Princess Olivia_!

"King Otho," continued the prince, "ruled wisely and well for seven
months, and it was at the beginning of that time that the imperial
submarine was sent to the Azores with letters and a packet to you.
The enterprise, however, was attended by so great danger of
discovery that it was never repeated. This is why, for so long, you
have had no word from the king. And now I come," said the prince
with hesitation, "to the difficult part of my narrative."

He paused and Mr. Frothingham rushed to his assistance.

"As the family solicitor," said the lawyer, pursing his lips, and
waving his hands, once, from the wrists, "would you not better
divulge to my ear alone, the--a--"

"No--no!" flashed Olivia. "No, Mr. Frothingham--please."

The prince inclined his head.

"Will it surprise you, Miss Holland," he said, "to learn that I made
my voyage to this country expressly to seek you out?"

"To seek me?" exclaimed Olivia. "But--has anything happened to my
father?"

"We hope not," replied the prince, "but what I have to tell will
none the less occasion you anxiety. Briefly, Miss Holland, it is
more than three months since your father suddenly and mysteriously
disappeared from Yaque, leaving absolutely no clue to his
whereabouts."

A little cry broke from Olivia's lips that went to St. George's
heart. Mrs. Hastings, with a gesture that was quite wild and sent
her bonnet hopelessly to one side, burst into a volley of
exclamations and demands.

"Who did it?" she wailed. "Who did it? Otho is a gentleman. He
would never have the bad taste to disappear, like all those
dreadful people's wives, if somebody hadn't--"

"My dear Madame," interposed Mr. Frothingham, "calm--calm
yourself. There are families of undisputed position which
record disappearances in several generations."

"Please," pleaded Olivia. "Ah, tell us," she begged the prince
again.

"There is, unfortunately, but little to tell, Miss Holland," said
the prince with sympathetic regret. "I had the honour, three months
ago, to entertain the king, your father, at dinner. We parted at
midnight. His Majesty seemed--"

"His Majesty!" repeated Mrs. Hastings, smiling up at the opposite
wall as if her thought saw glories.

"--in the best of health and spirits," continued the prince. "A
meeting of the High Council was to be held at noon on the following
day. The king did not appear. From that moment no eye in Yaque has
fallen upon him."

"One momen