d; indeed he almost laughed.

"Your Highness is amusing himself at my expense by asking me questions
that only a seer could answer."

The Elector was still considering him with his ponderously suspicious
glance, when quick steps approached. A serving-maid, one of Sophia's
women, appeared in the doorway of the pavilion.

"What do you want?" the Elector snapped at her.

"A glove her Highness lately dropped here," was the timid answer,
innocently precipitating the very discovery which the woman had been too
hastily dispatched to avert.

The Elector flung the glove at her, and there was a creak of evil
laughter from him. When she had departed' he turned again to Koenigsmark.

"You fence skilfully," said he, sneering, "too skilfully for an honest
man. Will you now tell me without any more of this, precisely what the
Princess Sophia was doing here with you?"

Koenigsmark drew himself stiffly up, looking squarely into the furnace of
the Elector's face.

"Your Highness assumes that the Princess was here with me, and a prince
is not to be contradicted, even when he insults a lady whose spotless
purity is beyond his understanding. But your Highness can hardly expect
me to become in never so slight a degree a party to that insult by
vouchsafing any answer to your question."

"That is your last word, sir?" The Elector shook with suppressed anger.

"Your Highness cannot think that words are necessary?"

The bulging eyes grew narrow, the heavy nether lip was thrust forth in
scorn and menace.

"You are relieved, sir, of your duties in the Electoral Guard, and as
that is the only tie binding you to Hanover, we see no reason why your
sojourn here should be protracted."

Koenigsmark bowed stiffly, formally. "It shall end, your Highness, as
soon as I can make the necessary arrangements for my departure--in a
week at most."

"You are accorded three days, sir." The Elector turned, and waddled
out, leaving Koenigsmark to breathe freely again. The three days should
suffice for the Princess also. It was very well.

The Elector, too, thought that it was very well. He had given this
troublesome fellow his dismissal, averted a scandal, and placed his
daughter-in-law out of the reach of harm. Madame von Platen was the only
one concerned who thought that it was not well at all, the consummation
being far from that which she had desired. She had dreamt of a flaming
scandal, that should utterly consume her two enemies, Sophia and
K