CHAPTER XXIV
A BULLET IN THE GROUNDS
At the moment when Edward was drinking his cognac in the cafe in Corbo,Gabriel Dasso was sitting in the library of his house in the old townlistening eagerly to a story. Lieutenant Mozara, his spurredriding-boots stretched out to the fire, was telling what had befallenhim that afternoon in Alcador.
"It was in a crowd near the little theatre in the Plaza. I only caughta glimpse of him, but I knew the face at once as that of the brute yousent to Casa Luzo. I tried to get near him, but he had evidently seenme, for he slipped into a cafe. It was a low place, but I followedhim. The old proprietor answered my questions with a cunning smile; noone had entered, he told me, and our friend was not among thedisreputable crowds that lounged round the tables. There was nothingfor it but to hurry on to the Casa Luzo.
"My horse was stabled at the little hotel on the Alcador road, and inunder the hour I was interviewing old Pieto, or rather his wife, forthe old man was in a state of collapse--and good red wine."
The lieutenant broke off and poured himself out some claret. His hostpushed his own glass towards him also, and the two men drank. Then,"Go on," said Dasso, shortly.
"It was a funny story that she had to tell me. She says that yesterdaythat mysterious Mr. Sydney drove up in a car. With him were the ladycompanion and three burly ruffians, who, Teresa says, were strangers toher. They seem to have done their work pretty thoroughly, even to theextent of putting a bullet through the leg of your friend from Alcador.
"That was what made me believe the tale, for the man I had seen enterthe cafe was using a crutch. Teresa said that Pieto was asleep at thetime, but I expect he was drunk. She says that Galva was bundled intothe car, and she overheard Sydney tell her that they were going toRozana _en route_ for England. He was very agitated, she says, andremarked that he was damn sick of San Pietro, and everything andeverybody in it."
"But, Gaspar, you say this was yesterday. Why did not Pieto let meknow?"
"They wouldn't allow him to. Two of the men Sydney had brought withhim stayed on guard, and it was only----"
The lieutenant stopped and looked inquiringly at his companion, forthrough the night-air had come the sound of a gun, muffled, butunmistakable.
Dasso leapt to his feet with an oath.
"Enrico's gone," he said hoarsely, and made for the door. Mozarafollowed, and in a moment the men, assisted by the under-groom, weresaddling Dasso's horse. Gaspar's own mare was on a pillar-rein wherehe had left her. A moment more and the two men were riding with looserein up the cobbled street that led to the Palace.
The frightened inhabitants, who were conversing in little groups,scattered to right and left, and windows were opened and heads thrustout as the horsemen clattered past. The Palace gates were open, anddashing through them they pulled up their smoking horses at the greatdoors.
In the hall the servants, male and female, were crowded, their facesshowing inactive stupidity. They fell apart and gave room for Dassoand the lieutenant as they made their way up the wide marble staircase.Reaching the corridor above, they turned to the right in the directionof the death-chamber.
"This is unseemly conduct, Senor Dasso. My uncle is barely dead."Armand was standing before them, a naked blade in his hand.
The intruders fell back.
"Prince Armand--_you_ here!"
"It seems so, gentlemen. This is a curious way to pay one's respect tothe dead."
Gabriel Dasso stood with bowed head.
"I did not expect----"
"I did not intend that you should, Senor Dasso. Put up your weapon,Mozara, the guards are within call."
A moment's silence, then Dasso spoke.
"Your Majesty's appearance is timely. The people will be calling foryou. They will want to greet the new king."
Armand smiled.
"Perhaps you will lend me the notes of your own speech for theoccasion, Dasso; I am rather unprepared. Besides, I do not act formyself, I act for the Queen."
"The Queen?"
"I said 'the Queen,' Senor Dasso. To-night's blunder is not the onlyone you have made--you made one fifteen years ago when you did yourhellish work in this palace."
"You have taken service early, prince, under the banner of thisadventuress, this----"
"Senor Dasso," Armand was speaking quietly, "the Queen has orderedthat there shall be no bloodshed here to-night. You are forgettingyourself." He called, and four of the royal guard came from a passagebehind him.
"Show these gentlemen out. Dasso, I have no royal rank now, and cancall you to account for this--by the bye," he added, as the guardclosed round the discomfited men, "there will be a special edition ofthe _Imparcial_ to-morrow morning. It will interest you."
The escort left them at the door and Dasso and Mozara stood undecidedon the great steps. Then, leaving their horses, they walked towardsthe gates. Once out of sight of the building, however, they stopped.Dasso was gnawing at his moustache in impotent fury.
