The road was no longer lined by the police, and the military. In their place stood men in every variety of civilian dress, alike alone in this, that every one of them was wearing war medals proudly displayed, in the majority of cases on very threadbare coats. The King turned abruptly to the Duke. "Who are these men with medals?" he asked. "The Legion of Veterans, sir," the Duke replied. "Their old Commander-in-Chief raised his hand, and thousands of them fell in, at once, all over the country. They reinforced the police and the military. There was no need for us to enrol special constables. The Field Marshal asked that they might be given some post of honour today in recognition of their services. It was decided that they should line the Mall here, and provide an auxiliary guard at the palace." And so, guarded now by men whose loyalty had been tried and tested on a dozen battlefields, the carriage passed up the Mall, and swung, at last, through the great central, wrought iron gates, into the quadrangle, in front of the palace-- The Duke was down, and out of the carriage, in a moment. The King stepped out of the carriage, after him. The Duke fell back, half a dozen paces behind the King, and a little to one side-- A massed band of the Guards, drawn up in the centre of the quadrangle began to play the National Anthem. High up, on the flagstaff above the palace roof, the Royal Standard rose, and, caught by the wind, shook out, at once, every inch of its silken folds. Above the flagstaff a score, or more, of decorated aeroplanes swerved, and dived, firing red, white, and blue rockets, a signal seen all over London. The bells of Westminster rang out joyously, followed by the bells of all the city churches. From the Green Park, on the right, came the sudden thunder of the guns of a Royal salute. But louder than the guns, drowning their thunder, the joyous music of the bells, and the music of the band, rose the cheers of the people, near and far, a deep, rhythmical, continuous roar-- For a moment or two, the King remained motionless, rigid, in acknowledgment of the salute. Then he turned sharply to his right, and moved across the quadrangle, followed by the Duke at a distance of some paces, to the main entrance door of the palace. On either side of the palace steps, within the doorway, and in the hall beyond, were ranged Cabinet Ministers, military and naval representatives, and high officials of the Court, and the household staff. The King passed them by only vaguely conscious of their presence, and made straight for the great central, main staircase in the palace. He knew, now, by instinct, rather than by conscious thought, what he had to do. His concern was with the immense crowd round the palace, whose wild cheering he could still hear, even here as he ascended the staircase. He must show himself to the people--