Maimie looked him over with a slow gaze of infinite scorn. “I guess,” she said calmly, “that you’re sort of acclimatised to being despised? You seem to lay yourself out for it so naturally. Usk was pretty wise in warning Félicia against you, and she was doing the best for herself when she chilled you off. What she can see in you----” “Permit me to observe that you are revealing an interesting secret, mademoiselle,” said the King malignantly. “After what you have said it would be ungallant in me not to remain here. I telegraph to Andreivics this morning.” “Now we begin to be moving!” said Maimie to herself, as she left him in speechless contempt. “He don’t even see that I’m having him go the very way I want him. And now for Fay.” She found that Félicia, having worked herself up into a high state of resentment against Usk, had determined to punish him by entering upon a flirtation with the King. Maimie shook her head when Félicia declared her intentions. “I wouldn’t, Fay,” she said. “You’ve done elegantly this far, the way you’ve frozen him off. You’ll only get all of your affairs into a snarl. And what’s more, I don’t believe he’s to be had. He knows just how to take care of himself, and I can’t seem to see you making any sort of impression on him.” This was all that was needed to put Félicia on her mettle. “Maimie Logan,” she said decisively, “did you ever know any man that could take care of himself when I was around? I guess Usk will be sorry that he went off this way.” “Why, what do you mean doing?” Maimie’s tone was full of alarm. “Oh, just make things uncomfortable a little--nothing more.” “But if Usk will just stay away four or five days, there’ll be a good deal more,” was Maimie’s mental comment. “Michael,” said Queen Ernestine to her son four days later, when she had succeeded after many vain attempts in finding him alone, “don’t you think you are paying rather too much attention to Miss Steinherz?” She spoke timidly, anticipating the black frown which gathered at once upon King Michael’s brow, as he bestowed a mental curse upon Félicia’s methods. It was not in her nature to be content with a secret adoration. The King might waylay her in the garden if he chose, or look for her in her favourite nook in the picture-gallery, and enjoy her society until Maimie, posted judiciously near at hand, felt it her duty to interrupt them, but he must not attempt to hide his chains in public. Hence King Michael’s relations had the pleasure of seeing him dancing attendance upon the whims of a languid beauty, who had vouchsafed to lay aside much of her sharpness of tongue, but still betrayed no delight in his attentions. Even Usk could not have desired more absolute unconsciousness of her conquest than Félicia exhibited. “Have you ever known me forget my position?” King Michael asked at last, when his mother’s face had grown more and more anxious. “Never,” she answered, recalling many memories at once humorous and pathetic.