my best friends the man who had
the pluck to try and stem the tide."

The slender fingers of the journalist found themselves suddenly within
the brown, sinewy hand of the King. There was an instant's silence--a
man's silence. Then Brand continued--

"Mr. Ellis, our Minister there, is your friend, but he is a weak,
colourless creature, and he gives no weight or point to his reports.
He tries hard to be honest, but he is wofully under the influence of
the others. And the others----"

"I know," the King interrupted. "Austria, Germany, and Russia have
come to a secret understanding, and somehow I fancy that Turkey is
involved in it. But what pretext they can find for movement against
me, or from what quarter I am to expect the aggression I cannot say."

"It is what I have just discovered," Brand said.

The King's eyes flashed. He was a brave man, but the cloud of doubt
had been stupefying. It was this knowledge for which he craved.

"It is Russia who is the moving spirit," Brand continued.

"Russia, of course," the King exclaimed, bitterly. "An independent
Theos has always been against her policy. She debauched the Republic,
she tried--as you well know, Brand--to make my accession a virtual
Russian protectorate."

"And, further," Brand said, "she has actually in London stooped to
this. Our paper has been approached by an agent of the Russian
government with a view to purchasing a cessation of our support of
you. I myself, your Majesty, feel myself deeply to blame. Weeks ago I
could have warned you that Domiloff was still in the capital plotting
against you. I kept silent. I beg that you will not ask me why. The
news which has brought me here now has come by cipher telegram from my
chief. A secret treaty has been signed between Russia and Turkey. The
terms I do not know, but Turkey is left free to attack you at once,
and she is already moving troops and guns to the frontier."

"Germany?" Ughtred asked, quickly.

"Is pledged to neutrality--also Austria. The only European country
which has not come to terms with Russia is England."

The King rose from his chair, and walked restlessly up and down the
room. His eyes were flashing, and the lines about his mouth were hard
and bitter.

"It's a brave game--politics," he cried. "To-day we read our ancient
history, and thank the gods for civilization. It's a huge fraud,
Brand. What they did in those days with fire and the sword they do
to-day by craft and secret treatie