His companion leaned forward to look through the window. When he caught
sight of Marco, a singular expression crossed his face.

"He does belong to an army, sir," he answered, "though he does not know
it. His name is Marco Loristan."

Then Marco saw him plainly for the first time. He was the man with the
keen eyes who had spoken to him in Samavian.




IV

THE RAT


Marco would have wondered very much if he had heard the words, but, as
he did not hear them, he turned toward home wondering at something else.
A man who was in intimate attendance on a king must be a person of
importance. He no doubt knew many things not only of his own ruler's
country, but of the countries of other kings. But so few had really
known anything of poor little Samavia until the newspapers had begun to
tell them of the horrors of its war--and who but a Samavian could speak
its language? It would be an interesting thing to tell his father--that
a man who knew the King had spoken to him in Samavian, and had sent that
curious message.

Later he found himself passing a side street and looked up it. It was so
narrow, and on either side of it were such old, tall, and sloping-walled