present state of carnage in Europe I rather doubt that there are

many headwaiters jobs open this side of the American metropolis, and

I can't for the moment think of anything else at which you would

shine--with all due respect to some excellent headwaiters I have

known."

For some time the king remained silent. He was thinking. He

realized that it lay in the power of the American to do precisely

what he had threatened to do. No one would doubt his identity. Even

Peter of Blentz had not recognized the real king despite Leopold's

repeated and hysterical claims.

Lieutenant Butzow, the American's best friend, had no more suspected

the exchange of identities. Von der Tann, too, must have been

deceived. Everyone had been deceived. There was no hope that the

people, who really saw so little of their king, would guess the

deception that was being played upon them. Leopold groaned. Barney

opened his eyes and turned toward him.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"I will sign the release and the sanction of her highness' marriage

to you," said the king.

"Good!" exclaimed the American. "You will then go at once to

Brosnov as originally planned. I will return to Lustadt and get her

highness, and we will immediately leave Lutha via Brosnov. There you

and I will effect a change of raiment, and you will ride back to

Lustadt with the small guard that accompanies her highness and me to

the frontier."

"Why do you not remain in Lustadt?" asked the king. "You could as

well be married there as elsewhere."

"Because I don't trust your majesty," replied the American. "It must

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