The Argosy, March 1907 — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

KING OR COUNTERFEIT ? . “On the contrary, baron, I am very serious,’ replied the princess. “It is scarcely a subject to joke about. Have no fear, baron! Leave the handling to a woman’s wit. I sLall do my best to put this matter before the king without - hurting his feelings too much. Let us go to the palace at once.” Very much against his will, the premier finally consented to accompany the princess. His majesty was feeling in very poor shape. 3 He had-received news of the Baron Duval’s tragic death, and the intelligence had completely unnerved him. : It was being whispered around the palace that he had become hysterical ; had cried wildly: ‘‘ What will become of me? What will become of me?”’ Baron Zilla was in attendance on the king. “His majesty is indisposed and can see nobody,” the king’s chamberlain in- formed the visitors. “You hear, your highness,” said the aged premier, with a ray of hope. ‘“ Per- haps we can see the king about this mat- ter some other time.” “Not at all,” said the princess firmly. “We must see him now. I shall take no refusal. It is a matter of great im- portance.” “Tt is impossible, your highness,” stammered the chamberlain. ‘“ The king is too unwell to see anybody—even your highness.” ‘You will tell the king,” said the princess imperiously, “that I have come to give him an answer to the message he sent to me earlier to-day. Tell him we want a private audience and that we will not detain him many minutes. You might mention to him also that I, too, was prostrated by the shocking tragedy ; but that I managed to pull myself to- gether sufficiently to come here, and therefore he must receive me.” ‘“Why is your highness so insistent?” asked the premier, when the chamberlain had retired to deliver this message. “ If the king is indisposed, we can scarcely expect him to see us. Would not this matter wait until to-morrow?” “No,” replied the princess. “It is because the king is indisposed that I am determined to see him now. It will be ' indisposition is doubtless caused by the news of the death of his private secre- tary. He is probably unnerved. Per- haps you may have noticed, baron, that he leaned upon that Frenchman like a cripple upon a staff. I noticed it. He must feel his secretary’s loss keenly. If we can confront him in his present nerv- ous condition we may be able to wring a confession from him.” “Your highness seems already con- vinced that the king is an impostor,” said the baron with a reproving smile. The chamberlain came down-stairs a few minutes afterward and reported that his majesty would see the princess and the premier in his private apartments, since her highness was so insistent. The king looked very ill when they entered his presence. He was able to sit up, but his face was deathly pale and his eyes shifted nervously. He seemed very near the point of collapse. The princess smiled with grim satis- faction as she noticed his condition. “If he really is an impostor,’ she thought, ‘he is certainly in a condition which augurs well for the success of our errand.” ‘““I am sorry to have to disturb your majesty,” she began aloud, “ but we have come to see you on a matter of great im- portance—a matter that would not wait.” ? } “You mean the matter of our mar- riage. You have come to give me your answer to the message I sent you by——”’ the king stopped short and shuddered. “The message you should have deliv- ered in person,’’ said the princess haught- ily. “Your majesty may be in igno- rance of the manner in which a king should act, but you should at least be aware of the courtesy due a woman. However, we will let that pass: I have come to give you my answer, your maj- esty. “For the sake of Nordinia, I am will- ing to accept your offer of marriage; but first of all I must be assured as to one important fact.” “What is that?” asked the king. “That you really are the King of Nordinia,”’ replied the princess quickly, and her penetrating glance was fastened. upon the other’s face. 707 - very much to our advantage. The king’s COMIC DOOMS5a( 0) im =