a charming house. Hot and cold. Billiard and No Basement.
Self-contained, Tudor and Bungalow, ten bed, two dressing, offices of
the usual, drainage, commanding views, all that is desirable. But,
alas for poor Otto! Salissa was not safe. He had forgotten that
Megalia has a navy, a navy of one ship only, but that was enough. It
cooked the goose of Otto, that Megalian Navy. The Prime Minister and
the Commander of the Forces and the Admiral arrived at Salissa one day
in the Navy. That was the end of Otto."

"I hope," said Gorman, "that the inhabitants of Salissa aren't a
bloodthirsty lot. I wouldn't like to think of Miss Daisy being
murdered. Besides, there'd be complications. The assassination of
an odd prince doesn't much matter to any one. But an American
millionaire! The sudden death of a man like Donovan would mean a
panic in Wall Street, and there'd have to be a fuss."

"The inhabitants!" said the King. "They would not kill a baby. They
are lambs, ducks, kids, doves. They bleat. They coo."

"The Prime Minister," said Gorman, "the Commander of the Forces and
the Admiral could be squared, I suppose?"

"They would not want to kill her," said the King. "She would not be
their queen."

"Sounds all right," said Gorman, "if you can be sure of selling
the whole thing without reservation of any kind to him. The
royal rights are essential. Remember that. There must be no
'subject-to-the-Crown-of-Megalia' clause in the deed."

"The Emperor need not know," said the King. "Salissa is very small,
and far, very far, from the land. If we keep the transaction
shady--that is to say, dark--the Emperor will not tumble into it."

Madame swallowed her last sip of brandy.

"The price?" she said.

"You cannot," said Gorman, "expect as much for a small island like
that as if you were able to sell the whole kingdom; the revenue can't
be anything much."

"There is no revenue in Megalia either," said the King.

"But Donovan is getting what he wants. His daughter will be a reigning
queen. I daresay we'll be able to screw him up to----"

"The price of that rope of pearls," said Madame, "is ten thousand
pounds."

"Oh," said Gorman, "we'll get that and a bit over."

"At once," said Madame, "cash down. For if we have to wait and wait
for months that imbecile girl will buy the pearls. Do not say no. I
know it. I have a feeling. There is a presentiment. And if she gets
those pearls I shall----"

Gorman did not want her to go mad ag