General Dartnoff hesitated for a moment.

"Duke of Reist," he said, slowly. "You ask us to take a step on the
impulse of the moment from which there could be no drawing back, which
for good or for evil must decide forever the destinies of our country.
Whatever my own personal inclinations might be, I owe it to my brother
officers, and to our deep sense of patriotism to consult with them for
a few minutes."

Reist would have spoken hastily, but Ughtred checked him.

"General Dartnoff has spoken like a wise man," he said. "I am content
to wait."

With folded arms, drawn to his full height, a commanding figure
indeed, Ughtred of Tyrnaus stood by the window looking down upon the
city and the country which he loved. General Dartnoff, surrounded by
his officers, stood at the head of the table. In the further corner of
the room where the shadows were deepest Domiloff lurked. He watched
their faces, and he knew that the game was lost.

Only a very few minutes had gone by before Dartnoff approached the two
men by the window.

"Your Highness," he said, to Ughtred, with marked respect. "There is
one question which we feel constrained to ask."

Ughtred bowed.

"As many as you will," he answered.

"In your coronation oath you swear to maintain inviolate the
independence of Theos. We would know if at all costs, though the cost
should be famine, death or annihilation, will you keep this oath to
the letter?"

"May God have no mercy upon me hereafter if ever I should depart from
it one hair's-breadth," Ughtred answered, with a sudden note of
passion surging up in his tone. "I have no fancy for ruling a
tributary state, sir. My forefathers have held safely for Theos
through long generations the priceless gift of her liberty, and I
would sooner die a thousand times over than that mine should be the
hand to part with it."

General Dartnoff dropped on his knee, and drawing his sword from his
scabbard, kissed its hilt.

"Your Majesty," he said, "we are all your faithful servants."

CHAPTER XVII

"Well!"

Reist unfastened his sword. The State uniform of the Thetian Guards
was cumbersome, and the day was hot.

"Let Basil bring me wine," he ordered. "The cathedral was a furnace.
Everywhere the air seems hot with the shouting of the people."

"Up here," Marie said, "the clamour of voices has seemed incessant. I
have never heard anything like it."

He walked up and down moodily. He was not sure whether the day