ns wiped his bald head with a handkerchief. His small head,
ordinarily of the shape and color of a ripe cherry, took a still deeper
red as he stammered for words with which to proceed. Finally he spoke;
humbly, in a manner almost servile, but fixed and cool.

"I have--to beg your Majesty--to consider--the propriety--of keeping
Mrs. Oswald Carey at court."

The King stared stonily at Jawkins, who cowered close to the wall, but
went on.

"After what happened at Aldershot?"

"Aldershot!"

Jawkins saw that he had arrested the King's attention, and went on,
hurriedly. "The day was lost at Aldershot almost without a blow. It was
because the enemy were prepared on all sides. They had known of the
planned rising for days. They were armed and ready at all points. All
the disaffected regiments were marched away, and with them many of the
officers who were in the plot. The whole force of the government was at
or around Aldershot that day. The fleet was in the river. Worst of all,
the secret of the conspiracy was carefully circulated among all the
officers on whom they could rely, with instructions to prepare their
men, even to sound them in advance. And it was Mrs. Carey herself who
carried the information to the government."

"Impossible." The King made as if to rise.

"One moment more, your Majesty--just a moment. I knew all this almost at
the time. Mrs. Carey was staying at a country house in one of my parties
when she met the leaders of the noble attempt. It was she who bore to
Bagshaw the written evidence upon which Sir John Dacre was shot, and the
others condemned to prison. Think but for one moment, your Majesty, the
day might still perhaps have been gained at Aldershot, but for one
thing--the King did not appear. Consider, sir. Who was it who prevented
your Majesty from going to Aldershot that day?"

Jawkins heard the King mutter a curse to himself. He hastened to
complete his victory, and pulling out a sealed document, unrolled it,
and handed it to the King. It was the reappointment, signed by Bagshaw,
of Oswald Carey to the Stamp and Sealing-Wax Office.

"This, your Majesty, was handed to me by President Bagshaw himself, to
give to Mrs. Carey, as his private agent."

King George looked over it hastily, and then rising, paced nervously up
and down the room. Jawkins kept silence.

After some minutes the King stopped in his walk. "Well--if this be
true--Mrs. Carey is an agreeable woman. Suppose I chose, without