THE 
 
 UNKNOWN 
 
 Mr. KENT
 
 Y 
 
 V
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 ROY NORTON
 
 The Unkown 
 Mr. Kent 
 
 By ROY NORTON 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 
 'The Plunderer," "The Mediator," Etc. 
 
 A. L. BURT COMPANY 
 
 Publishers New York 
 
 Published by arrangements with GEORGK H. DOR AN COMPANY
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1916, 
 BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY 
 
 FEINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 2132027
 
 THE UNKNOWN 
 MR. KENT 
 
 CHAPTER ONE 
 
 THERE are just three sorts of men in this 
 world who have an ambition that is worth 
 a cuss! Hermits, billionaires, and burg- 
 lars; and all they ask is to be left alone," de- 
 clared John Rhodes on the day when, with pains- 
 taking attention to details, he took the last pre- 
 cautions to obliterate his footsteps and disap- 
 peared. He might have added, "I'm one of 'em," 
 and if the inquisitive had asked which one, would 
 probably have answered, "Burglar." 
 
 Furthermore, there were numerous financiers 
 over different sections of the globe who would 
 have agreed with him heartily, perhaps vocifer- 
 ously. Not that the methods by which, with 
 amazing and cumulative steadiness, he had ac- 
 quired his vast fortune were more reprehensive 
 than those of other financiers; but because he 
 was endowed with such appalling foresight, stead- 
 iness of nerve, and ingenuity of resource that it 
 
 [7]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 seemed impossible to drive him into a corner and 
 keep him there. And this was naturally much of 
 a disappointment to rival magnates. His most 
 peculiar characteristic, however, was such a 
 morbid hatred for publicity that even those who 
 could have identified him on the street were few 
 and it became a tradition that, whenever possible, 
 his business was transacted through agents. Also 
 that of these agents Richard Kent was the one 
 who effected nearly all the largest deals ; also that 
 if there was any truth in the adage, "Like master 
 like man," Rhodes must have been a " terror," 
 inasmuch as, in the parlance of the street, Kent 
 was a ' * Hum-dinger ! " 
 
 It was admitted that Kent could be neither bul- 
 lied, bribed, influenced nor employed, because at 
 different times all these tactics had been tried un- 
 successfully. There were diverse opinions of him. 
 Some agreed with that expressed by a certain 
 renowned financial light, pillar of a fashionable 
 church, advertised as a philanthropist, moralist, 
 and patriot, who declared wrothfully, "Kent is 
 nothing more nor less than a blithering ass ! A 
 fool! Why, do you know, he's so stupid that he 
 can tell Rhodes' money from his own? He re- 
 fused fifty thousand dollars I offered him as a 
 gift, when all he had to do to get it was to tell 
 me whether Rhodes was a bull or a bear on Steel 
 Common? Plain dishonest, I call him!" 
 
 [8]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Others, disagreeing, liked him because he kept 
 his word; but most of those were unimportant 
 people, who, therefore, didn't count. 
 
 That Kent was astonishingly qualified to act as 
 Rhodes' agent in foreign countries, some were 
 aware; for amongst his conspicuous talents was 
 that of languages, of which he made a hobby. This 
 was proven by the assertion of a distinguished 
 polyglot, who could have given "cards and 
 spades" to the average university professor of 
 languages, being a waiter in a Broadway restau- 
 rant. 
 
 "He's a heller!" said he. "Talks at least five 
 languages, each one better than the other. And 
 he can cuss in all five of 'em. Found it out one 
 night when he got sore at the head waiter, who 
 was a bit uppish, because there was a short change 
 on his meal bill, a hold-up in the cloak room, pair 
 of gloves swiped from his overcoat pocket by a 
 page boy and the waiter handed him coffee with 
 a harmless little roach in it! And that ain't all, 
 either. He'd had a row at the front door with a 
 chauffeur because the guy flipped his flag and 
 tried to double the fare before this Kent could 
 look at the dial. Fine chance an honest working- 
 man's got with him, eh? He ain't no New Yorker, 
 because if he was, he'd stand for it, and what's 
 more, he'd like it. Besides, a perfect gent don't 
 make no fuss over little things like them. He can 
 
 [9]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 talk some, all right, believe me, but he's either a 
 Boston feller or a piker. Give me one live one 
 from Pittsburgh or Goldfields, every time. You 
 can tell what they are when they blow in ; but these 
 big, square- jawed guys like that Kent is awfully 
 hard to place, and every once in a while I make a 
 mistake with his kind!" 
 
 Yet on one point every one agreed, that being 
 Kent's loyalty to Rhodes. And this fidelity found 
 further proof when the master financier disap- 
 peared, inasmuch as at somewhere near the same 
 time, or at least within a few weeks after it had 
 been announced that Ehodes had gone on an ex- 
 tended vacation, Kent likewise departed from New 
 York. Presumably to attend his employer's in- 
 terests abroad. He said that was why he was 
 going; but he lied, this being his blunt idea of 
 diplomacy as employed in many national and so- 
 cial circles. 
 
 And so, having lied when he stated that he was 
 going abroad in behalf of the formidable Mr. 
 Ehodes, the square-jawed Mr. Kent was now 
 turned loose on war-stricken Europe for a holi- 
 day to wander as his somewhat erratic fancy dic- 
 tated, and cheerfully agreeing with himself that 
 he "didn't care a continental cuss" where thf 
 renowned John Ehodes was, what he was doing, 
 what he wanted to do, or what he did. All that 
 Mr. Kent, the agent, desired, was that Mr. Ehodes, 
 [10]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 the financier, should leave him, Mr. Kent, undis- 
 turbed. He was rebellious. 
 
 "John Rhodes," said he to himself, "has bossed 
 me around and run me here and there, like a small 
 boy hopping a cat over hurdles in the cellar, until 
 I'm sick and tired of it. He's paid me well, and 
 I'm fairly well off; but I've sure earned every 
 cent I ever got out of him. He's gone on a long 
 vacation. So shall I. And if John Rhodes doesn't 
 
 like it he can go to "; but at that point of 
 
 his meditations caution, or perhaps some of his 
 loyalty to Rhodes, overcame his disregard of that 
 amiable employer under whom he had prospered, 
 and caused him to take the precaution of leaving 
 word with sundry bankers of New York, London, 
 Paris, Berlin and Vienna where Rhodes could find 
 him if desiring his services. And, so strong is the 
 habit of discipline and obedience, on second 
 thought he arranged that mails might be for- 
 warded enclosed in protective envelopes, keeping 
 him informed concerning certain financial transac- 
 tions entrusted to him by Mr. Rhodes. From all 
 of which it might be conjectured that, despite his 
 mutinous disposition, he cautiously realised that, 
 without the fat commissions afforded by John 
 Rhodes, Richard Kent might shrivel as thin as a 
 living skeleton in a freak museum, and be com- 
 pelled to seek another patron endowed with purse, 
 power, and authority. 
 
 [11]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 Mr. Khodes' disappearance was noted; Mr. 
 Kent's wasn't. Watchful financiers rumoured it 
 that Mr. Ehodes was travelling in the far East 
 intent on new plunder; but about Mr. Kent there 
 were no rumours at all, and for the simplest of 
 reasons, that Kent had hopped completely beyond 
 the reach of rumour; had hopped almost out of 
 the known world, beyond finance, railways, auto- 
 mobiles, and state highways, into the unknown, 
 unchanging, sixteenth century village of Stein- 
 weg. Accompanied only by his factotum, Ivan, 
 who for years had gone with him, everywhere, he 
 had found in Steinweg his two great objects, fish 
 and freedom. Probably he would not have admit- 
 ted any sentimental or artistic interest in the 
 quaint village itself, with its single crooked street, 
 lined by houses whose gables seemed forever to 
 reach across and whisper of conspiracies, the 
 next robber baron raid, or the public flaying of 
 some poor wretch accused of stealing a purse or a 
 ham. He might have admitted the comfort within 
 the old houses, once one had passed through the 
 low doors to the cool interiors where low ceilings, 
 heavy beams, ancient fire-places, blackened wain- 
 scotings and all, were lighted by the cross shad- 
 ows cast through the narrow windows with tiny 
 leaded panes. This would have been his excuse 
 for renting one of those quaint houses in the 
 quaint street renting it and all it contained, in- 
 [12]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 eluding the aged but competent widow who owned 
 it. Proof of his daring ! It requires nerve to rent 
 a widow, although anybody can rent a house. 
 
 He paid therefor what seemed a prodigal sum 
 in those wretched, penurious times that followed 
 on the heels of that great war, when old boun- 
 daries disappeared and new states either sprang 
 into existence or were resuscitated after decades 
 of suppression. He wished to be free, obscure, 
 unmolested, and within a month he must have 
 been gratified, having been accepted as a part of 
 the village, like the village forge, the shabby little 
 priest, or the town pump, because none might sus- 
 pect that within his uncommunicative mind were 
 concealed the methods by which so many of the 
 old-new or new-old states had been financed; but 
 not so with Ivan. He commanded an uncanny in- 
 terest. He couldn't avoid it. First, because of 
 his enormous size, strength and agility; second, 
 because of his strange manner of ignoring all 
 sounds and of speaking only to those who faced 
 him in the light. It took longer to accustom the 
 villagers to this giant, stalking ever at the fisher- 
 man's elbow, silent, taciturn, alert with the ab- 
 sorbed alertness of a wild animal watchful to the 
 four ways of the wind. Visualisation is necessary 
 to attract the attention of the unimaginative, and 
 without visualisation they have small interest; 
 hence on a certain night in Steinweg no one had 
 
 [13]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 even the slightest curiosity in either the widow, 
 Mr. Kent, or Ivan, because it stormed; stormed 
 as it can in those mountains, with sweeping rain, 
 thunder that is a punctual and close comrade of 
 lightning stabs; an erratic, capricious pair out 
 on a rampage, like a pair of drunken rioters, one 
 of whom is boisterous, swaggering, shouting, and 
 harmless, the other snapping, deadly, intent, and 
 out to kill. The villagers were inside and under 
 cover on that turbulent night of late spring. So 
 were Kent, financial agent on a holiday, and Ivan, 
 factotum, always at work. 
 
 Kent, the master, lounged in the room that he 
 had converted into a den, and luxuriously stuck 
 his feet, carpet-slippered, toward the fireplace 
 wherein surged a blaze that robbed the spring 
 dampness of a winter chill. He wondered if, de- 
 spite his sense of freedom and independence, he 
 could endure such a place in real winter, and 
 yawned, casually thanking God, in the meantime, 
 that Rhodes had decided to extend his vacation 
 indefinitely. Kent liked him for that decision. 
 Lazily he swung round in his chair to see what 
 Ivan was doing ; but the light, a sharp, white flame 
 from the student's lamp on the oaken desk by his 
 side, bothered him, and he held his fine head side- 
 wise to escape its rays. It accentuated the in- 
 dividuality of his square jaws, the lumpiness of 
 his high brow, the whimsical lines at the corners 
 [14]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 of his shrewd eyes, the mggedness of his well- 
 shaped nose, the half-humorous, half-stem crev- 
 ices bordering his liberal mouth. 
 
 In the corner of the room, whose uniform and 
 blackened wainscoting Kent had, with his own 
 hands, desecrated by building a makeshift book- 
 case, Ivan knelt. His huge shoulders were bent 
 forward and his shock head was stretched, turtle- 
 wise, as he sought, patiently and laboriously, along 
 the well-packed shelves, for a book that the widow 
 had replaced in her customary hit-or-miss fash- 
 ion. His face, dour and strong, was set like a 
 mask of perseverance, and one huge finger probed 
 methodically along the line of titles. His lips 
 moved, dumbly, as he read. A terrifying, terrific 
 shock of combined thunder and lightning did not 
 disturb him; but Kent started and stared at the 
 diamond-shaped panes that became iridescent 
 with fresh rivulets of rain. An interior door was 
 jerked open and the widow appeared, holding her 
 work-gnarled hands upward, and rolling her eyes 
 with fright. 
 
 "I hope it struck the Catholic church!" she 
 exclaimed. "I'm a Lutheran." 
 
 She paused to look backward over her shoulder, 
 as if afraid that the thunderbolt had legs and 
 might be chasing her ; and then, suddenly discov- 
 ering that she was safe, made garrulity serve for 
 apology. 
 
 [15]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "It isn't often that we have such weather here, 
 it isn't! The sides of the house are waterfalls; 
 the street a river ; the garden a lake. I was afraid 
 the pig would drown. I brought him into the 
 kitchen." 
 
 "And very humane of you," commented Kent, 
 drily. "Why didn't you bring him in here? Any 
 other stock to be salvaged?" 
 
 "There's the chickens; but they have roosts, 
 and a very great bother to bring them all in the 
 
 kitchen. Unless " she stopped, put her arms 
 
 akimbo and stared at Ivan as if to suggest that 
 with his assistance she might manage. 
 
 "Never mind! As you say, they can roost," 
 Kent hastily protested, lest she take him seriously 
 and bring not only the chickens but perhaps the 
 cow, a donkey and the family goat into the house- 
 hold. 
 
 Another crash of thunder and flash of light so 
 close as to be simultaneous caused her to throw 
 her arms above her head as if to protect it. Ivan 
 did not so much as raise his eyes. His imper- 
 turbability exasperated her. 
 
 "I tell you," she exclaimed, pointing a declama- 
 tory finger at Ivan, " he 's not natural ! Sometimes 
 he doesn't answer when a body speaks to him. 
 Something uncanny about him, and and I don't 
 like it!" 
 
 "There is something wrong with him," Kent 
 [16]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 checked her. * * He can 't hear. Deaf as an adder, 
 or a bad man's conscience." 
 
 Her look of incredulity, her sniff, were equiva- 
 lent to disputing her employer's word. He thought 
 best to explain. 
 
 " Listen," he said, "I don't want you to dis- 
 like him. He can't help it. When he was a young 
 man he had spinal meningitis. It left him deaf. 
 Before that he was a tutor of languages. He 
 taught me all I know, so I shall always keep him. 
 He can tell what you say to him only by watching 
 your lips lip reading we call it in English. I 
 want you and every one else to be kind to him, 
 because he's sensitive. Stop picking at him, and 
 be kind." 
 
 She shook her head doubtfully; but won over 
 by natural sympathy said, "Too bad! Who'd 
 have thought it ! I see how it is. I had a dog with 
 three legs. Four he had until he had an accident 
 with a scythe. Couldn't pull a cart to market 
 after that. My man wanted to kill it. I told him 
 dogs were like men because nobody wants to lose 
 his leg or his tail if he can help it. And nobody 
 wanted a three-legged dog, and he loved me, so 
 I kept him. I'm sorry I ever scolded that Ivan. 
 He's your three-legged dog and you keep him 
 because he loves you." 
 
 Kent tried to discourage her limberness of 
 tongue by picking up a book; but she talked un- 
 
 [17]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 ceasingly while heaping more fagots around the 
 backlog and dusting the ashes from the grate. Her 
 voice, raised to a snap, brought him back from a 
 reverie. 
 
 ' ' You Ve not heard a word I said ! ' ' she declared, 
 vastly annoyed. 
 
 "Eh? What's that?" he lifted his eyes and 
 placated her with a smile that was rare and win- 
 ning. 
 
 "A man came from Marken," she repeated, in- 
 tent on impressing him with prodigious news, 
 "Pierre LaFranz, it was, and says there might 
 be a revolution over there that will shake the 
 world ! Shake the world, Pierre said." 
 
 Kent could not restrain a laugh. 
 
 "Don't you bother about the world," he said, 
 soothingly. * ' Marken 's standing army might give 
 the Pope's Swiss guard a good tussle, but 
 Humph ! If Marken went to war the world would 
 probably never hear of it let alone shake. Why, 
 Marken 's so small it's a secret!" 
 
 As he proceeded, she reddened with indignation, 
 tried to speak, and then, wagging her head at the 
 obtuseness of a man who could not believe that 
 the two-by-four kingdom, neighbouring on Stein- 
 weg, and regarded with awe by every peasant 
 within forty miles, was not of world-wide impor- 
 tance, retired to her kitchen. She slammed the 
 door with a final expression of disgust ; but Kent 
 [18]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 was already thoughtfully recalling what she had 
 said of that inconspicuous, but completely inde- 
 pendent kingdom called Marken, a kingdom so 
 small that on a map of Europe it would be but a 
 tiny pink spot; a kingdom so small that no one 
 had ever taken the trouble to upset it. 
 
 His face became grave and he emitted a dis- 
 gruntled, "Humph!" John Ehodes was again 
 intruding on his peace of mind, and could not be 
 put aside. Marken threatening revolt! That 
 meant that the loan of five million dollars that 
 Ehodes had extended to His Majesty Karl II, king 
 of Marken, might prove worthless. And Kent 
 had met the negotiators of that loan, passed upon 
 their securities, accepted them, and caused that 
 loan to be made. Hang Ehodes ! He could afford 
 to lose many times that sum; but the question of 
 the wisdom of his agent, Kent, was involved, and 
 a financial agent 's judgment is his sole stock in 
 trade. Kent was rather jealous of his, in a secret 
 way. He had laboriously and with inner pride 
 built up a reputation for infallibility, and now 
 Marken might prove a slap at his judgment. 
 Ehodes wouldn't like it. And there were many 
 other agents who 
 
 He twitted his big, capable fingers together 
 and muttered some unpleasant objurgations con- 
 signing Karl n, the Marken state loan, and John 
 Ehodes, indiscriminately, to the outer world. It 
 
 [19]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 was his plain duty, as lie was well aware, to travel 
 without delay to Marken and do what he could to 
 protect Rhodes' interests, and that might mean 
 the end of this vacation, and the trout were at 
 their best. Scowling, he swung to his desk, un- 
 locked a drawer, took therefrom a steel despatch 
 box, unlocked that, and sought a paper which he 
 opened and scanned. It was a private report he 
 had caused to be made on Marken affairs, and, 
 now that its substance was recalled and his mem- 
 ory refreshed, it did not appear to add to his 
 mental comfort. He used one or two very vigor- 
 ous Americanisms, and replaced paper and box 
 in the desk. He thumped vigorously on the floor 
 with his heel and when the huge man in the corner, 
 feeling the shock, looked up, addressed him in a 
 voiceless whisper of the lips. 
 
 "Ivan, have you happened to learn anything 
 about a revolt over in Marken? You see more 
 of these tongue-wagging peasants than I do." 
 
 The giant advanced to the desk across which he 
 spoke. 
 
 "No, sir, not exactly a revolution; but I heard 
 they were discontented over there. Some of the 
 villagers said you know it is an autocratic gov- 
 ernment?" 
 
 "Yes. Autocratic government with a man born 
 to the job who doesn't happen to be a real, good, 
 all-wool-and-a-yard-wide autocrat. Good deal like 
 [20]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 a fellow being born to inherit a farm whose near- 
 est idea he has of a plough is an ice scraper for 
 cocktails." 
 
 Whilst Kent spoke Ivan's eyes were fixed on 
 his lips, attentively; but discerning that his em- 
 ployer's speech was at an end, he slowly wagged 
 his massive head, and added all his information. 
 
 "They say, sir, that the king is credited with 
 being a well-meaning man, but not just the one to 
 advance the kingdom. They are afraid Marken 
 will be swallowed by some of the big fish around 
 it." 
 
 "That's where an autocrat comes in," declared 
 Kent. "A first-class autocrat ought to be a big 
 enough fish to go out, and, under the guise of 
 charity, culture, or some other bosh like that, 
 swallow the other fellow first. Any sort of an 
 excuse will do, just so he eats them, dead or alive. 
 I'm rather a believer in autocrats, myself. Now, 
 if I were advising Karl the Second, I'd say " 
 
 He stopped abruptly, interrupted by a prolonged 
 peal of thunder, and when it died away there be- 
 came audible a terrific bumping and thumping 
 on the door outside as some one knocked for in- 
 gress. At the same moment the door from the 
 kitchen opened hurriedly, and the gnarled widow 
 entered. 
 
 ' ' Some one wants in some one who raps on the 
 outside door," she grumbled. 
 
 [21]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "Well, let them in," said Kent, and Ivan, read- 
 ing his lips, straightened np and stepped back- 
 ward to his corner intent on withdrawing himself 
 now that others desired audience with his em- 
 ployer. 
 
 [22]
 
 CHAPTEE TWO 
 
 THE widow opened the door leading from the 
 room to the little storm entrance, a mere 
 square of vestibule, and withdrew the bolts 
 from the outer door. She swung it wide and 
 stepped back. Instantly, as if already rendered 
 impatient by the delay, a man stepped inside. A 
 long raincoat dripped water on the floor and the 
 visor of his military cap trickled until, annoyed, 
 he jerked it from his head and wiped his brow 
 with his hand. He appeared to be scarcely more 
 than thirty years of age, and of slender frame, but 
 with an erect carriage that lent him a false dimen- 
 sion of height. 
 
 Close behind him crowded a burly, gray-haired 
 man with fierce moustaches demanding more at- 
 tention than any other part of his face, who pursed 
 his lips and blew the water from this adornment 
 with a single loud, explosive "Poof !" His eyes, 
 round, pale, and staring, almost child-like but 
 appraising, fixed themselves on Kent across his 
 leader's shoulder, and at sight of them Kent, who 
 had looked up with casual curiosity, smiled slightly 
 and arose. 
 
 [23]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "We are sorry to disturb you," said the 
 younger man, in apologetic French, "but we fail 
 to find an inn. Yours was the only light. Can 
 you direct us " 
 
 "There is no inn open at this hour. We can 
 perhaps accommodate you," Kent replied, and 
 Ivan, reading his lips, lifted his eyebrows, know- 
 ing that within less than a quarter of a mile was 
 one of late habit though excellent repute. 
 
 "Then " The young man turned dejectedly 
 
 as if to consult his companion, while Keut 
 watched him, 
 
 "Perhaps," suggested Kent, "you could be 
 comfortable here; you and your friend. You're 
 welcome. ' ' 
 
 Ivan wondered at his pertinacity. 
 
 "But her High My sister and her maid are 
 outside, ' ' the younger man said, with faint eager- 
 ness. "My sister and her maid, and the man 
 who their chauffeur. Can you provide for so 
 many?" 
 
 "Easily, if you don't mind a little discomfort," 
 was the instant response. "Bring them in. Don't 
 keep them out there in the rain." 
 
 The elder man, with a grunt, swung round and 
 reopened the door of the vestibule through which 
 the younger man, as if too relieved to think for 
 the moment of offering thanks, preceded him out 
 into the storm. 
 [24]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "You said there was no inn!" indignantly re- 
 monstrated the old peasant woman. "You said 
 that " 
 
 "S-s-sh!" Kent silenced her, with twinkling 
 eyes. "Forget that," he said, quietly. "All you 
 are to do is to see that they are made comfortable. 
 Understand?" he rapped out like an order, on 
 discovering that she still hesitated. Grumbling, 
 but obedient, and more or less subjugated, she 
 turned back toward her kitchen just as the outer 
 door opened and through it stepped a young wo- 
 man who, without hesitation, walked to the fire 
 and with gloved fingers fumbled at the buttons of 
 her coat, and doffed it with an air of satisfaction, 
 exposing a graceful, well-rounded figure clad in 
 a serviceable tailored costume. Kent, watching 
 her, and ignored, saw that her fine eyes were som- 
 bre and absent, as if her mind were concentrated 
 on something other than her surroundings, and 
 that her hands, when ungloved and lifted with 
 feminine habitude to adjust her disordered, ex- 
 quisite hair, were white and graceful. Her features 
 were refined, sensitive, well bred, and of strength. 
 Her lips, grave, and compressed, made him won- 
 der what they might be like when relaxed by 
 laughter. Tenderness and strength, he decided, 
 were her characteristics and he was not quite 
 certain but what, under different circumstances, 
 
 [25]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 she might appear beautiful ; even to the indifferent 
 judgment of a fiscal agent. 
 
 Behind her came a most haughty personage 
 carrying a jewel case. Nothing save the fact that 
 she carried it indicated that this might be the maid 
 and the other the mistress. 
 
 "Well," said the lady with the box, addressing 
 him abruptly, " can't you offer a chair?" 
 
 She fixed Kent with a haughty stare, and he, 
 realising that in his inspection of his new guest 
 he had forgotten to be polite, felt rebuffed, and 
 hastened to make amends. 
 
 "Pardon me," he said, lamely. "I forgot." 
 
