“They are to be trusted fully.  Their pay is to be high enough to make it an object to be infallible.  The guard, Dushan, will leave the gate unwatched, and you will chloroform him—­with his consent, of course.  You will enter, as I have explained before, crawl along in the dark shadow of the wall until you reach the arbor that leads to the kitchen and scullery.  Here another guard, Rabbo—­known to Ostrom as a comrade in Her Royal Highness’s service not more than a year ago—­will be encountered.  He will be bound and gagged without the least noise or struggle.  Just as the clock strikes two the cook will walk past the scullery window, in the basement, thrice, carrying a lighted candle.  You will see this light through the window, and will know that all is well inside the castle.  Ostrom, you will then lead the two Viennese to a place directly beneath the third window in the Princess’s sleeping apartment.  There are several clumps of shrubbery there, and under these they will hide, protected from the gaze of any watchman who is not with us.  You and Geddos will be admitted to the scullery by the cook, who will conduct you to the hall leading to Her Highness’s bed-room.  The man who guards her door is called Dannox.  He will not be at his post, but will accompany you when you leave the castle.  You will understand how carefully you must enter her room and how deeply she must be chloroformed.  In the adjoining room her lady-in-waiting, the Countess Dagmar, sleeps.  If her door is ajar, you are to creep in and chloroform her, leaving her undisturbed.  Then the Princess is to be wrapped in the cloth you take with you and lowered from the window to the men below.  They are to remain in hiding until you have left the castle and have reached their side.  It will not be difficult, if caution is observed, for you to get outside of the wall and to the carriage in the ravine.  I have given you this plan of action before, I know, but I desire to impress it firmly upon your minds.  There must not be the slightest deviation.  The precision of clock-work is necessary.”

The man named Michael hissed the foregoing into the ears of his companions, the palsied Americans hearing every word distinctly.  They scarcely breathed, so tremendous was the restraint imposed upon their nerves.  A crime so huge, so daring as the abduction of a Princess, the actual invasion of a castle to commit the theft of a human being just as an ordinary burglar would steal in and make way with the contents of a silver chest, was beyond their power of comprehension.

“We understand fully how it is to be done, and we shall get her to Ganlook on time,” said Geddos, confidently.

“Not a hair of her head must be harmed,” cautioned the arch-conspirator.  “In four days I shall meet you at Ganlook.  You will keep her in close confinement until you hear from me.  Have you the guard’s uniforms that you are to wear to-night?”

“They are with the carriage in the ravine; Ostrom and I will don them before going to the castle.  In case we are seen they will throw observers off the track long enough for us to secure a good start in our flight.”