moment of her life for the decision of either raised her to a throne or condemned her to a prison cell courage madame whispered bending forward a daring heart wins i will be satisfied with one kingdom replied with apparent lightness if i win i win if i lose i lose for either future i am prepared you have indeed a brave heart i should have been a man said the princess with a fiery glance but though a woman i will rule like a king while the words were yet on her lips the door opened to admit cardinal and all arose save the princess who remained seated in absolute silence this conduct seemed to the general who could not but feel that he had acted a cowardly part at the villa and indeed but that he was afraid of would not again in london have supported the cause of his wronged sovereign for a he stood and then with a sudden decision moved forward to the chair of the princess on arriving at which he flung himself on his knees before her i entreat you madame to pardon my conduct it is hardly deserving of pardon said sternly i do not care for affection that is bought for gold madame said the general i have experienced the gratitude of princes before in the person of your late father therefore it was but right that i should make myself secure let it be so then replied the princess slowly this time the money you desire shall be paid to you before you leave this room if so will you swear to support my cause i swear it you swore before said the deep voice of the but broke your oath pardon said rising to his feet i swore to help the princess if certain were paid they were not paid so i was released from ray oath you did not keep your part of the bargain i did not keep mine and you followed me to the frontier said the princess rising in her turn yes i would have arrested you if i could have done so replied boldly a thrill of indignation ran through the assemblage and several of the placed their hands on their sword however smiled at the down with the republic boldness of the reply and held out her hand for to kiss i like boldness in an enemy she said i am not your enemy now madame said bowing but your friend and i hope you will be my subject and the of my throne replied the princess with a bland smile well the money you desire will be yours major the major bowed and led towards who opened the box beside which he was standing double the amount you asked for is there he said solemnly double the amount replied four hundred thousand yes good madame i am yours he crossed over to the princess and kissed her hand once more in doing so he could not see her face it was just as well for it was the face of a demon will you have that box taken down and delivered to three soldiers who are waiting below said to and then we can settle all farther matters yes will do that the indian vanished and returned with two of his servants the three with great difficulty owing to the weight of the metal managed to carry the box down the stairs and when the door was closed spoke once more in london now that your has performed your part of the contract i will perform mine myself and my soldiers are yours and what about i hate exclaimed fiercely he would trick me into danger and banish me from the country i am no longer a servant of the republic here is my real mistress it was an astonishing scene here was a man wh held the of in his hands coolly betraying his party for a bribe true he was d the country to his sovereign nevertheless he was selling it all the same there was neither honor nor dignity in the and as was in many ways she keenly felt the humiliation of being obliged to buy the influence of this traitor when she could she would punish him but the time was not yet ripe for such daring had the army at his back and could either make or mar her at present she had gained his support but she fully made up her mind to punish him when she was able knew perfectly well what was passing in her mind and it was for this reason that he had demanded the money could he have trusted to her gratitude he would have done so but having experienced the temper of the before he did not care about making such a experiment with his influence he could have made himself president of the republic in place of but preferred a wealthy exile to an position obtained by fraud he trusted neither nor down with the republic and as soon as he had fulfilled his promise and set her on the throne intended to place himself at once beyond the reach of her vengeance that she hated him for the he had made her suffer he knew perfectly well and now that the price of his treachery was duly paid would make himself safe from her hate meanwhile like he acted a part and to hear him making all arrangements one would have thought that he was the devoted friend of the the design for the of the queen however was due to the genius of the who now placed it before the assembly to morrow said slowly as you all know has ordered high mass to be celebrated and a te to be sung in the cathedral as a mark of gratitude for the preservation of the republic the president with his friends will be there but there 