was
unpardonable hesitation. He trembled with rage. In the King's palace,
in his own chamber, he had lost for the moment his hold upon this man.
It was the one weak spot in his carefully thought-out scheme. It was
the one contingency against which he was comparatively helpless.

"You are losing a golden opportunity, Prince," he declared. "Your
hesitation is a crime. The people are on fire to see you. They will
shout you King with one voice. Give to Reist all the glory if you
will, but, if you would win your kingdom, out on to the balcony and
show yourself. Hear them!"

The roar of voices sounded like thunder from the street below. Brand
smoked on stolidly.

"I shall wait one hour for the Duke of Reist," he decided. "At the end
of that time, if he has not arrived, I will reconsider the matter."

Domiloff, who did not expect the Duke of Reist in an hour, was forced
to acquiesce.

"I will send messengers out amongst the people," he said. "I will let
them know that you are worn out with travelling, but that in an hour
you will address them. Shall it be so?"

"You can do as you like," Brand answered, quietly. "I make no
promises."

Domiloff withdrew, furious. Brand was left alone. He was a journalist
of the modern type, and he had been in a good many tight corners. His
nerves were of iron, his courage indomitable, and his sense of humour
prodigious. But this was getting beyond a joke. He was in a
_cul-de-sac_. Escape was scarcely to be hoped for, disclosure would
certainly cost him his life. Nevertheless, as the roar of voices
mounted again to his ears the corners of his mouth twitched and his
eyes shone with laughter. He found himself longing for pen and paper,
wondering how much of this he dare use as copy. Then the clock struck.
He became instantly grave. After all, an hour was a short time. He
concentrated his thoughts once more upon the situation.

On one point he was resolved. He would not carry his personation any
further. He would not present himself to the people of Theos as an
impostor, with Domiloff for his introducer, and unable to frame a
single sentence in the language of his supposed forefathers. The
speech which Domiloff had written out for him was, of course, an
impossibility. Some time to-night the Prince and Reist must surely
arrive, and the situation then might become possible. Failing that, he
could see nothing but chaos.

Half-an-hour had passed, but he was not greatly disturbed. He had a
t