pageant was in nowise intended to be typical of
a nation mourning the loss of its monarch (the theory being that the
monarch never dies), but rather of the nation doing honour to one who,
after ruling them wisely and well, has laid him down to enjoy a
well-earned rest.

It was not, however, to furnish this explanation that Lyga had presented
himself at such an early hour, but rather to inquire what progress, if
any, had been made in the quest for the missing Sachar.

Dick was obliged to reply to this that, notwithstanding his utmost
efforts, and in the following up of innumerable clues which had proved
to be false, he had been unable to discover the whereabouts of the
missing man, who indeed had disappeared as effectually as though the
earth had swallowed him up.

"I feared so; I feared so," commented Lyga, in response to Dick's
explanation. "I am inclined to the belief that he is being harboured by
some friend whose power and influence are so great that he believes
himself strong enough to defy you. And I fear that, all this time,
Sachar has been using his own influence and that of his friend to plot
some scheme whereby he may secure possession of the Queen's person for a
sufficient length of time to compel her to marry him. Hitherto this has
been impossible, for the simple reason that, thus far, her Majesty has
never left the precincts of the palace, where of course she is safe.
But to-day her Majesty goes forth to render the last honours to her
beloved grandfather, and to witness, according to custom, the deposition
of his body in the royal sepulchre; to-day, therefore, an opportunity
may arise for the conspirators to attempt to secure possession of the
Queen's person, if they deem themselves strong enough. And if not
to-day, the opportunity must soon present itself; for it is manifestly
out of the question that her Majesty shall become virtually a prisoner
in her own palace. She must of necessity frequently go abroad and show
herself to the people, otherwise they would soon begin to think, and to
say, that she is afraid of Sachar; and that would but strengthen
Sachar's hands and weaken her own.

"But mark ye this, my lords. It is in my mind that if, as I very
strongly suspect, it is Sachar's intention to secure possession of the
Queen's person, the attempt is likely enough to be made to-day, for the
reason that to-day all Ulua will be abroad, and therefore it will be the
easier for a large body of Sachar's