ock in her life.

"Then perhaps I had better see that everything is ready in the
Palace," she said, "if your Royal Highness will excuse me." And with
a curtsey she was gone.

Coronel exchanged a glance with Hyacinth. "I'm enjoying this," he
seemed to say.

"Well," she announced, "I must be going in, too. There'll be much to
see about."

Coronel was left alone with the most desperate lover in Araby.

"And now," said the Prince, "tell me what you are doing here."

Coronel put his arm in Udo's and walked him up and down the flagged
path.

"Your approaching marriage," he said, "is the talk of Araby.
Naturally I had to come here to see for myself what she was like. My
dear Udo, she's charming; I congratulate you."

"Don't be a fool, Coronel. I haven't the slightest intention of
marrying her."

"Then why have you told everybody that you are going to?"

"You know quite well I haven't told anybody. There hasn't been a
single word about it mentioned until you pushed your way in just now."

"Ah, well, perhaps you hadn't heard about it. But the Princess knows,
the Countess knows, and I know--yes, I think you may take our word for
it that it's true."

"I haven't the slightest intention--what do you keep clinging to my
arm like this for?

"My dear Udo, I'm so delighted to see you again. Don't turn your back
on old friendships just because you have found a nobler and a
truer---- Oh, very well, if you're going to drop all your former
friends, go on then. But when _I'm_ married, there will always be a
place for----"

"Understand once and for all," said Udo angrily, "that I am _not_
getting married. No, don't take my arm--we can talk quite well like
this."

"I am sorry, Udo," said Coronel meekly; "we seem to have made a
mistake. But you must admit we found you in a very compromising
position."

"It wasn't in the least compromising," protested Udo indignantly. "As
a matter of fact I was just telling her about that dragon I killed in
Araby last year."

"Ah, and who would listen to a hopeless story like that, but the woman
one was going to marry?"

"Once more, I am not going to marry her."

"Well, you must please yourself, but you have compromised her severely
with that story. Poor innocent girl. Well, let's forget about it.
And now tell me, how do you like Euralia?"

"I am returning to Araby this afternoon," said Udo stiffly.

"Well, perhaps you're right. I hope that nothing will happen to you