beyed."

The old councilor, who had been standing by, dazed, came slowly forward at
Miela's call. The king's councilor! And all the others were like him. The
king was dead, and here was the little prince huddled in his mother's arm!
Realization had been slow in coming, but now it broke upon me like a great
light.

I flung the bludgeon away from me, and stood erect.

"Miela," I cried, "tell him--tell them all--their king is dead. It is _I_
who command now. There is no one else--and I have the power. Tell them
that. It is I, the man from earth, who commands!"

CHAPTER XIX.

THE NEW RULER.

The solemn bell continued pealing out its knell; the shouts and tumult
outside were growing louder. Miela spoke hurriedly to the old man, then
turned to leave the room.

"Your commands shall be obeyed, my husband," she said quietly.

I felt again that sudden sense of helplessness as I saw her leave.

"Be careful, Miela. Order every one in the castle to the roof. Here! Tell
the queen before you go. Send every one up there with me. The mob may come
in. We'll make our stand up there."

I understood Baar's plot better now. He had gathered his mob of peons to
surround the castle and make a demonstration in his favor. Then, with the
king dead and the queen and her little son held by him and his men--their
lives as forfeits--he hoped to be able to treat with the men of science
who controlled the light-ray, and who, I did not doubt, represented the
better element among the people.

It seemed a mad plan at best; and now that it had gone wrong, I wondered
what Baar would attempt to do. Evidently he and his henchmen had all left
the castle, fearing the light-ray, which Miela pretended I held. They were
outside now, among the mob, I assumed. Would the mob attempt to enter?

Miela hurried away to send every one inside the building to its roof. The
queen, following Miela's commands unquestioningly, took the little prince
by the hand and, signing to me to follow, led me upstairs.

There was only one stairway leading to the roof, I found with
satisfaction, and it was narrow--an excellent place for defense. The roof
was broad and flat, flanked at the ends by two towers which rose
considerably above it.

It was a frightened little group who gathered about me--the queen and her
son, two of the king's councilors, and perhaps half a dozen young girls
whom I took to be the queen's attendants. Others came up each moment.

I sat the q