was drawing up before the doorway. Marco stood and watched
with interest to see who would come out and enter it. He knew that
kings and emperors who were not on parade looked merely like
well-dressed private gentlemen, and often chose to go out as simply and
quietly as other men. So he thought that, perhaps, if he waited, he
might see one of those well-known faces which represent the highest
rank and power in a monarchical country, and which in times gone by had
also represented the power over human life and death and liberty.

"I should like to be able to tell my father that I have seen the King
and know his face, as I know the faces of the czar and the two
emperors."

There was a little movement among the tall men-servants in the royal
scarlet liveries, and an elderly man descended the steps attended by
another who walked behind him. He entered the carriage, the other man
followed him, the door was closed, and the carriage drove through the
entrance gates, where the sentries saluted.

Marco was near enough to see distinctly. The two men were talking as
if interested. The face of the one farthest from him was the face he
had often seen in shop-windows and newspapers. The boy made his quick,
formal salute. It was the King; and, as he smiled and acknowledged his
greeting, he spoke to his companion.

"That fine lad salutes as if he belonged to the army," was what he
said, though Marco could not hear him.

His companion leaned forward to look through the window. When he
caught sight of Marco, a singular expression crossed his face.

"He does belong to an army, sir," he answered, "though he does not know
it. His name is Marco Loristan."

Then Marco saw him plainly for the first time. He was the man with the
keen eyes who had spoken to him in Samavian.

IV

THE RAT

Marco would have wondered very much if he had heard the words, but, as
he did not hear them, he turned toward home wondering at something
else. A man who was in intimate attendance on a king must be a person
of importance. He no doubt knew many things not only of his own
ruler's country, but of the countries of other kings. But so few had
really known anything of poor little Samavia until the newspapers had
begun to tell them of the horrors of its war--and who but a Samavian
could speak its language? It would be an interesting thing to tell his
father--that a man who knew the King had spoken to him in Samavian, and
had sent that cur