ss wholly unnoticed by those present, a few of whom loudly
protested against the arrest as illegal, in that it had been ordered by
one without authority.

"Ha! say you so?" cried the queen, also rising to her feet. "Then that
is a matter to be easily remedied." Turning to Dick, she added:

"My Lord Dick, I appoint you Captain-General of my bodyguard, here and
now. And I authorise you to arrest my Lord Sachar and lodge him in
prison."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

AN OMINOUS DISAPPEARANCE.

The startling character of the entire episode, coupled with the
suddenness and utter unexpectedness of its development, and the equally
unexpected firmness and decision of character manifested by the young
queen, exercised such a paralysing effect upon the members of council
that, as with one accord, they sank back into their seats and in silence
watched the arrest and removal of Sachar from the Council Chamber. And
before any of them could pull themselves together to take any definite
action, the queen rose to her feet and, bowing to the assembly with a
serene and most engaging smile, said:

"My lords of the council, you are dismissed."

Then, turning to the two white men, she murmured, in a voice so low that
only they two caught the words:

"My lords Dick and Earle, give me the favour of your company to my own
apartments. I desire to consult with ye both." And, accepting the
support of Dick's proffered hand, she passed out of the Council Chamber
through the doorway by which she had entered, and, followed by her
retinue, made her way to the small but beautiful chamber where she and
her grandfather had first received the two white men.

Arrived here, she seated herself on a dais at the upper end of the
apartment and, directing her ladies to retire to the other end of the
room, where they would be out of earshot, she rested her chin upon her
hand, as though in deep thought, and so remained for the space of nearly
five minutes.

Then, raising her eyes, she glanced first at Dick and then at Earle, who
stood respectfully before her, and said:

"My lords, I am in a strait, and desire the benefit of your advice. Ye
are from the great world without, and have doubtless mingled freely with
the teeming millions of whom ye have spoken to the late king, my beloved
grandfather. Ye have told him of the marvellous doings of those
millions, of their wonderful enterprises and inventions, and of the
rivalry that exists between them; and