A Son of the Immortals

oming from the upper end of Fürst Michaelstrasse promised developments. Joan was startled back into consciousness by the sudden stoppage. The excited babble going on without was incomprehensible an

ng her frightened eyes from the urbane pers

e explanation. "He says the bodyguard re

the King i

that the troops at the War Ministry, which lies beyond th

-I would like to be the first to let Princess Delgrado know that her son has es

o chanced to be Drakovitch, and answered Joan's questions only when the cab resumed its journey. "Ha

nded them. Oh-they were the soldiers who rev

You state a most remarkable fact, considering that this is Delgratz a

ec. I have at least sufficient intelligence to recall the avow

there would be few soldiers, Joan. Put that valuable truism away among the other wise saws that govern your life. You will appreciate its truth, and the even greater truth of its converse, when you are a Queen. But soldiers are stupid creatures, obviously so, since killing

n some inexplicable way she shared with the infamous Seventh Regime

uble her with your silly chat

? My name isn't Bal

miladi would now be happy in her little apartment in

your ears, Madame Pa

reply was only half averted by the lurching of the carriage

will not quarrel on my account," she said, with a piteo

I brought you here, whereas your presence is clearly an act

fianced wife, she would certainly have discovered that Felix was saying the first thing that came uppermost in his mind. The outcome must have been a quick mental review of the day's incidents in order to

e incoherent words about the King, and the Seventh Regiment; but Prince Michael, who was in the courtyard, snapped up the man immediately, bidding him hold his tongue, and hurrying him inside the building. Once there, Sobieski became more confused than ever. Prince Michael

s interference. The President acted with promptitude; but the outcom

ut smoking cigarettes while his Majesty was in a fair way to be cut in pieces! A nic

f the resultant disaster would make Prince Michael seriously ill. Moreover,

f the King and his companions in the besieged hotel. But his thoughts were busy, and, when he found Sobieski detained in the entrance hall, he consigned Joa

w he was practically under arrest until his connection with the outrage was investigated officially. One of Stampoff's messenge

hear?" said Felix genially, and the sound of his voice d

o fast that I lost my breath and th

it? Did you s

r. I always spea

at did

was to send troops instantly to the Fürst Michaelstrasse. Then the old gentleman,

understood you

hash of it, especially when I t

u mentio

d nothing to do with the plot, monsieur, but had acted throughout as the King's friend; then he stormed at me again, and called me a blockhead for coming to the palace with such a mad story. He asked me w

sense, some one liste

rse, by that time, I was in such a state that my knees shook. I was certain the King would be found dead, and perhaps you, monsieur, and then would there be no one to prove that I was not mixed up in the affair, so people wo

etic. "At any rate, everything has ended happily, friend John," said he. "The King is alive, you did y

, or I shall lose my situation if it gets about that I have been arrested. My patron will have nothing to do

y, returned to the courtyard and appealed to the officer in charge of the escort. A brief con

nce Michael her

uld say no more; but this impudent

shes to see his Excellency at once.

in obeying that imperative summons. An expression of annoyance flitted across his florid features wh

iven to understand. Dreadful business, this unforeseen attack on my son, isn't it? I must confess that I didn't credit a word of it when this poor fellow rushed

ski. "Meanwhile, you have my hearty thanks, and I regret that any hasty words

areer in the whirlpool of state affairs was ended

l not

ality. "So it was really you who sent that stammering youth with such an asto

earshot of the servants and orderl

of us need a nip of brandy when we are disturbed. But I have the better o

e of its friendliness, and Prince Delgr

thers; but the predicament my son was in f

osed the symptoms, and dosed me with cogna

mention the lad

one of the few charming

th residence in Paris; but in Delgratz, Felix, o

r in a totally different light. Joan ought to be at hom

he nearest room on the upper floor. It chanced to be the apartment in which President Nesimir had received Alec and Stampoff on that memorable morning, barely a month ago, when th

jesting

Death, Pallida Mors, who steps with even stride from the huts of the poor to the palace of the King, and he gave me such a fright that I shall be in no mood all

What is this you tell me? How can Alexis

re pronounced as his head drooped forward a little; but his smooth tones did not fal

lls in love with a King; but in the present instance criticism is disarmed, since Joan was in love with Alec when he had no more worldly wealth

ts differ very greatly," he said after a pause, and with a perceptible return to his grandiose manner; "but as you say rightly, both of us are old enough to realize that a reigning King can marry none but a Princess o

, an exact replica of that containing the bombs, a

. Well, Miss Joan Vernon cannot, by the very nature of things, become Queen of Kos

n vain, since Felix seemed to be far more perturbed by the suspected existence of a hole in the outer wrapping of the

almly and without prejudice," he said. "I assume that you are not misleadi

d the hole, applied the surgical method of a tourniq

iciently communicative in other respects," gro

is devil of a cigar has been bored by a weevil, and was

e married your young friend;

Felix, grinnin

t will cost hi

law would prevent him from being a King. But it doesn't. King he is, and King he will remain as long as it pleases God to keep him in good health and save him from the miserable rascals who tried to assassinate him to-day-and their like. What you want, Michael, is a friend who is not afraid to warn you. Now, for the hour, kindly regard me as filling that useful capacity. After twenty-five years of extravagance you have managed, I suppose, to exhaust your excellent wife's fort

ani. You were inspired, Michael, when you resigned your claims in favor of your son. Those two meant to put you forward as their puppet and shove you to the wall as soon as the Delgrado line was restored and they were able to pull the strings here in safety. They never dreamed that Alec, the careless, happy-go-lucky boy, the polo player and haunter of studios, would pr

poured forth a stream of golden words. It will be well for you if you are never called on to apply other test to their value than your own judg

He, too, went to a window and gazed out at the sunl

ed face was curiously haggard, and his prominent eyes looked at the soldiers with the unconscious aspect of a man whose castle in Spain had suddenly proved itself the most deceptive of mirages. Perhaps, for a brief space, he saw himself as Felix s

y plain terms. Not a word passed between them during many minutes. The shuffling tramp and dust of the regiment died away, and the thoroughfare bey

ive confirmation of some of my statements. As for the rest, if I am proved right in

If it is not indiscreet of a parent to betray some interest in a son's pros

I answe

stics of all brides; but these delectable beings do not enter the world

hole year, during her student life in Paris, in fact. Your simile was wel

efore

eve. Her mother died when Joan was a child;

ist, yo

ter description. She is to

ic

as an income of two h

, b

that my dear Joan spends all her money on dress, and keeps soup in the pot by copying pic

d nerves and sang lustily a stanza from "Masaniello." Prince Michael flung o

t this anxious father had asked him no word as to the scene in that bullet sw

given her by the President's family that there were no grounds for the disquieting rumors that arose from Sobieski's appeal

, of course, could only describe the siege and their state of suspense until the soldiers cleared the street of the would-be assassins. As to the motive of the outrage or the manner in which it reached it

fact that he had discovered this girl's whereabouts readily enough, though seemingly the

ened," she said; "but there can be no doubt it was a ruse on his part to distract the attention of the mob when he told his Majesty that I was in the ho

not know you we

on I was any ne

der Providence, become the means of saving Alec's life; for it is quite clear to me

betrothal. It would have come easier if she could claim more consideration from this kind faced, pleasant voiced woman than was warranted by the casual acquaintance of a railway jo

had his way to make in the world. He wrote to me a few days ago, asking me to marry him. I did not know what to say, when chance threw in my way a commission to copy a picture in this very city. Put in such words, it all sounds very mad a

III. found them when he had returned Prince Michael's stately greeting and was told tha