ously to the trio of ministers
who had risen at her entrance. With a gesture that indicated that Carter
and Carrick should stand facing these, their judges, she settled herself
back in the high chair, while the accused found themselves with their
backs to the door. Josef, with mocking deference, placed himself at the
end of the table as the prosecutor. He unburdened himself of the
purloined articles which he now placed before him in a little pile.

Admitting the seriousness of the situation so far as himself and his man
were concerned, Carter could not but confess that the scene was a
picturesque one, and that the very element of danger gave it a touch of
piquancy. Here were himself and Carrick, fresh from the greatest shrine
of modernity, after having been cast into a mediaeval dungeon, now being
hauled before a trinity of gold-laced judges on a charge of being spies.

He glanced admiringly toward Her Grace, whose tempting chin was cupped
in her pink palm, while the deep lace of her half sleeve fell back from
the round elbow propped by the broad arm of the throne. Her eyes dreamed
of far-away things, until, telepathically, she became aware of Carter's
ardent gaze.

Recalled to the duty before her, she blushed guiltily at her
abstraction.

"Josef says these strangers are spies. You must judge," she said
trenchantly to her Counselors.

Carter could have knelt before her as she spoke, for her voice
proclaimed her disbelief.

"This," she said turning to Calvert as she indicated the stern-faced
veteran nearest the throne, "this is Colonel Sutphen, the Hereditary
Chancellor of Krovitch and member of our Privy Council."

[Illustration: MOUNTED THE STEPS AND SEATED HERSELF ON THE THRONE]

Carter bowed gravely, but received no other acknowledgment than a frigid
glare from the veteran. Josef had undoubtedly prejudiced Sutphen
against the accused. This was more plausible than to suppose that the
Colonel had become rancorous merely because the unconscious Trusia had
not been more promptly surrendered to him, for it was he who had
received her from the automobile. Proudly meeting the glaring eyes of
Sutphen, Carter turned with relief to Her Grace of Schallberg. He caught
the faint smile of amused comprehension which hovered about her lips;
she had seen and enjoyed that duel of glances, as an ancient suzeraine
might have delighted in a tourney in her honor. As her eyes met those of
the American, he smiled.

"Seated beside