"No; I recalled his face, but the time and place were in the dark till this early morning. Here we are at the gates. What's this? Guards? I never saw them at these gates before."
"You will make yourself known to them?"
"Yes. But if they question me?"
"Wink. Every soldier knows what that means."
"When a fellow turns in early in the morning?" Carmichael laughed hilariously.
"I ask you frankly not to let them question me. When I left the city last night I never expected to return."
"I'll do what I can."
Carmichael bared his head and leaned out of the window. He recognized one of the guards. A policeman in military uniform!
"Good morning!" said Carmichael.
"Herr Carmichael?" surprised. "Your excellency?"
"Yes. I've been having a little junket, I and my friend here." And Carmichael winked.
"Ah!"
"But what--"
"Sh! Very important affair," said the disguised officer. "Go on."
But after the carriage had passed it occurred to him that Carmichael wore a dress like a vintner's and that his friend was a mountaineer! Du lieber Himmel! What kind of a mix-up was this? The chancellor never could have meant Carmichael!
"Thanks!" whispered the old man.
"Did you see the soldier?"
"Yes."
"He is one of the police in disguise. Be on your guard. If you don't mind I'll use this carriage to the hotel."
"You are a thousand times welcome. I will leave you here. And take the advice of an old man who has seen the four sides of humanity: leave falling in love to poets and to fools!"
The mountaineer got out quickly, closed the door, spoke a word to the driver, and slipped into an alleyway.
Carmichael arrived at the Grand Hotel in time to see her serene highness, accompanied by two of her ladies and an escort of four soldiers, start out for her morning ride. The zest of his own strange adventure died. He waited till they had passed, then slunk into the hotel. The concierge gazed at him in amazement. Carmichael winked. The concierge smiled. He understood. Americaner or Ehrensteiner, the young fellows were all the same.
"Police at the gates," mused Carmichael, as he soaked his head and face in cold water. "By George, it looks as if my friend the vintner was in for some excitement! Far be it that I should warn him. He had his little joke; I can wait for mine."
Gretchen! Carmichael stopped, his collar but half-way around his throat. Gretchen, brave, kindly, beautiful Gretchen! Now, by the Lord, that should not be! He would wring the vintner's neck. He snapped the collar viciously. He was not in an amiable mood this fair September morning. And when some one hammered on the door he called sharply.