my dear
Jules. What do you imagine _she_ knows of Monsieur Armitage? If he is
the man we think he is and a possible heir to a great throne it would be
impossible for her to marry him."

"His tastes are democratic. In Montana he is quite popular."

Durand flung away his cigarette and laughed suddenly.

"Has it occurred to you that this whole affair is decidedly amusing? Here
we are, in one of the free American states, about to turn a card that
will dethrone a king, if we are lucky. And here is a man we are trying to
get out of the way--a man we might make king if he were not a fool! In
America! It touches my sense of humor, my dear Jules!"

An exclamation from Zmai arrested them. The Servian jerked up his horse
and they were instantly at his side. They had reached a point near the
hunting preserve in the main highway. It was about half-past one o'clock,
an hour at which Virginia mountain roads are usually free of travelers,
and they had been sending their horses along as briskly as the uneven
roads and the pace of Zmai's laggard beast permitted.

The beat of a horse's hoofs could be heard quite distinctly in the road
ahead of them. The road tended downward, and the strain of the ascent was
marked in the approaching animal's walk; in a moment the three men heard
the horse's quick snort of satisfaction as it reached leveler ground;
then scenting the other animals, it threw up its head and neighed
shrilly.

In the dusk of starlight Durand saw Zmai dismount and felt the Servian's
big rough hand touch his in passing the bridle of his horse.

"Wait!" said the Servian.

The horse of the unknown paused, neighed again, and refused to go
farther. A man's deep voice encouraged him in low tones. The horses of
Chauvenet's party danced about restlessly, responsive to the nervousness
of the strange beast before them.

"Who goes there?"

The stranger's horse was quiet for an instant and the rider had forced
him so near that the beast's up-reined head and the erect shoulders of
the horseman were quite clearly defined.

"Who goes there?" shouted the rider; while Chauvenet and Durand bent
their eyes toward him, their hands tight on their bridles, and listened,
waiting for Zmai. They heard a sudden rush of steps, the impact of his
giant body as he flung himself upon the shrinking horse; and then a cry
of alarm and rage. Chauvenet slipped down and ran forward with the quick,
soft glide of a cat and caught the bridle of the str