day with
Flavia and Sapt, had an encounter with an acquaintance, which presented
a ludicrous side, but was at the same time embarrassing. As I rode
along, I met a dignified looking person driving in a two-horsed
carriage. He stopped his horses, got out, and approached me, bowing low.
I recognized the Head of the Strelsau Police.

"Your Majesty's ordinance as to duelling is receiving our best
attention," he assured me.

If the best attention involved his presence in Zenda, I determined at
once to dispense with it.

"Is that what brings you to Zenda, Prefect?" I asked.

"Why no, sire; I am here because I desired to oblige the British
Ambassador."

"What's the British Ambassador doing _dans cette galere_?" said I,
carelessly.

"A young countryman of his, sire--a man of some position--is missing.
His friends have not heard from him for two months, and there is reason
to believe that he was last seen in Zenda."

Flavia was paying little attention. I dared not look at Sapt.

"What reason?"

"A friend of his in Paris--a certain M. Featherly--has given us
information which makes it possible that he came here, and the officials
of the railway recollect his name on some luggage."

"What was his name?"

"Rassendyll, sire," he answered; and I saw that the name meant nothing
to him. But, glancing at Flavia, he lowered his voice, as he went on:
"It is thought that he may have followed a lady here. Has your Majesty
heard of a certain Madame de Mauban?"

"Why, yes," said I, my eye involuntarily travelling towards the Castle.

"She arrived in Ruritania about the same time as this Rassendyll."

I caught the Prefect's glance; he was regarding me with enquiry writ
large on his face.

"Sapt," said I, "I must speak a word to the Prefect. Will you ride on
a few paces with the princess?" And I added to the Prefect: "Come, sir,
what do you mean?"

He drew close to me, and I bent in the saddle.

"If he were in love with the lady?" he whispered. "Nothing has been
heard of him for two months;" and this time it was the eye of the
Prefect which travelled towards the Castle.

"Yes, the lady is there," I said quietly. "But I don't suppose Mr.
Rassendyll--is that the name?--is."

"The duke," he whispered, "does not like rivals, sire."

"You're right there," said I, with all sincerity. "But surely you hint
at a very grave charge?"

He spread his hands out in apology. I whispered in his ear:

"This is a grave matter. Go back