ld; but from all I hear the lady herself is of a
rather determined character. Women are very determined now-a-days."

He thought of Charlotte and sighed; and yet, in his heart, he could not
help admiring and envying her.

"We will talk of this all again some other time," he went on, tired of
the profitless discussion. "After all the marriage is not going to take
place the day after to-morrow."

"Sir," said the Premier, "over a matter of this sort any delay is
impossible--the risk is too great. I must see the Prince myself."

"Very well," said the King, "do as you like. After all I ought to be
glad that it is with the Prince you will have to discuss the matter, and
not with me."

And he smiled to himself, for he very much liked the thought of the
Prime Minister tackling Max.

CHAPTER XIX

THE SPIRITUAL POWER

I

But the Prime Minister, though he lost no time, was unable to catch his
quarry. Prince Max had gone out; and his secretary could give no
information as to his whereabouts. "His Highness told me that he had a
very important engagement; he did not say with whom." To apprehensive
ears that phrase sounded ominous; and fearing what risks delay might
entail the Premier drove down to Sheepcote Precincts, the archiepiscopal
residence; and there for three mortal hours he and the Archbishop sat
with heads together (yet intellectually very much apart) discussing what
was to be done.

It was during those three hours that his Grace of Ebury performed his
most brilliant feat of statesmanship, and redeemed that local off-shoot
of the Church of Christ over which he ruled from the political slough
whereinto it had fallen. To him solely--by means of his daughter, that
is to say (but in politics women do not count)--is due the fact that the
Church of Jingalo still stands on its old established footing, and that
her Bishops have a decisive modicum of political power left to them.

The Archbishop was, in his heart of hearts--that last infirmity of his
noble mind--quite as much horrified at the news as the Premier had been.
But scarcely were the dread tidings out of the minister's mouth when,
perceiving his opportunity, he rose to it as a fish rises to a fly, and
pretended with all due solemnity to be rather pleased than otherwise.
Though his daughter's elevation to princely rank and to the prospect of
future sovereignty would assuredly seal his political doom, he professed
presently to see in it a fresh step