ver the threshold into the room. "Have pardon, monsieur, I
could not but overhear," went on the newcomer, turning to Narkom. "I
should scarcely be worthy of his Majesty's confidence and favour had I
remained inactive. I simply had to come up unbidden. _Had_ to,
monsieur"--turning to Cleek--"and so----" His words dropped off
suddenly. A puzzled look first expanded and then contracted his eyes,
and his lips tightened curiously under the screen of his white, military
moustache. "Monsieur," he said, presently putting into words the sense
of baffling familiarity which perplexed him. "Monsieur, you then are the
great, the astonishing Cleek? You, monsieur? Pardon, but surely I have
had the pleasure of meeting monsieur before? No, not here, for I have
never been in England until to-day; but, in my own country, in
Mauravania. Surely, monsieur, I have seen you there?"

"To the contrary," said Cleek, speaking the simple truth, "I have never
set foot in Mauravania in all my life, sir. And as you have overheard my
words you may see that I do not intend to even now. The difficulties of
Mauravania's king do not in the least appeal to me."

"Ah, but Mauravania's queen, monsieur, Mauravania's queen."

"The lady interests me no more than does her royal spouse."

"But, monsieur, she must if you are honest in what you say, and your
sympathies are all with the deposed and exiled ones, the ex-Queen Karma
and her children. Surely, monsieur, you who seem to know so well the
history of that sad time cannot be ignorant of what has happened since
to her ex-Majesty and her children?"

"I know only that Queen Karma died in France, in extreme poverty,
befriended to the last by people of the very humblest birth and of not
too much respectability. What became of her son I do not know; but her
daughters, the two princesses, mere infants at the time, were sent, one
to England, where she subsequently died, and the other to Persia, where,
I believe, she remained up to her ninth year, and then went no one seems
to know where."

"Then, monsieur, let me tell you what became of her. The late King
Alburtus discovered her whereabouts, and, to prevent any possible
trouble in the future, imprisoned her in the Fort of Sulberga up to the
year before his death. Eleven months ago she became the Crown Prince
Ulric's wife. She is now his consort. And by saving her, monsieur, you
who feel so warmly upon the subject of the rights of her family's
succession, will be