out, and neither one looked at the other nor spoke of what
they had left behind them. But in Patsy's mind ran, repeated over and
over, the words, "I have seen the King!--I have seen the King!" And in
the darkened chambers behind the closed doors, began again the light
tinkle of the harpsichord.

Of all the visitors at Hanover Lodge, the most welcome and the most
constant was a certain Eitel, Prince of Altschloss, a young man of many
accomplishments, of gentle manners, and, for a Prince of the Empire, of
a quite extraordinary modesty.

The Princess Elsa had known him from childhood. Indeed, she had been a
friend of his mother in the days when both were young and the two of
them had something to communicate to each other every day which no one
else must hear.

The Prince had come on a visit to his god-mother, and had remained on at
the Austrian Embassy, gaining that diplomatic experience which in later
life stood him in such great stead.

To the Prince of Altschloss the two months had been of great moment.
They had taught him to be humble and distrustful of himself. Patsy had
treated him no better and no worse than any other of her admirers, and
the tonic, though doubtless bitter, had been good for the young man's
soul.

He had been one of the foremost, though not the most foolish, in the
party of the Dukes. But now he had quite left behind the reckless
prodigality and imbecility of the Regency clique. He now asserted his
independence by frequenting exclusively what was known as the Windsor
"Frump Court," in spite of the jeers of his ex-comrades.

He spoke excellent English with a slight foreign accent which was not
German, and he used it freely to inform Patsy of his constant and
unutterable devotion. Prince Eitel of Altschloss was a tall young man
with extremely black eyes, a frank, open face, and the quietest manner
in the world. But he had already taken part in half-a-dozen great
battles, and had kept his corner of the Empire clear of the predatory
bands which followed the march of all Napoleonic armies.

This was the youth who discovered that Patsy, dressed in the fashions of
the day, going to operas, balls and race-courses, was the same Patsy who
had spoken in the gate with the press-gang at the Bothy of Blairmore.
But other things had happened during these months.

For nearly eight weeks the Earl of Raincy's house in Piccadilly had been
open, and Lieutenant Louis de Raincy had frequently appeared in his n