revolver. He was so close that the muzzle of the weapon almost

touched Barney's face. In that the fellow made his mistake.

"You see," said Barney unexcitedly, "that I was right about the

brigands after all. What do you want, my man?"

The man's eyes had suddenly gone wide. He stared with open mouth at

the young fellow before him. Then a cunning look came into his eyes.

"I want you, your majesty," he said.

"Godfrey!" exclaimed Barney. "Did the whole bunch escape?"

"Quick!" growled the man. "Hold up your hands. The notice made it

plain that you would be worth as much dead as alive, and I have no

mind to lose you, so do not tempt me to kill you."

Barney's hands went up, but not in the way that the brigand had

expected. Instead, one of them seized his weapon and shoved it

aside, while with the other Custer planted a blow between his eyes

and sent him reeling backward. The two men closed, fighting for

possession of the gun. In the scrimmage it was exploded, but a

moment later the American succeeded in wresting it from his

adversary and hurled it into the ravine.

Striking at one another, the two surged backward and forward at the

very edge of the hill, each searching for the other's throat. The

girl stood by, watching the battle with wide, frightened eyes. If

she could only do something to aid the king!

She saw a loose stone lying at a little distance from the fighters

and hastened to procure it. If she could strike the brigand a single

good blow on the side of the head, Leopold might easily overpower

him. When she had gathered up the rock and turned back toward the

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