ther. 'Gad, if these ruffians from the railroad possessed
no more than pistols they could give us a merry fight. There must be a
thousand of them. I don't like it. We'll have trouble before the day's
over."

"General Braze says his regulars can put down any sort of an uprising in
the city," protested Quinnox. "In case of war, you know we have the
twenty thousand reserves, half of whom were regulars until two years
ago."

"Perfectly true. Quinnox, it's your duty to take care of the Prince.
You've done so in your family for fifteen generations. See to it that
Prince Robin is well looked after to-day, that's all."

"Trust me for that, Baron," said Quinnox with his truest smile. Even
Marlanx knew that he would have to kill a Quinnox before a Graustark
ruler could be reached.

By eleven o'clock the streets in the neighbourhood of the Plaza were
packed with people. All along Castle Avenue, up which the Prince was to
drive in the coach of State, hung the proud, adoring burghers and their
families: like geese to flock, like sheep to scatter. At twelve the
Castle gates were to be thrown open for the brilliant cavalcade that was
to pass between these cheering rows of people. In less than a quarter of
an hour afterward, the Prince and his court, the noble ladies and
gentlemen of Graustark, with the distinguished visitors from other
lands, would pass into the great square through Regengetz Circus.

At the corner below the crowded Castle Cafe, in the north side of the
square, which was now patroled by brilliant dragoons, two men met and
exchanged the compliments of the day. One of them had just come up on
horseback. He dismounted, leaving the animal in charge of an urchin who
saw a gavvo in sight. This man was young and rather dashing in
appearance. The other was older and plainly a citizen of some
consequence.

"Well?" said the latter impatiently, after they had passed the time of
day for the benefit of the nearest on-lookers. The younger man, slapping
his riding boot with his crop, led the way to the steps of a house
across the sidewalk. Both had shot a swift, wary glance at one of the
upper windows.

"Everything is ready. There will be no hitch," said the horseman in low
tones.

"You have seen Spantz?"

"Sh! No names. Yes. The girl is ready."

"And the fortress?"

"Fifty men are in the houses opposite and others will go there--later
on."

"We must keep the reserves out of the fortress. It would mean
destruction