he intended to get it from me.

"I gave him all I could, but he was insatiable. Finally he would come
to me drunk and strike me when I could not meet his demands for
thousands upon thousands.

"It was then that in my desperation, when I knew I was to be a mother
soon, I confided all to Don Juan d'Alta, and by so doing perhaps saved
my life and my child's."

CHAPTER XXIII

THE QUEEN'S ATONEMENT

"Yes, but for the intervention of Don Juan d'Alta, my Chancellor at
that time," continued the old lady, "my life might have ended in
despair.

"From the very first, although he did not tell me so then, he saw that
I had been simply _exploited_ by this heartless and unprincipled
scoundrel, Prince Adalbert of Rittersheim. But your father," she
proceeded, turning to Dolores and placing her hand on hers, "your
father, my dear, by his self-sacrifice and the pure affection which he
bore me, saved me.

"He realised that he had to do with a villain whose object was plunder,
and who at that time dominated the situation. He foresaw that a
liberal outlay of money was the only thing that would rid me of this
fiend. He went to Prince Adalbert and simply asked him his price.

"He named at first an exorbitant sum, _and the diamonds of my late
father contained in the steel safe_.

"This was refused. Don Juan at last brought him to his knees by
defying him and telling him to do his worst.

"Then he agreed to a yearly pension of one hundred thousand dollars,
which would be paid to him on condition that he left me unmolested.

"He made a fight for the custody of the child which was coming, as I
doubt not he thought that he could have a greater hold over me if he
had it, but this request was flatly refused, and he sailed away from
Aquazilia the richer by a great income, but bought at the price of a
loving woman's happiness."

The old queen stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Do not go on, your Majesty," urged Dolores, half dazed at the
disclosures; "you distress yourself."

The old lady brightened at once and pressed her hand, putting away her
handkerchief.

"No," she answered; "I prefer to tell you _all_ and _now_.

"By the aid of Don Juan and the Baroness d'Altenstein, who was broken
down with grief at the course affairs had taken, my condition was
concealed, and arrangements were made for my accouchement under
circumstances of the greatest secrecy. Don Juan had abandoned all hope
from the outset of legi