hat
the King of Euralia--however, she's chosen you, it seems. Personally,
I can't make out what she sees in you. What is it?"

"I should have thought it was quite obvious," said Udo with dignity.
"Well, Coronel, I think perhaps you are right and that it's my duty to
marry her."

Coronel shook him solemnly by the hand.

"I congratulate your Royal Highness. I will announce your decision to
the Princess. She will be much amu--much delighted." And he turned
into the Palace.

Pity him, you lovers. He had not seen Hyacinth for nearly ten
minutes.

CHAPTER XX

CORONEL KNOWS A GOOD STORY WHEN HE HEARS IT

I quote (with slight alterations) from an epic by Charlotte Patacake,
a contemporary poet of the country:

_King Merriwig the First rode back from war,_
_As many other Kings had done before;_
_Five hundred men behind him were in sight_
_(Left-right, left-right, left-right, left-right, left-right)._

So far as is known, this was her only work, but she built up some
reputation on it, and Belvane, who was a good judge, had a high
opinion of her genius.

To be exact, there were only four hundred and ninety-nine men. Henry
Smallnose, a bowman of considerable promise, had been left behind in
the enemy's country, the one casualty of war. While spying out the
land in the early days of the invasion, he had been discovered by the
Chief Armourer of Barodia at full length on the wet grass searching
for tracks. The Chief Armourer, a kindly man, had invited him to his
cottage, dried him and given him a warming drink, and had told him
that, if ever his spying took him that way again, he was not to stand
on ceremony, but come in and pay him a visit. Henry, having caught a
glimpse of the Chief Armourer's daughter, had accepted without any
false pride, and had frequently dropped in to supper thereafter. Now
that the war was over, he found that he could not tear himself away.
With King Merriwig's permission he was settling in Barodia, and with
the Chief Armourer's permission he was starting on his new life as a
married man.

As the towers of the castle came in sight, Merriwig drew a deep breath
of happiness. Home again! The hardships of the war were over; the
spoils of victory (wrapped up in tissue paper) were in his pocket;
days of honoured leisure were waiting for him. He gazed at each
remembered landmark of his own beloved country, his heart overflowing
with thankfulness. Never again would h