Ughtred slackened his reins about his horse’s neck, and turning round, called to Brand, who was sitting a few yards away making some rapid sketches. The King’s cheeks were flushed with colour, and his eyes were bright.

“What do you think of that, Brand?” he asked, proudly.

He pointed to where a cloud of dust hung round the last company of galloping Thetians. The roll of the drums and the shrill music of the fifes still reached them.

“They are born horsemen, and born soldiers, your Majesty,” Brand answered, with enthusiasm. “I only wish that there were more of them.”

Ughtred smiled.

“The mountains are our chief protection,” he said, with a little wave of his arm. “The passes through which men could be poured into Theos are narrow, and for defensive purposes a small, perfectly-trained army is sometimes as useful as a large one. I am proud of my army, Brand.”

“You have reason,” Brand answered. “I am even now trying to make Europe understand what manner of men these are.”

General Dartnoff came galloping up.

“If your Majesty will ride now to Pinter’s Pass,” he said, “you will be able to trace the progress of the attack.”

The King and Brand rode off together, followed by his small bodyguard.

“Your people have said nothing yet about recalling you?” Ughtred asked.

“Nothing,” Brand answered. “I think that Theos is still being watched with interest.”

“And you yourself?”

Brand looked straight ahead.

“I am content here,” he answered. “I shall be sorry to leave.”

There was the thunder of hoofs on the turf a short distance away, and Marie of Reist in a white riding-habit and the military cap of the Thetian Guards galloped past. Her lithe, superb figure was at its best—she managed her charger with the easy confidence of a born horsewoman. Ughtred eyed her thoughtfully.

“There are not many women like that—even in England, Brand,” he remarked.

“Your Majesty is quite right,” Brand answered. “The Countess of Reist is the most beautiful woman whom I have ever seen.”

Ughtred smiled and looked down into the valley. They reined in their horses upon a small knoll.

“I think that I know one who is more beautiful,” the King said, in an undertone. “I heard this morning from our friends, the Van Dechts, Brand. They are travelling in Italy, and may come on here.”

Brand shrugged his shoulders.

“Your Majesty will find their presence welcome?” he asked.

The King looked at him in surprise.

“Surely! They are friends of mine. It would give me great pleasure to have them here. Why not?”

Brand hesitated.

“I wondered,” he said, slowly, “if they might not find their presence here a little equivocal. Your Majesty is no longer a private individual, and Mr. and Miss Van Decht, however agreeable in themselves, are not of the rank which entitles them to a familiar footing at your Court.”

Ughtred looked at his companion in some surprise.

“That speech,” he remarked, “might have come from Nicholas of Reist—from you, my friend, it sounds strangely.”

“I admit it,” Brand answered. “For myself it is true that I am a democrat, but then I am only a journalist. I have noticed that the few nobles who remain in Theos are aristocrats to the backbone. I believe that you find their principles absolutely rock-bound.”

The King frowned. His eyes had rested upon Marie of Reist, sitting upright in her saddle, and watching eagerly for the development of the sham fight.

“Well, well,” he said, “we shall see! I wish to see the Van Dechts here, and it is useless to meet trouble halfway. Be so good, Brand, as to convey my regards to the Countess of Reist, and suggest that she join us. Our position is better chosen than hers.”

Brand cantered over to her side and repeated the message. She rode with him towards the King.

“You have been much occupied lately, perhaps,” she said to Brand. “My brother tells me that you have been invisible.”

“I have been busy,” he answered. “Perhaps because of my small share in events here, I have become wonderfully interested in Theos. I have been making excursions in all directions. I want to understand many things which are hard for a stranger to form a right idea of.”

She smiled.

“Then why do you not come to me?” she said. “I can tell you very much about Theos. I can tell you about the country people, and how they live. Did I not ask you to come, Mr. Brand? You are very ungallant.”

He met a glance from her dark eyes, and his pale cheeks were suddenly flushed.

“You were good enough to say that you would receive me,” he answered. “If I may come, then, I will.”

“My brother has shown me in the English papers some of the things which you have written about Theos,” she continued. “I cannot tell you what pleasure they gave me. It is a wonderful gift, yours, Mr. Brand. When one reads one seems to see a picture of the whole place. You have written wonderfully of your adventures here.”

“And yet,” he said, in a low tone, “the adventure here which was most interesting to me, which I shall never forget so long as I live, I have not written about at all. It is for the memory only.”

Again their eyes met. He was very bold, this Englishman. Yet though her eyebrows were slightly raised she did not rebuke him.

“I think, perhaps,” she said, “that we had better obey the royal command.”

