line Spencer had learned the man's
swing, in her Army days, and, had the vase struck home, the chances are
there would have been a new King in Dornlitz, that night.

And such was Lotzen's thought, for he smiled wickedly and glanced at me.

But, quick though she was, the King was quicker. He jerked his head
aside. The vase missed him by the fraction of an inch and crashed to
bits against the opposite wall.

Frederick turned and looked at the fragments, and at the cut in the
hangings.

"Madame is rather muscular," he observed, dryly.

"And Your Majesty is a clever dodger," she said, with sneering
indifference--then leaned back against the table, a hand on either side
of her.

"Is it possible you are not going?" she asked.

The King smiled. "Presently, my dear madame, presently. Meanwhile, I
pray you, have consideration for the ornaments and the wall."

She shrugged her shoulders.

"As I cannot expect the servants to forcibly eject their King, and as
the Duke of Lotzen dare not, I presume I'll have to submit to your
impertinent intrusion. Pray, let me know your business here--I assume
it is business--and get it ended quickly. I will expedite it all I
may. Anything, to be rid of you and that popinjay in red beside you."

"Your husband, madame," the King observed.

"Aye, my husband, for a time," she answered.

"Aye, Mrs. Spencer, your husband for a time--for a purpose--and for a
consideration."

She opened her eyes wide.

"Indeed!" she laughed. "I thought the acting was over, Sire."

Frederick's manner changed.

"It is," he said sharply. "We will come to the point. Have you ink
and pen?"

"Is that what you came for?" she sneered. "Have you none at the
Palace?"

"Quite enough to sign an order within an hour for your incarceration if
you continue obdurate," he answered.

"A kingly threat, truly," she mocked. "And, what if I be not obdurate?"

"Then it will be an order permitting you to leave Valeria at once."

"Now, Your Majesty interests me," she said. "I have been waiting for
that a month and more. What is the price for this order?"

"Simply the truth, madame," said the King.

"Sometimes, the truth is the highest price one can pay," she answered.

"It will be very easy here," he said. "You have a paper purporting to
be a certificate of marriage between you and Armand Dalberg."

She inclined her head.

"On it you will endorse that it is a false certificate; that you are
not and