The Spectator., 1916-04-07
CHAPTER Lxxlx.
Katharine,

| whom fate had so strangely cast to- gether in such scenes. The tumult had ceased. Quiet and order now obtained
 within those ancient walls. Those two. were alone in the great thronerOom of the kingdom, for the nobleman had signified that such was his wish. He turned toward her now gravely
 and held out his hands. She placed
 hers in his, trembling.
 Was 1t true?" she whispered. Did,
 they indeed and indeed-did they call you-the king? Or, how can be hap
 py at that. Now, 1 must go back-I must leave you!"
 You shall never go!" said the quiet
 voice of the man who confronted her.
 You shall never leave me now" But how? You are the king? It
 has been confirmed. The scripts were
 true-what we thought was true" T am the king! Yes, but how shall
 rule alone? You shall sit beside me.
 for 'tis you have taught me how a
 king should rule. Liberty and jus tice'-those words were strangers to my ears until you spoke them. Think you could go on in this business now. this solemn undertaking which must
 assume, and miss your counsel in the
 future? You shall be as much queen as am king in establishing those principles in this kingdom" But l cannot! l am an unknown woman. 1 am of no birth. am not your"
 Again he laid his fingers upon her lips lightly.
 "Cease!" said he: 'do not say that | word. Michael himself. my father, perhaps was of no lofty lineage 50 far as traced kings could be named. He himself came from where he grew he seized the reins of power-and he gave the people such liberty and jus tice as then was possible. Am I bet ter than he? Was he better than you? am I? Say no more, think no more that word which you were about to name"
 Again he held out to her his hands, and now, in spite of all she could do, she could not withhold her own-could not withdraw them, so firmly clasped were they now. Trembling, weeping, she looked up into his eyes.
 Tt Is all clear" said he to her at length. Tt was Grahame. my unfaith- full bodyguard, who had the knowl- edge of those things, and who be. trayed us bY that knowledge. He got the coins from Boris Roleau. accord him but one item of thanks -i it was through his treach. cry that l lost the coin at the time that I was in your country, on the errand of the Gretzhoifen loan. He stole that coin. He must have lost or pawned half of it, or sold it. At least. that is how you found 1t. So l thank him, for so much as that
 AS for Roleau--the son of that faithful servant of my father-he shall be honored by us both, because he has given loyalty. l myself have grieved that once l was cruel to him that l struck him even-after the old fashion of our rulers here Not again shall that occur. Roleau, your friend, my servant-he shall be captain of the Imperial Guard. have told him so much as that.
 What a curse attends these treas ures! See ncw out of all these who have been about me, two have been faithful-the son of that man who was faithful to our earlier king. and you! You fought me. yes. but you fought fair. You kept your word you honored your own parole-you al-
 ways will do so. l trust your word as trust the beating of my own heart. You then shall be-yca are--my Queen!"
 She could not answer. and still he
 went on slowly: Ahead of us Is duty.
 esponsibility-for both of us. We
 serve for liberty and justice" He led her gently to the great | throne of Gretzhoffen, which stood be-
 fore them now. They bowed before it.
 T give you my faith. Katharine"
 said he. simply. Do you love me?' T do," said she. so low he could
 scarce catch the words. And even in these words spoken there, the one to the other, in the si-
 lence of the great throne chamber of
 the kingdom, their plighted troth
 seemed as the words of the priest and
 the roar of the great organ and the
 later applause of the assembled multi
 tudes, who hailed them as saviors of
 the land.
 He gave her hand now up the
 steps to the great throne itself. and
 bowed to her as she dropped back
 upon the great seat of power. God do so to me and more also"
 said he solemnly. If ever betray them or you"
 l L'ENvOI. | Under the sea there sped from the
 little kingdom of Gretzhoffen to the great republic of America message
 carried in the electric spark which l united the world. It was directed to
 the editor of the Daily Star in Kitty
 Gray's own city. and it was enough to l give even Billy Cutler. city editor. | pause fer at least a moment.