■ 6 An adventure with a teatable

One day Sapt brought me some news he had found out where the King was． Duke Michael was holding him prisoner somewhere in the Castle of Zenda．

Sapt also brought me a letter． It was in a woman's handwriting．

'To know what you most wish to know， 'the letter began， 'meet me tonight in the garden of the big house in New Avenue． Come at midnight， and come alone． '

There was another note on the back of the letter． 'Ask yourself which woman does not want Black Michael to marry the Princess． A． de M． '

'Antoinette de Mauban！ 'I cried． 'She wants to marry the Duke． '

'That's true， 'Sapt said． 'But you won't go， of course． They'll kill you！ Duke Michael made her write this letter！ '

'I must， 'I replied． 'Every day we play this game there's more danger． I could make a mistake at any time， and， if I do， we'll all die． Don't you see？ I have to go tonight． We can't go on much longer． '

'Then I'm coming too， 'said Sapt．

So， at half-past eleven that night， Sapt and I rode out to the house in New Avenue． We left Fritz to watch my room in the palace． The night was dark， so I took a lamp． I also had my revolver and a knife．

We soon reached the house， and came to a gate in the wall． I got off my horse．

'I'll wait here， 'said Sapt． 'If I hear anything， I'll-'

'Stay where you are！ 'I answered quickly． 'It's the King's only chance． They mustn't kill you too！ '

'You're right， 'said Sapt． 'Good luck！ '

Silently， I opened the gate and went into the garden． In front of me I could see the dark shape of a summer-house and I moved towards it． Without a sound， I went up the steps， pushed open the door and went in． A woman hurried over to me and took me by the hand． I turned my lamp on her． She was beautiful．

'Close the door！ 'she said． 'We must be quick， Mr Rassendyll！ Michael made me write the letter-three men are coming to kill you-three of the Six！ They'll tell everyone that Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim murdered you． Then Michael will make himself King and marry the Princess． 'Antoinette's beautiful eyes were sad as she added softly， 'I can't let him marry her． I love him！ '

'But the king， 'I said． 'I know he's in the Castle of Zenda -but where？ '

'Go across the drawbridge and you come to a heavy door …Listen！ What's that？ They're coming！ They're too soon！ Put out your lamp！ 'she cried， her eyes filled with fear． 'Quickly！ You must go． There's a ladder at the end of the garden， against the wall！ '

But it was too late． The three men were already outside． There was a small hole in the door， and I put my eye to it． My hand was on my revolver． It was no good！ There were three of them． I could kill one perhaps， but then…

A voice came from outside． 'Mr Rassendyll…'It was the Englishman． 'We only want to talk to you． Open the door． '

'We can talk through the door， 'I replied． I looked through the hole again and saw that they were on the top step． When I opened the door， they would run at me．

'We'll let you go if you leave the country and we'll give you fifty thousand English pounds， 'continued Detchard， the Englishman．

'Give me a minute to think， 'I answered．

Wildly， I looked around the summer-house and saw a metal garden table and some chairs． I picked up the table and held it in front of me， by the legs． Then I went to the back of the room and waited．

'All right， I agree， 'I called． 'Open the door！ '

I heard them arguing with each other， and then Detchard said to the Belgian， 'Why， Bersonin， are you afraid of one man？ '

A second later the door opened．

De Gautet， the Frenchman， was with the other two， and the three men were standing there with their revolvers ready． With a shout， I ran at them as hard as I could． They tried to shoot me， but the bullets hit the table． The next second the table knocked them to the ground and we all fell on top of each other． Quickly， I picked myself up and ran for my life through the trees． I could hear them coming after me． Was Antoinette right？ Was there really a ladder by the wall？ I reached the end of the garden． The ladder was there！ In a minute I was up it and over the wall．

Sapt was waiting with the horses and seconds later we were on our way home． And， as we rode， we laughed because I had fought Duke Michael's dangerous men-with a tea-table！

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