e. "Has he ever in his life been down
into the slums and spent whole days there, as I have? Has he carried
buckets for washing-sisters of charity, as I have; and borne upon his
back the beds of the dying, as I have?"

"You?" cried the King with incredulity.

"I do not publish these things upon the housetops," said Max, "but in
the secrecy of your chamber and in strict confidence I tell you that
they are true. And while I, for many anxious weeks, have been toiling to
qualify for this post, he, this Nostrum, this patent-drug from our royal
medicine-chest, this soporific sedative----"

"Max, Max!" reproved his father.

"He rushes in where an angel has feared to tread, and filches from me
my reward!"

"My dear boy, are you serious?" cried the King.

"I was never more serious in my life, father," replied his son. "But in
order to arrest your attention I have to be theatrical. Now if you will
really believe what I am going to say I will drop play-acting. I have,
as I tell you, been down into our slum districts, I have been among the
slum workers, means have been offered me for studying these problems at
first hand, and I am prepared,--from this week on when Parliament rises,
and the metropolis empties itself of pleasure, and you have gone sadly
to your annual cure at Bad-as-Bad,--I am prepared to devote the whole of
my time and energy to qualifying for this post; and with Heaven helping
me, I will make it the most astonishing and effective Royal Commission
that ever sat down believing itself on cushions to find that it was on a
hornets' nest."

"You are becoming theatrical again," said the King.

"No, no," said Max, "but my brain is taking fire; an angel warned me of
it in a dream, and behold it has come true. I have been seeing things."

"Your Uncle Nostrum won't be pleased," remarked the King.

"He never is," said Max. "Discontent is his prevailing virtue. Give
himself something to be discontented about, then he can go down to his
house justified."

"The Prime Minister has already recommended him," went on the King, "at
least, said he would not oppose; but I don't know what he'll say to
this."

"Nor do I," said Max, "and I don't care; neither do you."

The King opened his eyes as though he had been surprised in some
secret--how did Max know that? And then his mind traveled a few months
further on; yes, it was quite true, he did not now care in the least.
What he had made up his mind to do had released him fr