Emma von der Tann did not know whether to be frightened or amused.

As her eyes met the clear, gray ones of the man she could not

believe that insanity lurked behind that laughing, level gaze of her

carrier. She found herself continually forgetting that the man was

mad. He had turned toward the bank now, and a couple of steps

carried them to the low sward that fringed the little brooklet. Here

he lowered her to the ground.

"Your majesty is very strong," she said. "I should not have

expected it after the years of confinement you have suffered."

"Yes," he said, realizing that he must humor her--it was difficult

to remember that this lovely girl was insane. "Let me see, now just

what was I in prison for? I do not seem to be able to recall it. In

Nebraska, they used to hang men for horse stealing; so I am sure it

must have been something else not quite so bad. Do you happen to

know?"

"When the king, your father, died you were thirteen years old," the

girl explained, hoping to reawaken the sleeping mind, "and then your

uncle, Prince Peter of Blentz, announced that the shock of your

father's death had unbalanced your mind. He shut you up in Blentz

then, where you have been for ten years, and he has ruled as regent.

Now, my father says, he has recently discovered a plot to take your

life so that Peter may become king. But I suppose you learned of

that, and because of it you escaped!"

"This Peter person is all-powerful in Lutha?" he asked.

"He controls the army," the girl replied.

"And you really believe that I am the mad king Leopold?"

"You are the king," she said in a convincing manner.

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