The Princess Dehra
BY JOHN R$ED SCOTT.
Copyright. 190*. by John Ree<! Scott —
CHAPTER III.
The Royal Council.
Count Epping was the last of
the five ministers to arrive at the
council, the following morning,
lie caine in, a few minutes be
fore the hour, acknowledged with
grave courtesy, but brief words,
the greetings of the other's, and
when his secretary had put his
dispatch box on the table he im
mediately opened it, and busied
himself with his papers. It was
his way—and none of them had
ever seen him otherwise; but now’
there seemed to be a special sig
nificance in his silence and pre
occupation.
J he failure ol the court jour
nal to appear that morning had
broken a custom that ante-dated
the memory of man, and the in
formation which was promptly
conveyed to the ministers that at
was delayed until evening, and
by the personal order of the
prime minister, had provoked
both amazement and expectancy.
It could mean only that the pa
per was being held for something
that must he in that day’s is
sue, and as they had promptly
disclaimed to one another alb re
sponsibility, the inference was
not difficult that it had to do
wit lithe new king's first proc
lamation.
“The count was at the castle
last evening,” Duval, the war
minister, had remarked, “and I
assumed it was to submit the
proclamation and have it
signed.”
Baron Retz, the minister of
justice, shrugged hjs shoulders.
“May he you assumed correct
ly,” he remarked.
The others looked at him with
quick interest, hut got only a
smile and another shrug.
“Then why didn't he sign it?”
Duval demanded.
The baron leaned hack in his
chair and studied the ceiling.
“When you say 'lie’, you mean
•-?”
“The king, of course,” the
other snapped., “Who the devil
else would 1 mean?”
“And by 'the king’,” drawled
Rotz, “you mean-?”
There was a sudden silence —
then General Duval brought his
fist down on the table with a
bang.
“Monsieur le Baron,” he ex
claimed, “you understand per
fectly whom I meant by the king
—the Archduke Armand. If he
is not the king, and you know it,
it is your duly as a member of the
council to disclose the fact to us
forthwith; this is no time nor
place to indulge in innuendoes.”
The baron’s small grey eyes
turned slowly and, for a brief
instant, lingered, with a dull glit
ter, on the war minister’s face.
“My dear general,” he
laughed, “you are so precipitate.
If you ever lead an army you
will deal only iu frontal attacks
•—and defeats. I assure you I
knowr nothing; but to restate
your own question : if the Arch
duke Armand be the king, why
didn’t he sign the proclama
tion?”
Steuben, the grey bearded min
ister of the interior, cut in with
a growl.
“What is the profit of all these
wonderful theories!” he demand
ed, eyeing Retz. “The ordinary
and reasonable explanation is
that the proclamation is to be
submitted to us this morning.”
“In which event,” said the
baron, “we shall have the ex
planation in a very few minutes,”
and resumed his study of the
ceiling.
“And in the meantime,” re
marked Admiral Marquand, “l
am moved to inquire, where is the
duke of Lotzen! ”
Steuben gave a gruff laugh.
“Doubtless the department of
justice can also offer a violent
presumption on that subject.”
“On the contrary, my friend,”
said Retz, “it will offer the very
natural presumption that the
Duke of Lotzen is hastening to
Dornlitz ; to the funeral—and the
coronation.”
“Whose coronation!” Duval
asked quickly.
“My dear General,” said the
Baron, “there can’t be two kings
of Valeria, and it would seem
that the army has spoken for the
Archduke Armand.”
“And the department of jus
tice for whom!” the general ex
claimed.
A faint sneer played over
Retz’s lips. “Monsieur le Gener
al forgets that when the army
speaks, justice is bound aud
gagged.”
It was at that moment that
Const. Epping had entered.
When the clock on the mantel
chimed the rour the count sat
down and motioned the others to
attend.
“Will not the king be pres
ent, T” Iietz asked casually, as he
took his place.
The prime minister looked at
him in studious comprehension.
“Patience, monsieur, pati
ence,” he said softly, “his majes
ty will doubtless join us in prop
er time. Have yoq, any business
that requires his personal atten
tion”
The baron shook his head.
“No—nothing. I was only curi
ous as to what uniform he would
wear.”
A faint smile touched the
count’s thin lips.
‘‘‘Hut more particularly curi
ous ns to who would wear it,” he
remarked dryly.
Retz swung around and faced
him.
“My lord,” he said, “I would
ask you, who is king of Valeria:
the Archduke Armand or Ferdi
nand of Lotzen.”
The old minister’s smile chilled
to a sneer.
“That is a most astonishing
question from the chief law of
ficer of the kingdom,” he said.
“Rut not so astonishing as that
he should be compelled to ask it,”
was the quick answer.
“Is there, then, monsieur, any
doubt in your mind as to the eld
est male of the House of Dal
berg?”
“None whatever; but can you
assure us that he is king!”
