w experience came to the merchant's aid. Only in romances did
princes of the blood royal wander about like troubadours. Even a member
of the lesser nobility did not call unheralded at the house of a
merchant. The aristocracy always wanted money, it is true, "but what
they thought they might require, they went and took," as witness the
piratical Barons of the Rhine, whose exactions brought misery on the
great city of Frankfort.

Then all at once came the clinching remembrance that when the Electors
were appealed to on behalf of the young Prince, the three Archbishops
had promptly seized his Royal Highness, and, in spite of the pleadings
of the Empress (the Emperor was drunk and indifferent) placed him in the
custody of the Archbishop nearest to Frankfort, the warrior prelate of
Mayence, who imprisoned him in the strong fortress of Ehrenfels, from
which, well guarded and isolated as it was upon a crag over-hanging the
Rhine, no man could escape.

"Will you kindly be seated again, sir," requested the merchant, and if
he had spoken a short time before, he would have put the phrase "your
Royal Highness" in the place of the word "sir."

Roland, after a moment's hesitation, sat down. He saw that his coup had
failed, because he was unable to back it up by proofs. His dramatic
action had been like a brilliant cavalry charge, for a moment
successful, but coming to naught because there was no solid infantry to
turn the temporary confusion of the enemy into complete rout. Realizing
that the battle must be fought over again, the Prince sat back with a
sigh of disappointment, a shade of discontent on his handsome face.

"I find myself in rather a quandary," proceeded the merchant. "If indeed
you are the Emperor's son, it is not for such as I to cross-examine
you."

"Ask me any questions you like, sir. I shall answer them promptly
enough."

"If I beg you to supply proof of the statement you make, you would be
likely to reply that as you dared not enter your father's Palace, you
are unable to furnish me with corroboration."

"Sir, you put the case in better language than I could employ. In more
halting terms that is what I should have said."

"When were you last in the Palace?"

"About the same time, sir, that you took up your residence in prison."

"Ah, yes; that naturally would be your answer. Now, my young friend, you
have shown me that you know nothing of mercantile practice; therefore it
may perhaps interest you if I e