doubled during his regency. Executives and judiciary, following the
example of their chief, had become tyrannical and corrupt. For ten
years there had been small joy in Lutha.
There had been whispered rumors off and on that the young king was
dead these many years, but not even in whispers did the men of Lutha
dare voice the name of him whom they believed had caused his death.
For lesser things they had seen their friends and neighbors thrown
into the hitherto long-unused dungeons of the royal castle.
And now came the rumor that Leopold of Lutha had escaped the Castle
of Blentz and was roaming somewhere in the wild mountains or ravines
upon the opposite side of the plain of Lustadt.
Peter of Blentz was filled with rage and, possibly, fear as well.
"I tell you, Coblich," he cried, addressing his dark-visaged
minister of war, "there's more than coincidence in this matter.
Someone has betrayed us. That he should have escaped upon the very
eve of the arrival at Blentz of the new physician is most
suspicious. None but you, Coblich, had knowledge of the part that
Dr. Stein was destined to play in this matter," concluded Prince
Peter pointedly.
Coblich looked the Regent full in the eye.
"Your highness wrongs not only my loyalty, but my intelligence," he
said quietly, "by even so much as intimating that I have any guilty
knowledge of Leopold's escape. With Leopold upon the throne of
Lutha, where, think you, my prince, would old Coblich be?"
Peter smiled.
"You are right, Coblich," he said. "I know that you would not be
such a fool; but whom, then, have we to thank?"
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