The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

Seeing the queen, he stopped short, over
come with confusion, uncovered and bent
his knee.
pardon, Your Majesty, l come to find
Count Lariscut, to ask him what is to be
done. The Prince of Grezenmark has just
arrived here, accompanied by some men,
bers of the Nordern embassy to Kilistria. l
do not know if am to permit them to cross
the frontier"
Evadne turned to Stepan.
"Find the count at once,' said she, her
triumph sounding in her voice.
The Pole returned her defiance with
wicked flicker of his uncanny eyes, turned,
and went out instantly.
"Why has the Prince of Grezenmark
come here?" asked Evadne then, turning
with establishment to the young officer.
"He says, madam, that you have been
entrapped, kidnapped by emissaries of the
pretender, and brought here against your
will"
''The pretender?"
"He declares, madam l do but repeat
his words-that our King does not really
exist, but that this is a plot of the Grand
Duke of Marvlion."
"a plot? Of what kind?"
Madam, if the gentlemen are admitted,
they had better speak for themselves"
The young captains voice died away as
Count Loriscu, followed by Humphrey VAR
ley, entered through the window.
"Your majesty has heard he said, "that
the Prince Of Grezenmark, with zeal for
your safety none the less admirable because
mistaken, has come, with a very small fol-
lowing, into Pannonia itself, to ascertain
the real position of affairs. This is sign
of his devotion to yourself, and we think,
if you have no serious objection, that the
gentleman should be made welcome, and al
lowed to see for himself that no constraint
is being put upon YOU"
Evadne hesitated, and glanced at Marley.
Those words of the young captain-"he
says that our King does not really exist"
sang in her head disagreeably.
what do you Think" she asked.
II agree with Count Loriscu," replied
Varley, "that the prince and his retinue
should be admitted, if they will submit to
be searched for arms before crossing the
frontier, and give their parole to attempt
no breach of the peace When they are sat
isfied that your majesty is here willingly,
they should not, detain you very long,
'Their escort" put in Anton, as hand
full, and your majesty is surrounded by her
own troops"
every good. Let them in returned
Evadne, still struggling with her sense that
something was strange, or wrong, or other
than it seemed, in this revolution from
which the principal figure remained so mys-
teriously absent.
The gentlemen disappeared on their er-
rand, and the two ladies came in from the
garden and stationed themselves behind the
Queens chair. In very few minutes An
ton and Marley returned, leading with them
Prince Theobald himself, General Helso,
and the attache, Won Reulenz.
II had the honor to inform your high
ness, during our last interview" she said
to the prince, "that there were circum-
stances which might make it impossible that
anything should come of our pleasant
friendship 1t was not until later that my
secret information was confirmed by Off
cial announcement. The survival of my
husband must, as you will readily acknowl-
edge, constitute a complete barriar."
"lf your husband indeed survives, there
were barrier in truth, madam. But hope
to convince you that there is an error some
where. The King of Pannonia was MUIR
dered in the streets of Dalmeira years ago.
l have brought with me General Helso who
knows how the rumor of the Kings survival
gained ground The person who claims to
be Leonhardt is, in fact, his friend and
cousin, Michael Ferolitz, who received, in
the street fiphfinp wound which upco+