Part 29 (1/2)

But I'm obliged to him. Smith is the best servant I've struck since I first took to employing a hired help.”

”It will be sad,” said the King, ”when you kill him. A great loss.”

”I don't know,” said Donovan, ”that I mean to kill him. He's a valuable man.”

”The proper thing to do,” said Gorman, ”is to put him on board the Megalian navy and leave him to the admiral.”

”Seems a pity,” said Donovan. ”I don't see how I could make my way along the rugged path of life without Smith. He hasn't done me any kind of harm so far. I think I'll wait a bit. It would worry me to have to step down and take hold now. My heart----”

”What I can't get at even yet,” said Gorman, ”is the idea in the Emperor's mind. He piles up sc.r.a.p iron and ridiculous-looking cisterns in a cave. He deluges the place with petrol. He sets a spy on Donovan.

Now what the devil does he do it for?”

The King shrugged his shoulders.

”_Real Politik_, perhaps,” he said. ”But how do I know? I am a king, certainly. But I am not a whale on the sea of _Real Politik_. Your whale is a fish that bores, always. Perhaps if you ask Fritz he will know.”

”By the way,” said Donovan, ”what's the man's real name?”

”Once,” said the King, ”he was Calmet, M. de Calmet. At that time he was French. Later he was Heyduk, a Captain in the army of Megalia.

Also he was Freidwig, and he came from Stockholm. He was for some time the Count Pozzaro. I have also heard----”

”That's enough for me,” said Donovan. ”I'll stick to Smith as long as he'll answer to it. Seems simpler.”

Gorman rose from his chair and crossed the balcony. He stood for a minute or two looking out at the bay. Smith's boat, rowed steadily, reached the side of the steamer. Smith climbed on board.

”I shouldn't wonder,” said Gorman, ”if we've seen the last of our friend Smith.”

”I hope not,” said Donovan. ”Why do you think so?”

”Well,” said Gorman, ”if I were in his shoes I think I should stay in the Megalian navy. It'll be rather awkward for him now we've found him out.”

”He will return,” said the King.

”I shouldn't,” said Gorman. ”Of course that admiral, being the kind of man he is, it's risky to stay with him; but then Smith has got to take risks whatever he does. And he may have some sort of safe conduct from the Emperor which will make the admiral nervous about cutting his throat.”

”He will return,” said the King. ”It is plain that the Emperor has said to him: 'Follow the smell of the American.' He will not leave it.”

”Oh, of course,” said Gorman. ”I'm always forgetting the Emperor. If he has given definite orders of that kind they'll be obeyed. I daresay Smith is telegraphing for definite instructions at this moment. They have a wireless installation, so I suppose he can.”

”Behold,” said the King. ”My luggage descends to the boat. Smith will follow. Did I not tell you?”

Two sailors were lowering various suit-cases and bags into the boat. A few minutes later Smith dropped from the steamer's side and took the oars.

”Donovan,” said Gorman, ”the Emperor is evidently really anxious about your smell.”

CHAPTER XXI

I do not think that the Emperor's plan for restoring Salissa to the Crown of Megalia by means of a marriage would have worked, even if there had been no such person as Maurice Phillips. The Queen did not like Konrad Karl. She was not, of course, openly disagreeable or uncivil to him. She was too sweet-tempered and good-hearted to be disagreeable to any one, and she had a strong sense of what was due to a guest in her house. But it was plain enough not only to Gorman, but to the King himself, that she did not like him. This does not appear to have been the King's fault. Konrad Karl had many of the instincts of a gentleman. It is an odd fact, but I think undeniable, that a man may be a blackguard and remain a gentleman. There was, for instance, no fault to be found with Konrad Karl's behaviour towards the Queen, though he had come to the island intending to insult her by marrying her. He did his best to talk pleasantly to her, and he could be very pleasant when he chose. He never attempted to flirt with her. His manner was always respectful and he tried to help her in various ways, even going to her school in the mornings and giving the children drawing lessons. She could not herself have told why she disliked him. She certainly had no idea that there was any question of his marrying her. But she slipped into the habit of spending most of her time in the boat with Kalliope. Konrad Karl used to go down to the palace steps and see her off. He never ventured into a boat himself.