A Son of the Immortals

d would be restored in the railway station at Delgratz. He disliked the implied subterfuge; but it could not be helped. Austria, gracious to travelers within her bounds, excepts those who mean to c

he throne, and the Prince, or some wiser person, had sent a gracious reply stating that his matured decision would reach Kosnovia in due course. The National Assembly was still coquetting with the republican idea; but, in the same bre

as playing polo in the Bois during the afternoon of Tuesday. The journalist little dreamed that Alec wa

ands on the junction of that stream and the Danube) when

neral. "We must display no haste, and he

want me to ask any qu

till adhere to your p

olut

uietly, "There, then, God willing, is your Majesty's future capit

e vista might have been an intaglio cut in the sapphire of the sky. The Danube, a broad streak of silver, blended with the blue Tave to frame a glimpse of fairyland. For one thrilling moment Alec forgot its bloodstained history and

n a society that treated such demonstrations with scant respect, was suddenly recalled to earth, and the business that lay before him seem

eets. Here was no sun, but plenty of bare whitewash. Even Alec, accustomed to the singularly ugly etchings of Paris viewed from its chief railways, was completely disillusioned by these drab adumbrations of commerce and squalor. The Tave was no longer blue, but dull brown with the mud of recent rain. Not even the inhabitants w

k instantly. "The station is guarded by troops," he muttered. "Som

er passengers. I am the real stranger here, a

might have mingled with the throng on the platform and found each his racial kith and kin; not so Alec. His stature, his carriage, his fair complexion tanned brown with an open air life, picked him out among

s a Delgrado. There were guesses in plenty, wherein he ranged from an English newspaper correspondent to a Greek Prince, the latter wild theory origina

d of Ferdinand VII. The customs officials at the barrier allowed the party to

anxious to exchange a word with this distingu

d," sai

id the other, who seemed hardly to exp

osity, a veri

must

ur Nesimir's house and

tic, since Monsieur Nesimir was P

e President passes unchallenged. But these are t

than swords in Delgratz to-day, and t

g the door open for Alec, who gave the driver clear instructions be

e growled. "That fellow is Captain Drakov

sanitary inspector,

eme, he was in excellent spirits. "By the patriarch! you certainly

his own card to Nesimir. "That is a mad thing," he protested.

t potent of human attributes. Even Presidents yield to it. At thi

ared in the doorway of the presidential mansion. He also wore an expression of deep amazement. He

rench, "I am Paul Stampoff, shorn of his fle

e K

n of Ferdinand VII.,

was stationed at a gate on the other side of the main courtyard, and no one could be aware of the visitor'

to be placed in the hall?" said Alec, using the mos

ely phrase, "You could have knocked him down with a feather," seemed

om-er-from the west? You have not breakfasted? A cup of chocolate? Ah, yes, a cup of chocolate. Then we can discuss matters. The Ass

e the name; so, with hospitable flourish, he ush

portmanteaus were to be brought within and no one admitted without specific permission. Once i

ow

le en route, because I detest German cooking," said

ut

ceremony? Well, he quitted Paris on Tuesday night, an

" wheezed t

ests solely with the honorable house of which you are chief. If that is your view, I share it to the uttermost. It is reported in the press that the men who murdered King Theodore and Queen Helena have declared their allegiance to the Delgrado line. My reply is that I

he ought to summon help and clap the soi-disant King and his henchman into prison. But on what charge? Could any royal pr

"Why has your-why have you come to

members. If you introduce me, they will give me a fair hearing. Let a vote be taken at once. If it is opposed to a monarchy, I am ready to be conducted to either the rail

ed Stampoff. "Why so

at his fingers' ends, and never before had Delgrado or O

mitate the cool demeanor of his guests. "But-you will appreciate t

of affairs there must be almost as many hidden forces existing in Delgratz as there are men in the Cabinet. Why permit them to fret and fume when you alone have power to control them? I promise faithfully to abide by the decision of the As

ergius, my lamb, a really good omelet, something grilled, and

He was excited, elated, frightened; but happily he was strong enough to perceive that a chance

ne there knew why a tall, pleasant faced young man should be sitting in the President's private room, and apparently not caring a jo

le and shaken, entered the chamber through the f

ed up in wonder when they discovered that the youthful stranger was standing by the Presi

epressed agitation, "I have a momentous announcement to make. This honorab

ere stands Al

ge

ly!" crie

this from

from the many groups into which the Assembly was split up; but now there was an electric feeling in the air that their trusted

ousness. We, in common with the rest of humanity, have been horror stricken by recent events in our beloved land. Our reigning dynasty has been blotted out of existence. There is no heir of the Obrenovitch line. W

k benches stood on the seats in order to gaze over the heads in front. Men shouted and glared and turned to shout again at one another; but through all the turmoil Alec faced them, smiling and imperturbable, a

e unmoved, while the extraordinary racial difference between himself and every other man in the Assembly must have made a strong appeal to their

