e. You have seen so many
wonderful things. And now it is angels."
"Only one, your Highness." This was daring. "But perhaps I am putting
my foot where angels fear to tread," which was still more daring.
"Angels ought not to be afraid of anything." She laughed; there was a
pain and a joy in the sound of it. She read his heart as one might read
a written line.
"Dreams are always unfinished things," he said, getting back on safer
ground.
"What is she like, this angel?" forcing him upon dangerous ground again
wilfully.
"Who may describe an angel one has seen only in a golden dream?"
"You will not tell me?"
"I dare not!" His eyes sought hers unflinchingly. This moment he was
mad, and had not the chancellor and Baron von Steinbock came up, Heaven
only knew what further madness would have unbridled his tongue.
"Your Highness," began the benign voice of the chancellor, "the baron
desires, in the name of his august master, to open the ball with you.
Behold my fairy-wand," gaily. "This night I have made you a queen."
"Can you make me happy also?" said she, so low that only the chancellor
heard her.
"I shall try. Ah, Herr Captain," with a friendly jerk of his head
toward Carmichael; "will you do me the honor to join me in my cabinet,
quarter of an hour hence?"
"I shall be there, your Excellency." Carmichael was uneasy. He was not
certain how much the chancellor had heard.
"A little diplomatic business in which I shall need your assistance,"
supplemented the chancellor.
Carmichael, instead of loitering uselessly in the ball-room, at once
sought the chancellor's cabinet. He wanted to be alone. He made known
his business to the chancellor's valet who admitted him. He stopped just
across the threshold. To his surprise the room was already tenanted.
Grumbach and a police officer!
"Why, Grumbach, what are you doing here?" cried Carmichael.
"Waiting for his excellency. We have been here something past an hour."
"What's the trouble?" Carmichael inquired.
"Your excellency knows as much as I do," said the officer, who was in
fact no less than the sub-chief of the bureau.
"And I am in the dark, also," said Grumbach, twirling his hat.
Carmichael walked about, studying the many curios. Occasionally Grumbach
wiped his forehead, and, absently, the inner rim of his hat. Perhaps the
three of them waited twenty minutes; then the chancellor came in. He
bowed cordially and drew chairs about his desk. He place
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