Aha—” The lawyer sucked in his breath with a purring sound.

  “Was Your Highness ever close enough to distinguish any individual among those officers?”

  Michael Karl thought furiously. Had he seen any one of the men well enough to remember him? No, all he could see when he closed his eyes was the five or six bright tunics at the head of the stairs, but he couldn’t recall a single face.

  “Does Your Highness remember any single one of those officers well enough to describe him?”

  “No,” said Michael Karl at last. “I remember seeing them, but I don’t remember any of their faces.”

  Again the lawyer sighed his pleased little “ha.”

  “Then it might be possible that the Marquisa Cobentz was not one of those officers?”

  “But he was!” protested Michael Karl.

  “Will Your Highness swear to that?” the lawyer caught him up.

  “I can’t,” said Michael Karl miserably. He saw what the fellow was doing. “But one of my men probably can.”

  “You can not answer for your men, Your Highness.”

  “If the Marquisa wasn’t among the officers on the steps, how did he get into the Cathedral?” counter-questioned Michael Karl.

  “The Crown will have the right to put such questions later. Your Highness,” the lawyer rebuked him.

  “When Your Highness stepped in, and the Archbishop was shot, did Your Highness see the Marquisa fire that shot?”

  Again Michael Karl was forced to answer “No.”

  “After the Marquisa and his companions were taken, did Your Highness become ill from exhaustion?”

  “Yes.”

  “Isn’t it true that owing to Your Highness’ condition it is hard for Your Highness to remember the events of that day clearly?”

  “No, it is not!” snapped Michael Karl with some heat.

  “That is all, Your Majesty,” said the lawyer and retired.

  Urlich Karl leaned forward. “On behalf of the Crown we thank Your Highness for your prompt and ready assistance. Your Highness is excused.”

  Michael Karl bowed, stepped back and seated himself.

  “I made a hash of it, didn’t I?” he whispered to Urich.

  “He got two admissions very damaging to our case out of Your Highness,” he admitted gravely. “But I don’t see how Your Highness could have answered any differently.”

  “But the King or Johann could tell them something!”

  “They can’t because of their positions. Johann is the hereditary prosecutor of the court and the King is the judge. Neither of them can go on the witness stand.”

&n
bsp; “Baron Urich von Brunn,” summoned Johann.

  Urich stepped down to take his place in the center aisle.

  “You acted as His Highness’s aide-de-camp upon the taking of Rein?”

  “I did.”

  “You were with His Highness when he fought his way up the Cathedral steps?”

  “No.”

  There was a moment of startled silence, and then Johann spoke again.

  “May the Court ask why?”

  “The rebels had thrown up a barricade, and His Highness had no information as to whether they had machine guns. If they had had them it would have been sudden death for any of us to attempt the attack. His Highness realized that fact and rather than risk the lives of his men, charged by himself. The rebels had no machine guns, and His Highness’s horse leaped the barrier and carried him up the steps.”

  “And his men?”

  “As soon as they saw what His Highness was about, they followed him.”

  “But His Highness was alone for a short period of time?”

  “He was. He held off the entire enemy force until we managed to reach him.”

  “Were there any officers among the men who attacked His Highness during the period in which he was defending himself?”

  “I could not say.”

  “Were there any officers upon the steps at all?”

  “There were. Shortly before we reached His Highness a group of officers made their way into the Cathedral.”

  “Did you see the Marquisa among them?”

  “I was too far away to distinguish faces.”

  “When you entered the Cathedral did you witness the actual shooting of His Grace, the Archbishop?”

  “I did.”

  “Who shot him?” There was breathless expectancy in the hall.

  “One of the officers by the altar. He wore a green uniform tunic.”

  “When you took the prisoners, which one of them wore a green tunic?”

  “The Marquisa Cobentz.”

  The Duke stepped back, and Michael Karl thought he caught a hint of satisfaction in his voice when he thanked Urich.

  And then the lawyer for the defense began his questioning.

  “Are there stained glass windows in the Cathedral of Rein?”

  “There are.”

  “There is one of these above the High Altar placed in such a way that the colored light from it falls upon the altar?”

  “There is such a window.”

  “Is green one of the colors in this window?”

  “It is.”

  “Did any among the prisoners wear white tunics?”

  “Two of them did.”

  “Might not that green light from the window have colored a white uniform tunic so that it appeared green?”

  “I do not know.”

  The lawyer thanked him and Urich came back to take his place by Michael Karl’s side.

  “They’ve got a strong case, Your Highness. This morning I would have sworn that they hadn’t a chance but now—well, frankly, I don’t know. A drum-head court-martial would have settled things more neatly.”

  “Then you think that there’s a chance he’ll go free?”

  “There’s more than a chance, Your Highness. Even I would hesitate to convict him on this morning’s evidence. They’re going to adjourn now until this afternoon.”

  Michael Karl saw his cousin rise and all the court with him. Johann called out something, and the crowd began filing out of the hall while the King came down to join Michael Kart.

  Chapter XV

  The Last Of Cobentz And Co. (Continued)

  “They’ve got us, unless something happens. They’ve most decidedly got us,” observed Urlich Karl as he wiped his fingers on the heavily embroidered napkin.

  “But why,” protested Michael Karl, “did you have to have a trial at all?”

  “Because there would be a great many people who would shout ‘tyrant’ and other unpleasant names at my heels if I didn’t allow Cobentz a chance to lie himself out of the mess he’s got into. We aren’t out of the woods yet, boy. Public opinion is a very queer thing and it behooves us to go slow until we have a firmer backing than we have at present.