 He drew two chairs toward the fireplace, and 
 was then aware that during his ministrations the 
 door had opened and another young man had en- 
 tered carrying a suitcase and handbag. This, he 
 decided, eyeing the visitor's long, gauntleted 
 gloves, was the chauffeur. The latter carefully 
 deposited the luggage out of the way at one side, 
 removed his cap and stood by the door. He ap- 
 peared to be the youngest of the party and was 
 clean and fearless of face and eyes. Kent, the 
 student of men, mentally valuing him, concluded 
 that he liked the young man as one who could be 
 depended upon in almost any emergency. He had 
 scant time for his inspection; for the door from 
 the vestibule again swung open and the two men 
 who had first disturbed him appeared, closed the 
 [26]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 door after them and divested themselves of their 
 raincoats. The younger man, evidently the leader 
 of the party, was clad in the uniform of an offi- 
 cer of hussars from which the shoulder insignia 
 was missing, and his high boot tops were here 
 and there splattered with mud, proof that his 
 ride had been far from leisurely. One of the 
 frogs of his coat braid had been torn loose and 
 dangled by a thread as if it had been ripped away 
 in the haste of fastening it, and one of his spurs 
 was missing. He fumbled absently at his belt, 
 unfastened it, and threw belt and sword carelessly 
 on top of the suitcase before turning toward the 
 fire. His stout and elderly companion was far 
 from being as neat in his attire, being clad in a 
 rather startling mixture consisting of a pair of 
 dress trousers tucked into cavalry boots, a dress 
 waistcoat exposing a soiled dress shirt front, and 
 a heavy hunting coat from each pocket of which 
 protruded letters and papers crammed hastily 
 inward. Around his portly waist was strapped a 
 cavalry sabre and, mixed with the papers in one- 
 pocket of his coat, projected the handle of a huge 
 revolver. Before he was clear of his raincoat he 
 began roaring orders 1 like an important guest 
 newly arrived at an inn. 
 
 "Here, Woman," he called to the aged peasant 
 dame. "Have some one take our horses to a 
 stable, rub them down, water and feed them. Not 
 
 [27]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 too much, mind you! And you might take these 
 raincoats out and clean the mud off the skirts. 
 And bring us all something hot to drink. Quickly ! 
 We 're half frozen and wet to our hearts ! ' ' 
 
 With considerable resentment she faced Kent, 
 as if accepting orders from none other, and he, 
 smiling sardonically, made a swift gesture com- 
 manding her to obey. She sniffed her nose high 
 in the air, tossed her head and disappeared. The 
 younger man, in the meantime, with an air of great 
 weariness and dejection, dropped into a chair by 
 the side of the fireplace, where he suddenly leaned 
 forward until his elbows rested on his knees and 
 held his white, well-kept hands toward the blaze. 
 On one of his fingers was a huge old signet ring 
 that now and then he absently twisted in distrac- 
 tion, while moodily staring in front of him. 
 
 Kent, finding himself still ignored, smiled know- 
 ingly and reoccupied his chair by the desk, where 
 he pretended to absorb himself in a book. Ivan, 
 taking the cue from his master, resumed his search 
 of the book shelves as if receiving unexpected 
 guests on such a night was a regular routine, and 
 the young officer by the door, on an invitation 
 from the leader of the group, joined the others by 
 the fireplace in an attitude of respectful waiting. 
 
 "Well, we are this far and " began the 
 
 elder man, in his booming French, and then, re- 
 calling that they were not alone, turned stiffly and 
 [28]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 stared at Kent, made a significant gesture of 
 warning with his hand, and changed to a dialect 
 language that was plainly a mixture of German, 
 French and Italian in quality. Had he been ob- 
 serving the financial agent he might have been 
 startled by another flicker of a smile on that ab- 
 sorbed gentleman's features due to the fact that 
 Kent, the polyglot, spoke the language of Marken 
 almost as fluently as he did his own tongue. 
 
 "And a close call it was, too, Your Majesty. It 
 was very fortunate that I had the foresight to 
 divert them from following Captain Paulo across 
 the border by " 
 
 The king of Marken interrupted him impar 
 tiently. 
 
 1 1 Your foresight ? Humph ! It seems to me that 
 if your foresight as chancellor of my kingdom had 
 amounted to much, we should never have been 
 compelled to run like a hutch of rabbits to save 
 our lives! But, anyway, my sister is safe,'* he 
 concluded, and then observing that the acting 
 chauffeur, Captain Paulo, appeared restlessly 
 eager to speak, added, "What is it, Paulo?" 
 
 "Does it not seem best, Sire, that I stand guard 
 outside the door for at least an hour or two to 
 make certain that we are not pursued, even here 
 across the border? We are but an hour's ride 
 
 from it " 
 
 [29]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 He hesitated. The king vented a short, bitter 
 laugh. 
 
 "Go ahead," he said. "What you mean to say 
 is that our cousin, Baron Provarsk, is not the sort 
 to pay much attention to boundaries on a dark 
 night when out for a chase?" 
 
 "Exactly, Sir." 
 
 "Then do as you wish," the king assented, with 
 a shrug of his shoulders and a gesture of help- 
 lessness. Instantly, and with an air of willing- 
 ness, the young officer saluted and passed outside 
 to stand guard in the storm. 
 
 "Karl, I can not yet see the sense of all this," 
 asserted the princess, who up to now had not 
 spoken, and Kent caught himself starting at the 
 musical sound of her voice. 
 
 "But, Your Boyal Highness!" blurted the 
 chancellor, "it would have been extremely dan- 
 gerous for you to have remained there. I foresaw 
 that, and being a man of action, I " 
 
 He paused, interrupted by the opening of the 
 door from the kitchen and the appearance of the 
 peasant woman wearing, draped about her head 
 and shoulders, a gunny sack that she had used 
 to protect herself from the rain. She glared 
 haughtily at the visitors and spoke directly to 
 Kent, the only one she acknowledged as her 
 master. 
 
 "I have put the horses in the woodshed," she 
 [30]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 announced. "That fool Peter helped. He is 
 feeding them now. The poor beasts ! Scandalous, 
 I call it, to ride animals so hard on such a night!" 
 
 Kent smiled at her tolerantly. 
 
 "That being done," he said, "you will now pre- 
 pare the best chamber for our lady guests. Make 
 it comfortable in every way you can. After that, 
 do the best you can with other rooms. ' ' 
 
 The lady's maid, as if to assure herself of the 
 princess' comfort, arose, saying, "I will help you. 
 Please lead the way," and, when the peasant 
 woman disappeared, followed her. Kent, after a 
 glance at his guests, who, as if too dejected to 
 be interested in anything save their own plight, 
 still stared at the fire, again resumed his pretence 
 of reading. Now and then his bushy eyebrows 
 tightened and his mouth took on a grim, firm look, 
 as if he were slowly threshing his way toward a 
 resolution; but his guests, evidently feeling safe 
 behind the barrier of their language, again took 
 up their conversation. 
 
 "What I fail to understand, despite your some- 
 what lame explanations, Von Glutz," remarked 
 the king with asperity, "is how Provarsk could 
 have hatched his plot and taken possession of 
 the palace before you suspected it." 
 
 "A chancellor can not see everything," dog- 
 gedly grumbled Von Glutz. "And you will re- 
 
 [31]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 member, Sire, that it was you who did away with 
 our secret service." 
 
 "Bah! Why not! It accomplished nothing, 
 and cost much to keep." 
 
 1 1 Now when your father was alive, under whom 
 you must not forget I had the extreme honour to 
 
 act as chancellor " began Von Glutz, crustily 
 
 and pompously. 
 
 "Yes, Father willed you to us," interjected 
 the princess with acerbity. 
 
 The chancellor said, ' ' Humph ! Hum-m ! ' ' nois- 
 ily, and then, having cleared his throat prepara- 
 tory to speaking, contented himself by getting 
 extremely red in the face, opened his lips, closed 
 them, and tugged at his white moustache. 
 
 "And things went from bad to worse, regard- 
 less of all I wanted to do for my people!" The 
 king spoke with a voice of regret and sorrow. 
 
 This evidence of sincerity appeared to be the 
 final spur necessary to bring Kent to a decision. 
 He turned slowly around and stared hard at the 
 young man, then abruptly closed his book, tossed 
 it on the table and said, addressing him in the 
 tongue of Marken, "And so, abandoning your 
 good intentions, you ran away, eh?" 
 
 The falling of one of the beams of the ceiling 
 
 could scarcely have proven more startling to the 
 
 three refugees by the fireplace. The king pivoted 
 
 in his chair and faced Kent with a look of con- 
 
 [32]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 sternation. The princess, aghast, opened her 
 eyes widely, and the chancellor, bristling with 
 annoyance, jumped to his feet and roared loudly, 
 ' ' What business have you listening ? Do you know 
 whom you are addressing?" 
 
 To a man who, throughout his life, had been 
 accustomed to see his hearers quail when he vented 
 that tremendous roar, the effect was more than 
 disappointing. The roar seemed to have lost its 
 efficacy ; for the financial agent merely grinned at 
 him and snapped his fingers. He even had the 
 temerity to eye the chancellor slowly from his 
 round eyes down to the tips of his boots, then back 
 up again ; almost contemptuously, but with infinite 
 good nature. Yet there was something about him 
 suggesting that he might grin just as pleasantly 
 if he were ordering the chancellor to be taken out 
 to the hen house and hanged by his fat neck. 
 
 " Suppose you drop that style of talk with me," 
 he said at last, "and sit down like a good boy. 
 Certainly I know whom I address. Otherwise 
 Humph ! I don't think I'd take the trouble. This 
 pleasant little party consists, first, of Her Royal 
 Highness, Princess Eloise ; second, of His Majesty, 
 Karl Second, King of Marken, and third, of His 
 Excellency, that clever, astute and far-sighted 
 chancellor, Baron Von Glutz." 
 
 He chuckled softly as the chancellor writhed 
 under his sarcasm, stuttered, threatened apo- 
 
 [33]
 
 - THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 plexy, and then added, with a soft drawl that even 
 the language of Marken could not hide, " Don't 
 trouble to speak, Baron, if it hurts you. I un- 
 doubtedly have the advantage of you in this, that 
 while you don't know who I am, which after all 
 matters but little, I know all about you." 
 
 "You you you Impudence, I call it! How 
 dare you " 
 
 "Easy! Easy, Baron," he admonished, with 
 much of the good nature vanishing from his eyes, 
 and his firm mouth adjusting itself to harshness. 
 "Best not make a fool of yourself. You have my 
 permission to scowl at me. Perhaps it's just as 
 well, so that in future meetings, if there are any, 
 you can identify me quickly and thus learn to 
 suppress what I fear is shall we say a rather 
 truculent temper." 
 
 The king, who had watched him closely, evi- 
 dently had greater control of his emotions and 
 faced his chancellor sharply. 
 
 "Baron, sit down," he said, quietly. "We are 
 not in a position to domineer. You forget your- 
 self. We are this gentleman's guests, although, 
 as he says, he has an advantage of knowledge." 
 
 Kent refused to accept this suggestion that he 
 make himself known and turned to his desk and 
 the steel despatch box which he had opened and 
 took therefrom a packet of papers that rustled as 
 he spread them before him. 
 [34]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "That there may be no further doubt of my 
 knowledge," he said, drily, "and that you may 
 realise how thoroughly I do know you, I ask you 
 to kindly listen while I read." 
 
 The face of the princess expressed nothing save 
 expectancy, while the king watched his strange 
 host with a look of curiosity. The chancellor, sub- 
 dued momentarily by the command of his superior, 
 fidgeted and moved restlessly in his chair. 
 
 Without preliminary, Kent read, slowly, dis- 
 tinctly, as if to impress his words upon them, but 
 in rather a kindly tone of tolerance: 
 
 ' ' ' In obedience to your request for a thorough 
 report, I submit as follows: After some six 
 weeks of study of the situation, I may add. His 
 Majesty Karl II is in character a well-meaning, 
 morally clean young man. He has neither bad 
 nor extravagant habits. There is small doubt 
 that he cares for his people and has at all times 
 their welfare at heart. His unfortunate failing 
 is that he clings to the old monarchical ideas, but 
 without the strength and firmness to enforce them 
 upon his subjects and thereby control them. He 
 may possibly have the courage to face the issues 
 that are certain to confront him as a ruler, but 
 I am inclined to doubt it. He is too kindly dis- 
 posed and is given to the evasion of harsh or un- 
 pleasant duties, the prompt meeting and deciding 
 of which can alone make his reign a success. I 
 
 [35]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 had not the means of studying him very closely, 
 and therefore may he mistaken ; yet I can not help 
 hut regard him, until he proves otherwise, as 
 what is termed a Slacker.' " 
 
 He paused and looked up at the king, who hit 
 his lip, frowned thoughtfully, and said, quietly, 
 "It is the truth !" 
 
 The princess gazed at her brother angrily, and 
 urged him to speak in his own defence. 
 
 "Karl! Karl!" she demanded indignantly. 
 "Are you going to sit here and let a stranger dare 
 to criticise you in this manner?" 
 
 "If the princess will hut listen," Kent hegan 
 politely, and with an air of deference ; but was in- 
 terrupted by the chancellor, who again blustered 
 until he was silenced. And that, too, without 
 politeness or deference. 
 
 ' ' Suppose, Baron, you keep out of this ! ' ' Kent's 
 voice was stern albeit satirical. 1 1 No, no ; wait a 
 moment, and I'll give you an excuse to talk. The 
 best part of this report deals with you, and no 
 doubt an outside appraisal of your character 
 might prove interesting." 
 
 He flipped the pages over rapidly, paying no 
 heed to the chancellor's angry protests, until he 
 interrupted with a dry, ' ' Here we are ! ' ' and again 
 read aloud : " ' Chancellor Von Glutz is in person 
 a large, pot-bellied man with a bulbous red nose, 
 eyes like a golliwog's, given to boasting, over- 
 [36]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 eating and arrogance, who has a vastly exalted 
 opinion of himself; and is, in reality, a man of 
 but mediocre ability.' Steady! Steady, Baron! 
 I've not finished." 
 
 "Yes, do be quiet!" insisted the king, with a 
 slight grin of satisfaction. 
 
 " l It is largely due to his incompetence and pig- 
 headedness that the kingdom is secretly in a state 
 of unrest at the time of rendering this report; 
 but it is doubtful if the king will dismiss him from 
 office inasmuch as the baron is a sort of family 
 heirloom. I find nothing to his credit save that 
 he is bluntly honest and loyal.' " 
 
 " There you are, Baron!" the king laughed, 
 almost gleefully ; but the chancellor, after gasping 
 like a large and overfat codfish hauled from deep 
 water, was now on his feet, bristling with rage, his 
 eyes completely round and blazing, his moustaches 
 quivering, his face red, and his fist clenched and 
 threatening assault on Kent, who grinned cheer- 
 fully and said in English, "Hoity-toity! Got a 
 rise out of you that time, you old porpoise!" 
 
 "By what right, I demand to know," shouted 
 the baron, "did you dare to send a detective to 
 Markenl You have gone too far, even if we do 
 have to accept you as host. By what right, sir? 
 Answer me!" 
 
 Kent's bushy eyebrows closed in a heavy frown 
 and all tolerance and good-humour disappeared. 
 
 [37]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 Even his voice underwent a subtle change and 
 became frigid and emphatic. His eyes coldly met 
 and held those of the chancellor. 
 
 "If any one had the right to investigate the 
 procedure by which you and your king, between 
 you, botched up the affairs of Marken, I am that 
 man. Let's be done with paltering, flattery, and 
 rubbish, and talk plainly. I happen to be Rich- 
 ard Kent, who, as confidential agent for John 
 Ehodes, gave the unfortunate advice by which 
 he advanced five million dollars in gold to start 
 Karl the Second, just come to the throne, free 
 from other debt. Oh, I had right enough! You 
 may rest assured." 
 
 As if touched by an electric spark, the king 
 arose from his chair, stared for an instant, and 
 then slowly dropped back again with a long sigh 
 of resignation. Von Glutz breathed heavily 
 through his nose, and appeared to wilt into an 
 equal state of helplessness. There was a mo- 
 ment's silence in which Kent sternly eyed him, 
 and then a voice broke out, filled with anger and 
 defiance, that of the princess Eloise. 
 
 "And so," she said, scornfully, "the vultures 
 gather on the borders, waiting to fatten from our 
 misfortunes!" 
 
 "Mademoiselle Your Royal Highness! 
 
 You " 
 
 [38]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 She swept his attempted defence aside with an 
 eloquent gesture. 
 
 * ' John Ehodes ! The nightmare that has been 
 over our heads for four years. Men might worry 
 and work, but John Rhodes' interest must be paid ! 
 That magnificent usurer who thrives fat from the 
 misfortunes of Nations, of peoples, of private 
 enterprises. The gigantic spider that crouched 
 behind the war, waiting, that he might plunge for- 
 ward with money and twist his prey harder than 
 ever. Shylock clutched and hung to his pitiable 
 victims. And you have the affrontery to tell us 
 here to-night, when we are your reluctant guests, 
 with everything lost behind us, that you are the 
 agent of the infamous John Rhodes ! ' ' 
 
 Kent looked at her in a strange admixture of 
 annoyance and admiration. Here, at least, was 
 one who was not afraid. His eyes lowered them- 
 selves to the papers on his desk. And it was as 
 if the great John Rhodes before whom, as she 
 said, kings and financiers alike had trembled, was 
 for the first time being presented to Kent's mind 
 in true light. She waited for his defence ; indeed, 
 demanded it as eloquently through the silence of 
 the room as if she had voiced long sentences ask- 
 ing him what he could say to purge from the char- 
 acter of John Rhodes those charges and imputa- 
 tions that she had so stonnily assembled against 
 him. 
 
 [39]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "It is true," he said, thoughtfully, "that I am 
 the agent of John Rhodes. But I have not, as your 
 Royal Highness implies, been set here as a spy 
 in waiting for your flight for an abdication, or 
 to make terms for John Rhodes* protection. My 
 being here is an accident. " 
 
 She shrugged her shoulders with an air of dis- 
 dain, as if expecting a financial agent to evade or 
 lie. It added to his distress. Men he understood, 
 and could fight. He was no quaverer. He had, 
 in his capacity as agent, boldly met and boldly 
 browbeaten half the chancelleries of Europe. His 
 nerve and bravery were recognised by those of 
 far more importance than any one connected with 
 this paltry, petty, betinselled little kingdom that 
 had survived by accident, and whose disruption 
 had been delayed by his own efforts, merely be- 
 cause it was the whim of John Rhodes, for finan- 
 cial purposes of his own, that it should continue 
 to exist. 
 
 "An accident?'* she said, mockingly. "An ac- 
 cident ! They are strange, such accidents as these ! 
 Mr. Richard Kent admits to being the financial 
 emissary for the gentle Mr. Rhodes! Rhodes! 
 whose crimes of selfishness and remissness are 
 greater than those of any man living. Who ever 
 heard of John Rhodes ever doing anything to 
 lessen the cares and sorrows of kingdoms, or of 
 peoples? The Rothschilds, with less power than 
 [40]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 this hard-hearted American, found ways to save 
 many; but not so Rhodes. There was in them a 
 respect for the dignity of those who had suffered 
 responsibilities and a desire to assist those na- 
 tions that struggled for existence, and because 
 they had endured, were worthy of some respect 
 and veneration; but Rhodes, the cruel, uncanny, 
 and monstrous genius of money, has no such sav- 
 ing grace. Not even you, his agent, can truthfully 
 tell of one unselfish and kindly act in his career. 
 I am not afraid to tell you this, though 'like 
 master like man' is a fine old proverb in your 
 tongue. And you have the temerity to declare 
 that you were not lying here in wait; that 
 you " 
 
 Without thought she had advanced, as she tem- 
 pestuously spoke, until she stood at the end of the 
 desk, and he, to meet her approach, arose and, from 
 its opposite side, stood and looked at her. The 
 king and chancellor in turn tried to check her, 
 but she imperiously waved them aside. Her 
 beauty alone would have commanded deference 
 from Kent ; but there was added to it the desperate 
 indignation of tricked fearlessness, and a reck- 
 less desire to speak that over which she had 
 thought in previous days. It was debt that had 
 ruined her house. And the agent of debt, justly 
 or unjustly, stood before her for arraignment. 
 
 "Does not your Royal Highness understand," 
 
 [41]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 objected the chancellor pleadingly, "that you are 
 making a powerful enemy of the only man, pos- 
 sibly, who can assit us in the future?" 
 
 "Future? There is no future!" she declared, 
 impatiently gesturing the baron aside ; but Kent, 
 who stood almost stolidly under her words, ob- 
 jected to interference. 
 
 "If you please, Baron," he said, steadily, "I 
 prefer that the princess have her say. She is at 
 least candid and honest. From her at least I 
 shall not find subterfuge." He stepped around 
 the side of the desk until his back was to Von 
 Glutz, and also by the change he carelessly and 
 impolitely ignored the king. 
 
 "I implore your Highness to proceed," he said, 
 respectfully, yet firmly meeting her eyes. ' 1 There 
 is nothing that so clarifies the atmosphere of mis- 
 understandings as freely uttered truths. And 
 Mademoiselle even a money lender may be per- 
 mitted to admire bravery such as yours. I have 
 told you that my being here was an accident. I 
 told the truth. Is it fair and just to believe that 
 I also may not be candid? To condemn me, un- 
 heard, as a liar ? Neither of us is afraid ! I lis- 
 ten." 
 
 For some reason that she could not have an- 
 alysed, her defiance faltered and waned. There 
 was the protest of honour affronted in his quiet 
 musical voice, that had dismissed severity and 
 [42]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 command from its tone when he turned to her 
 from the faltering chancellor; and she suddenly 
 discerned in this alien some prodigious power, 
 some inflexible strength, that hitherto, blinded by 
 anger, she had not recognised. 
 
 "What is the need?" she asked lamely. "You 
 are in a position to laugh at our distress ; a dis- 
 tress that you do not, and can not, understand! 
 
 Oh, if I were a man " She paused. He smiled 
 
 vaguely, at this sign of femininity. 
 
 "Other women have said that," he declared, 
 softly. "Other brave women ever since thrones 
 and kings began. It is the most hackneyed cry of 
 creation. And I doubt not that if you were " 
 
 He turned sharply as the sound of a door 
 opening disturbed him, and glanced across the 
 room to where the lady-in-waiting had entered and 
 stood with her hand upon the latch. 
 
 "Your Royal Highness' apartment is ready," 
 the lady-in-waiting said, as perfunctorily as if 
 they were still in a royal palace and undisturbed. 
 The king arose to his feet, wearily, and the chan- 
 cellor bowed punctiliously before the princess as 
 she slowly turned and advanced toward the door. 
 She paused for an instant, as if torn by a desire 
 to speak again, hesitated with other words on her 
 lips, perhaps those of appeal to the man she had 
 so valiantly defied, and then slowly passed from 
 sight 
 
 [43]
 
 CHAPTER THREE 
 
 THE king, harassed by his own misfortunes, 
 slowly dropped back to his seat, and re- 
 sumed his listless attitude while staring 
 into the fire that crackled and glowed as a black 
 log dropped, broken, to be consumed in the bed 
 of embers beneath, symbol of his broken kingdom 
 from which he had fled. The chancellor, diplo- 
 matic, become obsequious in the presence of the 
 man who stood as a possible dictator of destiny, 
 stared at Kent, and resumed that nervous tug- 
 ging at his moustache. Kent, bent from the hips 
 forward, still leaned across the desk, with his 
 eyes fastened absently on the door through which 
 the princess had departed. 
 
 "I hope," said the chancellor, apologetically, 
 "that Mister Kent does not take too seriously 
 what the Princess Eloise has said! Her Royal 
 Highness is exhausted. She has endured much to- 
 night, and at times all of us are worn to irri- 
 tability." 
 
 Abruptly Kent scowled at him and stood erect. 
 Almost resentfully, he said, "The princess re- 
 quires no champion. She appears abundantly 
 [44]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 able to fight her own battles. Better, I might 
 suggest, than some of those stalwarts around 
 her." 
 
 Heedless of the chancellor's discomfiture, he 
 walked around the desk and seated himself, with 
 all the air of energy and business capability that 
 dominated him when on guard. He folded the 
 scattered papers, placed them in an envelope, put 
 them back into the despatch box, and then 
 brusquely turned toward the king. 
 
