Chapter XVII: A Strange Discovery

Seeing that he was discovered, Brunnoi darted from the doorway and tried to escape. But he was not quick enough. The lads were upon him in an instant, and beneath their weight the bandit chief was hurled to the ground. He struggled fiercely, clawing and scratching like a cat; but Hal and Chester were too much for him.

Brunnoi finally ceased his struggles and lay quietly in the lads' hands. Hal took him by the collar and jerked him to his feet; then, each lad taking an arm, they led their prisoner straight to the Grand Duke's quarters. They were admitted instantly, and pushing their captive before them, they approached the Russian commander-in-chief.

"Whom have you there?" demanded the Grand Duke, looking at the prisoner.

"Brunnoi, sir," replied Hal calmly.

"What!" cried the Grand Duke, springing to his feet. "Is this the bandit chief?"

"It is, sir," replied Chester.

"I am Brunnoi," said the bandit calmly. "You have me. What will you do with me?"

"You shall be shot in the morning!" cried the Grand Duke angrily.

Brunnoi smiled.

"I fear you are mistaken," he said quietly.

The Grand Duke grew very angry.

"You shall be shot at eight o'clock," he said very quietly. "You have already caused me much trouble. I can't afford to let you escape."

He summoned a guard of an officer and ten men, and turned the bandit chief over to them, with orders that he be shot in the morning at eight o'clock.

As Brunnoi was led by the three lads, he smiled at them.

"I will see you later," he said calmly.

The Grand Duke thanked the lads for their important capture, and then, with Alexis, they made their way to the house where Marquis was waiting for them. They were given connecting rooms and were soon in bed.

Tired out they slept heavily. Therefore, while they had expected to arise before eight o'clock, nine found them still sleeping. They were awakened at last, however, by the sounds of a commotion in the adjoining room.

The two lads sat up in bed and listened intently. Heavy footsteps tramped toward their door and it was thrown open with a quick jerk.

Hal and Chester uttered exclamations of surprise. Confronting them, in the doorway, was the smiling face of Brunnoi, who was to have been put to death an hour before. In his hand he held two revolvers, covering the lads.

"You see I have kept my word," he said. "I was not shot."

"How did you escape?" demanded Hal, asking the only question he could think of at that moment.

"Never mind that," replied the bandit. "Get your clothes on quickly, and come with me."

Under the muzzles of the two revolvers, the lads dressed hurriedly. The presence of Alexis in the adjoining room--the giant lying completely covered up by bed clothes--passed unnoticed. But Alexis, beneath his covering, heard what was going on and understood.

"Go out ahead of me," ordered Brunnoi.

He dropped his two revolvers into side pockets, but kept his fingers on the trigger of each.

"One false move and I'll drop you," he said quietly. "Now, march!"

Slowly the lads left the room, and Brunnoi followed them; but hardly had they disappeared through the door, when Alexis bounded out of bed and silently followed.

At the outside door, Brunnoi stepped back to allow his captives to pass out first. For an instant he was off his guard. It was Alexis' opportunity and he leaped suddenly forward.

Brunnoi heard the sound of the giant's footsteps. He turned quickly, and drew his revolvers, but the Cossack's leap was too quick. With a single movement he sent both of the weapons from the bandit's hands, and reached out to seize him.

Brunnoi was as slippery as an eel. He eluded Alexis' grasp and darted through the door. Now without weapons, he took to his heels.

Hal perceived the flying apparition, and reached out a hand to detain him. He clutched the flowing white beard of the bandit chief--and the beard came away in his hand. Brunnoi fled down the steps and made good his escape, Hal being too surprised to move.

Chester and Alexis were equally as astonished.

"Well, what do you think of that?" demanded Chester, in great surprise. "A false beard! But I wonder how he escaped from the firing squad."

"It's too deep for me," Hal admitted. "But we had better report this to the Grand Duke."

Together they made their way to the quarters of the commander-in-chief. The latter listened to their story with interest.

"I have just learned of Brunnoi's escape from the firing squad," he said when they had finished their account of their experience with the bandit chief. "Count de Reslau, being a Hungarian himself, was greatly interested in this Brunnoi. He asked me for a pass to see him, I granted this request. The guards saw the count leave the tent after a few moments' conversation. But when they went in to lead Brunnoi forth to execution, he was gone, and another man was there in his stead. He had exchanged places with Brunnoi."

