down quite easily, devoting the greater
part of her reproaches to my failure to advertise my friends of my
whereabouts.

"We've wasted a lot of time trying to find you," she said.

"I know you have," said I. "Half our ambassadors have led weary lives
on my account. George Featherly told me so. But why should you have been
anxious? I can take care of myself."

"Oh, it wasn't that," she cried scornfully, "but I wanted to tell you
about Sir Jacob Borrodaile. You know, he's got an Embassy--at least,
he will have in a month--and he wrote to say he hoped you would go with
him."

"Where's he going to?"

"He's going to succeed Lord Topham at Strelsau," said she. "You couldn't
have a nicer place, short of Paris."

"Strelsau! H'm!" said I, glancing at my brother.

"Oh, _that_ doesn't matter!" exclaimed Rose impatiently. "Now, you will
go, won't you?"

"I don't know that I care about it!"

"Oh, you're too exasperating!"

"And I don't think I can go to Strelsau. My dear Rose, would it
be--suitable?"

"Oh, nobody remembers that horrid old story now."

Upon this, I took out of my pocket a portrait of the King of Ruritania.
It had been taken a month or two before he ascended the throne. She
could not miss my point when I said, putting it into her hands:

"In case you've not seen, or not noticed, a picture of Rudolf V, there
he is. Don't you think they might recall the story, if I appeared at the
Court of Ruritania?"

My sister-in-law looked at the portrait, and then at me.

"Good gracious!" she said, and flung the photograph down on the table.

"What do you say, Bob?" I asked.

Burlesdon got up, went to a corner of the room, and searched in a heap
of newspapers. Presently he came back with a copy of the Illustrated
London News. Opening the paper, he displayed a double-page engraving of
the Coronation of Rudolf V at Strelsau. The photograph and the picture
he laid side by side. I sat at the table fronting them; and, as I
looked, I grew absorbed. My eye travelled from my own portrait to Sapt,
to Strakencz, to the rich robes of the Cardinal, to Black Michael's
face, to the stately figure of the princess by his side. Long I looked
and eagerly. I was roused by my brother's hand on my shoulder. He was
gazing down at me with a puzzled expression.

"It's a remarkable likeness, you see," said I. "I really think I had
better not go to Ruritania."

Rose, though half convinced, would not abandon her position.

"It's ju