irectly
below. "They're shouting for Me! I distinctly heard 'We want our Queen!'
So nice and warm-hearted of them!"

The shouts had ceased, but the tramp of thousands of feet grew louder,
until the sound was deadened as the demonstrators passed under the wing
of the Palace on their way to the central entrance.

"Sidney, we must go in and show ourselves to them," said the Queen. "If
they _insist_ on a speech _I_ will make it--you always manage to say the
wrong thing!"

As they entered the Palace they heard a clamour which appeared to
proceed from the great Entrance Hall. "_Quite_ right to have asked them
in," remarked the Queen with approval. "I shall order some refreshments
for them, and then we can go up by a back way and appear at the top of
the Grand Staircase." But this part of the programme was not destined
to be carried out.

On attempting to pass through they were stopped, to the Queen's
indignant amazement, in an inner hall by the Captain of her own Guards.
"Really!" she cried, "I never _heard_ of such a thing! What do you
_mean_ by it?"

He either could not or would not give any other explanation than that he
had instructions to detain them. "Prince Hansmeinigel!" said the Queen,
as she saw him approaching, "can _you_ inform us why his Majesty and I
are prevented from addressing our faithful subjects?"

"I think, Madam," he replied smoothly, "that you would find none here to
address."

"How dare you tell me that, when you can hear them calling for 'their
Queen' at this very moment!"

"But not for _you_, Madam. The Queen they are demanding is the Lady
Daphne."

"Miss Heritage!" gasped Queen Selina. "Why should they want _her_?"

"It seems," he said, "that certain information has reached the
Burgomaster and chief citizens which has convinced them of her title to
the throne, and they are now in conference with the Council on the
matter."

"So that treacherous old vixen of a Court Godmother had betrayed the
secret after all, in spite of her promise!" concluded Queen Selina. But
the battle was not lost yet by any means. She was not going to give in,
when she had so many chances in her favour.

"They might have had the decency to invite us to be present," she said.
"Surely we have _some_ right to be consulted!"

"They will summon you before them presently, no doubt," he said, and
almost as he spoke an official came towards them and whispered to the
Captain of the Guard, who turned to the Queen:

"