The Argosy, March 1907 — page 134: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

706 But no, on second thoughts, I. could not have done that. You see, it would have been too late. Our squad- ron won't return to America for months to come. In the meantime the princess will have married the fake king. I wanted to prevent that and save the princess, if possible.” ‘Well, you could have written to them and told your story by letter, urg- ing them to come over,’ suggested the baron. Willis shook his head. “Would they have believed me? Everybody I tell this story to thinks me crazy. I realize that. To talk about a swindier stealing a throne in these days does sound like a wild yarn. “They would have thrown my letters aside as the letters of a crank. We Americans are very practical. An Amer- ica.. would not take a trip to Nordinia to expose an impostor to the throne un- less he had a good reason to believe that there was an impostor to expose. If I could have sent them photographs of this fake king, however, they would have seen at a glance that there was truth to my story and then probably some of them would have come over here.” ‘Perhaps you are right,” said the baron. ‘ But, of course, I don’t believe a word of your story,” he added hastily. As a matter of fact, though, he thought enough of it to repeat it to the princess word for word, a few hours afterward, when she had partially recov- ered from the shock she had experienced. The princess listened carefully. “Of course there is not a word of truth in the young lunatic’s added the baron in conclusion. it to your highness, however, thinking it may. interest you. Still, he talks like a sane man. And yet the story sounds preposterous.” ‘“T’m not so sure,’ said the princess, shaking her head. “To tell you the my story. _ truth, baron, I’ve had a sort of instinc- tive suspicion of the king and his un- fortunate private secretary for some days. The face of that poor Frenchman was of villainous mold. me like a fellow capable of any crime. As for his master the king—he’s always seemed to me more of a counterfeit than a king. I think this young man may story,” od tel? He looked to. THE ARGOSY. — be telling the truth. At any rate, I ain going to investigate very carefully. We will send for the premier—Baron Zag- art, at once.” CHAPTER XXII. KING OR COUNTERFEIT? WHEN the Princess Cornelia related to Baron Zagart Willis’s story, the aged premier shook his head. ‘This is not the- first time I have heard this wild yarn, your highness,” he said. “I have heard of this Amer- ican and his baseless suspicions before. The American minister and the admiral of the American squadron came to see me about the same matter a few days ago, ‘I told them, as I tell you now, your highness, that the story is impossible. | exacted the most convincing proofs be- fore I would accept the present incum- bent of the throne as the rightful King of Nordinia. It is not possible that I could have been deceived.” He then proceeded to tell the princess the same story he had told Minister Car- ruthers and Admiral Rempton. ‘Well, it does look as if you could have made no mistake, Baron Zagart,” admitted the princess, a shade of disap- pointment in her voice. “ You certainly received the best of proofs as to the identity of Carl Richard. Nevertheless, I feel that this young American’s story ought to be looked into. It is just pos- sible that a mistake has been made, de- spite your elaborate precautions and cont vincing proofs. I do not intend to take the serious step of marrying this man while there is the slightest doubt in my mind. We must go to the palace and question the king.” . The aged premier gasped with hor- ror. ‘“ Accuse the king to his face of being an impostor!”’’ he cried. “ Your ‘high- ness surely is only joking. Why! Such a step would be unprecedented.” “The circumstances of the case war- rant an unprecedented step,” replied the princess. ‘But such an accusation would be an insult, your highness—an insult to his majesty the king. Surely you are only joking.”’ Gomichbooks;com