The eyes of the Princess Emma were blazing as she caught the scant
respect in Maenck's manner. She looked quickly toward Barney to see
if he intended rebuking the man for his impertinence. She saw that
the king evidently intended overlooking Maenck's attitude. But Emma
von der Tann was of a different mind.

She had seen Maenck several times at social functions in the
capital. He had even tried to win a place in her favor, but she had
always disliked him, even before the nasty stories of his past life
had become common gossip, and within the year she had won his hatred
by definitely indicating to him that he was persona non grata, in so
far as she was concerned. Now she turned upon him, her eyes flashing
with indignation.

"Do you forget, sir, that you address the king?" she cried. "That
you are without honor I have heard men say, and I may truly believe
it now that I have seen what manner of man you are. The most
lowly-bred boor in all Lutha would not be so ungenerous as to take
advantage of his king's helplessness to heap indignities upon him.

"Leopold of Lutha shall come into his own some day, and my dearest
hope is that his first act may be to mete out to such as you the
punishment you deserve."

Maenck paled in anger. His fingers twitched nervously, but he
controlled his temper remarkably well, biding his time for revenge.

"Take the king to his apartments, Stein," he commanded curtly, "and
you, Lieutenant Butzow, accompany them with a guard, nor leave until