ch might not be denied, the talk
flowed through the days of leisure during the absence of the King, while
Caterina strolled with her Cyprian maid of honor through the terraced
gardens in the cool of the evening, or rested in the heat of the day, in
the shaded apartments of the _voto_. The girl-queen listened with
breathless eagerness to the strange revelations, often interrupting with
passionate exclamations, for her short taste of Cyprian life had been so
colored with the glamour of love and happiness and the excitement of her
novel surroundings that the vague forebodings which were beginning to
temper the brilliancy had suggested no serious shadows.

In vain Donna Margherita pleaded that she might be allowed to put the
theme aside, as she told of the disaffection of some of the ancient
nobles of Cyprus who had been despoiled of vast estates because of their
sympathy with Queen Carlotta. "But Janus was ever generous," said
Margherita, "and none of their riches went into the King's treasury, but
always into the hands of those nobles who were loyal to the new
Government."

_The new Government! Queen Carlotta!_ The young Venetian's hot
resentment rose fiercely against the Republic which had left her in such
ignorance of Cyprian matters while she turned her proud young head away
that Margherita might not guess how little the name of Carlotta had
meant for her.

"Tell me more of Carlotta--tell me everything," she commanded, steadied
by her quick resolve to know and endure whatever the past might hold for
her; and Margherita, who had been watching her with strange intuition,
knew that she might hold nothing back, as she also knew that the young
Queen had been kept in absolute ignorance of the complications preceding
the accession of Janus. But it was impossible for Caterina to conceal
the play of her angry emotions as the tale progressed, and she frankly
gave up the attempt. Janus--her beautiful Janus--the idol of the old
King--_not_ the legal heir to the throne! Janus, in his boyhood, hated,
thwarted, intrigued against--living in very fear of his life!

"Nay!" Margherita assured her with glowing eyes, "he knew not the color
of fear, for he had the heart of a King!"

Then Caterina drew her close and gave her a passionate kiss, in seal of
a friendship that was never to be broken.

"He had need to be brave," Margherita went on when she could command her
voice, for the Queen's great eyes were beseeching, "for Queen Elena