nical smile played about his lips.

"I wish, Leoni, you wouldn't stare at me like that," cried the King
petulantly. "Yes. I know; it is bad--not like your regular writing. I
don't pass my time handling a pen."

"I was not thinking of the writing, sir, but of the signature."

"Oh, I see," cried the King; "I am not used to it. I shall write it
better by-and-by. Well, won't that one do?"

"Your lordship had not thought before you put pen to paper."

"Yes, I did; I thought that the sooner I got it over the better. Well,
what do you want now?"

"I was wondering," said Leoni, with a mocking smile, "what King Henry
would think of a Comte de la Seine who writes a letter in the King's
name to introduce himself."

"Bah!" cried the King angrily. "What an idiot! No; it was my honest
nature rebelling against deceit. Here, Leoni, what's to be done?"

"I'll write the letter over again, sir, and you will sign it this time
as the King."

"Good!" murmured Francis.

The letter was rewritten, and the King signed.

"With this passport, sir, King Henry's Court at Windsor will be free to
you and to yours."

"Excellent," said the King, and he glanced at the document endorsed with
the royal signature--"Francois, R."--at which he smiled with
self-satisfaction. "Now nothing more remains to be done."

The King looked fixedly at his servant, and then laid his hand on the
latter's arm.

"It is good," he said. "What you have done is well done. Leoni, with
mind and sword you have served me well, and that France which we both
love with loyalty and faith. And now--now that we are nearing our
journey's end, you hold it still to be the truth that Henry guards
jealously in his possession this jewel, which in his hands is an agent
for the downfall of France?"

"I hold it to be true, sir," said Leoni solemnly, and he laid his hand
on a little golden crucifix which lay on the table before him. "I hold
it to be true, and that the old ambition which brought the English
hordes to our country is kept alive by the influence of that jewel. He
will serve France well who reclaims it and restores it to its rightful
place--your crown, Sire." And the speaker dropped on one knee, but the
King motioned him to rise.

"Not now," he said; "not now." And then, as his royal master appeared
to be lost in thought, Leoni went on; "Never, sir, would I have brought
this matter to your notice, deeply though it concerns the welfare of
France, had