sorrow. But, who will save me from
mine, I wonder? Mine, that is come already! God in Heaven cannot."

Maximilian had watched her as she left him, till her stately girlish
figure was lost in the dusk under the trees. Then with a sigh he turned
away. At the villa he found his wife. She was seated apart from her
maids, and Eloin was talking to her, in tones low and swift. Charlotte
only half listened. Her agitation was nearly hysterical. Her eyes
gleamed wildly, and sometimes they would close, as though they ached for
the soothing that tears might bring.

"Who," demanded Maximilian, "has had the presumption to introduce a spy
on these grounds?"

Eloin glanced quickly at the Empress. "A spy, sire?" he said uneasily.

"I mean that American, sir. But shall I ask the sentinels at the gate?"

"That, Ferdinand," Charlotte interposed icily, "is not necessary.
Monsieur Eloin, at my command, brought the American here. You should
know why."

"To save my play-empire, I suppose?"

"An empire," she cried, catching up the word the more hotly because she
knew it to be Jacqueline's own gage of battle, "an empire, August Sire,
to be gained by fighting, as your forefathers, as mine, won theirs. And
that is nobler, _I_ suppose, than puny inheritance. I do not know
what the Hapsburg may be fallen to, but a daughter of Orleans still has
the right to expect a crown from her husband. If not, she is unworthily
mated."

Maximilian thought of that other empire, which that other temptress
exacted of him. It seemed that he had many realms to conquer. But the
grimmest humor of all was that he blithely imagined himself capable of
satisfying the whims, not of one woman, but of two. Deluded Prince Max!

But the Emperor was not there to discuss empire building, much less to
face the tigerish light in his lady's eyes.

"Monsieur Eloin," he said, "this is my first personal complaint against
you, but there have been others, long, insistent ones, from French and
Mexicans alike. You lose me my friends, sir, however I assure them that
you have not the slightest influence over my policy. So, after the
awkward intrusion of to-day, I am resolved that you had best leave us."

"Your Majesty desires----"

"That you leave the country at once, Monsieur Eloin."

"But," protested Charlotte, "that is open disgrace. At least cover it
with the pretext of some mission."

The downcast courtier took heart. Watching his master with narrowed
sycophant eyes, he