"you whom I expect to count amon

it as no Austrian could ever speak it, since harsh, dominant German can never reproduce the full Slavonic resonance. Alec, but yesterday Joan's typical idler, had fathomed some uncharted deep in the mysterious art of swaying

f Government. Of course," and here Alec beamed on them most affably, "there are other alternatives. You may elect to put me in jail, or throw me into the Danube, or swing me from a gibbet as a warning to all would-be monarchs and other malefactors. B

from the Shumadia, "the heart of Kosnovia," a bigchested, deep vo

's a King!

and Stampoff had to make more than one gruff speech, and eloquent Senators and Deputies had to proclaim the inviolate nature of the new constitution, and Alec had to sign it amid a s

's a King!

osnovia. Those who had never seen Alec, nor heard of him before they were told he was King, adopted it

g to the plaudits that proclaimed his triumph, Stam

er was Kingdom won so easily. God bless your M

he oldest and most firmly established monarchy in Europe. What of the goddess with the great gray eyes, clear and piercing, who knew all the thoughts of men's hearts and the secrets of their souls? What of her warning that she would drive

y, carrying in full measure the gifts of loyalty and dominion. Yet he feared them. A whiff of peril, pitfalls to be leaped, some days or weeks of dire uncertainty, men to be won, an

heir aspirations, that they adopted the notion without reserve. The morning passed in a blaze of enthusiasm. Alec, outwardly calm and hale fellow with all who came in contact with him, was really in a state of waking tranc

. When I am dead, if my successor shows signs of falterin

ady his utterances were being retailed with gusto. Before night, every adult inhabitant of Delgratz was likening the

nth Regiment to evacuate the Black Castle s

" he said. "The pla

e afternoon in the beautiful park that crowns the promontory formed by the two riv

said he. "Then the people

tle and be up to weight. Soldiers and civilians exchanged underlooks at the choice. Selim was the last horse ridden by the i

instant a revolver was fired from the crowd and a bullet flattened itself on the opposite wall. The would-be assassin was seized instantly, a hundred hands were r

!" yelled

ut him in the recruits' squa

as their ruler that did more than a year's session of the Assembly to endear him to them; but the seal of national a

ader, a mountebank of a King, should actually have traversed Austria from west to east, without ever a soul cased in uniform knowing anything about him, was ill to endure, and the minions of Kosnovia's truculent neighbor swore mighty oaths that no bottle hold

is III., who was breakfasting with Nesimir, Stampoff, and Ministers of State. There could be no doubting Beaumanoir's ident

merely because he wishes to enter Kosnovia?" aske

ever," sai

age," puffed t

hat way on any other frontie

to be done?" d

tic protest to Vienn

usual diploma

of co

my friend in prison fo

expressed comp

tamely such treatment at the hands of Austr

are small and feeble; she is

ampoff, will you kindly arrange that a regiment of cavalry and six guns shall parade outside the station in half an hour's time? You might also ask

s at the tab

y mean by these prepar

accommodation," laughed Alec. "As for the Austrian Ambassador, I intend to make an emp

treets accompanied by a small escort, which Alec would have dispensed with if it was no

other would act; so Baron von Rothstein viewed with mixed feelings the arrival of his royal visitor. But he met him wi

this game; but I fully understand that you act for your Government

ies in my power,

morning. There is, or can be, no charge against him. Some of your zealous agents have blundered, that is all. Now, I want you to go to Semlin in a

he showed it. "But this is the f

why I came in pe

ot interfere,

rr Baron, are you Minister

matter is not wi

tsoever. This passport question concerns Kosnovia, not Austria. The action of the Semlin authorit

do what you desir

vent, I must go to Semlin myse

quite und

so poor, then?

, of co

I take with me a bodyguard sufficiently strong to insure my friend's freedom. I am not declaring war against Austria. If any jack in office in Kosnovia acts like these Semlin policemen, and a Ko

on on your part does really a

to go and release him, and you refuse; yet you tell me I am making war on your country if I rescue him. The notion is preposterous! At any rate, it c

lore you to forego t

ou or I

e tele

y. You or I must go to Sem

ng of a pestiferous Englishman at Semlin could have no possible effect on Austria's subsequent action. She might please herself whether or not the threatened invasion

jesty," said he, af

a wise decision," said Alec. "I shall wa

d t

follow you

to note the military preparations. His special quitted Delgratz at nine-twenty A.M. At t

ntier police are fearful asses; but Herr von Rothstein rushed off the instant h

tried to pull me out of my compartment. I told 'em I didn't give a tinker's continental for their bally frontier, and the

as injure

t's thumb. Tell me, why does our baronial friend look so vinegary? He chatte

hat a disagreeable incident had ended

has ended, your Majes

m quite a young King, and I shall commit many blunders before I learn the usages of diplomac