at I regard it as the most friendly act you could
possibly have performed so far as I am concerned; but I know you well
enough to be a little dubious."

Beliani smiled and spread wide his hands with the deprecatory gesture of
the Levantine. Long years of residence in the capitals of Europe had not
wholly effaced the servile mannerisms of the Eastern money-lender.

"That is because you know I am a Greek, your Majesty," he said. "It is
the misfortune of my countrymen that we are seldom given credit for
disinterested motives. Well, I will be honest, quite frank in this, for
the excellent reason that if I was to endeavor to hoodwink you I think I
should fail. I make it my business to know everything--I repeat,
everything--about Kosnovian affairs, and when the rumor reached Paris
that you were to marry a Montenegrin Princess----"

Alec laughed so cheerily that Prince Michael, who happened to be in the
room, turned and looked at the two, wondering what Beliani could have
said that so amused his son.

"My dear fellow," he broke in, "I have never set eyes on the lady. My
time has been far too occupied in learning my business to permit of
visits to neighboring States. Moreover, as it happened, I had chosen my
wife some days before I hit upon a career."

"Exactly, your Majesty. I knew that also."

"But how could you know?"

"I mean that I learned it afterward. An art student of the type of Miss
Vernon, and a young gentleman so popular in Parisian society as Alexis
Delgrado, could not meet day after day in the Louvre to conduct a class
composed solely of two members without exciting a certain amount of
comment."

"But that doesn't explain why you should have decided upon the
extraordinary step of sending her to Delgratz."

"No, it shows only how readily I availed myself of existing
circumstances. You see, sitting there in Paris and reading of your
phenomenal progress, I pictured to myself the isolation, the lack of
sympathetic companionship, that you must be suffering here despite all
the brave fireworks of your achievements. We Greeks are poets and
philosophers as well as financiers, and I gratified those higher
instincts of my race by rendering possible a visit to Delgratz of the
lady whom you had chosen as a bride, while at the same time I hope to do
myself a good turn in winning your favor; for I have money at stake on
your success. Please do not forget that, your Majesty. I supported the
Delgrado cause when it was