d a figure, muffled to the very eyes,
moved over the threshold into the room. "Have pardon, monsieur--I could
not but overhear," went on the newcomer, turning to Narkom. "I should
scarcely be worthy of his Majesty's confidence and favour had I remained
inactive. I simply had to come up unbidden. _Had_ to, monsieur"--turning
to Cleek--"and so--" His words dropped off suddenly. A puzzled look
first expanded and then contracted his eyes, and his lips tightened
curiously under the screen of his white, military moustache. "Monsieur,"
he said, presently putting into words the sense of baffling familiarity
which perplexed him. "Monsieur, you then are the great, the astonishing
Cleek? You, monsieur? Pardon, but surely I have had the pleasure of
meeting monsieur before? No, not here, for I have never been in England
until to-day; but in my own country--in Mauravania. Surely, monsieur, I
have seen you there?"

"On the contrary," said Cleek, speaking the simple truth. "I have never
set foot in Mauravania in all my life, sir. And as you have overheard my
words you may see that I do not intend to even now. The difficulties of
Mauravania's king do not in the least appeal to me."

"Ah, but Mauravania's queen, monsieur--Mauravania's queen."

"The lady interests me no more than does her royal spouse."

"But, monsieur, she must--she really must--if you are honest in what you
say, and your sympathies are all with the deposed and exiled ones--the
ex-queen Karma and her children. Surely, monsieur, you who seem to know
so well the history of that sad time cannot be ignorant of what has
happened since to her ex-Majesty and her children?"

"I know only that Queen Karma died in France, in extreme poverty,
befriended to the last by people of the very humblest birth and of not
too much respectability. What became of her son I do not know; but her
daughters, the two princesses, mere infants at the time, were sent, one
to England, where she subsequently died, and the other to Persia, where,
I believe, she remained up to her ninth year, and then went no one seems
to know where."

"Then, monsieur, let me tell you what became of her. The late King
Alburtus discovered her whereabouts, and, to prevent any possible
trouble in the future, imprisoned her in the Fort of Sulberga up to the
year before his death. Eleven months ago she became the Crown Prince
Ulric's wife. She is now his consort. And by saving her, monsieur, you
who feel so warmly upon t