"Later every question will be answered. And
remember, at this interview Herbeck must not be present. It will have to
be broken to him gently."
"Very well; I promise to see his highness this afternoon."
Grumbach translated the substance of this dialogue to his companions.
They approved. The three of them solemnly trooped out, leaving
Carmichael bewildered. Alone, his mind searched a thousand channels, but
these were blind and led nowhere. Blunder, wrong? What did Grumbach mean
by that? What kind of a blunder, and who was innocently wronged? No
use! And while he was thus racking his mind he heard steps on the
stairs. These steps were hurried. The door above shut noisily.
"By George! I'll attend to that this minute. We'll see what stuff this
yellow-haired boy is made of."
He mounted the stairs without sound. He grasped the handle of the door,
boldly pushed it open, and entered, closing the door and placing his
back against it.
The instant he saw the intruder the vintner snatched a pistol from the
drawer in the table and leveled it at Carmichael.
"Surely your majesty will not shoot an old friend?"
[Illustration: "Surely your Majesty will not shoot an old friend?"]
CHAPTER XX
THE KING
The vintner slowly lowered the pistol till it touched the table; then he
released it.
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