"Have you perfect confidence in Count de Reslau, Your Excellency?" asked Hal.

"Absolute confidence," replied the Grand Duke. "Why?"

"No particular reason," replied the lad.

At this moment Count de Reslau himself entered the tent.

"I hear Brunnoi has escaped," was his first remark to the Grand Duke.

"Unfortunately, that is true," replied the Russian commander.

"Strange," said the count. "When I talked to him a couple of hours ago he seemed resigned to his fate."

"But," said the Grand Duke, "he paid these lads a visit soon after his escape. Following a struggle, he again got away."

The count glanced at the lads incredulously.

"Has it ever occurred to Your Excellency," he said quietly, "that these two lads may know more about Brunnoi than they care to admit?"

"What!" exclaimed the Grand Duke.

Hal took a quick step forward.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked calmly.

"You know what I mean," replied the count with a sneer.

He turned again to the Grand Duke. "Has it never occurred to you, Your Excellency, that these boys may be associated with the bandit--that they may have been leading you on."

"But, but," stammered the Grand Duke, "their mission to the Carpathians. Their struggle to get away and their flight. What of those?"

"Mere fiction, I should say," said the count with a shrug of his shoulders.

Hal stepped directly in front of the count.

"That is a lie," he said quietly.

The count raised a hand as if to strike him, then thought better of it and turned away without a word. Plainly the count's words had made an impression upon the Grand Duke. He looked at the two lads closely.

"What have you to say to that charge?" he demanded.

"Nothing," replied Chester, "except that it is too absurd to be given credence."

"Absurd," sneered the count. "You brought the bandit here in the first place, realizing that it would give you standing with the Grand Duke, and knowing all the time that the way had been paved for his escape. If you had no hand in his escape, how did you know he had gotten away before coming here?"

"He came after us," said Hal, "and would have led us away had it not been for Alexis."

"Absurd," said the count again and turned to the Grand Duke. "You see," he said, "how foolish that is. You should have concocted a better story," he added to Hal.

Now the Count de Reslau was one of the Grand Duke's closest friends, and, as the Duke had said, he had implicit confidence in him. It was only natural, therefore, that he should be impressed with his reasoning.

He advanced upon the two lads, and pointed an accusing finger at each.

"The count is right!" he exclaimed in a loud voice. "I can see it all! You are traitors! I would have sworn by your honor in spite of the short time I have known you. You have rendered me, I still believe, valuable service; but you have caused me to play into the hands of the enemy in other matters."

"Your Excellency," said Chester, stepping forward. "Count de Reslau possibly means well, but he is badly mistaken. His reasoning is at fault. We are innocent of this charge."

"You deny it?" fairly shouted the Duke.

"Of course they deny it," said the count. "It is hardly probable they would admit being traitors and spies."

"I understand perfectly," declared Nicholas as he stepped to the door of his tent.

"Orderly," he called, "summon the corporal and ten men."

He stepped back into the tent and turned upon the two lads angrily.

"You shall see how we treat traitors in Russia," he said.

An officer and ten men now strode into the tent. The Grand Duke waved his hands toward the two lads.

"Take them out and shoot them immediately."

The officer advanced toward the lads.

"Your Excellency!" exclaimed Hal, stepping forward.

"Enough!" cried the Grand Duke. "I will be trifled with no longer. Officer, do your duty!"

The guards surrounded the boys, and they were marched from the tent.

Count de Reslau smiled to himself as they were led away, and turned to the Grand Duke.

"Let us go out and watch the proceedings," he said.

"Very well," agreed the Grand Duke, and they hurried after the firing squad and the prisoners.

The lads stood facing their would-be executioners when the Grand Duke and Count de Reslau appeared. At that moment, Hal felt something in his pocket that gave him a sudden thrill.

"I am going to take one last chance," he said to Chester. To the Duke he called: "Your Excellency, may I make a last request?"

The Grand Duke nodded an assent.

"I would say once more, Your Excellency," said Hal, "that we are innocent. But," he paused, "I can produce Brunnoi himself!"