ply."

"I believe I thought as much at the time. Oh, confound this road!"
For half a mile or more the road had been fairly level, but, as the
ejaculation indicates, a rough place had been reached. He was flung
back in the corner violently, his head coming in contact with a sharp
projection of some kind. The pain was almost unbearable, but it was
eased by the fact that she had involuntarily thrown her arm across his
chest, her hand grasping his shoulder spasmodically.

"Oh, we shall be killed!" she half shrieked. "Can you not stop him? This
is madness--madness!"

"Pray be calm! I was to blame, for I had become careless. He is earning
his money, that's all. It was not stipulated in the contract that he was
to consider the comfort of his passengers." Grenfall could feel himself
turn pale as something warm began to trickle down his neck. "Now tell me
which despatch it was. I read all of them."

"You did? Of what interest could they have been?"

"Curiosity does not recognize reason."

"You read every one of them?"

"Assuredly."

"Then I shall grant you the right to guess which interested me the most.
You Americans delight in puzzles, I am told."

"Now, that is unfair."

"So it is. Did you read the despatch from Constantinople?" Her arm fell
to her side suddenly as if she had just realized its position.

"The one that told of the French ambassador's visit to the Sultan?"

"Concerning the small matter of a loan of some millions--yes. Well,
that was of interest to me inasmuch as the loan, if made, will affect my
country."

"Will you tell me what country you are from?"

"I am from Graustark."

"Yes; but I don't remember where that is."

"Is it possible that your American schools do not teach geography? Ours
tell us where the United States are located."

"I confess ignorance," he admitted.

"Then I shall insist that you study a map. Graustark is small, but I am
as proud of it as you are of this great broad country that reaches from
ocean to ocean. I can scarcely wait until I again see our dear crags
and valleys, our rivers and ever-blue skies, our plains and our towns. I
wonder if you worship your country as I love mine."

"From the tenor of your remarks, I judge that you have been away from
home for a long time," he volunteered.

"We have seen something of Asia, Australia, Mexico and the United States
since we left Edelweiss, six months ago. Now we are going home--home!"
She uttered the word so lovingly