The Island Mystery

ime prince, was the hero of several first-rate scandals, and had the reputation of being the most irrepressible blackguard of royal blood in all Europe. He was a perp

o doubt have cut the throat of Konrad Karl II if he had

im the palace, but not the throne, of Megalia. She accompanied him in his flight and subsequent wanderings. In these democratic days Grand Dukes, Kings, and even Emperors, must have some regard for appearances if

ous hotel which is the London home of foreign royalties and American millionaires. Kings, I suppose, can hold out longer than ordinary men without paying their bills. Konrad Karl was in low water financially. His private fortune was s

istic work brings him in a few hundreds a year. Enterprises of a commercial or financial kind add very considerably to his income. In 1913 he was interested in the Near Eastern Winegrowers' Association, a limited liability company which aimed at making money by persuading the British public to drink Greek wine. He heard of Konrad Karl,

ng off a thousand dozen bottles of this wine out of the royal cellars when he fled from his subjects in Megalia. The bottles in which Vino Regalis was sold had yards of gold foil wrapped round their

ial honorarium in recognition of the value of his title, and his share of the profits. The profits were large, but he spent all he got as he received it. Madame Corinne is an expensive lady, and the King was just as badly o

She had, I think, gone to the opera. Gorman and the King dined well, as men do who can command the services of the chef at Beaufort's. The wine they drank was not

myself in a tight place. I am, as

smart, sporting and other, conceal the meaning of what they say from outsiders, especially from fore

he King, "I have not a stiver, not a red cent, not

re to advise you,

ir.' I am no longer a king. I resign. I abdicate. I chuck up the sponge of royalty. W

all, royalty is an asset. A title like that-kings aren'

s of brandy with an a

arket? Who

t marry. There must be lots of wealthy g

rd and smacked Gorman

said. "I am ready. I shall marry. Produce the

thusiastic approval of his suggestion. He

, "there's Mad

d not, of course, show my cold shoulder to Corin

guard entirely without principle or h

-no, occurred to me. There is in this hotel at this

nov

Gorman's business to cross the Atlantic from time to time to get money for the support

t does not matter what she is, not a curse, not a damn from the Continent. I shall

uite a different matter. Miss Daisy Donovan is a bright-faced, clear-eyed, romantic-souled girl. She had finished her course of study in one of the universities of the Middle-west without becoming a cultivated prig. In spite of the fact that history, economics, emasculated philosophy and a kind of intellectual complexion cream called literature had been smeared all over her by earnest professors, she had never learned t

ity for sympathy. He guessed somet

see-I see very plainly that you do not wish me to marry the Donovan oof-girl. You will not back me up. Good. I back down. I bear no malice. I wish you success. I shall

ossible to convince the King that he had n

aid. "Leave it at

, "at that, precisely at that,

to your own affairs. You say that you're

ell hole," s

he's your uncle. He can't let you go under altogether. Of course you'll ha

dear Gorman, as you regard me. I do not complain. You and the Emperor are no doubt right. You hit your nails on the head, both of you, when you say

stionably, a scoundrel. But I agree with Gorman that he is a frank and therefore an attractive scoundrel. B

eading Corinne to the foot of the imperial throne; and he felt that, after all, the King was right from his own point of

id, "make somethi

ia and I know it. It is a one-dog country. Ther

galian Development C

id the King, "but develo

ompany's business afterwards. Not that it will be easy to start th

did know Megalia, the company would be-what is it you

cessions, I supp

ill give them permission to make the people of Megalia into sausages and kidneys. Believe me, my fr

r get it started, must be humanitarian, altruistic; I'm not sure that it ought

of-out of that? out of what you

y out of that tha

me to eat humble pie while poor Corinne goes hungry, and yet you will make money out of a company for reforming the people of Megalia, making them civilized, Christian-a thing