d do his part. Prince Robin has asked for you, sir."

"How's that?"

"He desires you to appear before him at once, sir."

"In--in the audience chamber?"

"In his bedchamber, sir. He is very sleepy, but says that you are to
come to him before starting away on your mission of danger."

"Plucky little beggar!" cried Truxton, his heart swelling with love for
the royal youngster.

"Sir!" exclaimed the attendant, his eyes wide with amazement and
reproof.

"I'll see him," said the other promptly, as if he were granting the
audience.

He followed the perplexed attendant up the grand staircase, across
thickly carpeted halls in which posed statuesque soldiers of the Royal
Guard, to the door of the Prince's bedchamber. Here he was confronted by
Count Vos Engo.

"Enter," said Vos Engo, with very poor grace, standing aside. The
sentinels grounded their arms and Truxton King passed into the royal
chamber, alone.

CHAPTER XX

BY THE WATER-GATE

It was a vast, lofty apartment, regal in its subdued lights. An
enormous, golden bed with gorgeous hangings stood far down the room. So
huge was this royal couch that Truxton at first overlooked the figure
sitting bolt upright in the middle of it. The tiny occupant called out
in a very sleepy voice:

"Here I am, Mr. King. Gee, I hate a bed as big as this. They just make
me sleep in it."

An old woman advanced from the head of the couch and motioned Truxton to
approach.

"I am deeply honoured, your Highness," said the visitor, bowing very
low. Through the windows he could see motionless soldiers standing guard
in the balcony.

"Come over here, Mr. King. Nurse won't let me get up. Excuse my nighty,
will you, please? I'm to have pajamas next winter."

Truxton advanced to the side of the bed. His eyes had swept the room in
search of the one person he wanted most to see of all in the world. An
old male servitor was drawing the curtains at the lower end of the room.
There was no one else there, except the nurse. They seemed as much a
part of the furnishings of this room as if they had been fixtures from
the beginning.

"I am sure you will like them," said Truxton, wondering whether she were
divinely secreted in one of the great, heavily draped window recesses.
She had been in this room but recently. A subtle, delicate, enchanting
perfume that he had noticed earlier in the evening--ah, he would never
forget it.

The Prince's legs were now hanging over the edge of th