nd with grave, intent courtesy, and
again looked at me.

"Now, father," said I, "we have no long time to bide with you, lest the
new Duke come upon us. We must hie us back to our lodging with the Bishop
Peter, lest we be missed."

My father smiled.

"Ye will live but sparely there!" said he, with a flicker of his
ancient smile.

"Tell us how you came to this," said I, "and, if you can, why Helene, our
little Helene, stands so terribly accused."

My father paused a long time before he began to answer.

"It is not easy for me to tell you all," he said. "I know and I have the
words, but, somehow, when I try to fit the words to the thing, they run
asunder and will not mix, like water and oil. But see, Hugo, here is an
elixir of rare value. Drop a drop or two on my tongue if ye see me
wander. It will bring me back for a time."

CHAPTER XLII

PRINCESS PLAYMATE

Then began my father to tell the story slowly, with many a pause and
interruption, now searching for words, now racked with pain, all of which
I need not imitate, and shall leave out. But the substance of his tale
was to this effect:

"After you had left us, the Dukedom went from bad to worse--no peace, no
rest, no money. Duke Casimir took less and less of my advice, but, on the
contrary, began again his old horrors--plundering, killing, living by
terror and in terror. He threatened Torgau. He attacked Plassenburg. He
stirred up hornets' nests everywhere. At home he made himself the common
mark for every assassin.

"Then suddenly came his nephew back, and almost immediately he grew great
in favor with him. Uncle and nephew drank together. They paraded the
terraces arm in arm. I was never more sent for save to do my duty. Otho
von Reuss rode abroad at the head of the Black Horsemen.

"But, at the same time, to my great joy, arrived the Little Playmate
back to me. She was safer with me, she said. So that, having her, I
needed naught else. She came with good news of you, making the journey
not alone, for two men of the Princess's retinue brought her to the
city gates."

"The Princess!" I cried; "aye, I thought so. I judged that it was the
Princess who sent her back."

Dessauer motioned with his hand. He saw that it was dangerous to throw
my father off the track. And, indeed, this was proven at once, for my
unfortunate interruption set my father's mind to wandering, till finally
I had to drop certain drops of the red liquid on his tongue. These,