rbidden. But Tuetzi will very soon----"

Before he could say more there was another flash--a sweeping circle of
light--and Tuetzi's head flew from his neck, which sent up a column of
blood.

"The wretch!" shrieked the Count, "the cruel, cold-blooded wretch, he's
killed my Tuetzi!"

"It will be _our_ turn next!" cried the little Astrologer Royal, too
terrified to stir.

"Help!" the Count bawled, "we are attacked! Where _are_ you all?" A few
retainers had run out to various doorways at his summons, but when they
saw the dragon's great body rolling convulsively round the Courtyard,
its hooked wings thrashing up the cobblestones, while its head bounded
independently about, barking and snapping like a mad dog, they very
prudently withdrew.

Xuriel had recovered strength to run, but he had not gone far before the
head, probably quite automatically, seized his right calf and brought
him down. There was another sharp glint of light--and his body was
headless, like the dragon's. What with the endeavour to avoid Tuetzi's
head, and Tuetzi's body, and the terrible sword flashes, all at once, the
Count was kept pretty busy for the next minute or so. He rushed, leaping
and yelling, roaring and dodging, from side to side and corner to
corner, and then made a frantic bolt for the outer staircase, but he had
only got half-way up when his head fell with a splash into a water-butt
below, while his body slid down to the bottom of the steps, where it lay
in a limp crumpled heap.

The noise of all these proceedings was not exactly conducive to literary
composition, and Princess Edna had already been obliged to abandon her
letter. In fact she had begun to realise that it would no longer be
necessary to finish it. Her brother, she thought, had come to her
deliverance with a promptness and energy which she would really have
hardly expected of him. She put on her _pince-nez_ again, and went out
to the head of the staircase. "Clarence!" she called, "where _are_ you?"

She was immensely surprised to encounter a plain young man in homely
costume whom she had certainly never seen before. Mirliflor, who had
just removed his cap and was springing up the steps in search of Daphne,
was at least equally surprised at finding Edna.

"_You_ here, Princess!" he cried breathlessly, "Tell me! Is--is Daphne
safe?"

"If you refer to Miss Heritage," replied Edna, "I have not seen her for
weeks, but I have no reason for believing that she is _not_ safe-