dined with the King and danced with the Princess."

"Done!" said I.

"All I stipulate is that you do nothing to avoid King Frederick's
invitation."

"And the Princess?" I asked.

"I'm counting on her to win me the bet," he laughed.

I picked up the picture and studied it again. The longer I looked the
more willing I was to give Courtney a chance to eat my dinner.

"If the opportunity comes I'll dance with her," I said.

"Of course you will--but will you stop there, I wonder?"

I tapped my grey-besprinkled hair.

"They are no protection," he said. "I don't trust even my own to keep
me steady against a handsome woman."

"They are playing us false even now," said I. "I'm not going to
Valeria to decide a dinner bet."

"You're not. You're going as the representative of our Army to observe
the Valerian-Titian War."

"You're as good as a gypsy or a medium. When do I start?"