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 "I hope to the Lord he's going to the Princess!" exclaimed Zoiloff as we scrambled to our feet.

"More likely he wants to be in a position to prove his absence from the city when the Prince is being carried off," said I." But wherever he's going we must know and follow."

I ran across to where our men were posted and told off one of them to follow hot on the heels of the party and be ready to guide us, and I gave him enough start of us to allow for our not being heard.

"It's clear he wasn't following us," said Zoiloff. "There were only twelve men all told in the party. What a chance we have missed! If we had only known, we could have lined the road just where we two lay, and they'd have walked right into the trap. Only twelve to nearly twenty of us! and we should have had him safe enough. God! If we could only get hold of him, the safety of the Princess would be a simple matter enough."

"We may do it yet," said I as I mounted, and we set off again in pursuit of those we had believed to be in pursuit of us.