back the servant with its fellow for you?' mademoiselle
asked haughtily. 'It is nothing to me who picks up what I have thrown
away.' With this rebuff to Rallywood she placed her hand upon the
German's, as if to ask him to lead her from the room, and added--

'You wish for an introduction? Then allow me to present you to each
other. His excellency the Baron von Elmur.' She paused, and her eyes
dwelt for a moment on Rallywood's. 'A gentleman of the Guard.' And
before Rallywood could explain the mistake the curtain had dropped
behind them and he was left standing alone.

In Baron von Elmur he recognized the oblique carriage of the head and
the high-shouldered figure of the third man he had seen with the
newspaper correspondents in the Grand Square that afternoon. Moreover he
knew that the German had entered the ante-room through no mistake, but
with some object in view. As for the girl, who was she and where had she
come from? She was not of Maasau, since she had introduced him as
belonging to the Guard, for not only was every officer of that favoured
corps individually known, but it was further impossible for a Maasaun to
make the slightest mistake with regard to any uniform. It was one of the
boasts of the country that even a child could tell at a glance not only
the special regiment, but the rank of the wearer of any uniform
belonging to the Duchy.

Rallywood had no time just then to pursue the subject further, as he was
almost immediately recalled to the Chancellor's presence.

'Now, monsieur,' began Selpdorf, as though no break had occurred in the
conversation, 'you are in truth tired of keeping our dreary marches; is
it not so?'

'There are better places--and worse, your Excellency.'

'Our gay little capital will be one of the better places, I promise
you,' continued the Chancellor. 'A position in the Guard of his Highness
has just become vacant. Am I right in believing that a nomination to
that superb regiment would tempt you to remain with us?'

Rallywood for once was a little taken aback.

'A gentleman of the Guard.' He repeated the girl's words of introduction
mechanically; then, putting aside the thought of her, he took up the
practical view of the situation and answered, 'I am an Englishman, your
Excellency, and though I have taken the soldier's oath to the Maasaun
standard I have not taken the oath of nationality. I could not consent
to become a naturalised citizen even of the Duchy of Maasau.'

'Ah,