d heard the news. Of course
the host would allow no one but himself to wait at the royal table--which
was spread in the inn's best room, guarded against all intrusion. In vain,
however, did he listen for a word from either of the gentlemen which might
confirm his belief; in their conversation no name or title was used, and no
mention made of anything significant. They remained for an hour. When their
horses were brought round for them a considerable crowd had gathered before
the hotel, and the visitors departed amid a demonstration of exuberant
loyalty. On the following day, one or two persons who had been present at
this scene declared that the two gentlemen showed surprise, and that,
though both raised their hats in acknowledgment of the attention they
received, they rode away laughing.

For the morrow brought doubts. People began to say that the Prince had
never been near the town at all, and that evidence could be produced of his
having passed the whole day at the house where he was a visitor. Mr.
Fouracres smiled disdainfully; no assertion or argument availed to shake
his proud assurance that he had entertained the Heir to the Throne. From
that day he knew no peace. Fired with an extraordinary arrogance, he viewed
as his enemy every one who refused to believe in the Prince's visit; he
quarrelled violently with many of his best friends; he brought insulting
accusations against all manner of persons. Before long the man was honestly
convinced that there existed a conspiracy to rob him of a distinction that
was his due. Political animus had, perhaps, something to do with it, for
the Liberal newspaper (Mr. Fouracres was a stout Conservative) made more
than one malicious joke on the subject. A few townsmen stood by the
landlord's side and used their ingenuity in discovering plausible reasons
why the Prince did not care to have it publicly proclaimed that he had
visited the town and lunched at the hotel. These partisans scorned the
suggestion that Mr. Fouracres had made a mistake, but they were unable to
deny that a letter, addressed to the Prince himself, with a view to putting
an end to the debate, had elicited (in a secretarial hand) a brief denial
of the landlord's story. Evidently something very mysterious underlay the
whole affair, and there was much shaking of heads for a long time.

To Mr. Fouracres the result of the honour he so strenuously vindicated was
serious indeed. By way of defiance to all mockers he wishe