king will laugh at their
discomfiture. His jester for the length of my tale, I can twist the
tyrant about my little finger.

See, then, the wrangling press take order of battle. Observe the
clamorous throng split into two rival companies, each of them captained
by Love, with Hope and Shame on one side, and Fear and Mistrust upon
the other. These six are the most notable; the rest you shall discover
for yourselves, when issue is joined. One other knight only I beg you
will remark--him in the cold grey harness, knee to knee with Mistrust,
whose device is a broken bough, sirs, whom there is none to counter
upon the opposite side.... That is no one of the Emotions, but
something less honest--a free-lance, gentlemen, that has ridden unasked
to the jousting and cares for neither cause, but, because he will grind
his own axe, ranged against Valerie. There is a fell influence behind
that vizor that will play a big part this February day.

When Valerie French looked upon her lost lover, she could have wept for
joy. The sight of him, indeed, rendered her inarticulate, and, before
she had found her voice, came Shyness to tie up her tongue. This is
important, because her sudden inability to speak upset everything.

For a month after she had known the man faithful and herself for a
fool. Miss French had constantly rehearsed this meeting. Then, when
she had almost lost hope that it would ever take place, the rehearsals
had lost their savour.... Forty hours ago they had been revived and
conducted feverishly by day and night. She had a score of entrances,
and humble opening lines to suit them all. Before Anthony could speak,
she would have disarmed him by kneeling in the dust. The most
submissive sentences her love could utter were to be laid at his
feet--calls which, if his love were yet alive, must wake some echoes.
Too honest, however, to make a play-actress, Valerie had reckoned
without stage-fright....

Lyveden was the first to recover.

"Why, Miss--Valerie," he said, "where have you sprung from?" He came
to her smiling and put out his hand. "I can see by your face that I'm
forgiven. I'm so glad. I hate to be at variance." Mechanically
Valerie laid her hand in his. "I've got such a wonderful job here," he
went on easily. "Are you just passing? Or have I time to tell you
about it?"

"I'd--I'd love to hear," stammered the girl.

Things were going all wrong. There had been nothing like this in any
of h