of the army were present--that is, all of
them who had not gone down under the treacherous fire.

"Your Highness," said the Colonel bitterly, "the real army is outside
the walls, not inside. We are a pitiful handful-less than three hundred
men, all told, counting the wounded. Count Marlanx heads an army of
several thousand. He--"

"He wants to get in here so's he can kill me? Is that so, Colonel
Quinnox?" The Prince was very pale, but quite calm.

"Oh, I wouldn't put it just that way, your--"

"Oh, I know. You can't fool me. I've always known that he wants to kill
me. But how can he? That's the question; how can he when I've got the
Royal Guard to keep him from doing it? He can't whip the Royal Guard.
Nobody can. He ought to know that. He must be awful stupid."

His perfect, unwavering faith in the Guard was the same that had grown
up with every prince of Graustark and would not be gainsaid. A score of
hearts swelled with righteous pride and as many scabbards rattled as
heels clicked and hands went up in salute.

"Your Highness," said Quinnox, with a glance at his fellow-officers,
"you may rely upon it, Count Marlanx will never reach you until he has
slain every man in the Royal Guard."

"And in the army--our poor little army," added General Braze.

"Thank you," said the Prince. "You needn't have told me. I knew it." He
leaned back in the big chair, almost slipping from the record books on
which he sat, a brave scowl on his face. "Gee, I wish he'd attack us
right now," he said, with ingenuous bravado.

The council of war was not a lengthy one. The storm that had arisen out
of a perfectly clear sky was briefly discussed in all its phases. No man
there but realised the seriousness of the situation. Count Halfont, who
seemed ten years older than when we last saw him, addressed the Cabinet.

"John Tullis is still outside the city walls. If he does not fall into a
trap through ignorance of the city's plight, I firmly believe he will be
able to organise an army of relief among the peasants and villagers.
They are loyal. The mountaineers and shepherds, wild fellows all, and
the ones who have fallen into the spider's net. Count Marlanx has an
army of aliens; they are not even revolutionists. John Tullis, if given
the opportunity, can sweep the city clear of them. My only fear is that
he may be tricked into ambush before we can reach him. No doubt Marlanx,
in devising a way to get him out of the city, also thought of