 "Now that we understand more or less of the 
 conditions," he said, coldly, "I should like to 
 have you tell me exactly what happened in Marken 
 that explains your presence here in this village. 
 You need not hesitate or stand on your dignity. 
 I have talked with other fallen kings. I have made 
 and unmade some of them," he added, with grim 
 significance. 
 
 The king looked at him and smiled, almost sadly, 
 yet not without dignity. The chancellor, after a 
 perplexed and hesitating glance, grunted, wiped 
 his bald head with his handkerchief, and left the 
 task of reply to royalty. The king shrugged his 
 shoulders, and his eyes wandered around the 
 room, as he mentally formulated speech and 
 sought the true beginning. They fell upon Ivan, 
 and for the first time he appeared cognisant of his 
 presence. 
 
 "Perhaps," he suggested, "in the discussion 
 
 [45]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 of a subject so delicate as the admission of one's 
 own defeats it would be better if we were alone." 
 
 Kent turned toward Ivan. He started to ex- 
 plain the latter 's affliction and then, checking 
 himself, said, " Quite right! It is better if we 
 are alone." 
 
 It flashed through his mind that it might be as 
 well to humour the king, and also mental habit 
 controlled him, a habit of caution that had grown 
 from the policy that it was far better never to tell 
 anything that could remain untold. He saw that 
 his follower's eyes were on his lips, and said, 
 "Ivan, you may go. I shall not want you this 
 evening. ' ' 
 
 The giant, alert in his own world of silence, 
 smiled quietly, understanding all that was implied, 
 and turned toward the door with the lost book 
 in his hands. 
 
 * ' Thank you, ' ' he said. ' ' If you need me, I shall 
 "be in my room. Good night, sir ! " 
 
 He bowed to Kent's guests and passed out, 
 while the king, with an air of relief, watched his 
 departure. 
 
 "Well," said the king abruptly, after a min- 
 ute's silence, "I tried to reform and be a father 
 to my people without giving offence, and made 
 a mess of it!" 
 
 Kent liked him for the frankness of his con- 
 [46]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 fession, and his eyes softened to a more friendly 
 shade. 
 
 "His Majesty was not " began the chan- 
 cellor. 
 
 "Suppose you let him tell it," interrupted the 
 financier. "He seems to have maintained his po- 
 sition as well as you did yours." 
 
 The king lifted his hand, palm outwards, to- 
 ward the chancellor, and it was quite as effective 
 as if the open palm had been clapped over the 
 chancellor's mouth. 
 
 ' ' Go ahead, ' ' Kent urged the king. ' ' You tried 
 reforms and they didn't succeed. Most of them 
 don't. Er what particular mania I mean 
 brand of reformation, was yours? Anti-gambling? 
 Prohibition? Eugenics? Votes for women? 
 Universal peace? What was it you tried?" 
 
 At first the king scowled at the American, a 
 good, hearty scowl of outraged dignity, and then 
 discerning that beneath the banter was more or 
 less of sympathy, smiled a trifle sadly. 
 
 "I tried," he said, quietly, "to give them more 
 liberty." 
 
 "Oh!" Kent let the exclamation slip. And 
 then, after a slight pause, "I remember that yours 
 was an absolute monarchy. Always has been; 
 people brought up to respect the king boisterously 
 when he happened to be respectable, and to swal- 
 low their disrespect when he happened to be the 
 
 [47]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 other thing. May I ask what form of liberty you 
 proposed? Was it magna charta, or something 
 like that! " 
 
 1 ' Of course not ! ' ' indignantly objected the chan- 
 cellor. "The rights of the crown had to be re- 
 spected." 
 
 "Um-m-mh! So! Sort of curtailed liberty, eh, 
 with a leash on it that could be jerked when ne- 
 cessity arose? Just like an April Fool purse de- 
 signed by a small boy who lurks around the cor- 
 ner." 
 
 "I gave them councils where they could vote," 
 protested the king. "That was a step toward lib- 
 erty, wasn't it?" 
 
 "But I suppose your very able chancellor saw 
 to it that you could veto any act passed, and in 
 fact dissolve them, any time they had plans you 
 did not approve of?" 
 
 The king tried to appear offended, and the chan- 
 cellor was sulky and sullen. 
 
 "Did you finally dissolve them?" Kent asked, 
 when neither answered. 
 
 "No," said the king, sadly. "I tried to reason 
 with them. That was after one of them proposed 
 a resolution inviting me to abdicate." 
 
 Kent leaned back and laughed quietly. 
 
 "Listen I" he said. "There are just two ways 
 of reasoning with a man who tries to throw you 
 out of your own house. If he is big enough to 
 [48]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 do it, grin and move. If he isn't, call for the police 
 or take a club and chase him into the middle of the 
 next block. It appears they were strong enough 
 to put you out, so here you are!" 
 
 "No, you are wrong," disputed the king. "It 
 was not the people who caused me to leave. It 
 was my cousin, Baron Provarsk, who wants to 
 rule in my place, and who laughs and snaps his 
 fingers at any idea of reform." 
 
 "I rather approve of him," Kent volunteered. 
 "How did he do it?" 
 
 1 ' He has money. He gathered a good-sized band 
 of mercenaries from the surrounding states, with- 
 out our knowing it, surprised the palace to-night, 
 which was easy because I have dispensed with 
 much of a guard, and we had to escape." 
 
 "His Majesty fails to be explicit," declared the 
 chancellor, crustily. "Provarsk would have mur- 
 dered him." 
 
 "But what I can't understand," said Kent, "is 
 why you didn't fight it out? "Why you two come 
 mounted? Why Her Eoyal Highness arrives in 
 a car accompanied by a maid and one officer? Why 
 didn't all " 
 
 "When the attack was made it was entirely 
 unexpected," explained the king. "I had not the 
 faintest fear that any of my subjects would lay 
 hands on my person. I was unable to defend the 
 palace alone, and couldn't escape and leave my 
 
 [49]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 sister there at Provarsk's mercy. You see, Sir, 
 my sister was also one of his objects. Twice he 
 has tried to marry her. It was because I didn't 
 want her to fall into his clutches that we ran 
 away. We would have remained to fight it out but 
 for her presence. We did hold them off until 
 Captain Paulo had succeeded in carying her away, 
 then, well the chancellor and I mounted, led 
 Provarsk's followers off in the wrong direction 
 to give Paulo time, and rejoined my sister here 
 at this village." 
 
 "We fought," observed the chancellor, as if 
 theirs had been an achievement scarcely worthy 
 of note. "We held them up from door to door, 
 and charged them once in the woods, cutting our 
 way through and back again." 
 
 The king nodded agreement, and Kent, aston- 
 ished, studied both his and the chancellor's faces 
 as if he had discovered unexpected cause for com- 
 mendation. 
 
 "His Majesty made most excellent sword play," 
 observed the chancellor. "We dared not fire lest 
 we bring others against us." 
 
 The king lifted his hand in deprecation. 
 
 "Well, you did, Sire," insisted the chancellor. 
 
 tested the king. 
 
 "I did not mind that so much as the difficulties 
 [50]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 of getting Her Eoyal Highness to assent, ' ' boomed 
 the chancellor. 
 
 "My sister," explained the king to the financier, 
 "is somewhat difficult. She has and I don't 
 mean this as disparagement or criticism quite 
 a will and temper of her own. She rather stub- 
 bornly insisted on all of us remaining and fighting 
 to the death." 
 
 "Positively refused to recognise the hopeless- 
 ness of the odds," the chancellor seconded. "De- 
 clared she would go and face them alone, which 
 was just what Provarsk would have liked. Tried 
 to call for help by telephone, but Provarsk's crew 
 had cut the wires. Tried to shoot a man who 
 crawled round the balcony toward her chamber, 
 but the pistol wasn't loaded. It was very diffi- 
 cult, sir. Very. We had to threaten to carry her 
 away by force for her own safety before she would 
 go." 
 
 "Whose task was that?" asked Kent. 
 
 "His Majesty's." 
 
 "I should say that, too, required some bravery," 
 commented the American. 
 
 "It did," assented Von Glutz, grinning drily 
 and stroking his nose, in an effort to hide his 
 mirth. 
 
 "And this Paulo is?" Kent questioned. 
 
 "The captain of the king's guard, which un- 
 fortunately consists, owing to His Majesty's de- 
 
 [51]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 sire to appear democratic, and also to conduct 
 the affairs of the kingdom with the utmost econ- 
 omy, of barely four-score men, of whom but five 
 are ever on palace duty. Provarsk had about 
 fifty followers," he concluded, as if to explain how 
 the palace had been overwhelmed. 
 
 Kent leaned his chin on his hand and meditated 
 for a time and then said, "I don't see how you 
 could have done anything else than escape from 
 the palace; but why cross the border?" 
 
 11 There seemed no other direction open," re- 
 plied the king, with a heavy sigh of discourage- 
 ment. 
 
 "But certainly, if what I understand is correct, 
 you must have had some friend who could shel- 
 ter you until you could formulate some definite 
 plan?" 
 
 "Yes; but that," said the king, "might have 
 meant civil war. Bloodshed. And I don't want 
 any of my people killed on my account. If they 
 have decided that the country and their happiness 
 are more assured by my going well I must 
 go!" 
 
 "What do you think on those points?" Kent 
 demanded, frowning at the king. 
 
 "If it were anybody but Provarsk " the lat- 
 ter faltered, with an air of resignation. 
 
 "Provarsk is a reactionary! A would-be ty- 
 rant ! A man who would think no more of taking 
 [52]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 one or a hundred lives, than he would of throw- 
 ing dice for his castle," Von Glutz roared. 
 
 "With the natural result that if he gets into 
 power, the people of Marken will at least have a 
 ruler," Kent retorted. "And quite plainly, from 
 my way of thinking, that is what they have lacked. 
 The country has had a king who, with the best of 
 intentions, has been misunderstood. Firmness 
 was the element lacking. To like a man's motives 
 but to doubt his ability to carry any of them 
 through is even worse than to doubt his motives, 
 but be certain that, whatever they are, he will 
 force them over. A resolute bad man is frequently 
 better than a vacillating good man." 
 
 The king nodded his head and scowled at the 
 fireplace. 
 
 "I admit all that now that it is too late," he 
 said, in a bitter monotone. 
 
 "Too late! Heavens, man, you don't mean to 
 tell me that you are brave enough to cut your 
 way through a band of murderers in the night, 
 after defending your sister, and yet are ready to 
 abdicate rather than make another fight for it, 
 do you? Humph!" 
 
 Kent's tone conveyed contempt mixed with 
 wonder. 
 
 "I am not personally afraid of anything, sir," 
 declared the king, nettled. "But I do not want, 
 and will not have, hundreds, perhaps thousands of 
 
 [53]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 men killed on my acount. After all, they are my 
 people, as they have been the people of my ances- 
 tors for hundreds of years ! I have conceived it 
 to be my duty to protect them and their happiness 
 and welfare. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Well spoken, ' ' said Kent. * ' Very nice theory, 
 too ; but it lacks this much : that quite frequently 
 it is necessary to compel people to do the right 
 things for their own happiness. For this reason 
 we sometimes spank boys when they run away 
 from schools ; paddle them when they yield to the 
 delights of chewing tobacco ; admonish our daugh- 
 ters when they go to places of gaiety that they 
 should not enter ; whip our dogs when they begin 
 to delight in snapping at strangers' heels; and a 
 thousand and one other things that make the ad- 
 monished howl or yelp at the time, but work out 
 for their own good." 
 
 He stared in a kindly way at the king for a 
 moment, as if expecting the latter to dispute, and 
 then added, grimly, "If I were in your place, I'd 
 not let this man Provarsk win so easily. I'd 
 fight!" 
 
 1 1 1 would, if I knew how ! ' ' The king spoke im- 
 petuously. 
 
 "But you must have some friend who can assist 
 you," suggested Kent. "Some man you can de- 
 pend upon." 
 
 The king shook his head sadly. 
 [54]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 " There are many who like me," he said; "but 
 they fear Provarsk." 
 
 "Pooh!" Kent accompanied himself with a 
 snap of his fingers. 
 
 "If His Majesty would run the risk of a 
 war " began the chancellor. 
 
 "Rubbish!" exclaimed Kent. "War, nothing! 
 The thing to do is to beat him at his own game. 
 See here, young man, I beg Your Majesty's par- 
 don you've got to do it! You've got to be one of 
 two things, a king or a coward. You've got to 
 decide to-night, too, before the people of Marken 
 know that you have been driven out by Provarsk. 
 Don't you understand that from to-night you are 
 either just beginning or just finished?" 
 
 "If I could see any way on earth without civil 
 war," declared the king, desperately, "I'd try it." 
 
 Kent studied him closely, with steady eyes, and 
 then turned to his desk and consulted a memo- 
 randum book. 
 
 "I'm going to be perfectly frank with you," 
 he said, at last. "It doesn't matter much to me 
 who is the ruler of Marken ; but I like you for the 
 ideals you have had, and admire your sister for 
 wishing to stay to the ultimate end. And most 
 of all, I've got considerable at stake in this myself, 
 because John Rhodes hasn't much use for a man 
 who causes him to lose a million pounds, and 
 what's more, he's a good fighter. He does pretty 
 
 [55]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 much as I suggest. Besides, this strikes me as an 
 interesting proposition, and at present I haven't 
 much to do. Provarsk is promising. I admire 
 him, too. It requires courage to do what he has 
 done." 
 
 He suddenly threw the book back into the drawer 
 and shoved the latter shut with an emphatic bang. 
 He arose from his chair, frowned thoughtfully at 
 the lampshade, then looked across it at the king, 
 who was watching him, as if fascinated by his 
 heavy, square-cut American face. He seemed to 
 have arrived at an audacious resolution, 
 
 "111 make a bargain with you," he said, chop- 
 ping his sentences. "You assist me and I'll assist 
 you under let us say very peculiar conditions. 
 If you will agree to do exactly as I say, I'll either 
 make a real king of you, or give you a chance to 
 die like a man instead of a runaway. And if we 
 fail, we '11 fail together. But I shall at least make 
 an effort to save John Rhodes' money, and you 
 your throne! Be certain of that!" 
 
 The king looked at him hopefully, and the chan- 
 cellor with grudging respect. 
 
 "I can't see what else I can do but listen," said 
 the king. "I am as you see. What do you pro- 
 pose?" 
 
 "This," said Kent, deliberately; "that you are 
 to go back to your country and fight it out; but 
 that you are to fight it out just as I direct; that 
 [56]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 from now onward, until I have recovered the 
 money John Rhodes lent you, which would nat- 
 urally mean the clearing of Marken's finances and 
 a restoration of peace and industry, I am to be 
 the absolute, untrammelled dictator of your king- 
 dom. Not only that, but that you and this chan- 
 cellor, or any other that I name, are to do exactly 
 as I order. I'm to be temporarily the tyrant, the 
 ruler. Also that not a soul on earth besides our- 
 selves is to know that I am such. I can be any- 
 thing we wish, a visitor at court, or anything that 
 doesn't matter, so long as you and the baron here 
 obey me implicitly, no matter how difficult my 
 demand. ' ' 
 
 The king gasped and stared at him as if fas- 
 cinated, while the chancellor went red and white 
 by turns. Both were speechless at the boldness of 
 his proposition. 
 
 "Come," he said, in a friendly tone, "you've 
 everything to gain and nothing to lose. You've 
 lost all you had, both of you. And I believe, if 
 you agree to give me a free hand, that we can suc- 
 ceed. Administration is, after all, largely a mat- 
 ter of finance. Furthermore, if you do not agree 
 to this, I am compelled to take steps immediately 
 to ally myself with Provarsk, the insurgent, for 
 the protection of that loan which I caused to be 
 made, and which I represent. Hence, after to- 
 night, I shall be either your friend or your 
 
 [57]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 enemy! No half-way measures with me. I must 
 be one or the other, squarely, uncompromisingly. 
 You must decide." 
 
 The king settled back into his chair, and ap- 
 peared to hesitate and consider, while the chan- 
 cellor fixed his stare on. the floor, greatly per- 
 turbed, and quite helpless. The old clock in the 
 corner ticked heavily, and the rain lashed the 
 windows audibly, as if waiting outside the room 
 were enemies, defiant and challenging onslaught. 
 The American slowly opened his strong box a sec- 
 ond time, selected some papers with due care, and 
 held them toward the king. 
 
 "That there may be no doubt in your mind 
 that I am the original man who made the loan to 
 your government, and that I am empowered by 
 John Rhodes to act as I deem best, you will please 
 read these. They will serve as credentials." 
 
 He handed the papers to the king, who read 
 them and handed them back ; but with an increased 
 look of respect in his eyes. His gaze shifted back 
 to the chancellor, then, almost absently, so evident 
 was his concentration, to the fire dogs. Plainly 
 he was hesitating, yet devoid of funds or other 
 plans, an exile, tempted to plunge. 
 
 "If you were out of money, why didn't you sell 
 those manganese mines you own, or a concession 
 on them for a number of years ? ' ' Kent asked the 
 king as if by afterthought. 
 [58]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 " Because I could conceive of no one being fool 
 enough to offer me such a sum for a concession," 
 replied the king. * ' It would require more capital 
 or labour than I can produce to make them pay. ' ' 
 
 Kent stared speculatively at him, and took a 
 turn through the room. 
 
 "I'm not certain that I wouldn't be foolish 
 enough to try it," he said thoughtfully. "I've 
 been well informed that they are valuable. Why 
 not grant me a twenty-year concession, out of 
 which I give you ten per cent of the profit; but 
 with this clear agreement : that I am to have full 
 power to handle you and your kingdom to make 
 them pay? It's the only way I can find to save 
 Ehodes' money for him." 
 
 The king looked tempted, yet cautiously con- 
 siderate; but did not answer in haste. 
 
 Kent paced the room thoughtfully, and at last, 
 with a kindly air, walked across and laid his hand 
 on the king's shoulder. 
 
 "You are not a king to me," he said, quietly. 
 "You are just a fine, brave young fellow, with 
 high ideals, who deserves a chance. I hate to see 
 as decent a young chap as you are fail, irretriev- 
 ably, for the want of some one to back him, and 
 to show him the way through. We don't have 
 kings in my country; but we have the young fel- 
 lows. And I have helped a lot of them, when 
 about all they needed was some one to pat them on 
 
 [59]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 the back and say, 'It's all right, Boy. You're not 
 licked yet! Get up and try again!' And most 
 always, they take heart and go in and win ! That's 
 what I want you to do. Go in and win! Your 
 duty is to be a king ! And I now tell you, go and 
 be one! If you'll do as I say, Provarsk is much 
 abler than I think he is, if we don't best him, hand 
 and foot. In any event, he shall have a struggle 
 that will make him about the busiest usurper that 
 ever tried for a throne!" 
 
 The king, trained to repress display of emo- 
 tions since childhood, and passed through the 
 course which makes of princes wooden-faced im- 
 ages, forgot all that education as the American 
 progressed, and became merely a desperate hurt 
 human being, craving friendship and support. 
 His lips twitched and strained under this unex- 
 pected tender of sympathy. They might have 
 remained unmoved had he walked upon the scaf- 
 fold of a guillotine, but here was a new emotion, 
 that rendered him defenceless. With something 
 akin to boyish amazement, he stared at the grim, 
 satirical, strong face above him as if to make cer- 
 tain of the character that offered open support 
 in return for secret domination, and what he saw 
 there gave him confidence. For a long time he 
 weighed the situation with all its alternatives, ask- 
 ing now and then cautious questions and receiv- 
 ing reassuring answers. At last, quite like one 
 [60]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 taking a final and desperate chance, he made his 
 decision. He stood to his feet, as befitted the 
 gravity of the situation, and said, very simply, 
 "I accept. The concession is yours, and I put my- 
 self completely in your hands because I trust you 
 and because I have no other recourse. Our agree- 
 ment is one of honour, to last until you have 
 secured your superior's money, or by your own 
 word release me from further obligation." 
 
 "That is fair; very fair," Kent replied, with 
 equal gravity. "And you may trust me to make 
 my stay as brief as possible, because I've no wish 
 for the job. ' ' He paused a minute and added with 
 one of his rare, half -humorous smiles, "You see, 
 the fact is, I never have run a kingdom before. 
 Once when I was young, I ran a sawmill, and after 
 all, running kingdoms and sawmills are not much 
 different. Both consist in seeing that the work is 
 well done." 
 
 The king extended his hand to the financial 
 agent, who took it, and for an instant held it, and 
 studied the king's face as if to make a last ap- 
 praisment of this material with which he must 
 work. 
 
 "And I take it that the chancellor " 
 
 "For more than twenty years, as boy and man," 
 Von Glutz rumbled, "I have served the house of 
 His Majesty. And behind me are four genera- 
 tions of my name who have also given all they had 
 
 [61]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 to give. I ask nothing but to serve. The king's 
 wish is to me an order." 
 
 "Phwew! That's going some! Takes me back to 
 a gallery seat at the melodrama," Kent said in 
 English, much to the chancellor's bewilderment. 
 But with the chancellor, too, the American shook 
 hands as if this were to seal a binding contract, 
 and then, almost abruptly, he swung round to his 
 desk, seated himself, and was the man in com- 
 mand. His head appeared to set more doggedly, 
 his voice to become more crisp and authoritative. 
 
 "I'll take your word for the concession until 
 we can draw it up. Now who is this friend of 
 whom you spoke?" he asked the king. 
 
 "Baron Von Hertz, distantly related, who 
 dwells most of the time in a mediaeval castle he has 
 rehabilitated. It is less than ten miles from Mar- 
 ken." 
 
 "And you can depend on him?" 
 
 "Implicitly. On him and all his followers and 
 tenants. ' ' 
 
 "And how far is his castle from here?" 
 
 "About thirty miles, I should think." 
 
 "All right. We shall have to use the car the 
 princess arrived in. We three will start at once." 
 
 "And leave my sister here alone unde- 
 fended?" 
 
 Kent stepped to the door, and turned back to 
 answer over his shoulder. 
 [62]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "No, I shall leave my man Ivan to guard her. 
 She will be as safe as if we three were here." 
 
 He was gone from the room but a few minutes 
 and when he returned was clad in a heavy rain- 
 coat, and carried in his hand a light sporting rifle. 
 He was very brusque and determined in the 
 directness with which he crossed the room, pos- 
 sessed himself of a magazine pistol, examined the 
 clip to make certain that it was filled, and gave 
 an order that was entirely devoid of deference. 
 * * You will now call in Captain Paulo and instruct 
 him," he said. "Also there must be no forget- 
 fulness of our relative positions. You are now 
 and hereafter to be my mouthpiece. You are still 
 the king. You will give such orders as I give you 
 as your own, obey my instructions, and see that 
 they are carried out as if they were your own. 
 You understand thoroughly?" 
 
 Both the king and chancellor bowed, the latter 
 with a quick military salute of acquiescence. 
 
 "Summon Captain Paulo," said the king, ac- 
 cepting his new role ; and when, in answer to the 
 stentorian hail of the chancellor through the lat- 
 tice, the officer appeared, the king commanded, 
 evenly, as if nothing unusual could be found in 
 the situation, "Captain Paulo, bring the car 
 around to the door, headed in the opposite direc- 
 tion. We return to our kingdom." 
 
 The officer's youthful face flashed to exultation, 
 
 [63]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Almost lie voiced it; but recovered and saluted, 
 while his eyes danced with satisfaction. He would 
 have turned to obey, but the king restrained him. 
 * ' Just a moment, Paulo, ' ' he said. ' ' Mr. Kent 
 accompanies us, and will remain with us for some 
 time. It is my wish that you obey anything he 
 asks as you would me. Do you know the road 
 from here to the Castle Hertz?" 
 "Quite well, Sire." 
 
 "Then it is there that you are to take us." 
 Kent gave his first direct order to the officer a 
 few minutes later as the three men climbed into 
 the car. 
 
 "Drive!" lie said "Drive like the devil!" 
 And the car, with big headlights ablaze, roared 
 its way down the village street, skidded as it made 
 a sharp turn, and then leaped out on a long 
 straight road like a racer reaching for a goal. 
 
 [64]
 
 CHAPTER FOUR 
 
 FOR what seemed to Kent a long and perilous 
 time, the car jolted and slipped, and ran at 
 a fearsome speed over long level stretches, 
 up hills, over mountain roads, and at last rushed 
 noisily up a harsh incline and across what he sur- 
 mised had once been a moat bridge, to come to a 
 halt in a courtyard, where it stood and steamed 
 like a spent racer finishing a course. 
 
