A Silver Brand — page 277: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SILVER BRAND. S969 and his daughter were ready with the small package of - valuables which alone was to remind them in exile of their Schwarzenberg home, waiting for Aubrey’s signal, when suddenly Von Schubert, with a gesture of despair, rushed ~ to the window and listened. What sounds broke the quiet of all around? He groaned in anguish ashe listened. There were the even footfalls of a party of equestrians and the rumble of a carriage on | the long bridge. ‘The prince has come. Oh, heavens! to lose all in the very moment of triumph !” he cried, bitterly. ‘‘Hear how swiftly they come. Ah, me, they have seen the sleeping © sentinels and mistrust treachery. Quick! fly back to your beds. I must try to dissemble, to save the ruin of — us all.” He ran hastily as he spoke and pounded vociferously upon the door he had been so careful to avoid. “ Hernberg, Hernberg, where are you?) Waken! Here is some horrible plot. The men are all asleep. I was drugged myself!” | Hernberg came out thrusting himself into his clothing. Von Schubert’s agitated face might well deceive him, ‘‘In the fiend’s name what has happened ?” he cried. At that moment came the thundering assault upon the. doors below. | “Ho, there,,-Hernberg! Von Schubert, are you all dead? What ails the knaves who should be keeping watch ?” | “Tf those prisoners have escaped Iwill shoot myself!” groaned out Hernberg. “Itis the prince! Von Schubert, what is to be done?” “Tt may not be too late. I will admit them and do you rouse up your men if any of them can be stirred out of the ; trance that seems to hold the guard here.” | And he took all possible time to remove the heavy bolts - from the door. The prince came in stalking past Von Schubert furiously. “What drunken orgieis this? Your guards are stone | dead, or brutally drunk, and I am kept waiting at the door.” — : “T know it, your highness. We have just discovered it. Hernberg will tell you itis no fault of the poor fellows, or of the keeper’s. We have all been drugged.” ia a “ Are the prisoners safe ?” “Yes yes, your highness!” ejaculated Hernberg, joy- , fully, darting through the side door. “Oh, Von Schubert, we are in luck! I have been down myself and crept into ieomicbooks:¢co mm