rince.

"If there is to be no fighting of seconds, what do you say to old
Dessauer? He was a pretty blade in my time, and has all the etiquette and
chivalry of the business at his finger-ends. Also he likes you."

"At any rate, he is ever railing upon me with that sharp tongue of
his!" said I.

"But did you ever hear him rail upon any of these young men that lean
on rails and roll their eyes under ladies' windows?" said the Prince.
"Old Leopold Dessauer is even now no weakling. I warrant he could draw
a good sword yet upon occasion. Anything more lovely than his riposte I
never saw."

The Prince got upon his feet with the difficulty of a man naturally heavy
of body, who takes all his exercise upon horseback.

"Page!" he cried. "My compliments to High State's Councillor
Dessauer, and ask him to come to me here. You will find him, I think,
in the library."

So to the palace sped the boy; and presently, walking stiffly, but with
great dignity, came the old man down to us.

"How about the ancestors, the noble men my predecessors?" cried the
Prince, when he saw him; "have you found aught to link the miller of
Chemnitz with the Princes of Plassenburg?"

The Councillor smiled, and shook his head gravely.

"Nothing beyond that bit of metal which hangs by your side, Prince Karl,"
said Dessauer, pointing to his Highness's sword.

The Prince looked down at the strong, unadorned hilt thoughtfully
and sighed.

"I would I had another to transmit this sword to, as well as the power to
wield it, when I take my place as usurper in the histories of the Princes
of Plassenburg."

"I trust your Highness may long be spared to us," replied Dessauer,
gravely; "but, Prince Karl, in default of an heir to your body (of which
there is yet no reason to despair), wherefore may not your Highness
devise the realm back to the ancient line?"

"The line of Dietrich is extinct," said the Prince, booking up sharply.

"So says Duke Casimir, hoping to succeed to your shoes, when he could
not to your helmet and your sword. But I have my suspicions and my
beliefs. There is more in the parchments of yonder library than has yet
seen the light."

Suddenly the Prince recollected me, standing patiently by.

"But we waste time, Dessauer; we can speak of ancestors and successors
anon. I and Hugo Gottfried want you to take up your ancient role. Do you
mind how you snicked Axelstein, and clipped Duke Casimir of his little
finger at the back of the