erriwig.

"A sort of person, your Majesty."

"See him here, dear," said Belvane, as she got up. "I have things to
do in the Palace."

She left him; and by and by the flunkey returned with the stranger.
He was a pleasant-looking person with a round clean-shaven face;
something in the agricultural way, to judge from his clothes.

"Well?" said Merriwig.

"I desire to be your Majesty's swineherd," said the other.

"What do you know of swineherding?"

"I have a sort of natural aptitude for it, your Majesty, although I
have never actually been one."

"My own case exactly. Now then, let me see--how would you----"

The stranger took out a large red handkerchief and wiped his forehead.

"You propose to ask me a few questions, your Majesty?"

"Well, naturally, I----"

"Let me beg of you not to. By all you hold sacred let me implore you
not to confuse me with questions." He drew himself up and thumped his
chest with his fist. "I have a feeling for swineherding; it is
enough."

Merriwig began to like the man; it was just how he felt about the
thing himself.

"I once carried on a long technical conversation with a swineherd," he
said reminiscently, "and we found we had much in common. It is an
inspiring life."

"It was in just that way," said the stranger, "that I discovered my
own natural bent towards it."

"How very odd! Do you know, there's something about your face that I
seem to recognise?"

The stranger decided to be frank.

"I owe this face to you," he said simply.

Merriwig looked startled.

"In short," said the other, "I am the late King of Barodia."

Merriwig gripped his hand.

[Illustration: _He was a pleasant-looking person, with a round
clean-shaven face_]

"My dear fellow," he said. "My very dear fellow, of course you are.
Dear me, how it brings it all back. And--may I say--what an
improvement. Really, I'm delighted to see you. You must tell me all
about it. But first some refreshment."

At the word "refreshment" the late King of Barodia broke down
altogether, and it was only Merriwig's hummings and hawings and
thumpings on the back and (later on) the refreshment itself which kept
him from bursting into tears.

"My dear friend," he said, as he wiped his mouth for the last time,
"you have saved me."

"But what does it all mean?" asked Merriwig in bewilderment.

"Listen and I will tell you,"

He told himself of the great resolution to which he had come on that
famous mo