With a smile and a pleasant word the princess bid him advance. As she noted the man's hesitancy and embarrassment she broke into a merry laugh.

"I can guess your errand," she exclaimed. "You bear word of my punishment from His Majesty-I am to be shot at sunrise."

The secretary, who was a young man, blushed and smiled sheepishly. Then he cleared his throat once or twice.

"Not quite so bad as that, Your Highness," he replied. "His Majesty commands that you remain in your apartments until he summons you tomorrow. I am to return with your assurance that the king's command will be respected."

"And if I will not promise?" she asked, with one of her sweetest smiles.

"Then His Majesty directs that you be placed under arrest and a guard posted in the corridor before your apartments," replied the secretary.

"You are to return at once to His Majesty, I presume, with my assurances?" she asked.

"His Majesty has already departed for Klovia, where he dines this evening," replied the secretary. "I am merely to act for him, Your Highness. If you give me your promise to respect the king's wishes I am to receive them for His Majesty-if you do not, then I am to arrange for the guard."

"I see," said Princess Mary, and she rose and walked to and fro as though in deep thought. At last she paused before a small door in that part of the room opposite from the doorway through which the secretary had entered.

"I should like to have a few minutes in which to think the matter over, and talk with Carlotta," she said in a voice so sweet and with a smile so winning that it would have been impossible to deny her had she been but a goose-girl instead of a princess; "so, if you will step into this ante-chamber, M. Klein," and she laid her hand upon the knob and partially opened the door, "Carlotta and I will discuss the matter."

Now what is there to do when a princess of the blood royal condescends to hold a door open for one but to pass through, backward, in as courtly a manner as possible? Nothing, of course; and so the king's secretary backed into the little room, the Princess Mary cast a sweet smile upon, and the door closed with an ominous click that was not entirely lost upon the gallant M. Klein.

Then he turned and looked about him to discover that he was in a very small room with a single heavily grated window high in one wall above his head-a small window which let in air but none too much light. M. Klein scratched his head and let his eyes return to the closed door. He was half tempted to turn the knob; but no, to enter the presence of Her Highness until bid would be an unpardonable offense. So M. Klein waited, shifting his weight from one foot to another, the pleasure of the little princess whom all Margoth loved.

And in the mean time the princess, aided by Carlotta, slipped into a long, dark colored cloak. Carlotta, too, garbed herself in bonnet and wrap, and the two, carrying themselves more like criminals than members of a royal household, sneaked out into the corridor and made their surreptitious way down back stairways to the rear of the palace. The royal stables lay not so far away, night was falling, and undetected the two fugitives presently appeared before a surprised and bowing chauffeur.

"The open car, Stefan," instructed Princess Mary; The old one without the arms, and take me west on the Roman road-I'll tell you just where to go, later."

Chapter SEVEN

HEMMINGTON Main rushed into the room of his new friend, Kargovitch.

"They're leaving this evening," he cried. "They only stopped here because one of the maids is sick. Mrs. Bass wants to get on to Sovgrad as soon as possible. I got it all from their chauffeur. She's heard rumors of trouble between Margoth and Karlova, and she's afraid they may be detained here if they delay. They're leaving both maids-the well one to look after the sick one-who are to follow on by rail later. You can't miss 'em-touring car with a chauffeur and two women. One of the women is middle age with greyish hair, the other is young and-beautiful."

"Good, I'll get them," replied Kargovitch. "Now you take the next train for Sovgrad-it leaves in about twenty minutes. As soon as you get there get a couple of horses and a priest, and ride to Peter's Inn, anyone can direct you. Give this note to Peter, and he will send a guide with you who will conduct you to where I'll wait for you with the future Mrs. Main -and ma-ma's full and unqualified consent."

"Gad!" exclaimed Main, "she'll never forgive me."

"Probably not; but now go, there's no time to waste if you want to catch that train."

When his friend had departed M.