“Halt!” came from behind, and then a shot.  The ping of the bullet and the scream of the ricochet warned the man and the girl that those behind them were becoming desperate—­the bullet had struck one of the rear fenders.  Without again asking assent the princess turned and, kneeling upon the cushion of the seat, fired at the nearest horseman.  The horse stumbled and plunged to his knees.  Another, just behind, ran upon him, and the two rolled over together with their riders.  Two more shots were fired by the remaining horsemen and answered by the girl in the automobile, and then the car topped the hill, shot into high, and with renewed speed forged into the last quarter-mile of heavy going toward the good road ahead; but now the grade was slightly downward and all the advantage was upon the side of the fugitives.

However, their margin would be but scant when they reached the highway, for behind them the remaining troopers were spurring their jaded horses to a final spurt of speed.  At last the white ribbon of the main road became visible.  To the right they saw the headlights of a machine.  It was Maenck probably, doubtless attracted their way by the shooting.

But the machine was a mile away and could not possibly reach the intersection of the two roads before they had turned to the left toward Lustadt.  Then the incident would resolve itself into a simple test of speed between the two cars—­and the ability and nerve of the drivers.  Barney hadn’t the slightest doubt now as to the outcome.  His borrowed car was a good one, in good condition.  And in the matter of driving he rather prided himself that he needn’t take his hat off to anyone when it came to ability and nerve.

They were only about fifty feet from the highway.  The girl touched his hand again.  “We’re safe,” she cried, her voice vibrant with excitement, “we’re safe at last.”  From beneath the bonnet, as though in answer to her statement, came a sickly, sucking sputter.  The momentum of the car diminished.  The throbbing of the engine ceased.  They sat in silence as the machine coasted toward the highway and came to a dead stop, with its front wheels upon the road to safety.  The girl turned toward Barney with an exclamation of surprise and interrogation.

“The jig’s up,” he groaned; “we’re out of gasoline!”

IX

THE CAPTURE

The capture of Princess Emma von der Tann and Barney Custer was a relatively simple matter.  Open fields spread in all directions about the crossroads at which their car had come to its humiliating stop.  There was no cover.  To have sought escape by flight, thus in the open, would have been to expose the princess to the fire of the troopers.  Barney could not do this.  He preferred to surrender and trust to chance to open the way to escape later.

When Captain Ernst Maenck drove up he found the prisoners disarmed, standing beside the now-useless car.  He alighted from his own machine and with a low bow saluted the princess, an ironical smile upon his thin lips.  Then he turned his attention toward her companion.