present to the king that we are indeed his loyal supporters. It

would have dispelled at once such fears and doubts as he may still

entertain of our fealty."

"Yes, I, too, am sorry," agreed Zellerndorf. "I can assure you that

the news we hoped Captain Maenck would bring from America would have

gone a long way toward restoring you to the confidence and good

graces of the king."

"I did my best," came another voice that caused Barney's eyes to go

wide in astonishment, for it was none other than the voice of Maenck

himself. "Twice I risked hanging to get him and only came away after

I had been recognized."

"It is too bad," sighed Zellerndorf; "though it may not be without

its advantages after all, for now we still have this second bugbear

to frighten Leopold with. So long, of course, as the American lives

there is always the chance that he may return and seek to gain the

throne. The fact that his mother was a Rubinroth princess might make

it easy for Von der Tann to place him upon the throne without much

opposition, and if he married the old man's daughter it is easy to

conceive that the prince might favor such a move. At any rate, it

should not be difficult to persuade Leopold of the possibility of

such a thing.

"Under the circumstances Leopold is almost convinced that his only

hope of salvation lies in cementing friendly relations with the most

powerful of Von der Tann's enemies, of which you three gentlemen

stand preeminently in the foreground, and of assuring to himself the

support of Austria. And now, gentlemen," he went on after a pause,

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