"Your Majesty has just committed a robbery which I shall have to report;
the first that has ever taken place in this department."

"Oh, surely not quite the first!" protested the King.

Then he checked himself. "Well, if that is so, you can but take out an
order for my arrest. And you will find," he added slyly, "that I am
already well known to the police."

And so saying, he and the Prince took their departure.

IV

But if the King was satisfied with his morning's exploit--a raid so
successfully conducted--he had harassment to face before the day was
over. His message to Council, on the matter of the Women Chartists and
their grievances, was received by the Prime Minister not only with
disfavor but with a clear though respectful intimation that it would not
be allowed to effect the ministerial program.

"I must remind you, Mr. Prime Minister," said his Majesty, "that the
Constitution gives me this right."

"That, sir, I do not question. But it gives to us also a discretion as
to when time can be found for attending to it."

"Well," said the King, "you may fix your own date within reason."

"I can fix no date, your Majesty."

That was flat, and the monarch could not help showing his annoyance.

"If you think that that answer satisfies me," he said, "you are
mistaken."

"I fear," replied the Prime Minister, "that it is often my duty to give
your Majesty dissatisfaction."

"Well, well," said the King, "we shall see!"

He had drawn out of his pocket a small shard and was toying with it as
he spoke.

"By the way," he said, considerately changing the subject, "I was at the
Prefecture this morning; I took the Prince to see the museum."

"So I was informed, sir."

The Prime Minister showed no discomposure; his demeanor was wholly
urbane and conciliatory.

"I brought away with me a small memento," went on the King.

"I was told of that too, sir," replied the Premier, smiling. "It was a
little irregular; but if your Majesty wishes for it I do not think there
can be any real objection."

"Really," thought the King to himself, "is he going to pretend that he
knows nothing about it?" Yet the good face which his minister put upon
the matter did not fail to win the King's admiration; he respected the
man's courage and ability to brazen the thing out. The Superintendent,
he judged, was not actually in the secret; but of the Premier he was now
quite sure. That air of calm was just a little bit overdone. "I s