is sense of humour, by no means a characteristic trait of
the man, was touched. The smile lingered upon his lips. He had come to
offer a kingdom to a pauper!

The lift-boy slammed his gates and prepared to descend.

"Captain Erlito's rooms are at the end of the passage, sir," he
volunteered. "Last door on the left."

The information was properly rewarded, and the boy's tolerant contempt
for the foreigner, who at his journey's end seemed afflicted with a
curious hesitation, became an extinct thing. He pulled the rope and
descended in hot haste, a large silver coin locked in his fingers and
a glorious tingling sensation of unbounded wealth in his bosom.

Reist knocked at the door which had been pointed out to him, and
waited. There came no answer. He tried again, and became conscious of
a confused volume of sounds within, altogether drowning his summons
for admission. He listened, perplexed. Light and rapid footsteps, the
swishing of a silken skirt, a clear, musical laugh and cry of triumph,
a succession of sounds which were wholly meaningless to him. Surely it
was some sort of pandemonium. A momentary silence was followed by a
chorus of voices. Reist raised his stick and knocked more loudly. A
man's voice travelled out to him like mild thunder.

"Come in!"

Reist opened the door and crossed the threshold. Before him was an
explanation of the sounds which he had heard. Only he was, if
possible, a little more bewildered than ever.

He was in a high, bare apartment, carpetless, and almost without
furniture. Across the middle of the floor was stretched an upright
net, and on either side of it were chalk-marked squares. Facing him
was a girl with her left foot poised slightly forward, her arm raised,
in the act of striking a feathered cork with a small racquet. By her
side was a man whom Reist recognized at once. Directly he saw his
visitor he stopped the game.

"One moment, Miss Van Decht," he cried. "I am wanted."

He crossed the room, swinging his racquet in his hand, and addressed
Reist with a pleasant smile.

"We have been making so much noise," he said, "that I am afraid we did
not hear your first knock. I am Captain Erlito. You wished to see me?"

Reist looked him steadily and full in the face. If physique went for
anything this man was surely born to be a King. He was well over six
feet, splendidly made, and of military appearance. His features were
clean-cut in the unmistakable Tyrnaus mould--only his mo