nd herdsmen talked about Prince Ivor,
and told old stories about him, and related the prophecy that he would
come back and bring again Samavia's good days. He might come only in
the body of one of his descendants, but it would be his spirit which
came, because his spirit would never cease to love Samavia. One very
old shepherd tottered to his feet and lifted his face to the myriad
stars bestrewn like jewels in the blue sky above the forest trees, and
he wept and prayed aloud that the great God would send their king to
them. And the stranger huntsman stood upright also and lifted his face
to the stars. And, though he said no word, the herdsman nearest to him
saw tears on his cheeks--great, heavy tears. The next day, the
stranger went to the monastery where the order of good monks lived who
had taken care of the Lost Prince. When he had left Samavia, the
secret society was formed, and the members of it knew that an Ivor
Fedorovitch had passed through his ancestors' country as the servant of
another man. But the secret society was only a small one, and, though
it has been growing ever since and it has done good deeds and good work
in secret, the huntsman died an old man before it was strong enough
even to dare to tell Samavia what it knew."

"Had he a son?" cried Marco. "Had he a son?"

"Yes. He had a son. His name was Ivor. And he was trained as I told
you. That part I knew to be true, though I should have believed it was
true even if I had not known. There has ALWAYS been a king ready for
Samavia--even when he has labored with his hands and served others.
Each one took the oath of allegiance."

"As I did?" said Marco, breathless with excitement. When one is twelve
years old, to be so near a Lost Prince who might end wars is a
thrilling thing.

"The same," answered Loristan.

Marco threw up his hand in salute.

"'Here grows a man for Samavia! God be thanked!'" he quoted. "And HE
is somewhere? And you know?"

Loristan bent his head in acquiescence.

"For years much secret work has been done, and the Fedorovitch party
has grown until it is much greater and more powerful than the other
parties dream. The larger countries are tired of the constant war and
disorder in Samavia. Their interests are disturbed by them, and they
are deciding that they must have peace and laws which can be counted
on. There have been Samavian patriots who have spent their lives in
trying to bring this about by making fri