cafe and remained there with him for three hours, and from
that cafe you came directly here to this room. If he knows
the truth, he learned it in that cafe, and he learned it from
you!" There was a ring of such earnestness and sincerity in
the King's speech, and he delivered it with such indignation
and bitter contempt that a shout of relief, of approbation and
conviction, went up from his hearers, and fell as quickly on
the words as the applause of an audience drowns out the last
note of a great burst of song. Barrat, in the excess of his
relief, turned his back sharply on the King, glancing sideways
at Erhaupt and shaking his head in speechless admiration.

"He is wonderful, simply wonderful," Erhaupt muttered; "he
would have made a great actor or a great diplomat."

"He is wasted as a King," whispered Barrat.

There was a menacing movement on the part of the younger men
toward Gordon and General Renauld, which the King noted, but
which he made no effort to check. Neither Gordon nor General
Renauld gave any sign that they observed it. The American was
busily engaged in searching his pockets, and from one of these
he produced two pieces of paper, which he held up above his
head, so that those in the room might see them.

"One moment, please," he began, and then waited until the
tumult in the room had ceased. "Again, I must point out to
you," he said, in brisk, business-like tones, "that we are
digressing. The important thing is not who did, or did not,
sell out the expedition, but that it is in danger of failing