We rose and went
on, following the tracks by the aid of more matches till we
reached a tree twenty yards from the door. Here the hoof marks
ceased; but beyond there was a double track of human feet in the
soft black earth; a man had gone thence to the house and returned
from the house thither. On the right of the tree were more
hoof-marks, leading up to it and then ceasing. A man had ridden
up from the right, dismounted, gone on foot to the house,
returned to the tree, remounted, and ridden away along the track
by which we had approached.
"It may be somebody else," said I; but I do not think that we any
of us doubted in our hearts that the tracks were made by the
coming of Hentzau. Then the king had the letter; the mischief was
done. We were too late.
Yet we did not hesitate. Since disaster had come, it must be
faced. Mr. Rassendyll's servant and I followed the constable of
Zenda up to the door, or within a few feet of it. Here Sapt, who
was in uniform, loosened his sword in its sheath; James and I
looked to our revolvers. There were no lights visible in the
lodge; the door was shut; everything was still. Sapt knocked
softly with his knuckles, but there was no answer from within.
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