each other again. The King put his hand in front of his eyes for a
moment as if he could hardly bear it.

"Why, it's his Majesty," said Belvane, jumping up. She gave him a
deep curtsey and threw in a bewitching smile on the top of it;
formality or friendliness, he could take his choice. "Prince Udo of
Araby, your Majesty." She looked shyly at him and added, "Perhaps you
have heard."

"I have," said the King gloomingly. "How do you do," he added in a
melancholy voice.

Udo declared that he was in excellent health at present, and would
have gone into particulars about it had not the King interrupted.

"Well, Countess," he said, "this is strange news to come back to.
Shall I disturb you if I sit down with you for little?"

"Oh, your Majesty, you would honour us. Udo, dear, have you seen the
heronry lately?"

"Yes," said Udo.

"It looks so sweet just about this time of the afternoon."

"It does," said Udo.

Belvane gave a little shrug and turned to the King.

"I'm so longing to hear all your adventures," she murmured
confidingly. "I got all your messages; it was so good of you to
remember me."

"Ah," said Merriwig reproachfully, "and what do I find when I come
back? I find----" He broke off, and indicated in pantomime with his
eyebrows that he could explain better what he had found if Udo were
absent.

"Udo, dear," said Belvane, turning to him, "have you seen the kennels
lately?"

"Yes," said Udo.

"They look rather sweet just about this time," said Merriwig.

"Don't they?" said Udo.

"But I am so longing to hear," said Belvane, "how your Majesty
defeated the King of Barodia. Was it your Majesty's wonderful spell
which overcame the enemy?"

"You remember that?"

"Remember it? Oh, your Majesty! '_Bo boll----_' Udo, dear, wouldn't
you like to see the armoury?"

"No," said Udo.

"There are a lot of new things in it that I brought back from
Barodia," said Merriwig hopefully.

"A lot of new things," explained Belvane.

"I'll see them later on," said Udo. "I dare say they'd look better in
the evening."

"Then you shall show _me_, your Majesty," said Belvane. "Udo, dear,
you can wait for me here."

The two of them moved off down the path together (Udo taken by
surprise), and as soon as they were out of sight, tiptoed across the
lawn to another garden seat, Belvane leading the way with her finger
to her lips, and Merriwig following with an exaggerated caution which
even Henry Smallno