"And who might Coronel be?" said the King, rather sternly. "He's--he's--well, he's---- Here he is, Father." She ran up to him impulsively as he came in at the door. "Oh, Coronel, you're just in time; do tell Father who you are." Coronel bowed profoundly to the King. "Before I explain myself, your Majesty," he said, "may I congratulate your Majesty on your wonderful victory over the Barodians? From the little I have gathered outside, it is the most remarkable victory that has ever occurred. But of course I am longing to hear the full story from your Majesty's own lips. Is it a fact that your Majesty made his way at dead of night to the King of Barodia's own tent and challenged him to mortal combat and slew him?" There was an eagerness, very winning, in his eyes as he asked it; he seemed to be envying the King such an adventure--an adventure after his own heart. Merriwig was in an awkward position. He wondered for a moment whether to order his daughter out of the room. "Leave us, my child," he would say. "These are matters for men to discuss." But Hyacinth would know quite well why she had been sent out, and would certainly tell Coronel the truth of the matter afterwards. It really looked as if Coronel would have to be let into the secret too. He cleared his throat noisily by way of preparation. "There are certain state reasons," he said with dignity, "why that story has been allowed to get about." "Pardon, your Majesty. I have no wish to----" "But as you know so much, you may as well know all. It happened like this." Once more he told the story of his midnight visit, and of the King's letter to him. "But, your Majesty," cried Coronel, "it is more wonderful than the other. Never was such genius of invention, such brilliance and daring of execution." "So you like it," said Merriwig, trying to look modest. "I love it." "I knew he'd love it," put in Hyacinth. "It's just the sort of story that Coronel would love. Tell him about how you fought the King at the beginning of the war, and how you pretended to be a swineherd, and how--" Could any father have resisted? In a little while Hyacinth and Coronel were seated eagerly at his feet, and he was telling once more the great story of his adventures. "Well, well," said the King at the end of it, when he had received their tribute of admiration. "Those are just a few of the little adventures that happen in war time." He turned to Coronel. "And so you, I understand, wish to marry my daughter?" "Does that surprise your Majesty?" "Well, no, it doesn't. And she, I understand, wishes to marry you." "Yes, please, Father." "That," said Coronel simply, "is much more surprising." Merriwig, however, was not so sure of that. He liked the look of Coronel, he liked his manner, and he saw at once that he knew a good story--when he heard one. "Of course," he said, "you'll have to win her."