Page:The Prisoner of Zenda.djvu/102

86 He rose, came to me, and laid his hand on my shoulder.

"Lad," he said, "if you play the man you may save the king yet. Go back and keep his throne warm for him."

"But the duke knows—the villains he has employed know——"

"Aye, but they can't speak!" roared Sapt in grim triumph. "We've got 'em! How can they denounce you without denouncing themselves? 'This is not the king, because we kidnaped the king and murdered his servant.' Can they say that?"

The position flashed on me. Whether Michael knew me or not he could not speak. Unless he produced the king, what could he do? And if he produced the king, where was he? For a moment I was carried away headlong; but in an instant the difficulties came strong upon me.

"I must be found out," I urged.

"Perhaps; but every hour's something. Above all, we must have a king in Strelsau, or the city will be Michael's in four-and-twenty hours, and what