For several minutes I had seen nothing of Ingra, but my thoughts had been
too much occupied with more important things to take heed of his
movements. Now he appeared at the left of the throne, leading a file of
fellows bearing a burden. They went direct to the foot of the throne, and
deposited their burden within a yard of the place where Edmund was
standing. They drew off a covering, and I could not repress a cry of
consternation.
It was the body of one of their compatriots, and a glance at it sufficed
to show the manner in which death had been inflicted. It had been crushed
in a way which could probably mean nothing else than a fearful fall. The
truth flashed upon me like a gleaming sword. The victim must have been
precipitated from the air ship which we had struck at the beginning of
our flight!
And there stood our enemy, Ingra, with exultation written on his
features. He had made a master stroke, like a skillful prosecutor.
"Hang him!" I heard Jack mutter between his teeth. "Oh, if I only had my
pistol!"
"Then you would make matters a hundred times worse," I whispered. "Keep
your head, and remember Edmund's injunction.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193