of the distance was
gone in silence.

The carriages were in the road, a short way from the inn. Pembroke and
I got into ours. As the Prince placed a foot on the step of his he
turned once more to me.

"Pardon me," he said, "but I came near forgetting to tell you why I did
not kill you this morning. In some way your Princess came into the
knowledge that we were going to fight it out as they did in the old
days. She came to my rooms, and there begged me to spare your life.
There was a condition. It was that she get down on her knees to
sue--down on her knees. Ah, what was your life compared to the joy of
her humiliation! Not in the figure of speech--on her living, mortal
knees, my friend--her living knees!" The carriage door banged behind
him.

It was only because Pembroke threw his arms around me that I did not
leap out of the carriage.

"Sit still, Jack, sit still! If she begged your life, it was because
she loves you."

And, full of rage, I saw the carriage of the Prince vanish. As the
carriage vanished, so vanished the Prince from the scene of my
adventures. It was but recently that I read of his marriage to the
daughter of a millionaire money lender; and, unlike the villain in the
drama, pursues the even tenor of his way, seemingly forgotten by
retribution, which often hangs fire while we live.

"There are some curious people in this world," said Pembroke, when he
had succeeded in quieting me.

I had no argument to offer. After a time I said: "To-morrow, cousin,
we shall return to America, our native land. When we are older it will
be pleasant to recount our adventures."

Arriving at our rooms, we found them in possession of a lieutenant of
the guard hussars. He was drumming on the hearthstone with the end of
his sword scabbard. As we entered he rose and briefly saluted us.

"Which of you two gentlemen is Herr Winthrop?" he asked.

"I am he," said I.

"His Majesty commands your immediate presence at the palace."

"The King?"

"Yes."

"Have you any idea what his desires are?"

"A soldier never presumes to know His Majesty's desires, only his
commands. Let us begone at once, sir. I have been waiting for an
hour. His Majesty likes dispatch."

"It cannot be anything serious," said I to Pembroke, who wore a worried
frown.

Perhaps the King had heard of the duel. I was in a mood to care but
little what the King had heard, or what he was going to do. The thing
uppermost in my min