"Nicholas, you say that you are doubtful. I have a feeling that before
long the King will announce his intention of marrying Sara Van Decht.
Will you remain even then his faithful servant?"

The scorn in her tone first stung, then moved him to wonder.

"You do not love the King, Marie!" he exclaimed.

"Love him! Nicholas, it is better that there should be now a clear
understanding of things between us. I am a Countess of Reist, and I
have been slighted by an adventurer--a man who but for you would even
now have been living in poverty in a foreign land. I would not marry
him though he begged me with tears in his eyes, to save his throne, to
save his life."

He walked restlessly up and down. His own pride had been wounded
bitterly. Marie was right.

"I am willing," she continued, "to endure this affront if it seems to
you that your duty to Theos still bids you hold by the King! But there
is one thing to which I will not submit. I will not bow the knee to
this American girl if he should make her Queen. Nor in that case will
I suffer you, Nicholas, to remain the King's counsellor."

"Nor will I!" he answered.

"Promise me one thing more, my brother!" she begged. "If again we
should hear that cry ringing through the squares, promise me that you
will not fail them. We have had enough of strangers in Theos. It is
those who have lived here all their lives, to whom every stone of the
place is dear, who should control her destinies."

"I am the faithful servant of Ughtred of Tyrnaus," he answered,
slowly, "while he serves the State wisely and well. But if that should
come to pass which we have spoken of, the evil must fall upon his own
head. Listen!"

There was some commotion without. A servant threw open the door.

"His Majesty the King!"

CHAPTER XXVI

The King followed hard upon the footsteps of his seneschal, and
neither Reist nor Marie was wholly at ease in the first moments of
greeting. It was the latter to whom the King addressed himself.

"My visit, Countess," he said, "is to you. I am fortunate in finding
you at home."

"Your Majesty is very kind!" Marie answered.

"I have come," he continued, "to demand an explanation from you--or
rather to beg for it. You have been absent from all our gatherings at
the palace lately. I came to assure myself that we had not unwittingly
offended you, or to ask you how we can render them sufficiently
attractive to insure your presence."

Marie was taken unawar