little Prince's "morganatic godfather." For two years he had been a
constant resident of Graustark, living contentedly, even indolently, in
the picturesque old Castle, his rooms just across the corridor from
those occupied by the little Prince. To this small but important bit of
royalty he was "Uncle Jack"; in that capacity he was the most beloved
and at the same time the most abused gentleman in all Graustark. As many
as ten times a week he was signally banished from the domain by the
loving, headstrong little ruler, only to be recalled with grave dignity
and a few tears when he went so far as to talk of packing his "duds" in
obedience to the edict.

John Tullis, strong character though he was, found this lazy, _dolce far
niente_ life much to his liking. He was devoted to the boy; he was
interested in the life at this tiny court. The days of public and court
mourning for the lamented Princess and her husband wearing away after an
established period, he found himself eagerly delving into the gaieties
that followed. Life at the Castle and in the homes of the nobility
provided a new and sharp contrast to the busy, sordid existence he had
known at home. It was like a fine, wholesome, endless dream to him. He
drifted on the joyous, smiling tide of pleasure that swept Edelweiss
with its careless waves night and day. Clever, handsome, sincere in his
attitude of loyalty toward these people of the topmost east, he was not
long in becoming a popular idol.

His wide-awake, resourceful brain, attuned by nature to the difficulties
of administration, lent itself capably to the solving of many knotty
financial puzzles; the ministry was never loth to call on him for
advice and seldom disposed to disregard it. An outsider, he never
offered a suggestion or plan unasked; to this single qualification he
owed much of the popularity and esteem in which he was held by the