ove in through the gateway. The
valet and a French maid gazed in discreet wonder at their master and
mistress seated disconsolately in front of a tumbledown building.

"Michael, I insist that you give the driver directions!" cried his wife
vehemently. "We cannot remain here. The least shred of commonsense
should warn you that we are making ourselves ridiculous."

"Ah, yes, one must act," agreed the Prince. He glanced up at the
enthusiastic supporter of the new regime.

"We have traveled here from Paris, and his Majesty's recent letters have
missed us," he said, with a perceptible return of the grand air that had
served him in good stead for many years. "Take us to his Majesty's
present residence. The error is mine. I should have told you that in the
first instance."

"The King is living in the President's house, Excellency. It is not far;
but you will not find his Majesty there this morning. At four o'clock
he rode to Grotzka with the mad Englishman----"

"Ha! and who may that be?"

"An English milord, who laughs always, even when his Majesty and he are
trying to break their necks at a game they play on horseback, hitting a
white ball with long sticks. I have seen them. They make the young
officers play it, and there are three in hospital already. This is hot
weather for such an infernal amusement!"

Prince Michael nodded. Like every other person watching affairs on the
Danube, he had read of Lord Adalbert Beaumanoir's adventure with the
Austrian authorities,--indeed, Europe had almost expected a declaration
of war over the incident,--but he did not know that Beaumanoir was still
an inhabitant of Delgratz.

"To Monsieur Nesimir's!" he said sullenly, and left it to the Princess
to give instructions to the servants to follow, though the poor woman
did not yet know whither she was being taken. She was very angry with
her husband, and she blamed herself for not having telegraphed to her
son before leaving Paris. But she had yielded to Michael Delgrado during
so many years that it was difficult to abandon the habit now; yet she
promised herself a full explanation with Alec when they met, and that
must be soon, since here she was in Delgratz, where, judging by the
newspapers, the King was in evidence every hour of the day.

The President's house was distant only a stone's throw, and, though
obviously mystified, stout Nesimir met his unexpected guests cordially.
He was disconsolate because of the King's probable abse