emi-darkness. Kalonay moved closer to Miss Carson and looked
boldly into her eyes, "There is a prouder title than that of the
Regent," he whispered; "will you ever give it me?"

The girl started, breathing quickly, and turned her head aside, making
an effort to free her hand, but Kalonay held it closer in his own.
"Will you give it me?" he begged.

Then the girl looked up at him smiling, but with such confidence and
love in her eyes that he read his answer, though she shook her head, as
though to belie the truth her eyes had told him.

"When you have done your work," she said, "come to me or send for me,
and I shall come and give you my answer; and whether you fail or
succeed the answer will be the same."

Kalonay stooped quickly and kissed her hand, and when he raised his
face his eyes were smiling with such happiness that the little child in
his arms read it there, and smiled too in sympathy, and pressed his
face closer against his comrade's shoulder.

Gordon at this moment moved across the room and bowed, making a deep
obeisance to the child.

"Might I be permitted," he asked, "to kiss his Royal Highness? I
should like to boast of the fact, later," he explained.

The Crown Prince turned his sad, wise eyes on him in silence, and
gravely extended a little hand.

"You may kiss his Highness's hand," said Kalonay, smiling.

Gordon laughed and pressed the fingers in his own.

"When you talk like that, Kalonay," he said, "you make me feel like
Alice in the court-room with the Kings and Queens around her. A dozen
times this afternoon I've felt like saying, `After all, they are only a
pack of cards.'"

Kalonay shook his head and glanced toward Miss Carson for enlightenment.

"I don't understand," he said.

"No, you couldn't be expected to," said Gordon; "You have not been
educated up to that. It is the point of view."

He stuck out the middle finger of his hand, and drove it three times
deliberately into the side of the Crown Prince. The child gasped and
stared open-mouthed at the friendly stranger, and then catching the
laugh in Gordon's eyes, laughed with him.

"Now," said Gordon, "I shall say that I have dug the King of Messina in
the ribs--that is even better than having kissed him. God bless your
Royal Highness," he said, bowing gravely. "You may find me
disrespectful at times," he added; "but then, you must remember, I am
going to risk a valuable life for you. At least it's an extremely
valuab