othing better. She gave him the same advice that
she had given his neighbor, and was mischievously delighted to find
that he interpreted it after the same fashion. It did her heart good
to see how the two squires approached each other with many formal
expressions of good-will, each persuading the other to depart, and
each warmly proffering companionship on the homeward road. In the end
they went off together arm in arm, each endeavoring to convey to
Brilliana by nods and winks that he proposed to return alone very
shortly.

As soon as they were fairly gone Brilliana and Halfman allowed
themselves to laugh like school-boy and school-girl, and then
Brilliana commanded Halfman to take order that neither gentleman was
to be admitted again. When he had gone on this business she turned to
Evander.

"Well," she said, "have you found the key to the riddle?"

"You have made these two neighbors plunder each other?" he hazarded.
Brilliana nodded gleefully, and then, guessing at disapproval in his
gravity, she asserted, defiantly:

"It was for the King's cause. Everything is right for the King's
cause."

At this flagrant enunciation of Cavalier policy Evander could not but
smile.

"How will it end?" he asked. He was to learn that very soon, but
first he was to learn other things of greater import to himself.

XXIII

A DAY PASSES

A day is twenty-four hours if you take it by the card, but the spirit
of joy or the spirit of sorrow has the power to multiply its
potentialities amazingly. Both these spirits walked by Evander's side
during his second day at Harby. The one that went in sable reminded
him that his horizon was dwindling almost to his feet; the other, in
rose and gold, hinted that it is better to be emperor for a day than
beggar for a century. And truly through all that day Evander esteemed
himself happier than an emperor. For he had discovered that Brilliana
was the most adorable woman in the world, and, knowing how his span
of life was shrinking, he allowed himself to adore without let or
hinderance of hostile faiths and warring causes. He did not, as
another in his desperate case might have done, make the most of his
time by using it for very straightforward love-making. There was a
fine austerity in him that denied such a course. Were he an undoomed
man his creed and his cause would forbid him to philander; being a
doomed man, it could not consort with his honor to act differently.
But he was radian