The second presentation took place at about half-past nine o'clock in
the morning, a few minutes prior to which the Council of Nobles, having
previously assembled in the antechamber, filed in and took their places.
These were immediately followed by a squadron of the queen's bodyguard,
fully armed, under the command of their officer, who drew them up across
the lower end of the chamber, completely blocking all means of exit or
entrance, except through the doorway at the upper end of the chamber,
used exclusively by the monarch and his or her personal attendants.
This done, a court messenger was dispatched to acquaint the queen that
the council had assembled; and a few minutes later her Majesty entered,
heralded by a flourish of trumpets moulded out of a sort of terra-cotta,
and, accompanied by the ladies and officers of her household, among whom
were Earle and Dick.

With slow and dignified step her Majesty moved to the throne and, bowing
to the assembled council, seated herself, at the same time signing to
the two white men to stand one on either side of her, to the undisguised
astonishment of the nobles and the scarcely concealed indignation of
Sachar.

A short pause now ensued while the members of council, who had risen
upon the queen's entrance, seated themselves. Then Sachar, who occupied
the place at the head of the table on the queen's right hand, rose to
his feet and, addressing her Majesty, made a lengthy speech, in which he
set forth, in considerable detail, all the reasons which had led up to
the present action of the council, reminded her of her rejection of the
first list presented, and in veiled dictatorial tones, ventured to
express the hope that her Majesty would experience no difficulty in
selecting a name from the list now about to be laid before her. Then he
unrolled the parchment and, with a bow which seemed to say: "This is
your last chance, so make the best of it," laid it upon the table before
her.

Bowing in return, and with just the faintest suggestion of a smile
lurking about her lips and in her eyes, Myrra stretched forth her hand
and, taking the parchment began to read it. But no sooner had her eyes
rested upon it than she laid it down again.

"How now, my Lord Sachar!" she exclaimed. "What means this?" And she
laid her finger upon the place where his name again occupied the head of
the list. "Have ye here the list which was first submitted to me?"

"No, your Majesty, we have it n