Throughout the night there was little attempt at sleep in the Thetian
camp. Long lines of men, relieved every two hours that they might work
at the utmost speed, were busy in the valley digging entrenchments.
Guns were being dragged up to the heights and signalling stations
fixed. With dawn came a proclamation from the King freely issued about
the camp.
"Men of Theos and Soldiers of the Thetian Army.
"The thanks of the State are due to you for your brave fight
yesterday, you and your gallant leaders. I am glad to tell
you that at Althea Pass and Morania the enemy were also
repulsed with great loss. So far then the fighting has gone
wholly in our favour. Let us thank God, who has strengthened
the arm of those whose cause is just, who resist an
unwarranted and iniquitous invasion of their native land.
"The precautions which have been taken to guard against this
act of brigandage encourage us to hope for success. We are
not taken unawares. Since my accession to the throne of my
ancestors I have, as you know, devoted every effort to
strengthening our defences, to preparing so far as
preparation was possible for the position in which we find
ourselves to-day. Althea Pass is almost impregnable. I do
not believe that the Turks will ever pass alive through the
Moranian defiles. Here it is that the final struggle must
take place. It is you, my soldiers, who must bear the great
burden of the fighting. The place of honour is yours, and
the place of honour may be the place of death. It is meet
therefore that I, your King, should be with you. I have
therefore decided to take over the supreme command from your
valiant and respected leader, General Dartnoff, and to lead
you personally into battle. With God's help and your valour
I have every trust and every hope in the future. I need not
remind you that our cause is just and great. We fight for
our homes--I for my palace, you for your homesteads--as
brothers together. We fight for our freedom, for our
womenkind, and the freedom of those who are to come after
us. For my part I pledge myself to this. There shall be no
submission on terms that I will ever accept save those which
leave Theos as free in the future as it is to-day. For your
part I ask you only to quit yourselves like the Thetians of
old, to believe in me and obey, to remember always that God
is with the weak, and He will surely protect us. Strike
hard, obey unflinchingly, and if the whispers of treason
should reach your ears scorn it as did those others who have
fought before you. Do this, and I will lead you to victory."
At dawn a single horseman, attended by a small escort, galloped down
from the shed where the light railway from Theos ended. General
Dartnoff and a little group of officers stood in front of the former's
quarters.
"It is Reist at last," one exclaimed.
But the General shook his head.
"It is the King," he declared. "See he is riding his own horse."
The old battle-cry rang like music in the King's ears as he galloped
down the lines. He was fair to look upon in the faint early sunlight,
bronzed and manly, a born soldier with a dash of the enthusiast. The
men, fresh from reading his proclamation, welcomed him with thunderous
cheers. Their shouts rose to the skies, and Ughtred breathed more
freely. For these were Reist's men, and it was Reist's place which he
must fill.
"Your Majesty is welcome to the camp," General Dartnoff said,
saluting. "We were looking for the Duke of Reist."
The King passed into the tent, and motioned the General and the other
officers to follow them. Then he turned and faced them.
"General Dartnoff," he said, "I regret to inform you that the Duke of
Reist has resigned his command."
Blank astonishment was written into their faces. The thing was
incredible.
"I beg your Majesty's pardon," General Dartnoff said, with some
hesitation, "but do we indeed hear you rightly? The Duke of Reist has
resigned his command--in time of war--at such a time as this? Nicholas
of Reist!"
"It is unfortunately true," the King repeated.
"He is stricken with illness suddenly?" Dartnoff asked.
The King shook his head.
"I regret to say that the resignation of the Duke of Reist is due to
a personal matter between myself and him, in which he considers
himself aggrieved."
There was a moment's silence. Quick glances were exchanged amongst the
officers. Dartnoff was sorely puzzled.
"It was Nicholas of Reist who brought you here," he said, slowly. "It
was his word and advice--which----"
"Which made me King," Ughtred continued. "That is so. General Dartnoff
and you, gentlemen, do not think that I treat this matter lightly. It
has been a great blow to me--a great shock. But, listen. The Duke of
Reist has no cause of offence against me whatever. He has been
deceived and misled, and I have a fancy that Domiloff, who they say is
still lurking about Theos, is concerned in it."
The General's face grew graver than ever.
"Nicholas of Reist," he said, "would never stoop to secret dealings
with such men as Domiloff."
