nobles briefly expressed their acquiescence, finishing up with
old Lyga, who pithily remarked:

"If her Majesty approves your proposal, my Lord Sachar, I see not why
any of us should disapprove."

"That being the case--" began Sachar. But the queen stopped him with
uplifted hand.

"One moment, if you please," she said. "If I understand the council
aright, their purpose in all this talk about lists, is to hurry me into
marriage, irrespective of my own inclinations. Now, my Lord Lyga,
before we proceed farther into this matter, I wish to ask you, as Keeper
of Statutes: Is there in existence a law compelling me to wed at the
bidding of my Council of Nobles?"

"I am not aware of any such law, your Majesty," answered Lyga. "Nay, I
will go farther than this, and say that, knowing the statutes intimately
as I do, there is no such law."

"Good!" answered the queen. "I have never heard of any such law, but in
view of my council's somewhat high-handed action, I thought it possible
such a law might exist, of which I had not heard. You say that there is
no such law; and I trust my council will accept your assurance as proof
of its non-existence. Now, one more question. Is there a law
prohibiting an unmarried woman from ruling Ulua?"

"No, your Majesty, there is no such law," answered Lyga. And the glance
of triumph which he flashed at Sachar seemed to say that he was glad of
it.

"Again, good!" remarked the queen. "My thanks to you, my Lord Lyga, for
making this matter perfectly clear. And my thanks to you also, the
members of my council, for the keen interest which you have been pleased
to manifest in a matter which, now that it comes to be investigated,
seems to concern me alone. Believe me, I appreciate that interest at
its true and full value; but I beg that you will not trouble yourselves
further in the matter, for the thought of marriage has not yet occurred
to me, and at the present moment I am not prepared to entertain a
proposal from anyone. When I am, I will let you know, and the matter
can be re-opened. Meanwhile, I will seize this opportunity to say that
I believe I, though unmarried, shall be able, with your wise advice and
assistance, to govern Ulua as efficiently as though I enjoyed the help
of a husband."

For a moment the members of council were stricken dumb with amazement
and consternation at the quiet, self-possessed firmness with which this
young girl deliberately set herself in opposit