"
"It's enough to take him if it's true," admitted Sapt.
"Well, good day, sir."
"Good day, Simon."
The two huntsmen rode off. James watched them for a little while.
"The king," he said then, "is known to be in Strelsau; and now
Count Rupert is known to be in Strelsau. How is Count Rupert to
have killed the king here in the forest of Zenda, sir?"
Sapt looked at him almost apprehensively.
"How is the king's body to come to the forest of Zenda?" asked
James. "Or how is the king's body to go to the city of Strelsau?"
"Stop your damned riddles!" roared Sapt. "Man, are you bent on
driving me into it?"
The servant came near to him, and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You went into as great a thing once before, sir," said he.
"It was to save the king."
"And this is to save the queen and yourself. For if we don't do
it, the truth about my master must be known."
Sapt made him no answer. They sat down again in silence.
There they sat, sometimes smoking, never speaking, while the
tedious afternoon wore away, and the shadows from the trees of
the forest lengthened. They did not think of eating or drinking;
they did not move, save when James rose and lit a little fire of
brushwood in the grate.
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