The Lighted Match

reast pocket; turned it over; looked at it and slipped it back, still unopened. Then, lean

s toward shore. White walls that had been like ivory were turning into ashy gray behind the Bateria San Carlos and the pillars

n wavered and quaked i

ped with as graceful a motion as that of the gulls. Then when the anchor

he right hand wandered mechanically to his breast pocket and brought out t

e evening of March 5th," a

reful detective. When his impatient fingers had first torn off the end, only to be confronted by the order: "Not to be opened until the evening of March 5th," he had fallen back on studying outward marks and indications. In the first

o be sealed for a month, meant that the date of March 5th had signific

rossed off the number five. After that he looked at his watch. It wanted one minute of six. He held the timepiece before him

ges covered with a woman's handwriting, but there was n

the "Dearest" at the top, and the wild way the p

is written for her. Unless there be an outlet, there must be madness. I have enclosed this envelope in another and enjoined you not to read it until March 5th. Then it will be too la

a prisoner in France, only I have not the comfort of a Lion Heart, and it is not written in the book of things that you shall pass outside and hear my harp-and rescue me.... One little taste of liberty I give myself. It caused a terrible battle at first, but I was stubborn and told them that if I was going to be Queen I was going to do just what I wanted, and that if they didn't like it, they could get some other girl to be Queen, so of course they let me.... There is an old half-forgotten roadway walled in on both sides that runs through the town from this horrible palace to the woods upon the mountain. There is some sort of foolish legend that in the old days the Kings used to go by this protected road to a high point called L

enough to say 'no' to yo

and scowled at the

etween me and (it is hard to say it) the marriage and the coronation. He is to be crowned

"one may dispose of three thousand miles. They, at least, are behind." A countenance somewhat drawn schooled its featur

on's face: the first it had worn since th

"Why, hombre, the anchor is

isp jet of his hair. His brown eyes twinkled good-humoredly. Jaw, neck and broad shoulders declared strength, while the slenderness of waist

nd, one does not delay. How am I? Ah, it is good of the Se?or to ask. I do well. I have retired from the Plaza de Toros. I busy myself with guiding parties

ill you go and take chances of anything that might befall? I sent for you to ask you whether you h

g his fingers with the deft rolling of a cigarette. "The toreador does not question the Prophets. I a

Calle Duke de Tetuan, blazing wit

, conscious of their multi-colored uniforms, sifted along through the press, toying with rigidly-waxed mustaches and regarding the warm beauty of their countrywomen through keen, appreciative eyes, not untinged with sensuousness. Here and there a common hombre in short jacket, wide, low-crowned sombrero and red sash, zig-zagged throug

ich they could view through the plate-glass front the parade

is on his estate that they breed the bulls for the rings of Cadiz and Seville. Yonder, quarreling over politics, are newspaper men and Republicans. Yonder, ar

lf-screened by the plants-who are they?" questioned Benton pe

ned the Andalusian. "I dare say that if one could overhear what they say, he could sell his n

hen came uninquisitively back to Blanco's impassive fac

al intrigue?

e did not turn them toward the men whom he described. Occasionally he looked at Bent

. Benton's start was slight, and his features if they gave a telltale wince at the word became instantly casual agai

He is the nephew of the late King of Galavia, and if-" the Spaniard gave an expressive shrug, and watched the smoke ring he had blown widen as it floated up toward the ceiling-"if by any chance,