 ' 'Well! What's wanted?" 
 
 A night watchman, flashing an electric torch, 
 challenged them, and they climbed out to observe 
 that the storm was abating, that off on one hori- 
 zon stars were shining through a cloud opening, 
 and that they stood in front of a huge and gloomy 
 old pile that Kent knew must be the Castle Hertz. 
 
 "The baron is within 1 ?" asked the chancellor. 
 
 "Without a doubt. And asleep as such an hon- 
 est man should be," was the watchman's surly 
 response. 
 
 "He must be aroused," grunted the chancellor. 
 
 "Not by me!" exclaimed the watchman. "I'm 
 an old man with a family dependent on me. Can't 
 you gentlemen wait until morning?" 
 
 [65]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "You go and tell your master that " Von 
 
 Glutz began in a hoarse bluster, but was quietly 
 elbowed aside by the American, who continued the 
 sentence as if it were his own. 
 
 "That three gentlemen have called here in the 
 most urgent haste and can not be delayed. Also 
 that we are on the king's business. Here ! This 
 may help!" 
 
 He slipped a gold coin into the watchman's 
 hand, which the latter took, inspected under the 
 light of the torch, bit to make certain that he was 
 not dreaming, and acknowledged by doffing his 
 cap and bowing very deeply. 
 
 "It must be on the king's business," he de- 
 clared. "No one else could possibly have that 
 much money in these times, Sir. I'll take a 
 chance." 
 
 "Wonderful what one can accomplish by di- 
 plomacy," Kent remarked, dryly, as the watch- 
 man ambled around to a side entrance and dis- 
 appeared. A long wait ensued which indicated 
 cither that the Baron Von Hertz might have been 
 hard to awaken, or had calmly murdered his 
 watchman and returned to his repose. And then 
 when Kent was beginning to be annoyed, a huge 
 door in front of them opened, a light glowed 
 within, and they were invited to enter. 
 
 "I trust," observed the watchman, meaningly, 
 as he conducted them toward a waiting room, 
 [66]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "that you gentlemen are really on the king's busi- 
 ness. Otherwise I fear that My Lord the baron 
 will prove ahem! a trifle unpleasant. At first 
 he swore that he wouldn't get up for the king 
 himself. It was not until I suggested you might 
 be robbers, and there was a prospect of a good 
 fight, that he consented to arise. He is now load- 
 ing his shotgun. Pray be seated.*' 
 
 "Must be a pleasant old chap !" said Kent, with 
 a soft chuckle. 
 
 But the king, failing to see any humour in the 
 situation, threw himself wearily into a chair 
 without removing his hat or coat, and stretched 
 his legs in front of him and stared at his boots. 
 The watchman took his post outside the doorway, 
 and then, by afterthought, switched on the lights 
 in the corridors, and brought the waiting room to 
 full blaze. Kent, as idly as any tourist, person- 
 ally conducted, and endowed with a connoisseur's 
 knowledge, stared around at the fine old wain- 
 scoting and polished floors. He acted as if calling 
 out a baron of the realm of Marken at three o'clock 
 in the morning were an every-night occurrence 
 with him. He was disturbed by a sharp ' ' Ahem 1 ' ' 
 in the doorway and looked around to discover a 
 tall, gaunt, white-whiskered old gentleman whose 
 bald head was protected by a flaming red night 
 cap, and who carried a heavy fowling piece in a 
 manner that suggested that he might be per- 
 
 [67]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 fectly willing to use it on slight provocation. The 
 three men stood to their feet and for a moment 
 he glared at them, then entering the room, hastily 
 deposited the shotgun in a corner, turned his 
 head and bawled to the watchman, "It's all right! 
 Go on outside and watch the weather. I'm ex- 
 pecting a hailstorm. " 
 
 After that he came quickly forward and offered 
 both hands to his sovereign. 
 
 * ' Well, Karl, what is up now ? What brings you 
 here at this time of night? Some one been lift- 
 ing the lid to let the sulphur out?" 
 
 "Provarsk," replied the king, sententiously. 
 
 The old man smiled a wry smile, nodded to Von 
 Glutz, and favoured Kent with a harsh stare 
 from under his scowling eyebrows. 
 
 "It's all right!" said the king. "We can talk 
 freely. This is an American gentleman, Mr. Kent, 
 who is the agent for John Rhodes, the financial 
 magnate." 
 
 "Oh! Can't he collect interest in daylight?" 
 demanded the irascible old man. ' * Since when did 
 you begin to make night journeys with money 
 lenders?" 
 
 Kent stood unmoved ; but the king rushed to his 
 defence. 
 
 "Baron," he asserted, steadily, "Mr. Kent has 
 proved to be my friend. As such I am certain you 
 will regard him." 
 [68]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 " Pardon me," the American interjected, "I do 
 not seek the baron's friendship." 
 
 Before the amazed old nobleman could recover, 
 Kent walked directly across the intervening space 
 until he confronted him. 
 
 "Whether you like me or not, whether you ob- 
 ject to me or not, My Lord Baron, is to me of the 
 very slightest importance. There is but one at- 
 titude I expect from you, that which is current 
 between gentlemen, and consists of courtesy. 
 That I demand!" 
 
 There was an intense stillness in the room as 
 they eyed each other, Kent inflexible, the king dis- 
 tressed, and the chancellor open-mouthed at such 
 uncompromising words. The old baron was the 
 most affected and stood as if stupefied with aston- 
 ishment. Fora pregnant time he met Kent 's stare 
 and then suddenly chuckled in his throat with a 
 queer, wise acceptance. He turned to the king 
 and exploded, much as an explorer might have 
 done on announcing a discovery. "Why, Karl! 
 You Ve got a friend who is a man ! By Saint Dom- 
 inique! This is a man!" 
 
 The chancellor twisted and frowned. The caus- 
 tic inference was not lost upon him; but he had 
 no opportunity for speech, for the baron advanced 
 to the American, put out his hand and exclaimed, 
 "My kinsman needs a few like you. It should 
 straighten affairs out, unless I mistake." 
 
 [69]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 For a time they stood and eyed each other, the 
 one stalwart in developed strength, the other 
 elderly, weak, and wise. 
 
 "I have placed myself at the king's disposal," 
 Kent said, mollified. "And that is one of the 
 reasons why we are here. We now seem to under- 
 stand one another. His Majesty himself will tell 
 you what has happened in Marken. He seeks a 
 friend. He has come to you." 
 
 He turned to the king, as did the baron, and 
 they seated themselves around a tete-a-tete table 
 that stood conveniently in a corner of the room, 
 where, without evasion, the king told the baron all 
 that had taken place, observing his promise to 
 Kent that nothing should be said of their private 
 agreement. 
 
 "I have undertaken," explained the American, 
 "to assist His Majesty in the difficulty, by advice, 
 and, furthermore, I am in a position to command 
 for him and if need arises will enlist substantial 
 financial support in our enterprise." 
 
 His three auditors alike exposed their surprise 
 and gratification. 
 
 ' ' I mean it, ' ' he declared. ' * Mean that I am go- 
 ing to save, if possible, the Rhodes loan, though 
 doubtless it may require additional resources. If 
 they are needed they will be forthcoming. The 
 financial side does not in the least disturb us, 
 therefore, and we have come to you because the 
 [70]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 king understands that we must have support and 
 possibly refuge. That is all he asks of you. I 
 shall attempt to clear Provarsk out without blood- 
 shed. After that I shall endeavour to advise the 
 king how to rehabilitate himself as the real ruler 
 of Marken." 
 
 "But what do you propose to do!" demanded 
 the old baron. "What is the first move? It looks 
 rather difficult to me. Provarsk has brains. He 
 is fearless; fearless in the adventurer way. If 
 you think you have an infant to fight you are 
 wrong. You might lose." 
 
 ' * I never play to lose, * ' retorted Kent. * ' I make 
 no such calculation." 
 
 "Karl," said the baron, after a thoughtful 
 study of the American, "all the support I have 
 to give is yours." 
 
 "That being so," hastily suggested Kent, "the 
 next move is to send Captain Paulo back to bring 
 the princess, her maid, and my man Ivan here 
 as quickly as possible. It must not become known 
 to the public that the king has ever been driven 
 from the kingdom. For the present, it will do, 
 if his absence is noted, that he and his sister have 
 been here as your guests, voluntarily." 
 
 The baron assented with an enthusiasm that 
 had in it a suggestion of mischievousness. 
 
 "That will do nicely," he said. "And it will 
 bo easy as far as my part is concerned, because I 
 
 [71]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 have the finest body of liars around me that the 
 world has ever known since Ananias gained re- 
 pute. Send for Eloise." 
 
 After Paulo had been summoned and sent on 
 his journey, they fell to discussing the plan which 
 the American slowly outlined, and were still en- 
 larging upon it when the young officer returned 
 with his passengers. Kent, as though curious to 
 interpret the princess ' attitude, was a silent spec- 
 tator in the background when she arrived, and 
 smiled his approbation when he saw her hasten to 
 the king and study his face, unabashed by the pres- 
 ence of the others, and meet his eyes with an en- 
 couraging stare. 
 
 ' * I am glad ! ' ' she declared. i l Very glad ! You 
 are going to fight it out, and drive Provarsk, that 
 unspeakable traitor, from Marken!" 
 
 "With Mr. Kent's help I shall try," he said, 
 and, disappointed and perplexed, she slowly 
 dropped her hands, and her eyes sought the 
 American, for whom she had already pronounced 
 aversion and distrust. 
 
 "You are accepting his support, rather 
 than " 
 
 Kent, alert and diplomatic, stepped forward to 
 prevent the completion of her sentence. 
 
 "Your Royal Highness will permit me," he said 
 suavely, ' ' to say that I am trying as best I can to 
 support your brother. I may be of service or 
 [72]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 not ; but what I have to offer, I give. And at least 
 we are here, together, ready for an effort. ' ' 
 
 "And what is more, Eloise," sharply exclaimed 
 Baron Von Hertz, "this is no time for any 
 woman folly of tongue. You'd better be thankful 
 that Karl has got some one back of him that, if 
 I'm not badly mistaken, is going to do things. 
 Hoity-toity! Don't start in to make faces at 
 me! I'm old enough to know a man when I see 
 one. You had better go upstairs to bed. So had 
 all of us. Come on. No foolishness. I'll show 
 you the way. This man what is that his name is 
 Kent, has plenty to do in the morning, and I will 
 not let him be bothered by anybody. You just 
 stop any desire to interfere and leave him alone. 
 I'll have my way here. This is my place." 
 
 Eebelliously she obeyed, and Kent watched her 
 as she followed the crabbed old man up the grand 
 staircase, while the latter 's voice came back 
 through the deserted halls, querulous, and admon- 
 itory, until it died away. A half hour later he, 
 too, stood alone in a vast room surveying the bed 
 in which he was to sleep, and as he pulled off his 
 shoes and threw them outside the door for much 
 needed attention, he grinned as if secretly pleased 
 with his adventure. His lights were out within fif- 
 teen minutes, but the watchman, wondering, noted 
 that farther along in a room assigned to the young 
 man to whom so much deference was shown, that 
 
 [73]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB, KENT" 
 
 occupied by His Majesty, Karl II, the lights did 
 not go out and a harassed guest continued to 
 pace, with monotonous insistence, backward and 
 forward in front of the windows on which hit 
 shadow was thrown. 
 
 [74]
 
 CHAPTER FIVE 
 
 IN the city of Marken, the capital of Marken, 
 early rising might have been a crime. Here 
 was no sordid place so highly fascinated by 
 industry that lights began to glow in workmen's 
 homes before the sun arose. Not thus in Marken ! 
 The only ones who opened windows in Marken 
 at dawn were those who, usually with night-caps 
 on their heads, poked the said night-capped heads 
 out to look at the weather, then with all observa- 
 tions necessary for prognostication, shut the win- 
 dows again and retired to " think it over" for an 
 hour or two. True, if the day happened to be fair 
 and somnolent, the sun, shining in their eyes 
 through some quaint old lattice, or climbing almost 
 boisterously like a second-story burglar into the 
 depths of some high-hung balcony, caused them 
 to arise grumbling. People in Marken always 
 did the same things came deliberately to the 
 front doors and opened them, walked out into the 
 narrow, cobbled streets, took another look at the 
 weather, yawned, thrust their fingers through their 
 hair, grunted ''good morning" to their neigh- 
 bours, and then sought the kitchen sink to wash 
 
 [75]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 their faces. Then, by about nine o'clock, there 
 might be a haze over Marken a most savoury 
 haze of ethereal, palpitating blue, the blue of a 
 fair dream perfumed; but the perfumed haze in 
 Marken was due to the unanimous habit of fry- 
 ing sausages. The dogs, of which population there 
 was nearly as great a number as of other people, 
 aroused themselves from the doorways, stretched, 
 exchanged neighbourly canine salutations by the 
 customary methods of identification, and then, 
 with noses properly dilated, headed for those 
 places where according to their fixed belief, the 
 sausages grew and might be obtained. Later the 
 children, swarms of them, appeared in the nar- 
 row cobbled streets, accompanied by the dogs, all 
 of them adorned by sausage grease on their chops 
 and an air of contentment. Then, still leisurely, 
 the shop shutters began to come down with creaks, 
 and bangs, and bumps, and portly shopkeepers in 
 their shirt sleeves stood in the shade of their door- 
 ways, leaning more or less heavily on the door- 
 jambs, and smoked, and read their papers, prior 
 to a general assemblage in the streets to discuss 
 the latest news. Periodically they all arose early, 
 it being the most exciting day of each week, mar- 
 ket day. This was due, perhaps, to the fact that 
 the farmers of the immediate country were a quite 
 incomprehensible sort of folk, who were foolish 
 enough to brave miasmatic vapours from the soil 
 [76]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 and all sorts of unpleasant things, and get np 
 early. Not that this would have made much dif- 
 ference to the good folk of Marken ; but that these 
 same foolish farmers invaded the city with a 
 clatter of sabots, a bleating of kids, the braying of 
 donkeys, and much voluble chatter, so that it was 
 quite impossible for any one to sleep. 
 
 The storm of the night had completely disap- 
 peared with the dawn and a lazy spring sun busied 
 itself in drying the mud on this particular market 
 day, when some of the more observant arrivals 
 noted with curiosity that for the first time since 
 Karl II had become a king, with vast and delight- 
 ful ceremony, the gates of his palace were closed 
 and two grim and foreign-appearing sentries 
 stood guard beside the main entrance, each square- 
 ly planted in his sentry box as if he had grown 
 there over night like a fungus. And so he had, in 
 truth! 
 
 The palace stood on the flat top of a fair hill 
 and was surrounded by a wall. Every good pal- 
 ace has to have one, and all others do not count. 
 Doubtless, in some ancient day, there had been a 
 moat ; but this had been filled and turfed. "Where 
 in the time of his august predecessors had been 
 a considerable place d'armes for the drilling of 
 fighting men, Karl II had created a garden of 
 distinguished beauty in which, it was scornfully 
 whispered by the malcontents, he occasionally 
 
 [77]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 worked, himself, with pruning shears and spade. 
 He had approached sacrilege by modernizing 
 the palace itself, something criminally undigni- 
 fied, inasmuch as no good palace should have 
 either drains or sanitary contrivances. It makes 
 them too much like other folks' houses, and, 
 somehow, people expect kings to be different from 
 everybody else. Furthermore, as a final proof 
 that he was not fit to be a real king, he tried to 
 pay his debts ! 
 
 From the palace windows the quaint old city of 
 Marken, red or moss roofed, flowering from win- 
 dow ledges, its streets dotted here and there with 
 colourfully-clad inhabitants, could be scanned as 
 it stretched away on three Bides. 
 
 From the smaller throne room, by stepping to 
 a balcony, on this morning, a great deal might 
 have been seen; but nobody in the throne room 
 took the trouble. There was much other business 
 to be done, because when a first-class usurper 
 usurps, there are usually several things that re- 
 quire attention. At least that was the opinion of 
 one Baron Provarsk, who, on this gay morning, 
 was, as Kent might have said, "on the job." 
 
 The usurper sat in a big chair at the head of 
 a table, the like of which could be seen any day, 
 in any directors' room of any bank in America. 
 Neatly proportioned, middle-sized, carelessly but 
 well clothed, and about thirty-five years of age, 
 [78]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 he appeared competent. His was rather a hand- 
 some, fearless, albeit reckless face, fairly strong, 
 and without trace of any excess. He was more 
 the rapier type of soldier of fortune, than usurp- 
 ers usually are, and would probably prefer a ra- 
 pier to a butcher's cleaver. And as far as looks 
 were concerned, Kent afterward said, he "had it 
 on the king." 
 
 On the side of the room opposite from the bal- 
 conied, or garden side, were ornate inner windows 
 looking out upon a corridor, and, proving that 
 the baron proposed to take no chances, there 
 could be seen standing in this generous passage- 
 way a file of armed men. As for them, the for- 
 eign legion of Africa could not have been more 
 mixed, or mongrel. Apparently the baron had 
 been interested in such of the king's papers and 
 letters as he had been able to find by ransacking 
 the palace. He scanned them hastily, grinning 
 pleasantly now and then. A good usurper dis- 
 plays no more delicacy in nosing into another's 
 palace, than does a cuckoo intent on laying an 
 egg in another's nest. 
 
 Provarsk shoved the papers into a heap and 
 picked up several other sheets in his own hand- 
 writing, just as a scar-faced man with a scraggly 
 moustache and stubby goatee swaggered into the 
 room and stood opposite his new master. 
 
 "I don't see anything to prevent my procla- 
 
 [79]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 xnation being sent to the printing office jnst as it 
 is," said Provarsk, looking up at his lieutenant, 
 who had become such by recruiting from various 
 foreign sources and drilling Provarsk 's army. 
 "Here, Ubaldo, read it. Read it aloud so I can. 
 hear how it sounds." 
 
 The new commander-in-chief of the army took 
 the paper and after mumbling over a flowery pre- 
 amble which "Viewed with horror and alarm, " 
 read the following: "It having come to my 
 knowledge, fortunately, that the erstwhile sov- 
 ereign of the free and independent Monarchy of 
 Marken, King Karl II, had practically completed 
 secret plans to borrow in the name of the state a 
 second and larger loan than that with which his 
 suffering subjects were already grievously bur- 
 dened, I, his cousin by direct descent from the 
 royal Dynasty, Ferdinand Matilda George Wil- 
 helm Ludwig Humberto Provarsk, Baron of the 
 realm, did expostulate with him in the name of the 
 people of Marken, and was rebuffed, and threats 
 made against my person. I therefore gathered 
 for my own protection a few followers, but was 
 astonished, grieved, and humiliated to learn that, 
 presumably some time within the past few days, 
 King Karl II had taken all the available funds 
 in the treasury, all the royal jewels, and with his 
 sister, the Royal Princess Eloise, his Chancellor, 
 the Baron Von Glutz (who apparently is a fellow- 
 [80]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 participant and partner in his defalcation), and 
 the renegade Captain Paulo, fled to parts unknown. 
 The abdication, to my sincere and lasting grief, 
 is made certain by the fact that the former king 
 and his party are known to have abandoned the 
 sacred soil of our beloved fatherland without legal 
 notice and have been seen on their way to Paris. 
 
 "It has therefore become incumbent upon me 
 as one of the hereditary royal family, and as a 
 true patriot, ready to sacrifice himself for the 
 kingdom, to assume at least temporarily the reins 
 of government and to bring chaos from the muddle 
 into which the foolish extravagances and corrup- 
 tions of the late king and his chancellor have 
 plunged it." 
 
 This much Ubaldo obediently read aloud, after 
 which for a time he read to himself, while the 
 baron yawned and drummed the table with his 
 fingers. 
 
 "It's all right, " said Ubaldo, tossing it back on 
 the table; "but I always like to see them end up 
 some way. Most of those I've helped get up be- 
 fore have something about how the people are to 
 be freed from taxation, work, and all that stuff. 
 Then all of 'em have one of two things at the tag 
 end; they either beseech the dear, faithful sub- 
 jects and patriots to rest quietly and peacefully 
 until the new ruler, always aided by God Al- 
 mighty, gets down to the concrete foundations and 
 
 [81]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 straightens everything out ; or else they warn the 
 damned public to avoid congregating in groups on 
 any public street, showing any lights at night, 
 making any undue disturbances, or speaking above 
 a whisper, on penalty of being shot dead, in- 
 stantly, all their goods and likely womenfolk 
 escheating to the crown." 
 
 1 1 Um-m-mh ! That 's so, * ' thoughtfully observed 
 the baron. 
 
 "And I should advise the dear-people-keep- 
 quiet stuff and all that," hastily observed Ubaldo, 
 " otherwise we might have a scrap, and ther* 
 might not be enough of us. Also eighteen or 
 twenty of the army signed on as soldiers with 
 the understanding that they wouldn't have to do 
 any fighting, and there aren't more than three 
 that could hit a barn with a shotgun at ten paces 
 distance. * ' 
 
 Baron Provarsk grinned amiably, and hurriedly 
 wrote another page or two, pausing but once to 
 look up when part of the new army flattened its 
 nose against the panes of the corridor window. 
 
 "Pull those curtains across that window so 
 nobody can see in," he growled, irritably. "Also 
 see that handkerchiefs are made part of the regu- 
 lation uniform. Some of your men er rather 
 disturb my cultured side." 
 
 The new commander-in-chief dutifully obeyed, 
 then disappeared into the hall and swore, pains- 
 [82]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 takingly but fluently, in seven different tongues, 
 while Provarsk completed his manifesto. 
 
 "There," he said, as if highly satisfied, when 
 his lieutenant returned. "I've added in the gentle 
 appeal for peace and order. Also I've offered 
 ten thousand pounds for old Von Glutz, dead or 
 alive, five thousand for that fellow Paulo, and 
 stated that we are making indefatigable efforts 
 to recover the loot from the royal absconders and 
 have hopes of getting it." 
 
 The new commander-in-chief was making mental 
 calculations. 
 
 "About that fifteen thousand pounds " he 
 
 said, abstractedly staring at the ceiling. "I 
 didn't know you had found that much on tap. 
 Let me see ! Fifty men, and me getting ten shares 
 makes sixty, and sixty goes into fifteen " 
 
 "You needn't badger your empty skull about 
 that!" angrily remarked the usurper. "There 
 isn't any fifteen thousand that I know of." 
 
 "But supposing somebody does catch the chan- 
 cellor or Paulo?" 
 
 "Then we'll have the chancellor and Paulo 
 killed in their cells, after which we'll accuse the 
 fellows that claim the reward of murder and have 
 them hanged publicly as proof of how lawful and 
 orderly we are," cheerfully replied the baron. 
 "Besides, either old Von Glutz or Paulo will be 
 hard to catch. They'll not show up until long after 
 
 [83]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 I've got so firmly fixed in the saddle that no one 
 will dare try to upset me. I think I shall have 
 this posted on every church and Well, what is 
 it?" he demanded, as a sentry appeared at the 
 door waiting for a word. 
 
 "A man to see you, sir, who insists on an im- 
 mediate and private audience. Says you will be 
 glad to see him at once. Here is his card, sir." 
 
 He advanced and tendered a card which Pro- 
 varsk, scowling with annoyance, took and scanned. 
 His face changed from anger to one of amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 ' * He is right, ' ' he said. " I Ve an idea that this 
 chap and I might do some profitable business to- 
 gether. No one I want to see so much just now. 
 You can bring Mr. Richard Kent, agent for John 
 Rhodes, Esq., up at once." 
 
 The sentry saluted and disappeared, ard Pro- 
 varsk turned to his lieutenant. 
 
 "I want to be left alone and undisturbed when 
 this man comes up," he said, pointedly. ''When 
 he gets in the room you go outside, shut the door 
 after you, stand guard, to see that no one gets his 
 ear tangled up with a crack in the door, and by 
 the way keep your own away, too. This is going 
 to be private business ! Strictly private ! Under- 
 stand?" 
 