"They told me he was better at seven o'clock. The nurse herself toldme. What cursed luck." They walked on again, taking a path that ledinto the shrubberies. For, perhaps, five minutes they strode on insilence, then the lieutenant halted and caught at his companion's arm.
"Listen!" he said.
From a path close at hand came the sound of running footsteps and theheavy breathing of a spent man. Then round the bend before thememerged the figure of Edward Sydney. With a little laugh Dasso barredhis way.
"So," he said.
Edward pulled up short and stared at the wicked faces before him.
"Gentlemen--you will let me--pass?" he gasped.
"I don't think so, Mr. Sydney. Haven't this gentleman and myself, asyou English say, a bone to pick with you?"
Dasso smiled grimly as he spoke, a smile which caused a little shiverto pass over Edward and set him looking about him for a possible way ofescape.
They had met in one of the narrow paths. On either hand the tall massof foliage made an impenetrable wall. A few paces away Edward couldmake out an alley-way which ran at right angles, and he told himselfthat with luck and a start of a few yards he would stand a good chanceof evading capture among the tortuous twists and turns of theshrubbery. In the mean time he must temporize.
"I cannot imagine what your excellency and I can have in common. Wehave met once--I think at Senor Luazo's, wasn't it?"
"We did meet there, Mr. Sydney, certainly, but it is about the lady whoaccompanied you here from England that I want to have a word with you."
"You mean Miss Baxendale?"
Dasso nodded.
They had been moving along the path slowly as they were speaking, andEdward noted with satisfaction that now a few feet only separated himfrom the entrance to the alley. If only he could take the attention ofthe two men from himself for a moment.--A thought occurred to him.
"Ah, yes--the young lady. If that is so, I think that this willinterest you, Senor Dasso."
As he spoke he took from his breast pocket an envelope; it was, infact, a London tailor's bill and was addressed to him at BelithaVillas, but in the gloom it served its purpose.
Dasso took it and drew out the folded sheet of paper it contained,holding it up to catch the moon-rays which here and there penetratedthe leafage surrounding them.
Edward Povey seized the opportunity he had created, and, for the firstand last time in his life, he struck a man. The blood surged joyouslythrough his veins and sang a hymn of power in his brain as his fistshot out straight and true, and he felt the knuckles grind into theevil face of Gabriel Dasso. Then with a leap he had gained the darkalley way.
Dasso put a hand to his face and called out to Mozara, and in a momentthe lieutenant was giving chase. Edward heard the sound of runningfootsteps behind him and he mended his pace.
On and on, turning and twisting, ran the poor exhausted little man. Insome of the longer paths he would catch a fleeting glimpse over hisshoulder of his pursuer
, then a sudden plunge to the right or leftseparated them again.
At last at the end of a more than usually straight run he found himselfin the open. To retrace his steps was impossible, already Mozara wasbut twenty feet from him, the barrel of a revolver shining blue in hishand.
Some hundred yards away the Palace rose, a dark mass against thestar-powdered sky, and Edward knew that in the shadow of one of thosebuttresses lay the little staircase--and safety.
Breathing a hurried prayer for help, he darted across the moon-sweptlawns, running unevenly, now upright, now bent nearly double. A shotwhined past his ear and he drew in his breath sharply, then another,then--a stinging pain took him in the left shoulder and Edward Poveyknew that he had been hit.
Almost at once the acute pain passed and his shoulder grew cold andnumb and sticky. He faltered in his stride and all but fell, but thesight of the doorway gave him courage and again he stumbled on.
It took him only two or three minutes to reach it, but to the strickenman it seemed as though he were running for hours. A fog appeared tohave risen before his eyes, a reddish fog in which danced and trembledlittle points of flame--and through the mist he saw the face of Pia,who had been placed to guard the foot of the staircase--felt strongarms supporting him--then with a little sigh drooped into oblivion.
* * * * *
Edward came to his senses to find himself in a dimly lit chamber, withthe face of the Princess Galva, white and drawn, bending over him, andher cool hand on his forehead.
Beyond her, in the gloom of the room, were other faces. Anna wasthere, and the duke, and a strange man whom they addressed as doctor,and who now came forward and took Edward's wrist. The latter couldcatch here and there a word of what he was saying; the voice seemed tocome from a great distance.
"----unfortunate that it should be this room--locate the bullet--no,again in the morning perhaps--not to be moved--one of the sisters willwatch--you can send for me if----"
Then the faces grew blurred and swayed in circles round the woundedman, and again his senses left him.
The Princess Galva: A Romance Page 24