  “We haven’t been officially recognized by either England or America yet, and our merchants are waiting. The country depends on trade and those are the nations with which we trade the most. Should some one raise the cry that we were putting men to death without trial, and America and England withdraw their ministers, our government wouldn’t last five days. So Cobentz must have his chance to wriggle and lie and take up our time.”

  “That’s what you call diplomacy, isn’t it?” asked Michael Karl.

  “It is. And now let’s talk about something pleasant. We’re going to the Summer Palace after the coronation. Do you care for tennis?”

  “I’ve never played,” admitted Michael Karl.

  His cousin shook his head. “That won’t do, it won’t do at all. Johann must take you on. He taught me all I know, which I admit isn’t much, is it, Johann?”

  “Your Majesty would be a better player if you weren’t so reckless,” answered the Duke with his lazy smile.

  “Always am I reproved for recklessness,” sighed the King. “And now I suppose we’ll have to drag ourselves back to work. I have to grit my teeth to keep from screaming every time that slimy lawyer says ‘Ha.’ There ought to be a law against it.”

  The Hall of Judgment was crowded. Michael Karl wondered how the marshals did get them all into the galleries. Whoever had packed them into the left gallery must have had lessons at a sardine packing plant.

  The Lords arose and then seated themselves like a rippling wave of red and blue velvet with ermine and jeweled collars to give it life. Michael Karl was thankful that he wasn’t called upon to sweat under one of the heavy robes.

  Cobentz appeared under guard, but this time there was a smug, self-satisfied look about him. He knew that things were going his way. Bestowing a wide smile upon either gallery, he took his place. Michael Karl felt a little sick. He saw again those dreadful Cathedral steps and that pitiful red cloaked body by the door. Diplomacy or no diplomacy, Cobentz should have been shot on sight.

  The burden of the prosecution rested upon the Duke. Michael Karl turned to look at him. Johann was as languid as ever, regarding the Lords before him through lazy half-closed eyes, but there was something—Johann knew something which might save them after all. Michael Karl wondered if his cousin had noted that air of watchful waiting about Johann. When the Duke looked like that, he was to be trusted absolutely. Michael Karl leaned back with a little sigh of relief. Johann would pull them through.

  “Colonel Grimvich,” summoned Johann.

  The Colonel, spick and span as usual, appeared in the center aisle. Michael Karl hadn’t seen him since that meeting in the Square five days before. He appeared as lazy and unconcerned as the Duke.

  “Colonel Grimvich, what is your present command?”

  “The Fortress of Rein.”

  “Are these officers among the prisoners now in your charge?” Johann began to read a list of names from the slip of paper the lawyer at his side handed him:

  “Karl von Litz, Johann Cappleman, Detrick von Kantmann, Yalitz Talmann, and Wheilham Strappmatz.”

  “They are. They were brought to me on the afternoon of the fifteenth of this month by a squad of His Majesty’s Wolf Guard.”

  “Since that time have they been allowed to com- municate with any one outside the Fortress?”

  “They have not.”

  “Did any one of them insist upon making a statement?”

  “Captain von Litz did so.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I summoned witnesses and permitted him to make his statement.”

  “Is this that statement?” Johann handed the stolid Colonel a typewritten sheet. The Colonel glanced through it.

  “It is.”

  Johann turned to Urlich Karl. “If Your Majesty pleases I will read thi
s statement sworn to by Captain von Litz.”

  “His Grace will read it,” answered Urlich Karl.

  “I swear upon the honour of my House that the following statement is a true account of the happenings on the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth days of this month.

  “Upon the afternoon of the thirteenth I was summoned to the home of His Excellency, Count Kafner, and there I met the Marquisa and other noblemen. I know the Marquisa well and recognized him at once.

  “His Excellency inquired into my financial condition and informed me that a serious accusation had been made against me, but for my family’s sake he had called an informal board of inquiry instead of a court-martial. I pleaded ignorance as indeed I had no idea of the plot against me.

  “He then informed me that the accounts of my regiment, which in part I am responsible for, were irregular. I was very much alarmed, for I and no other had control of them and there was no way of proving my innocence.

  “The proof was very strong against me, and I had no witnesses. However, His Excellency seemed to believe in me and conceded that there might be some mistake. The Marquisa Cobentz argued in my favor, and His Excellency decided to permit me the benefit of the doubt. He gave me instructions to report to his headquarters the following morning.

  “I returned to my quarters, but I was puzzled for my Colonel had not been present at the meeting, and I knew that such a matter, a loss of regimental funds, would be his affair more than His Excellency’s. Because this seemed very strange to me, I went to my Colonel with the whole story. He was very much surprised and told me that there was nothing at all wrong with my accounts, having the books brought to prove it.

  “My Colonel couldn’t understand His Excellency’s motive and ordered me to return the following morning after I had seen His Excellency. In the morning I again found the Marquisa Cobentz with His Excellency. There was another man there whom they addressed as Kellermann and who seemed very ill at ease.

  “It was then that the Marquisa told me that Michael Karl, the late Crown Prince, had been murdered by the bandit known as Black Stefan, the Werewolf, just as His Royal High- ness, Urlich Karl, was killed last year. At the same time, he informed me that Black Stefan had gathered an army of mercenaries and was planning to aid the Communists of the south in a revolt.