of earth and the
light of the dead sun! The poetry of your American smoke delights
me."

St. George smiled as he offered the prince his case.

"In America," he said, "we devised it as a vice, your Highness. We
are obliged to do the same with poetry, if we popularize it."

And St. George was thinking:

"Miss Holland. He has seen Miss Holland--perhaps yesterday. Perhaps
he will see her to-day. And how in this world am I ever to mention
her name?"

But the prince was in the idlest and most genial of humours. He
spoke at once of the matters uppermost in the minds of his guests,
gave them news of the party from New York, told how they were in
comfort in the palace on the summit of Mount Khalak, struck a
momentary tragic note in mention of the mystery still mantling the
absence of the king and repeated the announcement already made by
Cassyrus, the premier, that in two days' time, failing the return of
the sovereign, the king's daughter would be publicly recognized,
with solemn ceremonial, as Princess of Yaque. Then he turned to St.
George, his eyes searching him through the haze of smoke.

"Your own coming to Yaque," he said abruptly, "was the result of a
sudden decision?"

"Quite so, your Highness," replied St. George. "It was wholly
unexpected."

"Then we must try to make it also an unexpected pleasure," suggested
the prince lightly. "I am come to ask you to spend the day with me
in looking about Med, the King's City."

He dropped the monogrammed stub of his cigarette in a little jar of
smaragdos, brought, he mentioned in passing, from a despoiled temple
of one of the Chthonian deities of Tyre, and turned toward his
guests with a winning smile.

"Come," he said, "I can no longer postpone my own pleasure in
showing you that our nation is the Lady of Kingdoms as once were
Babylon and Chaldea."

It was as if the strange panorama of the night before had once more
opened its frame, and they were to step within. As the prince left
them St. George turned to Rollo for the novelty of addressing a
reality.

"How do you wish to spend the day, Rollo?" he asked him.

Rollo looked pensive.

"Could I stroll about a bit, sir?" he asked.

"Stroll!" commanded St. George cheerfully.

"Thank you, sir," said Rollo. "I always think a man can best learn
by observation, sir."

"Observe!" supplemented his master pleasantly, as a detachment of
the guard appeared to conduct Amory and him below.

"Don't black up the sandal