The Lighted Match

"If Miss Carstow"--he uttered the assumed name with distaste--"will

excuse you," he suggested, "I should like a word."

Von Ritz led the way out of doors and between the tables and trellises

of the garden until he came upon a spot which seemed to promise the

greatest possible degree of privacy. There he stopped and stood looking

straight ahead of him.

"All that I now tell you, Mr. Benton"--his voice was even and polite to

a nicety, yet distinctly icy--"is of course a message from the King."

"Meaning," Benton smiled with polite indifference, "that your personal

communications with me would be few?"

"Meaning," corrected Von Ritz gravely, "that in His Majesty's affairs, I

speak only on His Majesty's authority."

"Colonel, I am at your service."

"In the first place," began the Galavian at last, "His Majesty wished me

to explain why he has presumed on your further assistance. You are the

only man outside Galavia who understands--and whom the King may

implicitly trust, trust even with the safety of Her Majesty, the

Queen."

"You will convey to the King my appreciation of his confidence."

Somehow, between the American and this emissary of Karyl, there could

never be any attitude other than that of the utmost formality.

Von Ritz sketched the situation.

"It is important that the world should not know of Her Majesty's

departure. It would be an admission to the conspirators that the King

feels his weakness, and would invite attack. For this reason she could

not leave in the ordinary way. Fortunately, it is not difficult for Her

Majesty to escape recognition. She is perhaps the one Queen in Europe

whose published portraits would not make it impossible for her to go

unknown through the cities of the Continent. Her prejudice against

photographs has given her that immunity. She might walk through Paris

unrecognized."

Benton looked narrowly at Von Ritz. "How much does she know of the

truth?"

"Absolutely nothing. She has been persuaded to regard the truancy as a

break in the routine of Court life, which--" Von Ritz hesitated, then

went on doggedly--"which she finds distasteful. She does not even know

that the Duke is free. That is as closely guarded a secret as the fact

that he was being held under duress."

The soldier paused, then went on. "The King has told Her Majesty that he

hopes to join her on your yacht within a few days. You will please

encourage that fiction. In point of fact," with a gesture of despair,

"if His Majesty were to leave now he would never return, and if he

remains now he may never again leave. I must myself hasten back."