 Ubaldo grinned mirthlessly and said orders 
 should be obeyed. Evidently, at a pinch, he stood 
 [84]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 in considerable awe of his new master ; for he was 
 threatening to wax voluble concerning his own 
 sense of discipline when the visitor arrived. His 
 advent was preceded by the persistent thumping 
 of a stick on the tiled floor, by sundry titters and 
 muttered gibes from the guardsmen in the cor- 
 ridor, then by his own voice admonishing, some- 
 what testily, some unseen person to exercise more 
 care and not let him fall. 
 
 Provarsk saw an apparently infirm, decrepit 
 and palsied man being half led, half carried into 
 the room by a veritable giant of an attendant, as 
 if the visitor were paralysed from the hips down- 
 ward and could but drag his legs with difficulty. 
 
 "You discern my infirmities, sir," said the 
 financial agent, "hence I crave your permission 
 to be seated. In asking such a favour I Ivan! 
 What are you trying to do? You lumphead! 
 Trying to let me fall and murder me, eh? Big, 
 slow, clumsy lout! I'll get another valet! I will, 
 so help me Bob! I will I" 
 
 His voice had risen by degrees to a querulous, 
 irascible scream that ended with, * ' There ! There ! 
 There ! Easy now ! That does it ! Now stand by 
 me with the ammonia. And don't go to sleep if I 
 get faint!" 
 
 He settled helplessly into the chair toward 
 which the baron had waved a hand, and panted 
 laboriously as if the exertion had been trying, and 
 
 [85]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 seemed startled when the doors leading to the 
 corridor closed with a harsh clicking sound. 
 
 "You are Mr. Kent " suavely began Pro- 
 
 varsk. 
 
 "Financial agent for John Rhodes, who loaned 
 this kingdom five million dollars on my advice," 
 the visitor finished the sentence, eyeing the usurp- 
 er at the opposite end of the table. 
 
 Provarsk smiled sadly and shook his head, quite 
 with a regretful air, but politely waited for his 
 visitor to proceed. 
 
 ' ' Dangerous man, this. Knows how to keep his 
 mouth shut," was Kent's mental measurement. 
 Aloud he said, "I came here in my employer's in- 
 terests and was told at the very gates of the palace 
 that the king had abdicated and that a distin- 
 guished Baron Provarsk now ruled in his stead, 
 or at least was at present the head of the govern- 
 ment. ' ' 
 
 He paused and watched the baron, who bit his 
 lower lip, tried to keep from frowning, and men- 
 tally swore that he must find out which sentry 
 had been so frank in statement and see that his 
 case was amply attended to. 
 
 "I presume, therefore," continued the visitor, 
 "that it is the Baron Provarsk I must interview 
 concerning the state of indebtedness." 
 
 "That is true," replied the usurper. "And 
 I am Baron Provarsk. Now that you are made 
 [86]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 comfortable, perhaps it is as well, considering the 
 confidential nature of our interview, that you dis- 
 miss your man for a few minutes, Mr. ah " 
 
 He consulted the card to refresh his memory, 
 "Mr. Kent." 
 
 "Quite imposible! Quite impossible! Quite 
 impossible!" declared the agent, resuming some 
 of his former air of irritability. "Can't you see 
 for yourself that he is both hands and feet to me? 
 I'll answer for him. He always goes where I go. 
 Don't mind him. Talk as if he isn't here. He 
 forgets. I pay him for that and for being dumb. 
 Besides, if he ever said that you said, or that I 
 said, or that anybody ever said anything, at any 
 time, or any place, I 'd say he was a liar ! All men 
 of affairs deny all interviews and call all reporters 
 liars when it suits their convenience. So they're 
 all liars everybody's a liar, but you and me." 
 
 Provarsk decided that there was quite a lot of 
 wisdom in that speech. It indicated possibilities. 
 Moreover, as it fitted in so closely with his own 
 cynical code, it was up to this money lender to 
 take the responsibility if anything was said that 
 might prove embarrassing. 
 
 "As you wish," he said, with a little shrug. 
 
 "What I came for, and all that interests me," 
 said the agent, "is to know what provisions the 
 new government proposes to make for the pay- 
 ment of its bonds. They are almost due. I don't 
 
 [87]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 care a rap who pays them. All I want is the pay- 
 ment. Money alone does not change. It has no 
 regard for the hand that borrows, spends or pays. 
 It absorbs no personality, no identity. It has 
 neither fealty nor religion. It outlasts kings and 
 cardinals. It is admirable, being steadfastly it- 
 self. ' ' His eyes were wide and vacant as he rhap- 
 sodized; but now they came quickly to another 
 cast and he demanded, "What does the new gov- 
 ernment of the great sovereign state of Marken 
 intend to do about the bonds held by Mr. John 
 Rhodes ?" 
 
 The usurper stared straight at him, wondering 
 if there was intentional sarcasm in this money 
 lender's speech, but meeting a stare even steadier 
 than his own, and devoid of anything save enquiry, 
 resolved to continue in diplomacy. 
 
 "I am exceedingly sorry, Mr. Kent," he said, 
 with an admirable assumption of regret, "to say 
 that the late king, my cousin Karl, was not ah ! 
 What shall I say to seem kindly yet truthful? 
 In fact, Karl was anything but a great and far- 
 sighted monarch. Indeed, he was a plain, un- 
 adulterated ass!" 
 
 1 1 It appears so. You are here ! ' ' drily observed 
 the American, and again the usurper wondered 
 if there might be a double significance in his 
 words. Patiently, however, he resumed. 
 
 "He managed the affairs of the kingdom of 
 [88]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 4 
 
 Marken very faultily. He was a theorist and a 
 reformer. The Markenite wishes neither theory 
 nor reformation. It is a staid, sober, and self- 
 satisfied nation. It is not the most powerful nor 
 the richest nation in the world ; but, such as it is, 
 it is. My unfortunate and lamented cousin did 
 not understand it. It did not understand him. 
 "With the very best of intentions, he failed. Failed 
 because he was not adept, as you and I are, Mr. 
 Kent, in financial affairs." 
 
 He waited for an instant for this suggestion 
 to sink in, then, satisfied by the twinkle in his 
 visitor's eyes that it had been fully understood, 
 and being thereby emboldened, proceeded in that 
 same gentle, courteous, well-modulated tone that 
 was quite nearly, if not wholly, ingratiating. 
 
 "Owing to this mistaken direction of funds, and 
 failure to realise from resources, it will thereby 
 be necessary, regrettable as it may seem at first 
 sight and at first sight only, Mr. Kent that Mr. 
 Rhodes' loan be extended, and also that the state 
 be provided with additional funds that it may 
 redeem not only its original bonds, but all others 
 that follow." 
 
 Kent was thoughtfully staring upward, but now 
 dropped his eyes to those of his vis-a-vis. 
 
 "Quite so," he said, encouragingly. 
 
 "It would be let us say profitable, for all 
 concerned." The baron's voice had lowered 
 
 [89]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 itself and conveyed much. "It is the business of 
 your superior to lend from his enormous stores 
 of wealth. A man with so much money has but 
 one object, to lend it. You, as his agent, have but 
 one employment, to see that it is lent. Is that not 
 so, Mr. Kent!" 
 
 The baron was now leaning eagerly across the 
 big table with a meaning smile, like an angler who 
 sees a coveted trout nosing his bait. 
 
 ' ' Quite so, ' ' came again the encouraging assent. 
 
 "And you, as a most capable agent for the most 
 distinguished financier in the world, perhaps re- 
 ceive, for doing the lion's share, the brainy share, 
 let us say, a commission?" 
 
 "You are right about that," declared the 
 American, grinning steadily into the baron's fact 
 and inviting him to come still further. 
 
 "Then," said the baron, dropping all pretence 
 and confident of his ground, "what use is there 
 for you and me to ride this merry-go-round any 
 longer? You want money. So do I. Rhodes has 
 it plenty of it. What commission do you usually 
 make on a loan of five million dollars?" 
 
 Kent eyed him in perfect understanding, and 
 pretended a certain amount of caution by throw- 
 ing a quick glance over his shoulder at Ivan, who, 
 with a face as blank as the wall, stared straight 
 in front of him, and even yawned deliberately, as 
 [90]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 if infinitely bored by hearing a lot of stuff that 
 he had heard before. 
 
 "Suppose I said one per cent?" questioned the 
 American with an air of slyness. 
 
 "Then I should say," instantly reciprocated the 
 baron, now fully convinced, "that if you induced 
 John Rhodes to advance another million dollars, 
 
 you should be entitled to " He stopped short, 
 
 got to his feet, rested his palms on the long table 
 and leaned far across, and spoke scarcely above a 
 whisper "to a bigger commission than you ever 
 had in your life. Enough so that you could re- 
 linquish your difficult and burdensome duties, Mr. 
 Kent, and retire. If you can induce Rhodes to 
 extend the time of the previous bonds five years, 
 and to advance five million francs more for ten 
 years, on the same terms as those preceding, I'll 
 make you an independent man by giving you one 
 million francs. Think of it I A million francs 
 for your own! Is that worth while?" 
 
 Kent sat stolidly in his chair, and to all outward 
 appearances considered the proposition. 
 
 "But what of Rhodes?" he asked, lifting his 
 eyes, slowly. "What of Rhodes? Does he ever 
 get his money? How will you raise it?" 
 
 "Sweat it out of the hands and hides of these 
 citizens of Mark en!" was the emphatic reply, still 
 carried across the desk in that suggestive under- 
 tone. 
 
 [91]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ' ' And yours ? How much do you get ? ' ' 
 
 "I'll get enough. That is not your affair," 
 somewhat stiffly responded the usurper. * ' All that 
 need concern you is that I hope, and think, Rhodes 
 will lose nothing and that you will make a million 
 francs. Also that no one but you and I is ever 
 to know anything about it. It is, after all, a clean 
 deal. You get well paid for your work. I get 
 well paid for my management. Rhodes gets well 
 paid for his advance. " 
 
 Again the American made that queer twisting 
 movement and glanced over his shoulder to reas- 
 sure himself that Ivan was still standing behind 
 him. The baron complacently dropped back into 
 his seat, beaming with satisfaction. He accepted 
 the conclusion too speedily, as was evinced by his 
 visitor's next remark. Kent leaned slowly back, 
 rested his hands on his hips and laughed. The 
 usurper frowned at him. 
 
 "Hot stuff! Fresh from the bat!" Kent said 
 in his native tongue, then reverted to the language 
 of Marken. * ' Say, I admire your line of talk ! I 
 do ! You are quite all right ! I rather expected 
 something like this. "Why, I really believe you are 
 trying to bribe me personally, aren't you?" 
 
 "Of course I am." The usurper smiled plac- 
 idly. "You had no idea I was sending you out 
 into this cold and cruel world to start an orphans ' 
 home, or a hospital for indigent and decrepit 
 [92]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 chorus girls, did you? I put no conditions on 
 what you are to do with the money. It's for you. ' ' 
 
 "Have you ever sold any green goods?" de- 
 manded Kent "If not, you've certainly missed 
 your calling." 
 
 The baron failed to understand this literal 
 translation of an unknown swindle; but he sur- 
 mised that his proffer was being ridiculed, and 
 having made his last pitch in this direction, his 
 face hardened and he displayed the real man he 
 was, resourceful, striving for a new hold. He 
 became quite natural, ready to storm his way 
 through, strike, smash under foot, and pass on. 
 
 "You jest," he said, unsmilingly. "You think 
 you can play with me. Good! If you don't induce 
 Rhodes to advance another five million francs, I 
 promise you this : that he shall never get a single 
 centime of the money he has already advanced, 
 and that I shall also tell him that you made me 
 take this decision. How does that strike you, Mr. 
 Richard Kent?" 
 
 He sat back with an air of triumph, and waited. 
 
 "Strike? How does that strike me? Why, 
 very good, Baron, save for this: that I took a 
 few precautions before I came here. In fact, you 
 rather please me, when I recall that you are some- 
 what younger than I and doubtless lacking in 
 experience. I think you might do well on Wall 
 Street, or in a good stiff game of poker. Ever 
 
 [93]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 play it? That's too bad! You're ignorant of a 
 lot that we teach school boys, over in America. 
 By the way, have you a telegraph form ? ' ' 
 
 Puzzled by this swift speech, and inclined to 
 believe that the difference in national characteris- 
 tics accounted for any balk of agreement, after 
 all, the baron resumed his air of suavity, and 
 threw a blank sheet of paper across the table 
 which Ivan, as if schooled to service, laid in front 
 of his employer, and handed him a pencil. 
 
 "You said," remarked Kent, with the pencil 
 poised in his fingers and looking across at the 
 baron, "that if I didn't get Rhodes to advance 
 you five million francs more, you would repudiate 
 the loan?" 
 "I said it. " 
 
 "You don't dare do it!" 
 "I don't, eh? Try me, Mr. Kent." 
 There was the utmost assurance in his words, 
 but his manner belied them as he watched the 
 American, who painstakingly scrawled a message 
 on the sheet of paper, then, almost carelessly, 
 tossed it along toward Provarsk. It fell short, 
 and Ivan, like an automaton, picked it up and 
 handed it on to its destination. "With a show of 
 nothing more than cursory interest, the baron 
 read it. It was addressed to the foreign minister 
 of Austria and said: "Provarsk, who is now dic- 
 tator of Marken, owing to the abdication of Karl 
 [94]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 II, repudiates Rhodes loan. The action previously 
 agreed upon between us is now expected and will 
 be responded to as promised. Immediate results 
 will be easy of accomplishment." 
 (Signed) 
 
 "Richard Kent, agent for John Rhodes.' 7 
 
 The baron read it with an unmoved face. 
 
 "Of course," he said, as placidly as if discuss- 
 ing the weather, "I don't understand its mean- 
 ing." 
 
 "That's easy to explain," declared the Ameri- 
 can, and there was something in his attitude quite 
 like that of a cat playing with a beetle, or a gen- 
 tleman holding a royal flush while the others con- 
 sider. "Austria has borrowed money, quite a 
 lot of it, and wants more, I might add, from Mr. 
 Rhodes. Funny condition attached to that loan, 
 Baron. Might interest you to know about it. 
 Laughable and unusual, in fact!" 
 
 He bent forward and smiled sweetly at the 
 usurper. 
 
 "Something like this: that loan was granted 
 and the second request considered, with the pro- 
 viso that if Marken refused to pay that five mil- 
 lion dollars, Austria was to immediately take 
 Itarken and assume the indebtedness." 
 
 Provarsk read the message again, and pondered, 
 while gazing at the sheet. Then he laid it on the 
 
 [95]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 table, impolitely yawned while holding his finely- 
 shaped hand over his mouth, excused himself and 
 drawled, * ' That was rather neat of you. All right ! 
 I'll have it sent," and arose to reach for the bell 
 on the far side of the table. 
 
 "Just a moment," the American interrupted. 
 ' ' Why are you so willing to destroy Marken, your 
 native state?" 
 
 Provarsk laughed heartily. 
 
 "Destroy nothing!" he retorted, contemptuous- 
 ly. "I am merely amused at the bewilderment 
 which will be sustained by the Austrian minister 
 on receipt of this message!" 
 
 The American continued to watch him unmoved. 
 The baron, indicating that he would no longer 
 dally with a situation over which he had control, 
 sharply rapped his knuckles on the outspread 
 message and said, insolently, "This is what your 
 countrymen call a bluff! You know it. I'll let 
 you know a little more. It doesn't in the least in- 
 fluence me. You can send it if you wish. I don't 
 care! Furthermore, this twaddle about destroy- 
 ing the country makes me laugh. Rubbish ! Sheer 
 rubbish! When addressed to a man who has 
 seized a throne and who thereby stakes not only 
 his fortunes but his life on the result and his 
 ability to maintain himself. I don't care much 
 more about this country than you do, and you may 
 as well know that, too. ' ' 
 [96]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "Give me the message/' Kent said. 
 
 The usurper thrust it across toward him, facili- 
 tated its passage by blowing it sharply with his 
 pursed lips, and then calmly sat down. Kent took 
 it, twisted it into a knot, and with thumb and 
 finger flipped it into the air. For a moment they 
 looked at each other, Provarsk alert and with in- 
 creasing insolence, the American humorously, and 
 secretly pleased. 
 
 ""Why, do you know," he said suddenly, almost 
 as if speaking to himself and expecting no reply, 
 "you are a lot more interesting and much smarter 
 than I gave you credit for being? Somehow or 
 another, though, I don't believe you are going to 
 put it through. You don't dare to ruin a kingdom. 
 You've called my bluff and now I call yours !" 
 
 The baron sneered. 
 
 "Don't dare to carry it out to the end, you 
 mean? Try me!" 
 
 "Perhaps I shall. That depends. Yes, I rather 
 think I will." 
 
 "That old saw about possession being nine- 
 tenths, you know, Mr. Kent?" The baron now 
 spoke with painful gentility. 
 
 "That being the case, I suppose I may as well 
 go," replied the American. 
 
 "Oh, I shouldn't be in too big a hurry," the 
 usurper said, with a meaning grin that did not 
 extend above his lips. "I'm afraid, Mr. Richard 
 
 [97]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 Kent, agent for John Rhodes, that you shall not 
 make your departure from this palace until you 
 have induced your employer to advance the ad- 
 ditional loan. Needless to add that, under these 
 new conditions, you can scarcely expect any com- 
 mission whatever." 
 
 The American did not appear disturbed; yet 
 there was a peculiar watchfulness in his manner. 
 
 " Humph! You don't dare to detain me," he 
 said. 
 
 "Don't dare to detain you? That's a joke. 
 Don't dare? I dare not only to detain you, but, 
 in case this money lending, penny scraping master 
 of yours doesn 't advance, I dare to have both you 
 and that stupid dummy behind you shot and put 
 nicely out of the way." 
 
 If he had expected to frighten his visitor, he 
 must have been disappointed; for the latter 
 grinned with the utmost contempt directly across 
 at him and then chuckled deep in his throat. 
 
 "You're not half the man I thought you," he 
 said, jeeringly. "I'm quite disappointed in you, 
 to tell the truth. Dare? Why, you wouldn't dare 
 do anything. It's a pity. You had me respect- 
 ing you as a pretty fair gamester; but this last 
 lot about detaining me, brigand and ransom stuff, 
 cheap melodrama, really hurts me! Call in one 
 of those louts outside, and, by an exchange, take 
 your proper place. You and your mob are, after 
 [98]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 all, a lot of penny whistles squeaking thinly in a 
 country lane. ' ' 
 
 There was everything of studied insult in his 
 tone, his look, the play of his hands as he spoke, 
 and the baron, surprised, upset, angered, and 
 tired by his long hours of excitement, responded 
 as the American wished and lost his temper, and 
 jumped to his feet in a fury. Unnoted by him, the 
 American had given an odd signal across his 
 shoulders by curiously twisting his fingers and 
 waving them, and, expectant and watchful, Ivan 
 had observed and slowly, cautiously, edged around 
 the table side to his employer's elbow. Now he 
 came, inch by inch, a little farther, to a position 
 where he could fix his eyes on Kent's lips. The 
 baron, resolved to exert his authority, came around 
 the corner and reached for the bell. Kent's lips 
 moved noiselessly, although he sat still. 
 
 "Now! Ivan! Get him! Quickly!" he said, and 
 the giant whirled and leaped even as the baron's 
 fingers were within an inch of the bell that would 
 summon assistance. One of Ivan's huge hands 
 was clasped over the usurper's mouth, the fingers 
 seeming bent on crushing the lower part of the 
 baron's face, while he threw his other arm com- 
 pletely around him, pinioned him and lifted him 
 from the floor as if he were but a combative boy 
 in weight and strength. He bent him back across 
 the table roughly, then slammed him down on the 
 
 [99]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 top of it with such force that the baron's breath 
 was almost churned from his body; then, swiftly 
 releasing his arm from around the baron's body, 
 he lifted himself on one tip-toe and planted a 
 heavy knee in the pit of the baron's stomach, while 
 the other hand shot to the usurper's throat and 
 threatened by main strength to crush the bones 
 of his victim's neck. The baron's eyes protruded 
 and he began to struggle feebly. 
 
 Kent rushed to Ivan's side and attracted his 
 attention by tapping him, smartly on the should- 
 ers with his knuckles. Ivan, without relaxing his 
 hold, looked at his employer's lips. 
 
 "Don't kill him! For heaven's sake, don't kill 
 him!" Kent muttered. 
 
 "I've got to choke his teeth loose. He has set 
 them in the palm of my hand," the giant replied; 
 but was saved from executing the baron, who at 
 that moment dropped back inert, his face purple, 
 and his eyes dazed with threatened unconscious- 
 ness. Unnoted by either Kent or the baron, an 
 automobile horn had been tooting lustily outside, 
 its mellow notes playing a trumpet tune that 
 swept vigorously through the open windows. 
 Again it sounded and Kent threw his head up and 
 listened. 
 
 "What can that mean!" he voiced aloud, forget- 
 ting that Ivan could not hear. * * That is one of the 
 [100]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 royal automobiles, because no others are allowed 
 to carry such horns!*' 
 
 It did not sound again and the baron was begin- 
 ning to recover his senses and anger; although 
 now the latter was curiously intermingled with 
 respect, if not fear. Kent stood over him per- 
 fectly calm and self-possesesd. 
 
 "Listen, Provarsk," he said, "and make no 
 mistake. My man and I may have trouble get- 
 ting you out of here; but of one feature rest as- 
 sured. If any of your sentries come in to take 
 us, or to help you, they will find a dead leader on 
 this table!" 
 
 An almost sly smile shifted the grim outlines of 
 his mouth, as he added, speaking entirely for the 
 baron's ears, and well aware that Ivan, watching 
 his prisoner, could not take the order, "Ivan, if 
 the baron opens his mouth to call for help, or 
 makes any attempt to reach that bell, kill him 
 instantly by breaking his neck across the edge of 
 the table. If you prefer, you may cut his head 
 off with that knife on your hip, but make no 
 noise. Do it quickly, and surely." 
 
 He saw that Provarsk was impressed with his 
 peril but also saw a sudden gleam of exultation 
 leap into his eyes at the sound which now became 
 audible throughout the corridor, a sound of com- 
 motion and a woman's voice raised to an indig- 
 nant pitch of determination. 
 
 [101]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "How dare you attempt to block my way?" it 
 demanded. "Who are you and your scrapheap 
 band of adventurers to attempt to keep me from 
 coming into my own palace ? ' ' 
 
 "But, but, Madame!" they heard the voice of 
 Ubaldo protesting. 
 
 "I am not Madame. I am Her Royal Highness 
 the Princess Eloise, and I am going to see and talk 
 to Baron Provarsk, no matter who interferes. Out 
 of my way!" 
 
 "That's the bird the baron wanted us to make 
 sure of last night, Captain," another voice, coarse 
 and heavy, called out. "Better let her go in. 
 He'll be glad to see her." 
 
 "But the princess does not understand that my 
 orders are " 
 
 It was evident that Ubaldo was retreating in 
 front of her up the corridor toward the entrance 
 to the throne room, and that she was steadily ad- 
 vancing, bravely and impetuously intent on con- 
 fronting the usurper. 
 
 Kent's face hardened. He thrust his hand into 
 his pocket, brought out a heavy automatic pistol, 
 slipped the safety catch off with hands that did not 
 tremble, and planted himself just inside the door. 
 Ivan, obedient to previous understanding that, no 
 matter what occurred after they were in the pal- 
 ace, Provarsk was to be his especial charge, held 
 the usurper down with the steadiness of a stone 
 [1021
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 man. The noise in the corridor increased, making 
 it plain that the guard, highly entertained, had fal- 
 len into the Princess' wake. They heard her turn 
 on them. 
 
 "What do you mean by following after and 
 annoying me?" she questioned, angrily. 
 
 Ubaldo, anxious to find some means of extri- 
 cating himself from a ridiculous position, bawled, 
 "The princess is right! Halt, you men! Fall 
 in! Stand at attention!" 
 
 There was a quick shuffling of feet as the 
 guardsmen obeyed. 
 
 "Now, Your Royal Highness, if you still in- 
 sist, I will announce you." 
 
 "No, you won't!" she said. "All you can do 
 is to stand to one side. I'll announce myself!" 
 
 That she gained her way was evident by her 
 entrance, as she swung one of the doors open and, 
 with white cheeks and blazing eyes, stepped inside. 
 Instantly the American closed it behind her. At 
 the sound of the closing door she turned appre- 
 hensively like one entrapped, but both fear and 
 anger gave way to astonishment as she grasped 
 the signs of struggle that were before her, the 
 American with pistol in hand, and on the table the 
 discomfited usurper intently watched by the giant, 
 who did not so much as glance up at her entrance. 
 
