e German army. "And I can assure your Majesty that the
feeling of admiration is entirely reciprocal," says the C.O. "We should
be happy to incorporate your army in ours!"'

The men had heard the story often before, but it was greeted with all
the relish of novelty, a quality which lives eternally in any anecdote
that tells on one's own side.

Before the laughter had subsided another man entered the room. He was,
perhaps, nearer thirty than twenty, and the face under his dull,
colourless hair was singularly pale, but there was promise of great
strength in the long angular body.

'My congratulations, Unziar.' Colendorp turned to the new-comer.

'Thanks. By the way, have you heard of Insermann? Gone out, they tell
me.'

'Yes. And have you heard of the new appointment?'

'No. But it's Abenfeldt, of course. The Colonel as good as promised him
last year.'

'Ever heard of Lieutenant Rallywood of the frontier?' demanded Colendorp
in his slow way.

'Yes, I do happen to know him.' Unziar looked round in some surprise.
'He was the frontier fellow who undertook to be my second at the station
when I fought De Balsas because he insisted that our trains were
inferior to those in Germany. Rallywood--you don't mean to say?' a slow
comprehension dawning upon him. 'But it's impossible! The fellow's an
Englishman. How could such a thing be possible? On the frontier, yes,
but not in the Guard!'

Colendorp was a silent, reserved man, disliked by persons who met him
casually in society, but to those who inhabited with him the quarters at
the Palace he stood as the impersonation of the grim spirit of the
Guard. He drew away from the table and crossed his legs.

'The idea has at length occurred to one man,' he with his glance on
Unziar's pale face, 'to M. Selpdorf, in fact.'

Unziar looked back at his interlocutor, his eyes hardening.

'Of course,' he said, bringing out each word distinctly, 'Rallywood must
be got rid of.'

'It will offend M. Selpdorf if his nominee be interfered with,' went on
Colendorp.

'I have already undertaken that little matter,' put in Adolf eagerly.

There was an undercurrent of meaning in all this of which each man
present was fully aware. Unziar was presumed to have very strong private
reasons to propitiate rather than to offend the powerful Minister. But
this happened to be a typical instance in which the interests of the
corps over-rode those of the individual. Moreover the custom of the
Guard r