"I am going away to fight," he said, "and I leave my dear daughter behind. In my absence, her Royal Highness will of course rule the country. I want her to feel that she can lean upon you, Countess, for advice and support. I know that I can trust you, for you have just given me a great proof of your devotion and courage." "Oh, your Majesty!" said Belvane deprecatingly, but feeling very glad that it hadn't been wasted. "Hyacinth is young and inexperienced. She needs a--a----" "A mother's guiding hand," said Belvane softly. The King started and looked away. It was really too late to propose now; he had so much to do before the morrow. Better leave it till he came back from the war. "You will have no official position," he went on hastily, "other than your present one of Mistress of the Robes; but your influence on her will be very great." The Countess had already decided on this. However there _is_ a look of modest resignation to an unsought duty which is suited to an occasion of this kind, and the Countess had no difficulty in supplying it. "I will do all that I can, your Majesty, to help--gladly; but will not the Chancellor----" "The Chancellor will come with me. He is no fighter, but he is good at spells." He looked round to make sure that they were alone, and then went on confidentially, "He tells me that he has discovered in the archives of the palace a Backward Spell of great value. Should he be able to cast this upon the enemy at the first onslaught, he thinks that our heroic army would have no difficulty in advancing." "But there will be other learned men," said Belvane innocently, "so much more accustomed to affairs than us poor women, so much better able"--("What nonsense I'm talking," she said to herself)--"to advise her Royal Highness----" "Men like that," said the King, "I shall want with me also. If I am to invade Barodia properly I shall need every man in the kingdom. Euralia must be for the time a country of women only." He turned to her with a smile and said gallantly, "That will be--er---- It is--er--not--er----. One may well--er----" It was so obvious from his manner that something complimentary was struggling to the surface of his mind, that Belvane felt it would be kinder not to wait for it. "Oh, your Majesty," she said, "you flatter my poor sex." "Not at all," said the King, trying to remember what he had said. He held out his hand. "Well, Countess, I have much to do." "I, too, your Majesty." She made him a deep curtsey and, clasping tightly the precious diary, withdrew. The King, who still seemed worried about something, returned to his table and took up his pen. Here Hyacinth discovered him ten minutes later. His table was covered with scraps of paper and, her eyes lighting casually upon one of them, she read these remarkable words: "_In such a land I should be a most contented subject._" She looked at some of the others. They were even shorter: