"Precisely. And a man of character and spirit could topple down the
card-house to-morrow, pick out what he liked, and create for himself a
new edifice--and a stronger one. I speak frankly. Von Stroebel is out of
the way; the new Emperor-king is a weakling, and if he should die
to-night or to-morrow--"

The Ambassador lifted his hands and snapped his fingers.

"Yes; after him, what?"

"After him his scoundrelly cousin Francis; and then a stronger than Von
Stroebel might easily fail to hold the _disjecta membra_ of the Empire
together."

"But there are shadows on the screen," remarked Judge Claiborne. "There
was Karl--the mad prince."

"Humph! There was some red blood in him; but he was impossible; he had a
taint of democracy, treason, rebellion."

Judge Claiborne laughed.

"I don't like the combination of terms. If treason and rebellion are
synonyms of democracy, we Americans are in danger."

"No; you are a miracle--that is the only explanation," replied Marhof.

"But a man like Karl--what if he were to reappear in the world! A little
democracy might solve your problem."

"No, thank God! he is out of the way. He was sane enough to take himself
off and die."

"But his ghost walks. Not a year ago we heard of him; and he had a son
who chose his father's exile. What if Charles Louis, who is without
heirs, should die and Karl or his son--"

"In the providence of God they are dead. Impostors gain a little brief
notoriety by pretending to be the lost Karl or his son Frederick
Augustus; but Von Stroebel satisfied himself that Karl was dead. I am
quite sure of it. You know dear Stroebel had a genius for gaining
information."

"I have heard as much," and Shirley and the Baron smiled at Judge
Claiborne's tone.

The storm was diminishing and Shirley grew more tranquil. Soon the
Ambassador would leave and she would send Armitage away; but the mention
of Stroebel's name rang oddly in her ears, and the curious way in which
Armitage and Chauvenet had come into her life awoke new and anxious
questions.

"Count von Stroebel was not a democrat, at any rate," she said. "He
believed in the divine right and all that."

"So do I, Miss Claiborne. It's all we've got to stand on!"

"But suppose a democratic prince were to fall heir to one of the European
thrones, insist on giving his crown to the poor and taking his oath in a
frock coat, upsetting the old order entirely--"

"He would be a fool, and the people would dra