and a better time. We need dogs as well as
men in these days."

"I hope you won't forget that I thanked you for coming back last
Saturday."

The Count turned and walked rapidly away.

Truxton leaned against the low wall alongside the Allee. "I don't know
that I've helped matters any," he said to himself ruefully. "He'll not
let me get within half a mile of the Castle after this. If she doesn't
come out for a stroll in the park, I fancy I'll never see her--Heigho! I
wish something would happen! Why doesn't Marlanx begin bombarding? It's
getting devilish monotonous here."

He strolled off to the stables, picking up Mr. Hobbs on the way.

"Hobbs," he said, "we've got to find John Tullis, that's all there is to
it." He was scowling fiercely at a most inoffensive lawn-mower in the
grass at the left.

"I daresay, sir," said Mr. Hobbs with sprightly decisiveness. "He's very
much needed."

"I'm going to need him before long as my second."

"Your second, sir? Are you going to fight a duel?"

"I suppose so," lugubriously. "It's too much to expect him to meet me
with bare fists. Oh, Hobbs, I wish we could arrange it for bare knucks!"
He delivered a mighty swing at an invisible adversary. Hobbs's hat fell
off with the backward jerk of surprise.

"Oh, my word!" he exclaimed admiringly, "wot a punch you've got!"

Later on, much of his good humour was restored and his vanity pleased by
a polite request from Count Halfont to attend an important council in
the "Room of Wrangles" that evening at nine.

Very boldly he advanced upon the Castle a few minutes before the
appointed hour. He went alone, that he might show a certain contempt for
Count Vos Engo. Notwithstanding the fact that he started early enough
for the Chamber, he was distressingly late for the meeting.

He came upon Loraine Tullis at the edge of the Terrace. She was walking
slowly in the soft shadows beyond the row of lights on the lower
gallery. King would have passed her without recognition, so dim was the
light in this enchanted spot, had not his ear caught the sound of a
whispered exclamation. At the same time the girl stopped abruptly in the
darkest shadow. He knew her at a glance, this slim girl in spotless
white.

"Loraine!" he whispered, reaching her side in two bounds. She put out
her hands and he clasped them. A quick, hysterical little laugh came
from her lips. Plainly, she was confused. "I've been dying for a glimpse
of you. Do you think you've