 "What what is the meaning of this?" she 
 
 [103]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 faltered, all her own resolutions upset by the 
 strangeness of the tableau. 
 
 Provarsk dumbly rolled his eyes toward her, 
 but it was Kent who replied. 
 
 "It means that the princess has arrived at a 
 most inopportune moment," he said, coldly. "I 
 left positive instructions that neither you, nor 
 any one else, was to interfere with my plans." 
 
 "And my brother took orders from you," she 
 said, sarcasm in her reflexion. "And I told him 
 that if there was no man of our house who dared 
 to face this upstart baron, I would do it myself 
 and alone ! ' ' 
 
 A reluctant approval of her bravery shone in 
 his grim, resolute face. 
 
 1 ' How could my brother know, ' ' she demanded, 
 as her temper again came uppermost, "that the 
 agent of John Rhodes, who seeks his pound of 
 flesh and nothing more, would not come here and 
 ally himself with this adventurer?" 
 
 "I am not without honour," Kent answered, 
 quietly and with a fine dignity of his own. ' ' The 
 situation as you find it is sufficient proof." 
 
 She hesitated, bit her lip, and looked back at 
 the other participants in this outre scene into 
 which she had recklessly forced her way. The 
 proof of Kent's fidelity to her house was palpable 
 in that restrained and desperate figure stretched 
 out and held relentlessly by the silent giant, and 
 [104]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 by the American's readiness to defend her against 
 the squalid band outside. 
 
 "You have impugned my motives before," his 
 cold, restrained voice again broke in, and with 
 a quality that she could not misinterpret. "But 
 you have now interfered, seriously, in an emer- 
 gency whose difficulties are increased by your 
 presence. You have jeopardised our chances; 
 so you shall and must obey what I am going to 
 tell you." 
 
 "Must? Must?" 
 
 "Must and shall!" 
 
 For an instant they eyed each other, and then, 
 frightened by his very domination and strength, 
 she felt suddenly disturbed. 
 
 "Come," he said, "we have no time to quibble. 
 If you value your life, or your brother's posses- 
 sion of the throne, you will do precisely as I tell 
 you. If this can not be accomplished with your 
 friendship as an aid, it shall, nevertheless, be ac- 
 complished. I expect you to obey, implicitly! It 
 is our only chance." 
 
 Overawed by his determined pose, she bowed 
 her head, in enforced assent. He stepped across 
 to the side of the table, touched Ivan on the arm, 
 and gestured for him to release their prisoner. 
 
 "Get up, Provarsk!" the American curtly or- 
 dered, and as the baron stiffly descended from 
 the table and began with nervous fingers to rear- 
 
 [105]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 range his disordered cravat, Kent glanced swiftly 
 at Ivan to assure himself that the latter 's gaze 
 was fixed on his lips. He spoke slowly, distinctly, 
 and with forceful quietness, addressing himself 
 to the baron but with his head slightly turned that 
 the giant might read. 
 
 "Provarsk, you and I are going out of this 
 room and through that corridor, arm-in-arm, while 
 you apparently assist me in a friendly fashion. 
 Ivan will support me on the opposite side, be- 
 cause my arms will be crossed, the one on your 
 side being beneath my coat. You will support 
 me with your left side toward me, my gentle 
 friend, for a definite reason." 
 
 He grinned and paused to give his words effect. 
 
 "That reason being, as you may have surmised, 
 that every foot of the way the hand beneath my 
 coat will be pressing this gun against your heart, 
 and that if you even falter, attempt to break loose, 
 or give the slightest alarm, I '11 kill you as remorse- 
 lessly as I would a snake. Our peaceful progress 
 is the only way by which you have the remotest 
 chance of being alive fifteen minutes from now. 
 If we are compelled to fight our way out, it will 
 be after your dead carcass is left behind on the 
 corridor tiles. Make no mistake concerning my 
 determination and ability to carry this through. 
 This time there is no bluff." 
 
 Terrified by the possibilities of tragedy before 
 [106]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 her eyes, the princess asked in an awed whisper, 
 "What do you intend to do with him?" 
 
 "If he lives through the next few. minutes, I 
 shall take him to the automobile waiting there in 
 the street, and kidnap him. After the king has 
 returned to his throne, we shall see! Probably I 
 shall permit him to live. That depends entirely 
 on his behaviour. I expect you to play your part 
 well." 
 
 He turned to the baron with a scowl on his face. 
 
 "Now!" he said. "This, as sure as you're 
 alive, is a moment of fate for you. Also, lest 
 any of your fool guard might suspect, you must 
 pretend to engage me in friendly conversation. 
 The friendlier the better, my lad, for I shall listen 
 earnestly to that pleasant discourse that I expect 
 to fall from your lips. I have observed that you 
 can talk rather well, on occasion. Open the doors, 
 Princess Eloise, and pass out. You know the 
 way." 
 
 Eight royally she obeyed, nerving herself to a 
 direct and unfaltering progress. Her pale, clean- 
 ly-cut face, the haughty carriage of her finely 
 poised head, and her deliberate, graceful stride 
 proclaimed her the royal princess in truth. So 
 far as any nervous betrayal was concerned, she 
 might have been leading the way to some affair of 
 state. She stared with cool contempt at the little 
 
 [107]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 guard of adventurers who stood at stiff attention 
 against the corridor walls. 
 
 Provarsk felt the strength of the rigid arm 
 that clasped his own against the American's side, 
 and the rigid pressure beneath it of the firmly- 
 held steel tube. Any doubts he had relative to 
 the helplessness of his position were confirmed. 
 Any hope he cherished of escape was subdued by 
 the fear and certainty of death, imminent, ready, 
 and inexorable; for now, to increase his discom- 
 fiture, the hobbling, dragging man, a picture of 
 physical incapacity, had bent a trifle forward and 
 turned his gaze upward that he might watch even 
 the expression of his prisoner's face. The surrep- 
 titious wink of an eye would, Provarsk felt, be 
 as fatal as a shrill scream. 
 
 "Ah! My dear Baron, you were saying ?" 
 
 He writhed mentally at the sound of the high, 
 querulous, assumed voice, and hastened to reply 
 when he felt the pressure of the pistol's muzzle 
 harshly increased against his ribs. 
 
 "I was saying," he replied, with cool, untrem- 
 bling bravado, "that we can finally rearrange our 
 affairs at a later date. At present, of course, you 
 have the best of it." 
 
 "Decidedly! Decidedly!" croaked the visitor. 
 
 "And there is nothing I love better than a man 
 
 who tries to balance his obligations. But I trust, 
 
 my dear Baron Provarsk, that the cares of state 
 
 [108]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 which now burden you will soon be over with." 
 The usurper's face flushed red, but he controlled 
 himself to pass the crisis. This American had 
 taunted him, and played with him in the moment 
 when disaster had overtaken his plans but what- 
 ever else he was, Provarsk was a good sports- 
 man, and, somehow, the humour of the situation, 
 even in this time of stress, appealed. He broke 
 into a cynical laugh that echoed through the cor- 
 ridors and convinced the wondering Ubaldo that 
 there was nothing covert in the situation. The lat- 
 ter even grinned and winked at his comrades after 
 the procession disappeared and declared, "Trust 
 him! He's a fox! Already he has that dodder- 
 ing old ass just where he wants him. Now you 
 fellows can take a rest!" 
 
 The two sentries on guard in the gaily painted 
 sentry boxes outside the palace gates decided, 
 when they saw the princess, who had almost forced 
 her way into the palace, reappear and enter her 
 car, that they had done well to admit her; for 
 surely that great leader, Baron Provarsk, whom 
 they had assisted to the throne, talked most gaily 
 when he drove away in the second car with the 
 high-voiced, cackling old man who still clung to 
 him in a most friendly manner. The only diffi- 
 culty about a revolution, after all, the sentries 
 decided, was that it robbed the invaders of enough 
 sleep, and thereupon they yawned widely and 
 
 [109]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 tried once more to interest themselves in the ap- 
 pearance of the villagers and farmers who passed 
 leisurely with baskets and fowls, totally unaware 
 that they were in the midst of a revolt. 
 
 [110]
 
 CHAPTER SIX 
 
 TWO automobiles, the first a closed car car- 
 rying a royal princess who was still in a 
 state of mental turmoil and distress, large- 
 ly punctuated at times by the knowledge that she 
 had met one man who paid no deference to her 
 title, and the second a long, stream-line touring 
 car bearing on its panels the arms of Baron Von 
 Hertz, and carrying three passengers and a chauf- 
 feur in the baron's uniform, stormed up the steep 
 ascent to the Castle Hertz, and came to a halt. 
 
 Two men emerged anxiously from the great 
 doors and smiled with satisfaction when they iden- 
 tified the occupants of the second car. 
 
 "Got him!" exclaimed Kent, leaping easily 
 from the car. "And, by the way, Baron Von 
 Hertz, if those gates or the drawbridge still work, 
 it might be as well to close them until we finish our 
 business with our guest. He's able, and slippery." 
 
 The old baron, chuckling, ambled away to obey 
 the request. Ivan alighted, the Princess Eloise 
 had already reached earth and told her chauffeur 
 to take his car to the garage, and Provarsk, re- 
 signed for the moment to his capture, slowly 
 
 [111]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 descended. He smiled cheerfully at the king, 
 bowed with mock politeness, and quite airily 
 waved his hand. 
 
 "Good morning, Cousin," he said. "I hope I 
 see you well?" 
 
 The king stared at him with smouldering eyes. 
 The princess tossed her head, turned her back, and 
 walked into the castle. 
 
 "She doesn't seem fond of me, Cousin," whim- 
 sically exclaimed the usurper. 
 
 The king disdained reply. 
 
 "It's a very cold, formal, inhospitable place to 
 which you have brought me, Mr. Kent," observed 
 the baron, turning toward the American with an 
 air of gentle reproof. "I had anticipated a wel- 
 come ! Glad shouts from the peasantry ! Einging 
 of joy bells in the castle." 
 
 "Why?" questioned Kent, drily. "Perhaps 
 none of us regarded you as worth it." He sud- 
 denly dropped all badinage and turned to Baron 
 Von Hertz, who had returned from his mission. 
 "I suppose you have some place where you can 
 keep our guest securely?" 
 
 "Several very fine, unhealthy dungeons here," 
 cheerfully replied the baron. 
 
 The American thoughtfully stared at the usurp- 
 er, and then said, "No, I don't think I like that. 
 I don't want him to contract typhus, or influenza, 
 or croup. He 's too nice a boy for that. Besides, 
 [112]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 I may want to use Mm, later on. "What's up in 
 those towers?" 
 
 * ' That one over there, ' ' the baron indicated with 
 a pointed finger, " contains rather a fair prison 
 chamber. Strong enough; but no one has en- 
 tered it, so far as I know, for about a hundred 
 years. ' ' 
 
 "Good! Can't it be made comfortable for the 
 baron?" 
 
 "Quite easily," declared Von Hertz. "And in 
 the meantime I can have him guarded in another 
 chamber. Bring him along." 
 
 Provarsk unhesitatingly followed the owner of 
 the castle with the American leisurely pacing by 
 his side and Ivan in the rear. 
 
 "That's decent of you, Mr. Kent," the prisoner 
 said, calmly. 
 
 "Why not? I've no ill-feeling against you, 
 Provarsk. We've merely played in the same game 
 and you've lost." 
 
 "So far!" the prisoner qualified. 
 
 Kent laughed approvingly. 
 
 "Now you're talking!" he declared. "That's 
 just the kind of spirit I like. I had sort of lost 
 interest in you a while back. You seemed too 
 easy; but now I really begin to regard you as 
 worth while. Hello! Here we are. Nice room, 
 too." 
 
 He walked across and looked through a win- 
 
 [113]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 dow, observing that it overlooked a precipitous 
 cliff with a sheer drop below it of several hundred 
 feet. No other doors save the one through which 
 they entered gave egress. The room was spacious 
 and quite modernly furnished. He walked back 
 and examined the heavy, old-fashioned, cumber- 
 some-keyed lock on the stout oaken door and spoke 
 to Baron Von Hertz: 
 
 "Why not leave him here? With a proper 
 guard on the outside, this makes a very nice prison 
 for our friend, the baron. I prefer that he be 
 treated as a distinguished guest, who has a queer 
 desire to remain in his own room for the time 
 being. Have I your assent, sir?" 
 
 The fine old eyes of Baron Von Hertz twinkled 
 humorously at the American, for whom plainly 
 he had formed a distinct liking. 
 
 "It shall be exactly as you wish, Mr. Kent," he 
 assented. "Also you may trust me to see that 
 your guest does not lack for prompt attention. 
 Indeed, to make sure of it, I shall keep at least 
 four men on guard in the corridor from now on, 
 so that on the slightest sound from within they 
 may hasten to learn what the Baron Provarsk 
 desires. And that even his slightest restlessness 
 in the night may be noted I will also have a night 
 service as well. Prompt attention shall be the 
 rule of the Hotel Hertz. Is there anything he 
 wishes now, prior to our departure t" 
 [114]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 Provarsk grinned nonchalantly and threw him- 
 self into a chair. 
 
 "Some ham and eggs, Landlord, and see to it 
 that the eggs are fried on both sides. Bread and 
 butter. No rancid stuff, mind you, or I'll complain 
 to the management. Coffee ! lots of it, with ample 
 cream. The fact of the matter is that some small 
 business affairs of mine have been so urgent that 
 I've not had time to eat during the last twenty- 
 four hours. I shall be glad for a rest just a 
 slight one, you understand, because I really must 
 resume my industries at the first opportunity." 
 
 "Quite so! Quite so!" Von Hertz replied in 
 the same vein. "You may trust me to observe 
 even the most minute details for your comfort." 
 
 "And before we go sorry, Provarsk!" Kent 
 stepped quickly across and relieved the baron of 
 a small pocket pistol and a penknife, while the 
 latter said, gaily, "So am I sorry! Bather hoped 
 you'd overlook them." 
 
 He had calmly cocked his heels up on the edge 
 of the casement and was whistling softly between 
 his teeth when they bolted the door on him. Ivan 
 was left on guard for the few minutes necessary 
 for his relief and when he descended the stairs 
 was at once directed to the small reception room 
 in which Baron Von Hertz had received his guests 
 on the previous night. The king and the Ameri- 
 can were standing in the centre of the room, the 
 
 [115]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 latter evidently repeating some former instruc- 
 tions. 
 
 "And you are quite certain that Captain Paulo 
 has had sufficient time and can be depended on 
 to the minute?" the American asked. 
 
 "Positive!" declared the king with great ear- 
 nestness. 
 
 "And you will attend to the other arrange- 
 ments?" 
 
 "Yes, Mr. Kent. " 
 
 "Then here goes, and good luck to us all!" 
 
 The American would have turned from the room 
 without further ceremony, but the king's face 
 glowed and impetuously he held out his hand. 
 
 "Just a moment, sir," he said. "If anything 
 goes wrong and your mission may be dangerous ! 
 I want you to know that I appreciate all you have 
 done and are trying to do for me." 
 
 The American seemed embarrassed by this dis- 
 play of gratitude. He took the king's hand, but 
 answered, brusquely, "Pshaw! You fail to un- 
 derstand that what I am trying to do is to save my 
 own credit, and to make certain that John Rhodes' 
 money is not lost. I have no sentiment that is 
 to amount to anything. Good-bye." 
 
 He beckoned to Ivan and passed directly out to 
 the still waiting touring car, into which he 
 climbed. 
 
 "Drive us back to the palace in Marken," he 
 [116]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 ordered the chauffeur, wondering in the mean- 
 time if Baron Von Hertz had neglected to arrange 
 for the opening of the gates whenever his visitor 
 wished. He saw that such instructions had been 
 given by the very promptitude with which they 
 were widely flung, and then settled back into his 
 seat as the car gathered momentum, and carefully 
 took the curves of the winding road leading to the 
 valley below. Speculatively he studied the rich 
 valley with its farms and clusters of farm cot- 
 tages, appearing from that height like a great 
 garden trimly cultivated, the distant ranges of 
 mountains where carefully maintained forests al- 
 ternated with fields, and, far beyond, the spires 
 of Marken. It was a land capable of rendering 
 profit, he decided, reflectively, and what was more, 
 he, the American, unhampered by tradition and 
 eager for such an experiment, would see that it 
 did yield profit or prove his own incompetence 
 as a manager. Also, he concluded, this was the 
 finest sport in which he had ever engaged and 
 better, somewhat, than trout fishing. 
 
 His meditations were brought to an abrupt stop 
 by a sharp explosion, the car swerved, and came 
 to a halt beside the highway. Almost as the chauf- 
 feur's feet struck the macadam he was by his 
 side. The cause was plain, a flattened tire sagging 
 flaccidly under the weight above it. Anxiously 
 the American looked at his watch. 
 
 [117]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 * ' Hang it all ! " he exclaimed savagely. * * We Ve 
 no time to lose. Not even five minutes. Any delay 
 
 at the other end and " he snapped his fingers 
 
 conclusively. He stood above the chauffeur while 
 the latter unstrapped an old-style wheel and urged 
 him to haste. He himself seized the jack, but 
 was thrust aside by Ivan, whose mighty muscles 
 sent the lever flying up and down. Together they 
 worked with the adjustment, and again Ivan 
 worked the pump with which the car was pro- 
 vided, grumbling in the meantime that they had 
 to resort to such old-time methods, thereby losing 
 precious minutes from their progress. When he 
 climbed back into the car and they moved ahead 
 at high speed, he again studied his timepiece and 
 said to Ivan, in that voiceless motion of the lips, 
 "This difference of twenty minutes may upset the 
 whole game; but we've got to do our best. It 
 cuts us out of a chance for overcoming awkward 
 preliminaries. Two o'clock was the hour set for 
 everything." 
 
 Again they halted in front of the palace and the 
 sentries saw the crippled old gentleman assisted 
 from the car. Baron Provarsk, he explained to 
 them, would return shortly, and had requested 
 that he, Mr. Kent, should be conducted to the 
 smaller throne room, there to wait. Unques- 
 tioningly the sentries admitted the caller ; for was 
 he not the usurper's friend? And also, the news 
 [118]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 had spread, that through this old simpleton money 
 was to come plenty of it enough to make them 
 all rich. One of the lounging soldiers of fortune 
 inside evon assisted the visitor up the wide marble 
 steps and along the corridor where drowsy men 
 fell back to give space. 
 
 Inside the room Ubaldo, Provarsk 's captain at 
 arms, sat beside the table talking to two other 
 men, and his face, that had been perturbed, cleared 
 when he saw the American ushered in. He stared 
 at the door through which Kent and Ivan entered, 
 as if expecting the usurper to follow them, and 
 betrayed disappointment that this expectation 
 was not fulfilled. Without asking consent, Ivan 
 led Kent to a seat at the head of the table, as if 
 unaware that this post of honour was reserved for 
 the ruler of the country, then respectfully backed 
 away until he stood to one side of the door. 
 
 * ' Baron Provarsk did not return with you, sir ? " 
 Ubaldo asked with an effort at politeness. 
 
 The American again consulted his watch be- 
 fore answering, and a look of satisfaction crept 
 over his face. Leisurely he snapped the case shut, 
 slipped the timepiece back into his pocket, leaned 
 back in his chair and clasped his hands together 
 carelessly. A dry grin broke over his lips, as he 
 looked at Ubaldo and then answered. 
 
 "No, Baron Provarsk did not return with me. 
 In fact, the last I saw of him he was er whist- 
 
 [1191
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ling with satisfaction while waiting for some ham 
 and eggs, some bread and butter, and a cup of 
 coffee to be served with pure cream." 
 
 The three adventurers looked at one another 
 perplexed. It was Ubaldo who spoke. 
 
 "When may we expect him, sir, may I ask?" 
 
 "Why, as for that, not at all," Kent answered, 
 with evident candour. 
 
 "For what reason?" Ubaldo demanded, while 
 his comrades looked their intense anxiety. 
 
 "Well, mainly for this reason," Kent said, with 
 the same dry grin. "As you, being his right-hand 
 man, doubtless know, the principal thing he 
 wanted was money, and after that power! Pro- 
 varsk is no fool, I can tell you. Pretty far-sighted, 
 I should say. He wanted to see the king. Insisted 
 on it, I believe. As a result of it all, they seem 
 to have come to a most satisfactory understand- 
 ing. Quite satisfactory, one might conclude. The 
 baron is thus rendered quite happy by being en- 
 abled, with money, to go his way rejoicing. The 
 king is probably equally happy at being enabled 
 to return to his throne without any fuss whatever, 
 and so there you are!" 
 
 "You mean weVe been sold out?" This time 
 Ubaldo 's voice rose to an angry roar, and his two 
 comrades lent their anger to the occasion. 
 
 "Put it that way if it suits you best," Kent re- 
 [120]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 marked, carelessly lifting his hand to conceal a 
 yawn. 
 
 Ubaldo 's companions broke for the door and out 
 into the corridor bawling, " Betrayed! We've 
 
 been betrayed ! Sold out by that ' * And what 
 
 they called Provarsk would not have been pleas- 
 ant to the usurper's ears. Ubaldo turned, hesi- 
 tantly, as if to call them back, and Kent seized 
 the opportunity to give a noiseless command to 
 Ivan. 
 
 "When I get them all inside," he said, "you 
 slip out quickly and see that the palace gates are 
 not barred," and then, speaking aloud, he called 
 to Ubaldo. 
 
 "It seems to me that your fellows are making 
 a pretty good-sized noise over nothing. Noise 
 isn't going to help you." 
 
 In the corridor outside could be heard oaths, 
 hoarse exclamations and the sound of running 
 bootheels over the tiled floors. Several of Pro- 
 varsk 's adventurers came tearing into the throne 
 room, shaking their fists and wanting to know 
 if what they had heard was the truth. Their 
 leader tried in vain to control them for some 
 minutes, and at last, when he obtained attention, 
 did so by outbawling them all. 
 
 "Silence! Silence, there, you men! Who's 
 leader here? You or me? I tell you to hold your 
 
 [121]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 tongues until we find out about this. Do you 
 hear me?" 
 
 Slowly and sullenly they became subdued. 
 Ubaldo then turned fiercely on the American, 
 who sat impassive at the head of the table, his 
 manner portraying nothing more than a melan- 
 choly, almost disinterested curiosity in his sur- 
 roundings. 
 
 "Now, you limping old fossil !" Ubaldo snarled, 
 "you'll tell us exactly what happened. And don't 
 forget this; if you don't tell the truth, I'll cook 
 you, inch by inch, and then throw the cinders into 
 the streets." 
 
 The "old fossil" looked mildly surprised. 
 
 "I thought I did tell you," he said. "If I've 
 got to tell it again, suppose you call all your men 
 in to hear it. It strikes me that you're only one 
 of them, and that any man that joined your ex- 
 pedition has just as much right to know what is 
 up as you have." 
 
 ' ' That 's right ! You 're right there ! " the other 
 adventurers in the room yelled in chorus, some 
 of them in the meantime scowling at Ubaldo and 
 muttering to their neighbours that he was the one, 
 after all, who had got them into the mess. Ubaldo 
 recognised the sign of danger, and tried to quell 
 it ; but he was unheeded in the turmoil. Two of the 
 guardsmen rushed out of the room to summon 
 their comrades. Ubaldo was vainly trying to 
 [122]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 bring those within the room to a cooler state of 
 mind when the others began to arrive, some of 
 them hurriedly pulling on their tunics and frowsy- 
 headed, attesting that they had been aroused 
 from sleep. Kent, imperturbably watching, de- 
 cided that they were all there, inasmuch as the 
 two men who had rushed out to give the summons 
 came in last, accompanied by the gate sentries, 
 and the corridor was stilL 
 
 "All I can say," he remarked, quietly, "is just 
 about what I've said before. Baron Provarsk is 
 at this moment the contented guest of the king. 
 He's in a place where you men can't reach him. 
 I fancy he will remain there so long as he fears 
 he might meet any of you. In fact, he doesn't 
 seem eager to renew the acquaintance of any of 
 you. I don't believe he likes you. Indeed, he has 
 been unkind enough, once or twice, to refer to 
 you as a lot of jackasses, and what he said about 
 Mr. what's this your name is Ubaldo? I don't 
 care to repeat. Why, Mr. Ubaldo, do you know, 
 he said to me, Provarsk did, that if all your brains 
 were taken out of your skull and boiled into tallow, 
 they wouldn't make a candle for a glow worm! 
 He said your head would make a fine snare drum ! 
 For goodness' sake, man! Don't be angry with 
 me! I'm just telling you what the Baron Pro- 
 varsk said after he left the palace with me this 
 
 morning." 
 
