bs was telling him how every one struggled to provide amusement for
the little Prince at whose court these almost mythological beings bent
the knee. "Every few days they have a royal troupe of acrobats in the
Castle grounds. Next week Tantora's big circus is to give a private
performance for him. There are Marionettes and Punch and Judy shows, and
all the doings of the Grand Grignol are beautifully imitated. The royal
band plays every afternoon, and at night some one tells him stories of
the valorous men who occupied the throne before him. He rides, plays
baseball and cricket, swims, goes shooting--and, you may take it from
me, sir, he is already enjoying fencing lessons with Colonel Quinnox,
chief of the Castle guard. Mr. Tullis, the American, has charge of
his--you might say, his education and entertainment. They want to make
of him a very wonderful Prince. So they are starting at the bottom. He's
quite a wonderful little chap. What say, sir?"

"I was just going to ask if you know anything about a young woman who
occasionally tends shop for William Spantz, the armourer."

Hobbs looked interested. "She's quite a beauty, sir, I give you my
word."

"I know that, Hobbs. But who is she?"

"I really can't say, sir. She's his niece, I've heard. Been here a
little over a month. I think she's from Warsaw."

"Well, I'll say good-bye here. If you've nothing on for to-morrow we'll
visit the Castle grounds and--ahem!--take a look about the place. Come
to the hotel early. I'm going over to the gun-shop. So long!" As he
crossed the square, his mind full of the beautiful women he had seen,
he was saying to himself in a wild strain of exhilaration: "I'll bet my
head that girl isn't the nobody she's setting herself up to be. She
looks like these I've just seen. She's got the marks of a lady. You
can't fool me. I'm going to find out who she is and--well, maybe it
won't be so dull here, after all. It looks better every minute."

He was whistling gaily as he entered the little shop, ready to give a
cheery greeting to old Spantz and to make him a temporising offer for
the broadsword. But it was not Spantz who stood behind the little
counter. Truxton flushed hotly and jerked off his hat. The girl smiled.

"I beg pardon," he exclaimed. "I--I'm looking for Mr. Spantz--I--"

"He is out. Will you wait? He will return in a very few minutes." Her
voice was clear and low, her accent charming. The smile in her eyes
somehow struck him as sad