he had come, it was Nikky who implored, and Hedwig who held
off.

"My only thought in all the world," he said. "Can you ever forgive me?"
This was tactless. No lover should ever remind his lady that he has
withstood her.

"For what?" said Hedwig coolly.

"For loving you so." This was much better, quite strategic, indeed. A
trench gained!

"Do you really love me? I wonder."

But Nikky was tired of words, and rather afraid of them. They were not
his weapons. He trusted more, as has been said somewhere else, in his
two strong arms.

"Too much ever to let you go," he said. Which means nothing unless we
take it for granted that she was in his arms. And she was, indeed.

The King having been examined and given some digestive tablets by the
Court physicians--a group which, strangely enough, did not include
Doctor Wiederman--had been given a warm bath and put to bed.

There was much formality as to the process now, several gentlemen
clinging to their hereditary right to hang around and be nuisances
during the ceremony. But at last he was left alone with Oskar.

Alone, of course, as much as a king is ever alone, which, what with
extra sentries and so on, is not exactly solitary confinement.

"Oskar!" said the King from his pillow.

"Majesty!"

Oskar was gathering the royal garments, which the physicians had ordered
burned, in case of germs.

"Did you ever eat American ice-cream?"

"No, Majesty. Not that I recall."

"It is very delicious," observed the King, and settled down in his
sheets. He yawned, then sat up suddenly "Oskar!"

"Yes, Majesty."

"There is something in my trousers pocket. I almost forgot it. Please
bring them here."

Sitting up in bed, and under Oskar's disapproving eye, because he, too,
was infected with the germ idea, King Otto the Ninth felt around in his
small pockets, until at last he had found what he wanted.

"Have I a small box anywhere, a very small box?" he inquired.

"The one in which Your Majesty's seal ring came is here. Also there is
one in the study which contained crayons."--"I'll have the ring box,"
said His Majesty.

And soon the Lincoln penny rested on a cushion of white velvet, on which
were the royal arms.

King Otto looked carefully at the penny and then closed the lid.

"Whenever I am disagreeable, Oskar," he said, "or don't care to study,
or--or do things that you think my grandfather would not have done, I
wish you'd bring me this box. You'd better keep it