 [123]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Ubaldo grew red with anger and sputtered, and 
 his temper was not assisted by the remarks of 
 some of his army. 
 
 Kent observed with satisfaction that Ivan had 
 disappeared from his post by the doorway. In 
 an instant's lull in the turmoil about him, he heard 
 the faint, clarion warning of an automobile horn 
 that played the same gentle notes indicative of 
 the approach of the royal automobile, and, keenly 
 alive to the necessity of holding this swarm of 
 adventurers a few minutes longer, rapped on the 
 table with his bare knuckles and called, in his 
 powerful voice, "Gentlemen! Attention, please I 
 Let me finish." 
 
 He waited until they were again quiet, strain- 
 ing his ears the while for a repetition of the horn's 
 warning, but hearing nothing, settled to his task. 
 
 "Now let us be reasonable," he said. "You 
 are all reasonable men, I take it. You joined this 
 expedition, somehow, with the hope of bettering 
 yourselves making money, securing a steady 
 place. Well, you didn't get it. You are done. 
 Your jig is up. You are in jeopardy. You Ve no 
 more chance than a lot of dogs in a city pound. 
 There is no one now but the king who can grant 
 you amnesty. You couldn't escape from Marken 
 if you tried. You know what they usually do with 
 fellows like you are, when they catch them, don't 
 you f If you don 't, I '11 tell you. They hang them ! 
 [124]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Why, I wouldn't give a centime for all of your 
 chances, unless you can square it, someway, with 
 the king. There's no use for you to fight. You 
 are probably pretty good, and used to it ; but fifty 
 men can't do anything against say five thou- 
 sand good, husky peasants armed with everything 
 from a blunderbuss to a high-powered, flat tra- 
 jectory rifle. They'd get you, sure! The only 
 thing for you chaps to do is to lay down your 
 hands. ' ' 
 
 He cocked his head sidewise and paused, in a 
 listening attitude, for again he heard the horn, 
 quite distinctly now. His suspense grew and 
 with it ran his resolution to hold this mob to the 
 last moment. 
 
 11 Don't pay any attention to him!'* shouted 
 Ubaldo. "Don't be fools!" 
 
 "Why, that's what Provarsk called you," Kent 
 said, plaintively. "He said that if you had had 
 the wisdom of a garden worm, everything would 
 have been all right. And he said " 
 
 "Shut up!" yelled Ubaldo, menacingly, drop- 
 ping his hand to the hilt of his sword. "I'll run 
 you through if you don't! You men keep quiet. 
 Hear what I've got to say. You don't know but 
 what this old paralytic is a liar, sent here by the 
 king to blindfold you ! ' * 
 
 The crowd glared at the American as if this 
 suggestion had not hitherto dawned upon them. 
 
 [125]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 ' ' Very unkind of you, ' ' Kent murmured. * ' And 
 maybe they are already convinced that you are 
 one." 
 
 Ubaldo wasted no time in retort. 
 
 "The only chance we've got," he said, loudly, 
 "is to hold this palace until Baron Provarsk re- 
 turns, or until we can make terms ! Besides, we 've 
 got this old imbecile as a hostage and, if he's a 
 friend of the king's, they'll let us go rather than 
 let him be toasted. Get back to the gates, some 
 of you fellows. Others of you go to the walls. 
 Don't let any one but Provarsk in. I've warned 
 you about that before, and now you see what kind 
 of a fix you are in by not obeying my orders. Get 
 out and ready to defend yourselves," he shouted 
 to spur them to action. But before any of them 
 could obey, the pretended paralytic had leapt 
 from his chair and now stood in the door with his 
 hand upraised, and his eyes blazing at them. 
 
 "Stop!" he commanded. 
 
 They paused, astonished at his physical agility, 
 and the aspect of power presented by his com- 
 manding gesture. Suddenly, while they hesitated, 
 through the corridor rang the loud blare of a 
 trumpet. 
 
 ' * Gentlemen ! You are too late ! See ! ' ' 
 
 He sprang to the hangings that barred the view 
 of the corridor, jerked them aside, and the dis- 
 comfited adventurers huddled backward to a solid 
 [126]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 group when they saw that the corridor was nearly 
 filled with trimly-uniformed soldiers of the royal 
 army who stood quietly with rifles at the " Beady. " 
 
 There was another blast of a trumpet, and the 
 American moved slowly toward the side of the 
 doorway, announcing as he did so, "Here comes 
 the king!" 
 
 In a desperate, awed silence, helpless and de- 
 feated, they fixed their eyes on the door through 
 which, followed by the Princess Eloise, Baron Von 
 Glutz and Captain Paulo, and accompanied by a 
 body guard, the king entered, walked slowly across 
 the room and then halted and scornfully eyed 
 them, man by man, these who would have mur- 
 dered him for a usurper's hire. 
 
 "I present to Your Majesty," said a calm, sar- 
 castic voice, ''fifty gentlemen-at-arms. A fine 
 batch of jailbirds who at present are idle, having 
 just been mustered out." 
 
 [127]
 
 CHAPTER SEVEN 
 
 CAPTAIN PAULO, standing in one of the 
 small reception rooms of Castle Hertz, and 
 staring absently across the lawn on which 
 the morning sun was shining, whistled softly a 
 very gay tune, indicative of a well-contented spirit. 
 A movement behind him caused him to turn 
 quickly, and instantly he came to attention, then 
 made a punctilious bow. 
 
 "Your Royal Highness " 
 
 "Is up early. I know what you are going to 
 say." 
 
 The princess spoke with something akin to petu- 
 lance, and being adroit in danger signs, Captain 
 Paulo held his tongue expectantly. The captain 
 of a royal household guard has to be something 
 of a diplomat if he wishes to continue in his billet. 
 The princess walked across the room and looked 
 absently out at the lawn for a moment, then, 
 glancing over her shoulder to make certain that 
 they were alone, asked him a question. 
 
 "What took place in the palace yesterday, after 
 I left the room?" 
 
 "Mr. Kent pointed out to Provarsk's men the 
 [128]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 folly of resistance and made them surrender 
 their arms, after delivering them a homily oit 
 the dangers of rebellion, and told them that he 
 would then appear as their solicitor before th& 
 king. ' ' 
 
 ' * Well ? Well ? ' ' she urged him when he paused 
 1 ' What was done with them ? Where are they now 
 confined?" 
 
 "They are not confined anywhere, Your Eoyal 
 Highness." 
 
 She gave a start of astonishment, as if incredu- 
 lous. 
 
 "At Mr. Kent's suggestion, His Majesty 
 granted them full amnesty, with the exception of 
 the man called Ubaldo, who has been sent to prison 
 on an indefinite sentence. After that, Mr. Kent 
 selected a few of the most likely ones that he said 
 he had use for, and suggested that the others be 
 escorted across the border. He also suggested 
 that each one's picture be taken. Said he thought 
 this would serve two purposes, one to identify 
 them for hanging if they ever returned, and the 
 other because he thought Marken should start a 
 rogues' gallery and this was an excellent oppor- 
 tunity to lay a foundation." 
 
 "Suggested! He suggested! And everything 
 he suggested my brother did! I simply cannot 
 understand this situation. How on earth it hap- 
 pened that my brother fell so suddenly and so 
 
 [129]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 completely under the influence of this money- 
 lender is incomprehensible ! " 
 
 Her annoyance was unmistakable. Captain 
 Paulo was secretly thankful that he was not her 
 brother and was vastly relieved by the entry of 
 that gentleman in person. By the troubled frown 
 on the king's brows the young officer decided that 
 every word of the princess* last and captious 
 speech had been overheard. 
 
 "You may go, Captain Paulo," the king said, 
 mgnificantly, and the young officer saluted and 
 discreetly retired, glad that he was not in the 
 king's shoes. 
 
 "Eloise," the king remonstrated, with an at- 
 tempt at severity, "I am sorry to say that I heard 
 what you said to the captain. Does it seem quite 
 fitting that you should discuss our affairs 
 with " 
 
 "Why not!" she retorted, coolly. "It's time 
 it was discussed with some one on whom I can 
 depend, isn't it? If I don't, I'm afraid this man 
 Kent will be running the kingdom as he pleases 
 before long." 
 
 The king winced and lost his air of admonish- 
 ment. He knew, from past experience, that this 
 sister of his dealt in very plain truths. Sometimes 
 they were highly unpleasant. Anger at his own 
 impotence caused him to rush to Kent's defence. 
 Moreover, he was filled with great respect for his 
 [130]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 new ally's rough-and-ready method of doing 
 things, that so far invariably had been successful. 
 
 * ' Why should you ob j ect V ' he asked. * t Has he 
 not proved himself a stronger and a better advisor 
 than I ever had before?" 
 
 "But there comes a time when advice assumes 
 domination! It looks to me as if his suggestions 
 were assuming the nature of orders." 
 
 "Well, what of it?" he retorted, goaded by the 
 knowledge that she had put her finger on the 
 truth. "You wouldn't have me decline to do as 
 he suggests when I can see for myself that those 
 suggestions are exactly the right course to fol- 
 low?" 
 
 "But isn't it time that he were given to under- 
 stand " 
 
 "My dear sister," he exclaimed, as another 
 loophole presented itself offering escape from this 
 unpleasant interview, "can't you see further than 
 that? How do you suppose this dynasty is to 
 maintain itself without financial support? Can't 
 you fix it plainly in your mind that John Rhodes, 
 whose agent Mr. Kent is, could practically ruin 
 Marken if he chose?" 
 
 "Oh! Those bonds again? I thought so. Well, 
 do you know what I would do if I were the king? 
 I would calmly notify this fearsome Mr. John 
 Bhodes that I wasn't ready to pay his bonds, and 
 that ne could wait until I did get well ready!" 
 
 [131]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "Is that Her Eoyal Highness* conception of 
 honour in financial undertakings?'* questioned a 
 dry voice behind them, and they turned to observe 
 Kent standing quietly in the doorway. 
 
 "I didn't hear any one announce you," she 
 said, nettled by his unexpected interruption. 
 
 "No," he replied, affably, "I don't suppose you 
 did. As an admission, I will say that I'm so un- 
 used to court affairs, and dwelling with royalty, 
 and the presence of superiority, that I have not 
 yet learned all that is expected of one under such, 
 circumstances. In many ways I'm what we call, 
 over home, a Rube. But now that I am here, I 
 don't remember that you answered my question." 
 
 His eyes met hers unflinchingly, insistently. 
 She wondered if there was not a little of scorn in 
 them; tolerant, but, just the same, scorn such as 
 one bestows upon those guilty of moral delin- 
 quency. She was driven to defence. 
 
 "I feel no compulsion to answer the questions 
 of one who is merely a financial agent," she re- 
 torted, "but since you have wilfully tried to mis- 
 construe my meaning, I will explain that there are 
 occasions when, of necessity, one is forced to adopt 
 measures that under other conditions would not 
 be at all considered. This is one of them. The 
 dignity of royalty must be maintained." 
 
 "The dignity of royalty must be maintained, 
 even by the repudiation of its honest debts! You 
 [132]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 are now quite explicit. I did not see your at- 
 titude before." 
 
 Under this sirocco of sarcasm she withered; 
 but still fighting for her standard replied, hotly, 
 "You deliberately misapply my words." 
 
 "Motives," he corrected, unmoved. 
 
 It was too much ! She felt like a schoolgirl be- 
 ing quietly admonished by a head master. 
 
 "Since you are so exact," she remarked, petu- 
 lantly, "perhaps you will try to make me see 
 that your motives in assisting us as you have, and 
 we recognise that service, too, are entirely un- 
 prejudiced? That you are here as a philanthro- 
 pist giving service to our house, one that you have 
 never known! That you are not here because 
 you want to save that person Rhodes, for whom 
 you work, his money." 
 
 "That last may be so," he declared, patiently. 
 "I am here to save John Rhodes' money. Do you 
 believe that a kingdom, any more than an indi- 
 vidual, can advance itself without money?" 
 
 "Honour is better than money," she asserted. 
 
 "It seems to me that I've heard that before," 
 he said, smiling. "I didn't know that was in your 
 copy books, also. Since you are intent on fighting 
 me, suppose you draw the line for me by telling 
 where honour begins after one has practically 
 abrogated one's debts. I am interested, Mademoi- 
 selle. I would know the ideas of royalty in those 
 
 [133]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 matters. You see, as I have confessed, being an 
 American, I have never before been a sort of mem- 
 ber of a king's household.'* 
 
 A slow, patient smile spread over his ingenuous 
 face as he looked at her, and she, more than 
 ever angered at the strange sense of power that 
 this man exhaled, felt herself again worsted in 
 the tilt and in proportion hated herself for her 
 weakness. She felt that it was unbecoming to her 
 dignity of position, that had perforce commanded 
 respect, to her beauty, that had brought leaders of 
 her own class to her feet, to stand meekly and 
 in a ridiculous light before this scoffer from an 
 alien land. She had regarded America as a great 
 blatant nation, without historical precedent, ruled 
 by an official known as a president, who, while in 
 power, must be tolerated and addressed patron- 
 isingly, and promptly forgotten and ignored after 
 his departure from office. Marken was, after all, 
 its superior. It was a kingdom! Ruled by those 
 whose ancestors had ruled it for hundreds of 
 years ! A king, no matter what his personal habits 
 or strength, must as a matter of course be far 
 greater, and of an entirely superior mould to a 
 mere accident of popularity thrust into power 
 by an impossible people. Once some one had told 
 her, laughingly, that the kingdom of Marken was 
 not so important in the world's affairs as New 
 York, and she, a school girl, had felt highly in- 
 [134]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 suited and looked that place up in a geography to 
 learn whether such a name was really on the map. 
 She felt peculiarly powerless to express to this 
 American her real estimation of him. She did 
 as other royal personages have done before and 
 will do again, affected a vast loftiness and supe- 
 riority in lieu of other answer. She lifted her head 
 and, with a gesture of indifference, walked toward 
 the door. He did not seem at all overawed, or 
 impressed. Indeed, it was more as if he were 
 inwardly amused, yet desirous of parting friends 
 for future needs. He dared to bar her way, and 
 to stand in front of her with his hands holding 
 the hangings on either side. 
 
 "Come," he said, "you are wrong. It is you 
 who do not understand ; and understanding is nec- 
 essary. I've come here to make good. I'm going 
 to do it!" 
 
 A strange jargon this. And she found herself 
 pondering its meaning and usage. 
 
 "You needn't trouble to answer," he continued 
 when she hesitated in a bewildered study. "But 
 I'll tell you something before you go. It is not 
 yours to play the part of an obstructionist to your 
 brother's hopes and ideals, if you love him as a 
 sister should. I don't know it, but I presume that 
 it is permitted for the sister of a king to love her 
 brother and advance his interests maybe not. 
 If so, kings and princesses should never be broth- 
 
 [135]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ers and sisters. Anyway, it's going to be a lot 
 easier for me to to get John Rhodes' money ' 
 she could scarcely account for the strange sarcasm 
 in his tone "and incidentally to help your 
 brother, if we act as friends. Come, will you not 
 act as our ally in this troublesome undertaking?" 
 
 She was strangely and unreasonably moved by 
 his appeal; for appeal it was, his mellow voice 
 hastening to his will, and his thoughtful, searching 
 eyes fixing themselves questioningly upon her 
 face. 
 
 " Unity of action is necessary to success," he 
 added, while she stood before him, waiting for him 
 to stand aside. 
 
 For quite a time they confronted each other, 
 he with his hand outstretched, as if inviting her 
 compact, and then slowly his look shifted and lost 
 all its warmth, and veiled itself, and his lips 
 straightened to a harsh, obdurate line. He bowed 
 and stepped to one side, beckoning with uncon- 
 scious grace toward the open door. She knew that 
 he was wounded by her refusal, and she was no 
 longer aggressive. She fought an impulse to put 
 her hand in his and become, after this relinquish- 
 ment, his faithful partner in the enterprise; but 
 that meant, she knew, that she must become, as her 
 brother threatened to become, his subordinate, a 
 position against which, by training and heredity, 
 she rebelled. "Without looking back, neither dis- 
 [136]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 dainful, haughty, nor yet subdued, she passed 
 through the door and away. For an instant his 
 face was grave and hurt, and then, as if arousing 
 himself to his task, an inexorable master of him- 
 self as well as of others, his face again hardened 
 and he walked toward the king, who, throughout 
 the interview, had stood with his back toward the 
 room, as if politely leaving the situation to adjust 
 itself. 
 
 Kent put his hands in his pockets, frowned re- 
 flectively, and said as brusquely as if addressing 
 an office boy, "Please summon Von Glutz and have 
 Captain Paulo and Ivan brought here at orice." 
 
 And like an office boy the king obeyed. He 
 stepped to an electric button and pressed it, after 
 which he stared at Kent, who stood lost in thought. 
 Von Glutz was the first to enter. He bowed deeply 
 to the king and with marked respect to the 
 American. 
 
 "Sit down, Baron. Make yourself at home," 
 Kent said, careless of royal etiquette, and the 
 chancellor, disturbed by this invitation, looked 
 at the king beseechingly. 
 
 "Certainly, Baron. Sit down," said the king, 
 smiling a little at the strangeness of their posi- 
 tions. 
 
 Captain Paulo appeared and at him Kent smiled 
 and nodded, and immediately afterward the giant 
 
 [137]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 stood in the doorway with his eyes fixed on Kent's 
 lips. 
 
 "Ivan, did yon serve the Baron Provarsk in 
 person, this morning ?" the financier asked. 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Ah! How did the baron appear? Eesigned? 
 Cheerful ? Or grumpy and discomfited ? ' ' 
 
 Ivan grinned widely. 
 
 "I am not certain, sir, but I think that when 
 I entered he was whistling. Eesigned? Perhaps. 
 Discomfited? Not at all. Certainly he did not 
 seem out of spirits. Indeed, he was rather gay. 
 He asked me if I had ever seen a blindfolded dog 
 with a wooden leg playing football with a one- 
 eyed pig, and when I said 'No,' declared that he 
 was rather astonished, because he understood one 
 could see almost anything in America. 
 
 ' ' Good ! He'll do, all right ! ' ' Kent exclaimed. 
 
 His lips opened as if to give a command, and 
 then, observing Captain Paulo, he turned toward 
 the king respectfully and said, "If it meets with 
 your approval, sir, can we not have the insurgent 
 brought here?" 
 
 The king, appreciating Kent's constant care to 
 avoid humiliating him in the presence of any of 
 his people, gave Captain Paulo the order, and 
 the latter disappeared with alacrity. The chan- 
 cellor, who, plainly ill at ease, had shifted and 
 rolled himself restlessly from one side to the 
 [138]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 other, seized the opportunity to stand up, looking 
 an apology at the king; but the king, evidently 
 good humoured and curious, was watching the 
 American. He could not repress a scowl, however, 
 when Provarsk was ushered in with two sentries 
 in front, two behind, and Captain Paulo bringing 
 up the rear. The sentries saluted the king and 
 stepped to one side. 
 
 "You will stand guard outside with your men," 
 the king directed Paulo. 
 
 Kent gestured Ivan to guard the door from the 
 inside. 
 
 "Good morning, Cousin, and everybody else, 
 Americans included,'* blithely saluted Provarsk. 
 "Nice weather, isn't it ah after the storm! " 
 
 Kent was the only one who seemed to enjoy 
 his humour. The king turned his back, walked to 
 a chair and seated himself. For nearly a minute, 
 in the silence of the room, Kent studied Provarsk 's 
 face. 
 
 "Well, Provarsk," he said, genially, "my bluff 
 seems the best of the lot, doesn't it?" 
 
 "Evidently!" quite freely agreed Provarsk. 
 "Only, of course, I don't as yet know just how 
 badly I am let in." 
 
 "You'll find that out, soon enough. One usually 
 does, you know," was Kent's response. "I be- 
 lieve His Majesty gives you permission to sit." 
 
 "I do," said the king, carelessly, and Provarsk 
 
 [139]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 smiled and seated himself after an ostentatious 
 and exasperating grin at the chancellor, who 
 promptly turned purple with rage. 
 
 "You will pardon me," said Kent, drily, as he 
 pulled a chair into a position where he could di- 
 rectly face Provarsk, "if in our conversation I 
 seem to be assuming; but His Majesty has gra- 
 ciously granted me certain privileges of speech 
 and action which he will sanction. Is that not 
 true, Sire?" 
 
 The king, reverting to that strange, curious look 
 of expectancy, said it was, and Provarsk shielded 
 his mouth with his finger tips as if to conceal a 
 smile. 
 
 "Provarsk," said Kent, decisively, "you're 
 whipped; all the way down the line." 
 
 "For the moment, yes, I suppose," the usurper 
 admitted, gracefully. He smiled at the American 
 in rather an amused, friendly way. 
 
 "The king has decided," continued Kent, pla- 
 cidly, "that you are a man of some talent, and has 
 therefore concluded to make none other than you 
 chancellor of his kingdom." 
 
 For once Provarsk was so completely surprised 
 that his looks betrayed him. He leaned forward 
 in his chair and stared at the American, doubt- 
 fully. Baron Von Glutz cleared his throat ex- 
 plosively, and was nearly speechless with wrath. 
 
 "This is going too far!" he exclaimed; but was 
 [140]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 silenced by Kent, who turned toward him and 
 said, " Steady! Steady, Baron. You needn't 
 worry. You will be cared for later in this this- 
 reconstruction." 
 
 "But but " hesitated the king, vastly dis- 
 tressed, "Baron Von Glutz has been my mentor 
 since my boyhood, and was the chancellor of 
 Marken under my father ! ' ' 
 
 "Doubtless his administrative excellence ac- 
 counts for Marken's present peaceful condition; 
 and also for our unexpected meeting across the 
 border, then!" Kent said, suavely. "But as I 
 understood you, sir " 
 
 Provarsk interrupted with a sneering laugh and 
 exclaimed, "Pshaw! I might have known it. It is 
 you who ask me to be chancellor, Eh? All right! 
 I accept. Under you ; but not under His Majesty.. 
 But pray tell me why I am thus honoured?" 
 
 "Honoured? Well, for several reasons. One 
 that it's not so messy as to have you taken out 
 and hanged. Another that you still represent to 
 me a sporting proposition and I like fearless men 
 who go out after a thing when they want it. It's 
 been a long time since I have met such an interest- 
 ing sort of a personage as you seem to be, and, in- 
 asmuch as His Majesty wants me to remain with 
 him for a time as an advisor, I'd like to see what 
 you can do whether you can get the best of us." 1 
 
 [141]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "I promise to do the very best I can to get the 
 best of you," Provarsk asserted. 
 
 ' ' I like that, too, ' ' Kent said, heartily. * ' You 're 
 welcome to get away with all you can; with this 
 understanding, that you must agree to accept and 
 honestly carry out all orders given you. Other- 
 wise " 
 
 "Otherwise what?" queried the baron, when the 
 American hesitated. 
 
 * l Otherwise we '11 have you promptly shot. Also, 
 you are 'honoured,' as you put it, because I be- 
 lieve you are a good enough gamester, once having 
 given your word, to obey orders." 
 
 Provarsk studied Kent, wonderingly, while the 
 latter, without a change of expression, stared back 
 at him. 
 
 "You don't want to be bothered hanging or 
 shooting me, now; you think I'm too dangerous to 
 exile ; and you therefore prefer to keep me directly 
 under your eye. So you appoint me chancellor! 
 Bather clever, it strikes me." 
 
 Kent nodded and smiled. 
 
 "You have it," he said. 
 
 "All right, Mr. Eichard Kent, I accept this 
 chancellorship, and agree to obey all of your or- 
 ders or should I say His Majesty's? with just 
 one provision, which is that after one year 's serv- 
 ice I have the privilege of resigning and walking 
 away, scot free, whenever I choose to do so." 
 [142]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "Quite a nice agreement! A very pleasant 
 agreement, indeed!" Kent assented. "We will 
 now have an interview with Captain Paulo. " 
 
 He gave Ivan the order, speaking loudly, as 
 though to impress on the new chancellor that his 
 man was a trifle hard of hearing, and in a moment 
 Captain Paulo stood before them. 
 