“What has my ussurance to do
with the matter?” the count
asked. “By the laws of the Dal
bergs the crown has always
passed to the eldest male.”
The baron laughed quietly.
“At last we near the point—the
laws. There is no doubt that, by
birth, the Archduke Armand is
the eldest male; yet what of the
decree of the Great Henry as to
Hugo? As I remember, Fred
erick explained enough of it to
I he council to cover Armand’s as
sumption of his ancestor’s rank
and estates, but said no word as
to the crown.” He leaned for
ward and looked the old count in
the eyes. “And I ask you now,
my lord, if under the decree, Ar
mand became the heir presump
tive, why was it that, at all our
sessions, tin* Duke of Lotzen, un
til his banishment, retained his
place on the king's right, and Ar
mand sat oti the left? Is it not
a fair inference, from the actions
of the three men who know the
exact words of the decree, that,
though it restored Hugo’s heir to
archdueal rank, it specifically
barred him from crown?”
The prime minister had lis
tened with an impassive facj and
now he nodded curtly.
“There might be some weight
to your argument, Monsieur le
liaroil,” he said, “if you dis
played a more judicial spirit in
itsj presentation—and if you did
not know otherwise.”
“I shall not permit even
you-” Retz broke in.
The count silenced him with a
wave'of his hand. “You have
sat at this board with us, and
since the Duke of Lotzen’s ab
sence, at least, you have seen
our dead master treat the Arch
duke Armand, in every way, as
his successor; and on one oc
casion, in your hearing and to
your knowledge—for I saw you
slyly note the exact words, on
your cuff—he referred to him as
the one who would ‘come after.'
Hence, l say, you are not honest
with the council."
“I felicitate your lordship on
your powers of observation and
recollection," said Retz suave
ly; “they are vastly more effec
tive and timely than mine, which,
I confess, hesitate at miracles.
But with due modesty. I submit
there is a fery simple way to
settle this question quickly and
finally. Let us have the exact
words of Henry’s decree. I am
well aware it is unprecedented
for any but a Dalberg to see the
Dalberg laws; but we are facing
an uaprecendented condition.
Never before has a Dalberg king
failed to have a son to follow him.
Now, we hearken back for gener
ations, with a mysterious juggle
intervening; and it is for him
who claims the throne to prove
his title. Before the coming of
the American there was no ques
tion that Lotzen was the heir pre
sumptive. Did he lose the place
when Armand became an arch-„
duket The decree alone can de
termine ; let it be submitted to the
royal council for inspection."
“The minister of justice is
overdoing his part," said the old
count, addressing the other min
isters.
“It is not for him nor his de
partment to dictate the method
by which Dalbergs shall decide
their kingship, nor does it lie in
the mouth of any of us to demand
an inspection of the, book of laws.
So much for principle and an
cient custom. It may be ftie
pleasure of the archduke to con
firm his right by exhibiting to us
the laws; or the Duke of Lotzen
may challenge his title, and so
force their submission to us or
to the house of nobles for decis
ion. But, as the matter stands
now, the council has no discre
tion. We must accept the eldest
male Dalberg as king of Valeria;
and, as you very well know"
(looking directly at Eetz) “none
but a I)jilberg may dispute his
claim—do you, Monsieur le Bar
on, wish to be understood as
speaking for the Duke of Lot
zenT
Retz leaned back in his chair
and laughed.
“No no, my lord, no, no!” he
said. “I speak no more for Lotzen
than you do for Armand.”
“So it would be seen—though
not with the same motives,” the
Count sneered—then arose hast
ily. “The king, my lords, the
king!” he exclaimed, as the door
in the far corner opened ,?nd Ar
mand entered, unattended, and
behind him came a man-servanf
bearing a brass-bound, black oak
box, inlaid with silver.
Never had any of the council
seen it, yet instantly all surmised
what it contained; and, courtiers
though they were, they (save the
old count) started at it so curi
ously that the archduke, with an
amused glance at the latter,
turned and motioned the servant
to precede him.
“Place it before his excellency,
the prime minister,” he said; and
now the stares shifted, in un
feigned astonishment to Armand
—while the Count’s thin lips
twitched ever so slightly, and,
for an instant, faded blue eyes
actually sparkled, as they ling
ered in calm derision on the bar
on’s face.
And Retz, turning suddenly,
caught the look and straightway
realized he had been outplayed.
He understood, now, that the
count had been aware, all along,
of the archduke’s purpose to pro
duce the laws to the council, this
morning, and that he, by his very
persistence, had given the grim
old diploniat an opportunity to
demonstrate, in the most effec
tive fashion, the unprecedented
honor Armand was now doing
them. It was irritating enough
to be out manoeuvered, but to
have his own ammunition seized
and used to enhance another’s
triumph was scaring to his pride;
and, in truth, this was not the
first time the Prime Minister had
left his scar and a score to settle
between them.