She touched her horse with the whip, and they galloped up the hillside. Ughtred watched them closely as they rode up. He made room for Marie by his side. Brand had perforce to fall behind. They talked together eagerly of the manoeuvres. The girl was thoroughly well versed in the situation.

“I believe from the south,” she said, “that Theos is unassailable. If only we had more heavy guns for the passes.”

“You have seen the new battery?” Ughtred asked.

She nodded.

“Yes. The Maxims are wonderful.”

“I am expecting,” he said, “that the donor will be paying us a visit here soon.”

She looked up inquiringly.

“An American was it not?”

“An American and his daughter, Mr. and Miss Van Decht. If they come I hope that I may count upon you, Countess, to help me make their visit an enjoyable one.”

“I will do all that I can,” she answered, coldly. “I have never met any Americans. They must be wonderful people. In England they are intermarrying, is it not so, with the aristocracy?”

“There have been many such marriages,” Ughtred assented.

“It is the worst of England,” she murmured. “A great nation, but indeed a nation of shopkeepers. Amongst the nobles, the pride of race seems to have died out. The fear of poverty is to them as the fear of death. Ah, see.”

Through the pass below was a sudden movement. Little puffs of smoke burst out all over the hillside. General Dartnoff and his staff came galloping up.

“Your Majesty,” he said, saluting, “I shall ask for your congratulations on behalf of Colonel Bushnieff. The attacking force have been entrapped into the pass, and are now subject to a terrible cross-fire. Bushnieff’s guns are so placed that every one of them is effectual. I go to give the award. The defending force have easily triumphed.”

“I will come with you,” the King answered.

Brand drew back to let them pass. Marie also lingered. In a moment they were alone. He turned to her.

“You are coming?” he asked.

“I think not. I am tired. My servants are below. I shall return to Theos.”

Brand hesitated.

“My horse is lame,” he remarked.

“I do not wonder at it,” she answered. “You have been galloping about without choosing your way.”

“I too am tired,” he continued, thoughtfully.

Her lips parted.

“I shall be glad of your escort, Mr. Brand.”

They rode slowly across the open country in the waning day. Before them on the hilltop were the grey towers and the piled-up houses of Theos, a picturesque medley with their red roofs and white fronts now fast becoming blurred in the gathering twilight. As they neared the road a sudden waft of perfume from the lavender-fields beyond filled the air, and a breath of wind came sweeping through the yellow corn-fields. Brand, with his hat in his hand, looked thoughtfully about him.

“I think,” he said, “that no man could be born here who would not die for such a country as this. I believe that I am beginning to understand what patriotism might be.”

Her face lit up in a moment.

“It is beautiful,” she said, “to hear you say that. I wish, Mr. Brand,” she added, softly, “that it were your country too. Then we should be sure of one good patriot.”

“I think,” he said, “that if trouble came to Theos I should be proud to reckon myself amongst her sons. I have never seen country people like yours. I have ridden into the furthest parts, and wherever I have seen men and women I have heard singing. I have been greeted like a friend. I have been offered bread and wine before I could even dismount. How they toil, too. No wonder the soil is fruitful.”

“Oh, it is good to hear you talk like this,” she cried, with a sudden little burst of passion. “The love of my country is in my blood—it is part of me. I could not live if Theos were dishonoured, and lately there have been so many sorrows. I seem to have found myself listening, and over the land there has been silence, no longer the whistling of the men and the singing of women. It has been as though something terrible has always been about to happen. It is a fancy, of course. Nicholas laughs at me. It is foolish! But the love of Theos is more to me than the love of life. I fear for her when for myself I have no fear. Tell me, Mr. Brand, this seems strange talk to you.”

“I know Theos, and I know you,” he answered. “I understand.”

She did not speak again for some time, but he saw that her eyes were full of tears, and he kept his face turned from her. When at last they passed into the city she spoke to him softly.

“I am indeed very foolish,” she said, “but just now I am anxious. Theos seems to have made for herself new enemies. The coming of Ughtred of Tyrnaus has provoked Russia, and it is the one country which I fear most. You will come and see me soon, Mr. Brand?”

He bowed over the hand which she held half-shyly out. It was not a form of greeting in which she often indulged.

“I will surely come,” he answered.

He left her at the Reist house and rode slowly towards his own quarters. Already the streets were lined with people awaiting the return of the King and the troops. Torches were waved hither and thither. In the open space in front of the palace a huge bonfire had been lit. Everywhere was the pleasant murmur of cheerful voices. Further down the street they were singing in a low rhythmical chant the National Anthem. Now the King was in sight, and a roar of voices welcomed him. The front of the palace blazed out in a fire of illuminations, a shower of rockets shrieked upwards from the park. The King was coming. Long live the King!