the
fountain. There he halted with one booted foot on the margin of the
basin and his white-gauntleted hands clasped at his back. He had not yet
seen Benton, who now stepped out of the shadow to present himself. As he
came into view Karyl raised his eyes and nodded with a smile.

"Ah, Benton," he said, "so you came! Thank you."

The American bowed. He wished to observe every proper amenity of Court
etiquette. He was still chagrined by the memory of his rudeness to Von
Ritz, yet he was determined that if Karyl had sent for him as the Count
Pagratide, he must receive him on equal terms and without ceremony.

"Certainly," he replied. Then with a short laugh he added: "I have never
before been received by a crowned head. If my etiquette proves faulty,
you must score it against my ignorance--not my intention."

"I sent for you," said Karyl slowly, as the eyes of the two men met in
full directness, "and you were good enough to come. I am a crowned
head--yes--that is my damned ill-fortune. Let us, for God's sake, in so
far as we may, forget that! Benton, back there--" his voice suddenly
rose and took on a passionate tremor as he lifted one gauntleted hand in
a sweep toward the west--"back there in your country, where you were a
grandee of finance and I an impecunious foreigner, there was no ceremony
between us. If we can forget this livery"--Karyl savagely struck his
breast--"if you will try to forget that you are looking at a toy King,
fancifully trimmed from head to heel in braid and medals--then perhaps
we can talk!"

"Your Majesty--" demurred Von Ritz in a tone of deep protest.

The King swept his arm back as one who brushes an unimportant intruder
into the background.

"And we must talk," went on Karyl vehemently, "as two men, not as one
man and a puppet."

The American stood looking on at the violence of the King's outburst
with a sense of deep sympathy. Again the Colonel stepped forward with an
interposed objection.

"If I may suggest--" he began in an emotionless inflection which fell in
startling contrast with the surcharged vehemence of the other. Then he
halted in the midst of his sentence as Karyl wheeled passionately to
face him.

"My God, Colonel!" cried the King. "There is not a debt of gratitude in
life that I do not owe to you--I and my house! I am crushed under my
obligations to you. You have been our strength, our one loyal support,
and yet there are times when you madden me!" The officer stood