“Be seated, my lords,” said
Armand, “and accept my apolo<
gies for my tardiness,” and he
took the chair at the head of the
table.
Count Eppir.g drew his sword
and raised it high.
“Valeria hails the head of the
house of Dalberg as the king!”
he cried.
And back from the others, as
their blades rang together above
the table, came the echo:
“We hail the Dalberg King!”
It was the ancient formula,
which had always been used to
welcome the new ruler upon his
first entrance to the royal coun
cil.
And it had come as yet another
scar to Retz, for it put him to the
choice—whether to play the fool
now, or the dastard later—and
that with every eye upon him,
even the archduke’s, whose
glance had instinctively followed
the others’. Yet he had made it
instantly, smiling mockingly at
the count; and his voice rang
loud and his sword was the last
to fall. *
But Armand kuew nothing of
this old ceremony, and the sur
prise of it brought him sharply
to his feet, with his hand at the
salute, while his face and brow
went ruddy and his fingers chill.
It was for him to speak, he knew,
yet speak he could not. But when
led by Count Epping, they
crowded close about him and
bent knee and would have kissed
his hand, he drew back and
waved them up.
“I thank you, my lords, I
thank you from my heart,” he
said gravely, “though not yet
will I assume to accept either
the homage or the greeting. They
belong to him who is king of
Valeria, and whether I be he I
do not know\ As the eldest male,
the presumption is with me; yet
as the monarch has full power
to choose his sucetesor from any
of the Dalbergs. it may have been
his pleasure, under the peculiar
condit’ons now exisiting, to name
another as his heir. Hence it is
my purpose to submit to you the
book of laws, that you may in
spect the “decrees and ascertain
to whom the crown descends. I
am informed this is a proceeding
utterly unknown; that the Dal
berg laws, are seen only by Dal
berg eyes. Yet, as I apprehend
there will be another claimant,
who will have a hearty following,
and as, in the jgnd, it is the laws
that will decide between us, it is
best they should decide now. If,
by them, I am king of Valeria
I will assume the crown and its
prerogativen; and if I am not
king, then I will do homage to
him who is, and join with you
in his service.”
He paused, and instantly Gen
eral Duval flashed up his sword.
“God save your royal high
ness!” he cried. “God grant
that you be king.”
And as the-others gave it back
for answer, their blades locked
above the archdnke’s head, the
corridor behind them swung
open, and Ferdinand of Lotzen
entered and, unnoticed, came
slowly down the room.
All night, with a clear track
and a special train, he had been
speeding to the capital, anxious
and fearful, for in an inter
regnum hours count as days
against the absent claimant to a
throne. But when, at the station,
he learned from Baron Rosen
that the proclamation had not
yet been issued and the council
had been called for 10 o’clock,
the prospect brightened, and he
hurried to the palace.
Yet there was small encrntr
agement in the scene before him,
though the words of the acclaim
and the black box on the table
puzzled him. Why, with the laws
at their disposal, should thero
be any doubt as to who was
king ! So he leaned upon a chair
and waited, a contemptuous
smile on his lips, a storm of hate
an danger in his heart. Those
shouts, thoso swords, those ar
dent faces should all have been
his; would all have been his, but
for this foreigner, this American,
this usurper, this thief. And his
fingers closed about his sword's
hilt and, for the shadow of an
instant, he was tempted t6 spring
in and drive the blade through
his rival’s throat. But instead
he laughedJand when at the
sound they whirled around, he
laughed again, searching the
while every face with his crafty
eyes, and, save in Retz’s, finding
no trace of confusion nor regret.
“A pretty picture, messieurs,”
he jeered, “truly, a pretty pic
ture—pray don’t let me disturb
it; though I might inquire, since
when has the royal council of
Valeria gone in for private thea
tricals I”
And Armand promptly gave
him back his laugh.
“Our cousin of Lotzen appears
in good time,” he said very soft
ly. “Will he not come into the
picture!”
Ferdinand shook his head. “In
pictures of that sort, there can be
but one central figure,” he an
swered.
The archduke swung his hand
toward the ministers.
“True, quite,” said he; “but
there is ample space for your
royal highness in the back
ground.”
Lotzen’s face went white, and
he measured Armand with the
steady stare of implacable hate,
though on his lips the sneering
smile still lingered.
And presently he answered:
“I trust, monsieur, you will not
mistake my meaning, when ^ as
sure you that there isn’t spaice
enough in such a picture to con
tain us both.”
“It is a positive pleasure, Mon
sieur le Due,” returned Armand
quickly, “to find, at last, one
matter in which our minds can
meet. ’ ’
And so, for a time, they stood
at gaze, while the others watched
them, Avondering and in silence!
Then the archduke spoke again :
“And now, my dear cousin,
since Ave understand each other,
I suggest Ave permit the royal
council to continue its session. Be
seated, messicurd*;” and Avith a
nod to the ministers, he resumed
his place at the head of the table.
(To Be Continued) Next Week)
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