"But, but," stammered the Grand Duke, "their mission to the Carpathians.

Their struggle to get away and their flight. What of those?"

"Mere fiction, I should say," said the count with a shrug of his shoulders.

Hal stepped directly in front of the count.

"That is a lie," he said quietly.

The count raised a hand as if to strike him, then thought better of it and turned away without a word. Plainly the count's words had made an impression upon the Grand Duke. He looked at the two lads closely.

"What have you to say to that charge?" he demanded.

"Nothing," replied Chester, "except that it is too absurd to be given credence."

"Absurd," sneered the count. "You brought the bandit here in the first place, realizing that it would give you standing with the Grand Duke, and knowing all the time that the way had been paved for his escape. If you had no hand in his escape, how did you know he had gotten away before coming here?"

"He came after us," said Hal, "and would have led us away had it not been for Alexis."

"Absurd," said the count again and turned to the Grand Duke. "You see,"

he said, "how foolish that is. You should have concocted a better story," he added to Hal.

Now the Count de Reslau was one of the Grand Duke's closest friends, and, as the Duke had said, he had implicit confidence in him. It was only natural, therefore, that he should be impressed with his reasoning.

He advanced upon the two lads, and pointed an accusing finger at each.

"The count is right!" he exclaimed in a loud voice. "I can see it all!

You are traitors! I would have sworn by your honor in spite of the short time I have known you. You have rendered me, I still believe, valuable service; but you have caused me to play into the hands of the enemy in other matters."

"Your Excellency," said Chester, stepping forward. "Count de Reslau possibly means well, but he is badly mistaken. His reasoning is at fault. We are innocent of this charge."

"You deny it?" fairly shouted the Duke.

"Of course they deny it," said the count. "It is hardly probable they would admit being traitors and spies."

"I understand perfectly," declared Nicholas as he stepped to the door of his tent.

"Orderly," he called, "summon the corporal and ten men."

He stepped back into the tent and turned upon the two lads angrily.

"You shall see how we treat traitors in Russia," he said.

An officer and ten men now strode into the tent. The Grand Duke waved his hands toward the two lads.

"Take them out and shoot them immediately."

The officer advanced toward the lads.

"Your Excellency!" exclaimed Hal, stepping forward.

"Enough!" cried the Grand Duke. "I will be trifled with no longer.

Officer, do your duty!"

The guards surrounded the boys, and they were marched from the tent.

Count de Reslau smiled to himself as they were led away, and turned to the Grand Duke.

"Let us go out and watch the proceedings," he said.

"Very well," agreed the Grand Duke, and they hurried after the firing squad and the prisoners.

The lads stood facing their would-be executioners when the Grand Duke and Count de Reslau appeared. At that moment, Hal felt something in his pocket that gave him a sudden thrill.

"I am going to take one last chance," he said to Chester. To the Duke he called: "Your Excellency, may I make a last request?"

The Grand Duke nodded an a.s.sent.

"I would say once more, Your Excellency," said Hal, "that we are innocent. But," he paused, "I can produce Brunnoi himself!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE MYSTERY CLEARED.

Chester stared in astonishment at his friend. Had he gone mad and taken this means of staying their execution?

The Grand Duke staggered back a step, and Count de Reslau smiled incredulously.

"Have I your permission to do so, Your Excellency?" asked Hal.

The Grand Duke waved his hand.

"You shall have three minutes to produce him," he said angrily.

"Good!" said Hal. "It will require even less."

His right hand was in his pocket. Suddenly it flashed forth, and with it something white. Straight toward Count de Reslau the lad sprang, and before the latter could leap out of the way Hal grasped him firmly by the back of the neck with his left hand, and with his right clapped a long, flowing white beard to his face. Then with a twist, he whirled him so that he faced the Grand Duke.

"Behold Brunnoi, chief of the bandits!" he cried.

The Grand Duke staggered back again, and put one hand to his eyes.

"Impossible!" he exclaimed.

But he was forced to believe what his eyes saw. Count de Reslau and Brunnoi, the bandit chief, were one and the same man. There could be no doubt of that.