med band of Rhaetia's crack
regiment, the Imperial Life Guards, struck up an air which told that
the Emperor was coming. Promptly the small group concerned forgot its
grievance, in excitement, crowding together so that Virginia was
pressed to the front, and only Miss Portman was pushed ruthlessly into
the background.

The poor lady raised a feeble protest in English, which nobody heeded,
unless it were the man who had inadvertently acted as pioneer. At her
shrill outburst he turned quickly, as if startled by the sudden cry,
and Virginia was so close to him that her chin almost touched his
shoulder. For the first time she had a glimpse of his face, which
matched the yellow wax of his neck in pallor.

The girl shrank away from him involuntarily. "What a death's head!"
she thought. "A sly, wicked face, and awful eyes. He looks frightened.
I wonder why!"

Assured that the sharp cry did not concern him, the man turned to the
front again, and having obtained his object--a place in the foremost
rank of the crowd, with one incidentally for the Princess--he
proceeded to take from his breast a roll of parchment, tied with a
narrow ribbon, and sealed with a large red seal. As he drew it out,
and rearranged his coat, his hand trembled. It, too, was yellow white.
The fellow seemed to have no blood in him.

Virginia, standing now shoulder to shoulder with the man in gray and
crimson, had just time to feel a stirring of dislike and perhaps
curiosity, when a great cheer arose from thousands of throats. The
square rang with a roar of loyal acclamation; men waved tall hats,
soft hats, and green peasant hats with feathers. Beautifully dressed
women grouped on the high, decorated balconies waved handkerchiefs or
scattered roses from gilded baskets; women in gorgeous costumes from
far-off provinces held up half-frightened, half-laughing children; and
then a white figure on a white charger came riding into the square
under the triumphal arch wreathed with flags and flowers.

Other figures followed; men in uniforms of green and gold and red, on
coal black horses, yet Virginia saw only the white figure, shining,
wonderful.

Under the glittering helmet of steel with its gold eagle, the dark
face was clear-cut as a cameo, and the eyes were bright with a proud
light. To the crowd, he was the Emperor; a fine, popular, brilliant
young man, who ruled his country better than it had been ruled yet by
one of his House, and above all, provided m