"I hope and believe not myself," the King answered promptly. "But such
men as Domiloff work in the dark indirectly, and some one has poisoned
the mind of Nicholas of Reist against me. But listen. I repeat that
the matter is a personal one. For the moment it can well be left where
it is. I will promise you this. After the war if Theos still exists
and I am alive I will meet the Duke of Reist before you, General
Dartnoff, and any three of our countrymen whom you may select, and you
shall judge between us. If you find that I am in the wrong my
abdication shall be at your service. If you decide in my favour the
Duke of Reist's apology and his hand will be sufficient for me. But,
remember, that to-day we stand before the destinies of Theos. For
God's sake do not let your loyalty or your faith in me be affected by
this deeply-to-be-deplored incident. To do so would be to play into
the hands of those who have poisoned the mind of the Duke of Reist
against me. Give me your trust a little longer, I beg of you."
General Dartnoff stood in front of his officers, and he did not
hesitate. The cloud had passed from his face.
"Your Majesty," he said. "We accept. Yet with your permission I would
ask you this question. No man in Theos loves his country better than
Nicholas of Reist. If he should desire to recall his words----?"
The King held out his hand.
"I would offer it to him," he said, "as freely as I offer it now to
you."
The cloud passed in substance away. Metterbee--a senior
officer--respectfully intervened.
"Your Majesty," he said, "there is Reist's command."
The King looked around him.
"I am going to make one more demand upon your loyalty," he said
gravely. "General Dartnoff, it is my wish that you take over the
command of the Duke of Reist's corps. The chief command I am prepared
to assume in person."
General Dartnoff smiled.
"If your Majesty makes no more serious demands upon our loyalty than
this he will be well served," he answered. "There is no one more fit
to command than you, sir. The present admirable disposition of our
forces is yours, not mine; so far I have been no more than a
figurehead. Your plan of entrenchments has been a revelation to all of
us."
There arose a little murmur of approval. Reist's defection was
amazing, but this was the man who alone could save Theos. Ughtred felt
a glow of pride and gratitude as he shook hands with his chief
officers.
"And now, General," he said, "I must ask you to transfer your staff to
me in order that I may give some instructions. The Turkish lines are
clearly in view from our positions, I believe?"
The General bowed.
"We have reports every twenty minutes, your Majesty," he answered.
"Anything in the nature of a surprise is impossible."
"Very well," Ughtred said. "Now, General, will you let me have in the
course of half-an-hour an escort of two hundred picked men. I am going
to enter Solika."
Dartnoff dispatched an officer with instructions. Then he turned to
the King.
"Your Majesty is aware of the state of affairs within the walls?"
Ughtred nodded.
"Yes. I want the help of two or three residents of the city whose
loyalty is above suspicion. Can you point out such to me?"
"More than two or three, I think, your Majesty," Dartnoff answered. "I
will give their names to the officer commanding your escort."
Ughtred sat down at the head of the table.
"Let them bring some coffee then at once. In an hour I wish to start
for Solika. The officers of my staff, and you, General Dartnoff, will
please remain."
Breakfast was brought, and Ughtred talked for a few minutes to them
all. He then explained that during the campaign he desired to rank as
General only, to be addressed as sir, to be treated as commanding
officer, and not as King. For the most part the officers were Thetians
and Austro-Thetians. Keen soldiers and well up to their work, for, in
addition to their regular duties, the drilling of the armed population
had also devolved upon them. Ughtred looked them over, and his heart
grew lighter. They were a little rough perhaps, and somewhat uneasy at
first in his presence, but honest men, and soldiers to the backbone.
Towards midday Solika awoke into a state of wild excitement. The King
was at the Town Hall with many of the leading inhabitants, and
extraordinary rumours were flying about. The civil populace was to be
invited to bear arms, foreigners were to be expelled, a great blow was
to be struck at the mixed population, whose loyalty was doubtful. Fact
followed fast upon the heels of rumour. The little street _cafes_ were
thronged with eager groups, all studying a proclamation wet from the
press. The station was thronged with trains. All strangers must quit
Solika in twelve hours. All residents not naturalized must take the
oath of allegiance and hold themselves ready to bear arms, or leave in
twenty-four hours. Property would be respected as far as possible, but
the war laws of Theos had known no modification for five hundred
years, and on every wall appeared copies of the statute, and a
schedule of treasonable practices, the penalty for which was death.
Solika was in an uproar. A hasty but secret meeting of Russians was
held at the house of the Consul. It was broken up by a detachment of
soldiers, and every person there conducted in a guarded train to the
frontier. Ughtred himself rode through the streets, and read in the
faces of the angry crowds their extraction, and where their sympathy
lay. There was scarcely a native Thetian there, for the men of Theos
were excellent farmers and tillers of the land, but poor shopkeepers.
Their wants were supplied by Jews and Russians, who robbed them
regularly, and were only too ready now to welcome the coming of a
richer race. Ughtred returned to the Town Hall, and knew that he had
done well.
On the steps he stopped short. He was face to face with the man whom,
more than any other, at that moment he desired to meet. It was Brand.