told her of the orders he had received, her head sank upon his
breast, and her large blue eyes swam in tears. Recovering, however,
from this momentary depression, she vowed to remain ever true to
her country and her love. The Count echoed the vow, and a kiss
sealed the compact. The following morning a ship sailed from
Stockholm, bearing the new ambassador to Naples.

"Scarcely had Armfelt departed, when Duke Karl began to persecute
Miss Rudenskjoeld with his addresses. At first he endeavoured, by
attention and flatteries, to win her favour; but her avoidance of
his advances and society increased the violence of his passion,
until at last he spoke his wishes with brutal frankness. With
maidenly pride and dignity, the lady repelled his suit, and
severely stigmatized his insolence. Foaming with rage, the duke
left her presence, and from that moment his love was exchanged for
a deadly hatred.

"Baron Reuterholm had witnessed with pleasure the growth of the
regent's passion for the beautiful Miss Rudenskjoeld; for he knew
that the more pursuits Duke Karl had to occupy and amuse him, the
more undivided would be his own sway. It was with great
dissatisfaction, therefore, that he received an account of the
contemptuous manner in which the proud girl had treated her royal
admirer. The latter insisted upon revenge, full and complete
revenge, and Reuterholm promised that he should have it. Miss
Rudenskjoeld's life was so blameless, and her conduct in every
respect so correct, that it seemed impossible to invent any charge
against her; but Reuterholm set spies to work, and spies will
always discover something. They found out that she kept up a
regular correspondence with Count Armfelt. Their letters were
opened, and evidence found in them of a plan to declare the young
prince of age, or at least to abstract Duke Karl from the
corrupting influence of Reuterholm. The angry feelings entertained
by the latter personage towards Miss Rudenskjoeld were increased
tenfold by this discovery, and he immediately had her thrown into
prison. She was brought to trial before a tribunal composed of
creatures of the baron, and including the Chancellor Sparre, a man
of unparalleled cunning and baseness, than whom Satan himself could
have selected no better advocate. During