Stubbs
followed after Otaballo, who appeared somewhat worried. They entered
the palace, and at her request a guard led them into the privacy of a
small room--as it happened, the room which Wilson had twice before
visited that day.

"I asked you to come," she began a bit nervously, "because you seemed
to be the friend of whom Dicky talked to the last----"

"The last!" exclaimed Wilson.

"Oh, not that," she assured him, grasping his fear. "He isn't--isn't
dead. But you knew he was wounded?"

"No," he answered quickly, "I had not heard."

"Before the palace here and--he was brought to me. His wound isn't so
very serious, the doctor says,--it's in his leg and he won't be able
to walk for some time."

"I am sorry for him," said Wilson, sincerely. "If there is anything I
can do----"

"There is! There is! I have had him carried to his boat. He was
unconscious and the doctor gave him something to make him sleep."

"Drugged him?" he demanded roughly.

"Only so that he would go quietly. Then I gave the sailors orders to
sail back home with him."

"But why did you wish him to go back?"

"I must tell you, and you will understand. Oh, please to understand!
He wanted to--to stay and--and I wanted him to stay. I think if--if it
hadn't been for this trouble we--we would have been married. But
now----"

"Your station forbids it," he finished for her with a note of
harshness in his voice.

She answered very quietly--so quietly that it chided him.

"No, it is not that. He doesn't need any title men might give him. I
would have him King--but my people would only kill him. That is the
reason."

"Pardon me," begged Wilson. "I--I did not understand."

"They are very jealous--my people. He would have many enemies
here--enemies who wouldn't fight fair."

"And he made you Queen for this!" gasped Wilson.

"He didn't know--did he?"

"I should say not."

"Now I want you to talk to him if he returns, and tell him he mustn't
come back and get killed. Won't you?"

"I will talk to him if I see him, but--he will come back just the
same."

"He mustn't. You don't understand fully the danger."

"You couldn't make _him_ understand."

"Oh!" she cried.

She put her clasped hands to her hot cheeks a moment.

"If we could keep him away for a month--just a month. Then perhaps I
could let someone else--be--be here."

"You mean to abdicate?"

"Yes, couldn't I? The General told me that if I didn't send him away
at once you w