ow?" cried the prince, bewildered.

"Something I have not dared tell till this moment,"--miserably.

"Curse it, you are keeping us waiting!" The duke kicked about the
shattered bits of porcelain.

"I used to play with the--the young prince," began Arnheim. "Your
Highness will recollect that I did." Arnheim went over to Max. "Take
off your coat." Max did so, wondering. "Roll up your sleeve." Again
Max obeyed, and his wonder grew. "See!" cried the colonel in a high,
unnatural voice, due to his unusual excitement. "Oh, there can be no
doubt! It is your son!"

The duke and the prince bumped against each other in their mad rush to
inspect Max's arm. Arnheim's finger rested upon the peculiar scar I
have mentioned.

"Lord help us, it's your wine-case brand!" gasped the duke.

"My wine case!" The prince was almost on the verge of tears.

The girl sat perfectly quiet.

"Explain, explain!" said Max.

"Yes, yes! How did this come?--put there?" spluttered the prince.

"Your Highness, we--your son--we were playing in the wine-cellars that
day," stammered the unhappy Arnheim. "I saw . . . the hot iron . . .
I was a boy of no more than five . . . I branded the prince on the
arm. He cried so that I was frightened and ran and hid. When I went
to look for him he was gone. Oh, I know; it is your son."

"I'll take your word for it, Colonel!" cried the prince. "I said from
the first that he wasn't bad-looking. Didn't I, Princess?" He then
turned embarrassedly toward Max and timidly held out his hand. That
was as near sentiment as ever the father and the son came, but it was
genuine. "Ho, steward! Hans, you rascal, where are you?"

The steward presently entered, shading his eyes.

"Your Highness called?"

"That I did. That's Max come home!"

"Little Max?"

"Little Max. Now, candles, and march yourself to the packing-cellars.
Off with you!" The happy old man slapped the duke on the shoulder.
"I've an idea, Josef."

"What is it?" asked the duke, also very well pleased with events.

"I'll tell you all about it when we get into the cellar." But the nod
toward the girl and the nod toward Max was a liberal education.

"I am pardoned?" said Arnheim.

"Pardoned? My boy, if I had an army I would make you a general!"
roared the prince. "Come along, Josef. And you, Arnheim! You
troopers, out of here, every one of you, and leave these two young
persons alone!"

And out of the various doors the l