and whose arm was helpless, put his horse to the gallop and
intercepted him.

"It was well done, Duke of Reist," he said. "Will you shake hands with
me?"

For a moment Reist hesitated, and in that moment the King, stung by
his indecision, withdrew his appeal.

"I will not have a grudging reconciliation," he said. "As we are, so
we will remain until your apology is ready. But I am glad at least to
see that you are still a patriot. I cannot have you fighting in the
ranks, Duke of Reist. What post will you have?"

Reist stood very still for a moment, and the pallor on his cheeks was
more than the pallor of exhaustion.

"Your Majesty," he said, "there is a report that General Kolashin is
wounded. Send me to Althea."

The King turned his horse.

"As you will," he answered. "Captain Hartzan, ride with the Duke of
Reist to Althea, and take this ring to General Kolashin, whose command
the Duke of Reist will take over."

Then the King, flushed with fighting, the blood indeed still upon his
face from a wound on the temple, rode slowly down the lines of his
army. From far and near the men of Theos greeted him lustily. This was
indeed a born leader, whose dispositions had prevailed against the
wily Turkish generals, and whose personal valour they had, with their
own eyes, beheld. Even from Solika, far in the background, came an
answering echo to that strange thunder of men's rapturous voices.

Brand touched him on the arm.

"Your Majesty," he said, "you have won a victory to-day which will
amaze all Europe. Be careful that you do not lose what you have gained
by treachery!"

The King looked into Brand's grave face, and beckoned him on one side.

"Well?"

"Domiloff has got hold of Reist," he said. "He is a traitor. There is
something going on in the city even now, which I do not understand."

The King shook his head gravely.

"Reist is my personal enemy," he said, "but Theos has no more faithful
son. It is he who has just saved our victory from being turned into
disaster."

"Nevertheless," Brand answered, "he is Domiloff's man, and there is
treachery afoot. I will tell you what happened to me in the city."

The King listened with darkening face. But when Brand had finished his
story he shook his head again.

"Domiloff is my enemy," he said, "and it may be the Countess of Reist.
But of Reist himself I will believe no such thing."

"Your Majesty will regret it," Brand remarked, dryly.

"If you are right, I c