“See, Estella,” I cried, “how that hindmost team flies!  They move like race-horses on the course.”

Nearer and nearer they come to our pursuers; they are close behind them; the driver of the front carriage seems to know that there is danger; he lashes his horses furiously; it is in vain.  Now they are side by side—­side by side for a time; but now our friends forge slowly ahead.  The driver of the beaten team suddenly pulls his horses back on their haunches.  It is too late.  A man stands up on the seat of the front carriage-it is an open barouche.  I could see his arm describe an arc through the air; the next instant the whole street was ablaze with a flash of brilliant red light, and the report of a tremendous explosion rang in my ears.  Through the smoke and dust I could dimly see the horses of our pursuers piled in a heap upon the street, kicking, plunging, dying.

“It is all right now,” said Maximilian quietly; and then he spoke to the driver:  “Turn the next corner to the left.”

After having made several changes of direction—­with intent to throw any other possible pursuers off the track—­and it being evident that we were not followed, except by the carriage of our friends, we drove slowly to Maximilian’s house and alighted.

The sweet-faced old lady took the handsome, seeming boy, Estella, in her arms, and with hearty cordiality welcomed her to her new home.  We left them together, mingling tears of joy.

Max and I adjourned to the library, and there, at his request, I told him all that had happened in the council-chamber.  He smoked his cigar and listened attentively.  His face darkened as I repeated the spy’s story, but he neither admitted nor denied the truth of the part which I thought related to himself.  When I told him about the commander of the air-ships, his interest was so great that his cigar went out; and when I narrated the conversation which occurred after General Quincy had left the room his face lighted up with a glow of joy.  He listened intently to the account of the Prince’s plan of battle, and smiled grimly.  But when I told how I came from my hiding-place and appealed to the oligarchy to spare mankind, he rose from his chair and walked the room, profoundly agitated; and when I had finished, by narrating how Rudolph led me to his room, to the presence of Estella, he threw his arms around my neck, and said, “You dear old fool!  It was just like you;” but I could see that his eyes were wet with emotion.

Then he sat for some time in deep thought.  At last he said: 

“Gabriel, would you be willing to do something more to serve me?”

“Certainly,” I replied; “anything.”

“Would you go with me to-morrow night and tell this tale to the council of our Brotherhood?  My own life and the lives of my friends, and the liberty of one dear to me, may depend upon your doing so.”