 "Captain Paulo," said Kent, "His Majesty, the 
 king, has graciously delegated me to reorganise 
 the cabinet of Marken, and, because of your 
 fidelity, you are now appointed Minister of the 
 Treasury." 
 
 Paulo stood with a look of astonishment on his 
 face. It was an advancement that he had never 
 thought of. Truly there must have been some 
 foundation for the Arabian Nights. For once the 
 king was not disturbed by the American's plans, 
 and began ta wonder if, after all, there was not 
 some method in this new form of madness, 
 
 "Those are my wishes, Captain Paulo," said he. 
 
 Kent bowed his head gravely to the new Min- 
 ister of the Treasury. 
 
 "Permit me to introduce the new Chancellor 
 of the realm, Baron Provarsk." 
 
 Paulo found it difficult to bow; but by desperate 
 effort did so. Provarsk acknowledged this def- 
 erence to his position by an airy, "That's all 
 right, Paulo. Never can tell what your luck 
 may be. Perhaps I'll make you a field marshal 
 
 [143]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 yet," a piece of pleasantry that Kent appreciated 
 with a slight smile, and which the king plainly 
 resented. 
 
 "And the Baron Provarsk is therefore now at 
 liberty?" queried Paulo, evidently unable to grasp 
 the extraordinary changes that had taken place. 
 
 "My goodness, man! Your Excellency, the 
 Minister of the Treasury, does not suggest that 
 so exalted and important official as the chancellor 
 of the realm should be pinched, do you?" Kent 
 asked, with unsmiling lips. 
 
 ' * Why, I should say not ! ' ' exclaimed Provarsk, 
 with a great assumption of dignity. "I couldn't 
 think of such a thing! I've a mind to ask my 
 cousin to instantly remove you from office!" 
 
 "If I am to act as cabinet minister " began 
 
 Paulo. 
 
 "I would suggest that you and the chancellor 
 retire to the anteroom, and come to an amicable 
 agreement to leave each other alone," Kent in- 
 terrupted. "His Majesty expects you to do so. 
 It must be understood that all previous differ- 
 ences have, from the moment of His Majesty's ap- 
 pointments, been obliterated." 
 
 Provarsk arose with an air of relief, bowed 
 deeply to the king, eyed Kent quizzically, and led 
 the way. Paulo, still bewildered, made his salutes 
 and followed after, leaving the American with his 
 eyes fixed on Von Glutz, who had steadily drooped 
 [144]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 and wilted into an effigy of injured innocence, nt 
 unlike a wilted turnip. 
 
 " Baron," Kent began, "all this may appear a 
 trifle strange to you; but I have reasons." 
 
 "Does it not seem to you, Mr. Kent, that you 
 are in a measure taking advantage of our some- 
 what singular position?" the king asked. "I am 
 still striving to keep my share of our agreement; 
 but I can not quite grasp " 
 
 "You aren't supposed to grasp anything, owing 
 to that agreement," was the concise retort. "You 
 were, and still are, in a passive position. It's my 
 job to pull you out. I'm probably upsetting a lot 
 of precedents; but I take the responsibility for 
 running this board of directors pardon ! I mean 
 this kingdom in my own way." 
 
 Rebuffed, the king met Kent's look, and then, 
 reassured by the intelligence he saw there, said, 
 "I am sorry to have interfered. I am doing the 
 best I can to learn. It requires some patience, 
 under the circumstances, to " 
 
 He stopped, the confession itself being difficult ; 
 but the American liked him for his outburst. In- 
 deed, he decided there might be some hope for 
 the king, properly handled. 
 
 "Our ways are different," he said, less aggres- 
 sively. "Your way has been tried and failed. 
 Therefore mine can be no worse." 
 
 He faced Von Glutz again, and was about to 
 
 [145]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 speak, when, as if it were her particular mission 
 in life to interfere, the Princess Eloise came hur- 
 riedly into the room, again with full danger sig- 
 nals flying. 
 
 "Karl," she asked, "is it true, as Provarsk just 
 now informed me, in the ante-room, that you have 
 appointed him chancellor of Marken?" 
 
 "It is true," the king replied. 
 
 "Then," she declared stormily, "I suppose this 
 outrage is also due to the sage advice of your 
 new friend, Mr. Kent? Are you still the king of 
 Marken, may I ask? Or are you a marionette 
 pulled by a string? Have you gone mad? Have 
 you no spirit left?" 
 
 Exasperated by her return as well as by the 
 contempt that had so deftly conveyed itself in th 
 selection of her words, the king forgot his promise 
 of secrecy to the American. 
 
 "Eloise," he replied, desperately, "sheer 
 force of circumstances have for the time being 
 drawn me into a pact with Mr. Kent, by which he 
 is to have the controlling voice in the affairs of the 
 kingdom. You forget that without his efforts we 
 should scarcely be here now. So far he has 
 proven " 
 
 "Why doesn't he have himself crowned?" 
 
 The king did not answer. Kent was amused. 
 She stared at him as he sat noiselessly drumming 
 his fingers on the arm of his chair, entirely self- 
 [1461
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 possessed, and apparently indifferent to anything 
 she might say. 
 
 "I suppose it was you, then, who appointed our 
 enemy Provarsk to the position of chancellor?" 
 she said. 
 
 "The king appoints. I merely advise," he re- 
 plied, with a smile in the corners of his eyes that 
 stretched slowly downward until it created circum- 
 flex wrinkles around his firm lips. 
 
 "What is to become of Baron Von Glutz?" she 
 demanded, directly to the point. 
 
 The American slowly moved his head in the 
 baron's direction and assumed a deep study of 
 that person that caused the latter to squirm, puff 
 his cheeks, and adopt the habitual recourse of 
 tugging at his moustache. 
 
 "Do you know," replied Kent slowly, "that 
 is the question which has bothered me a whole 
 lot. I've given considerable thought to him and 
 er I hardly know what to do with him. At 
 first I thought of appointing him the king's dog- 
 catcher. Then, observing something faintly sug- 
 gesting a military character, a regular fighting 
 general behind the lines a long way behind I 
 concluded that he might make a good minister of 
 war. That is one of the most important places 
 in every kingdom of this kind. The smaller the 
 army, the more important the position. There 
 
 [147]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 is such a billet as that in Marken, isn't there?" 
 he concluded in a bland tone of inquiry. 
 
 Von Glutz was the first to recover from this 
 attack. 
 
 "When one has been a chancellor, it is rather 
 difficult to step back to a portfolio," he protested. 
 
 "Then why not step out into private life?" 
 retorted Kent, and added with great enthusiasm : 
 "It would be such a change for you! By Jove! 
 That's the very thing! Become a plain citizen! 
 All sorts of things to do. Opportunities to criti- 
 cise the government. Tell admiring friends what 
 you would have done if you had been chancellor. 
 Point out the incumbent's mistakes. Get a lot of 
 figures together to show wasteful extravagance in 
 expenditures. Tariff reform. Income tax. 
 Workingman's friend. Poor girls' benefactor. Be 
 a Cromwell, and get the power of a king by having 
 His Majesty's head cut off. Or a Bismarck, freely 
 lieing, breaking all covenants, and have yourself 
 made a prince. Sort of fellow-citizen, friend-of- 
 the-people, Napoleon, and clap the crown on your 
 bald head. You might even Cookize, and discover 
 a new North pole. Say! If you've been a good 
 chancellor, why did the hen cross the road! Why 
 was Provarsk?" 
 
 He paused with mock earnestness, waiting def- 
 erentially for a reply. 
 
 "You don't answer," he continued, and again 
 [148]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 that subtle change that distinguished him was ap- 
 parent. 1 1 Baron Von Glutz, I respect you for be- 
 ing an honest man, and a faithful one. But there 
 has been a task that you could not grasp. There 
 are many different kinds of brains in this world. 
 Yours was not the kind for the place. This one 
 requires a callosity that you don't possess. You 
 can't cheat, or dissimulate. You can't bluff. You 
 were not a good chancellor. So I've made you 
 Minister of War. Do you want the place?" 
 
 The baron gave a heavy sigh, and looked doubt- 
 ful. Apprehensive lest he decline the proffered 
 portfolio, the princess hastened to urge his accept- 
 ance. 
 
 * ' Since there seems no way of disregarding our 
 new advisor 's wishes, Baron Von Glutz, I ask you 
 in my own behalf to accept. If you should retire 
 to private life you would leave me with one less 
 friend in whom I can confide. There is none left, 
 now, save Paulo." 
 
 The American did not dispute her ; but the king 
 looked at her strangely and said, "That is unfair, 
 Eloise." 
 
 She paid no attention to him but walked across 
 until she stood by the baron's side. 
 
 "For my sake, old friend," she appealed, and 
 Von Glutz, for whom Kent was secretly rather 
 sorry, lifted his head and said, "Very well. I 
 accept. ' ' 
 
 [149]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "Good!" said Kent, bluntly. 
 
 He waited, as if expecting the princess to leave 
 the room; but she, divining his wish, stubbornly 
 made her way to a chair and seated herself with 
 the evident intention of remaining indefinitely. 
 Observing this, Kent smiled slightly, and an- 
 nounced himself. 
 
 "Having thus come so easily through our re- 
 organisation, and now being on such nice, friendly 
 terms of amity and unity, " he said, "we may as 
 well get down to business and understand what 
 we propose to do. I have studied the situation 
 pretty thoroughly. First, we have army enough 
 now to do police duty. That is what it shall do. 
 Next, we shall have conscription. " 
 
 His hearers gave a gasp of dismay. 
 
 "The trouble with a large majority of Marken- 
 ites," he went on, "is that they are lazy. They 
 don't produce enough. Therefore we will have 
 conscription for labour, and compel them to work 
 whether they want to or not. If they don't obey, 
 we confiscate their property and throw them out 
 of the kingdom. I'm going to compel every man 
 in Marken to earn more money than he ever has 
 hitherto!" 
 
 His voice was now hard and emphatic, and he 
 punctuated his declaration by rapping the table 
 with his knuckles. 
 
 "I'm going to make them rich, and the kingdom 
 [150]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 rich, whether they like it or not. When a country 
 is in such distress as this kingdom is, it needs an 
 autocrat and, by Heavens ! it has one now ! Those 
 mines shall work full tilt, and this government is 
 going to force the building of factories and en- 
 courage industries. The kingdom of Marken shall 
 not only pay its debts, but while doing it, shall 
 learn how to keep out of debt." 
 
 The king could not entirely repress a look of 
 enthusiasm ; but the princess was still rebellious. 
 
 "And may I ask what role the modest Mr. Kent 
 proposes to play in all this miraculous work?" she 
 inquired. 
 
 "I've thought of that, too," cheerfully replied 
 Mr. Kent, ignoring the inference that he had been 
 boasting. "Some kings have officials known as 
 'The King's Remembrancer, ' whose job it is to 
 stand at the king's elbow and remind him of what 
 he has to do. I shall be the King's Eemem- 
 brancer in Marken, Your Royal Highness. ' ' 
 
 [151]
 
 CHAPTER EIGHT 
 
 JUST prior to the hour of the matutinal sausage 
 in Marken, on the following morning, those 
 
 who strolled sleepily out into the narrow 
 streets and observed that the sun had been up 
 several hours, found a topic for conversation. 
 Notices had been posted in the night-time on the 
 doorways of churches, lamp posts, and pillar 
 boxes, and sometimes over the billboards where 
 gay posters advised people to use Schmitt's soap; 
 to feed their dogs on torox, or to drink that most 
 soothing of all liqueurs, Eon Bacardi. Languidly 
 these were read and a mild flutter ensued that 
 caused many to forget almost to forget that 
 the sausage hour was due. 
 
 The notices were printed in plain white, with 
 plain type, and plainly stated that His Gracious 
 and Benign Majesty, Karl II, King of Marken, 
 by Divine Eight, had, in the interests of the great 
 kingdom, seen fit to exercise his august preroga- 
 tive of forming a new ministry, in the confident 
 belief that his subjects and the welfare of the state 
 would thereby be benefited, Baron Matilda, etc., 
 etc., Provarsk was now the chancellor of the realm, 
 succeeding Baron, etc., etc., Von Glutz. 
 
 [152]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "Ha!" said those who read, gleefully. "The 
 old pouter pigeon has got his wings clipped!" 
 Or, "Baron Provarsk? What does this mean? 
 Continually he has tried to make us believe that 
 King Karl is a blunderer. Now he sides with the 
 king and becomes chancellor. Ayya ! Ahem ! We 
 shall see what kind of a chancellor this high and 
 mighty baron makes!" 
 
 Baron Von Glutz now Minister of War! 
 
 At that they laughed a little and expressed pity 
 for the few score men who formed the king's 
 standing army. They hoped the new minister 
 would not alter the uniforms, because those new 
 scarlet tunics and white trousers, pricked out with 
 profuse gold braidings, were very effective. 
 
 Captain Philidor Paulo to be Minister of the 
 Treasury. 
 
 "Well! Well! Well! That's something. The 
 common people are at last beginning to be recog- 
 nised ! ' ' They were flattered. They remembered, 
 some of them, what a merry lad he was when his 
 widowed mother conducted the charcuterie in the 
 Alley of the Capuchins. Pity she had not lived 
 to see her son a cabinet minister ! What a lot of 
 money he would have to count. He always was 
 good at counting, stoutly asserted some of the 
 old dames who had watched his growth. 
 
 They discussed it vigorously while eating. They 
 had placid disputes about it after the shops 
 
 [153]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 opened; but they forgot it by bed-time. Affairs 
 couldn't be worse than they had been, they de- 
 cided, with that remarkable phlegm which has 
 ever been Marken's most distinguishing trait, and 
 let it go at that. 
 
 On the following day the shops had nice pic- 
 tures of the new chancellor for sale, all of which 
 had been left by a giant, "on commission," who 
 was voted a queer sort of chap, inasmuch as some- 
 times he failed to hear, or at least declined to 
 answer. This gave them cause for gossip, it being 
 an innovation to thus advertise the face of the 
 chancellor. They did not know that a more mys- 
 tified person was the chancellor himself, who 
 speculated vainly on what the fertile-brained 
 King's Eemembrancer could have "up his sleeve" 
 in this latest divertissement, and not in the least 
 suspecting that it was for the purpose of making 
 his features so widely known that he could never 
 run away. 
 
 The Court Gazette, that highly aloof official 
 organ whose smallest paragraph was read with 
 awe, proved the next distraction. It intimated 
 that great changes were about to take place in 
 the administration of the kingdom, all of which 
 would tend to the aggrandisement of Marken, and 
 would probably bring it into the rank of First 
 Powers of the world; whatever that might be. 
 Elderly gentlemen wagged their heads sagely, 
 [154]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 and younger ones unconsciously swelled their 
 chests as duly becomes citizens of one of the 
 " Great Powers.'* The cautious ones hoped that 
 Marken was not going to plunge the world into a 
 war of conquest, and a village oracle who had once 
 seen the Adriatic sea and declared that it was 
 impossible to see across it because there was so 
 much water, and who had for twenty years been 
 discredited therefor as a notorious liar, arose 
 again to prominence and sagely declared that 
 he believed, after long deliberation, that Marken 
 was about to have a navy of its own. 
 
 Then, after a week's excited argument, there 
 appeared that memorable state announcement 
 that it was the duty of all to support the state and 
 that at the places named, on the dates named, all 
 able-bodied citizens of both sexes would appear 
 and register themselves; that failure to do so 
 would be punished by fines, imprisonment, con- 
 fiscation of property and various other humilia- 
 tions. Also, God save the King! And this mani- 
 festo was signed by the new chancellor ! This was 
 carrying it too far ! The idea of expecting people 
 to do something for the state! Why, who ever 
 heard of such a thing! Of course anything done 
 for the state was wasted time. Didn't they pay 
 taxes? Wasn't that enough? Things were com- 
 ing to a pretty pass. Anyway, two weeks must 
 elapse before the new conscription measures be- 
 
 [155]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 came effective, and this, they decided, was ample 
 time to consider so startling an innovation. 
 
 And innovation had been made in the palace it- 
 self, unknown to the placid, indolent citizens of 
 the quaint old city that flowed in haphazard angles 
 below the palace hill. The American, after effect- 
 ing the organisation of the new cabinet, was the 
 cause. 
 
 "Thank you for the invitation to make your 
 palace my home, sir," he said to the king on Hia 
 Majesty's formal re-entry into his ancestral home. 
 
 The king, astonished, inasmuch as he had never 
 conceived, or voiced, any such invitation, answered 
 with a whimsical smile not too unlike Kent's own, 
 " Oh, it's nothing! Nothing at all, Mr. Kent. It 
 was thoughtful of me, wasn't it?" 
 
 "Very," replied the new guest. "It was very 
 kind of you, also, to suggest that inasmuch as a 
 King's Remembrancer must be a mighty busy 
 man, because a king has so much to think about, 
 that I should select such rooms of the palace as 
 would serve for business offices." 
 
 Thus he seized a reception room, overlooking 
 the gardens, and a smaller room that was meta- 
 morphosed into his private office, and in a third 
 a staff of bookkeepers was installed. 
 
 "It looks," said the king to Paulo, whilst mak- 
 ing a surreptitious visit, "like a bank. What on 
 earth can so many bookkeepers dof " 
 [156]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 "Opening a new set of government books, Sire, 
 under the direction of a London accountant to 
 whom Mr. Kent telegraphed." 
 
 The king looked helpless and puzzled and said, 
 "Weren't the old ones Ummh!" 
 
 "Mr. Kent said all the old books were mere 
 waste. Said he would put the accounts of Marken 
 in such shape that he could tell each night exactly 
 where the kingdom stood, or know the reason 
 why." 
 
 "Incredible!" exclaimed the king. "No one 
 ever heard of such a thing." 
 
 "That is what Baron Von Glutz told Mr. Kent." 
 
 The king grinned and his eyes lighted as he 
 asked what Mr. Kent had replied. 
 
 "Mr. Kent asked the baron if he had ever 
 heard that in America there were now large and 
 thriving orchards of cheese trees, and when the 
 baron answered that he had not, Mr. Kent said, 
 'There you are! You see there's a lot of things 
 you never heard of. Every child in America 
 knows as well about the cheese tree as every big 
 corporation knows about the watermelon. When- 
 ever possible, every big board of directors in 
 America assembles in solemn conclave and cuts 
 one." 
 
 The king looked as if he almost believed it; but 
 did not disclose ignorance, having been carefully 
 instructed on this point when a crown prince. 
 
 [157]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 *'Mr. Kent has retained one of the expert ac- 
 countants sent him from London as his private 
 secretary," Paulo added, as a further note of 
 interest "He speaks our tongue. Also, Ivan has 
 brought all their personal belongings from Stein- 
 weg. Mr. Kent has also bought a strange sort of 
 clock arrangement that he compels the chancellor 
 and the Minister of War to punch in a curious 
 fashion whenever they enter or leave their offices. 
 Mr. Kent said he was thinking of getting one for 
 Your Majesty. This curious device registers the 
 time when one comes in or goes out, so that by 
 referring to it, Mr. Kent says he can tell whether 
 they are doing a full day's work." 
 
 His Majesty decided that it was time for him 
 to retire to his own part of the palace. Mr. Kent 
 seemed to be doing quite a lot of things. Among 
 others, His Majesty learned a few days later, waa 
 the reorganisation of the working plant of the 
 mining concession, effected by a distinguished min- 
 ing engineer who had not only arrived but had 
 telegraphed for new machinery that was to be in- 
 stalled. Also local engineers had been sent to 
 make surveys and plans for electric power plants 
 at several places where hitherto some noble water- 
 falls had been permitted to flow as nature made 
 them, untrammelled by harness. Quarries owned 
 and long neglected by the crown were being pre- 
 pared for reopening on large scales, and the king 
 [158]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 was further surprised when it was publicly an- 
 nounced that His Majesty, Karl II, was heading 
 a scheme for the utilisation of some mineral 
 springs, and would from state funds establish a 
 spa that it was hoped would be second to none in 
 Europe, where gout, rheumatism, Bright 's disease 
 and many other ailments would be promptly alle- 
 viated, or cured, under the supervision of famous 
 specialists. The king wasn't sure that he liked 
 it. The best he could hope for was that Kent 
 would not have a picture of the king and His 
 Majesty's personal guarantee on every bottle of 
 water exported. And in the meantime, Mr. Kent, 
 cause of all the disturbance, was happier than 
 he had ever been in his life. He was the first in 
 his office in the morning, and the last to leave at 
 night. The dignity of the staid old palace was 
 being rudely shaken by constant streams of those 
 who came on business, were received by the square- 
 jawed man who always explained that he was 
 merely the king's mouthpiece appointed to trans- 
 act whatever was to be done in this particular 
 
 case, etc., etc., and 
 
 "Sit down! Did you bring those plans? Well, 
 skip all that! What's it going to cost? That's 
 too much. Ought to be shaved by twenty per cent. 
 Take those estimates back and go over them again. 
 No use in your trying to fool the king, is there? 
 You fellows around here have got to wake up. The 
 
 [159]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 king has been studying over this affair, and knows 
 what it ought to cost just about as well as you do. 
 Bring the new figures around to-morrow at seven 
 minutes past three o'clock. Good day!" 
 
 Like a Gatling gun that voice snapped and 
 boomed all day long, and a close observer might 
 have discovered that in the cafes of Marken by 
 night, and in the Market Place by day, men began 
 to speak of the king with something more than 
 stupefaction, something bordering on fear and 
 respect. ' ' Who would have ever thought it ? " they 
 muttered and wagged. "No one ever expected 
 him to do any more than any other king does!" 
 And, "Where on earth would he get workmen for 
 eo many enterprises?" Pessimists opined that the 
 king was mad and the kingdom going to the dogs. 
 
 The days of the registration passed with good- 
 natured tolerance. It was fairly good sport, the 
 Markenites thought, quite like some foolish festi- 
 val season. But why was it that when they regis- 
 tered themselves they were also given a physical 
 examination and issued cards of different colours 
 stating that they had been assigned to a certain 
 class? It certainly did indicate that the king 
 was preparing to go to war, and was therefore 
 organising all his resources. The citizens of the 
 toy capital of the toy kingdom were vastly per- 
 plexed, but not quite alarmed. 
 
 Secretly the new chancellor speculated on what 
 [160]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 this bold alien expected of him, and suspected that 
 the sole reason why he was compelled to keep of- 
 fice hours was that a watch might be kept over 
 his activities. Secretly the new minister of war 
 fussed and fumed. Secretly the king began to 
 hope for the best, and secretly the Princess Eloise 
 came to the conclusion that there were some char- 
 acteristics of the redoubtable Mr. Kent that she 
 could not understand. Fight as she would, she 
 had to admit that he threatened to do things, ex- 
 hibited no slovenliness of mind, and she could not 
 help liking him for that. 
 
 And then, on a certain day, the curiosity of 
 every one promised to be satisfied. Again the 
 public announcements appeared, assembling all 
 of classes A, B, C, and F, at certain central points, 
 notably one in the Market Place of Marken, and 
 now there would be but two weeks more of sus- 
 pense.
 
 CHAPTER NINE 
 
 IT was the morning of the day in which the 
 announcements were to be made to the citi- 
 zens of Marken that they had been conscripted 
 for something far worse than war, namely work. 
 Early in the day, as Kent had foreseen, Marken 
 began to fill not only with those of the classes 
 called, but with members of all other classes. 
 Peasants, chattering volubly, poured into the capi- 
 tal, some on foot, others in carts, and all gaily 
 clad in their best garb. There was an expectant 
 and serious air pervading everything, the people 
 themselves, the quiet old palace, the very trees 
 of the streets and the flowers that lent colour to 
 window sills and tiny patches of open gardens. 
 The American was early at his desk, and was 
 never more methodical and energetic. This he 
 recognised as a crisis. People, he knew, could be 
 asked to go to war and would go cheering ; but to 
 ask them to go to work was an entirely different 
 and more serious request. They might rebel. All 
 that foresight could suggest had been done. The 
 standing army, the first and second reserves, had 
 all been called out and posted in various places 
 [162]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 where trouble might occur, and Baron Von Glutz, 
 faithful to orders and ever willing to do his best, 
 had puffed, and sweated, and bellowed commands 
 that all might be prepared to quell disorder. 
 
 Noon was the hour fixed, but already the town 
 was filled. At noon they were to be told the 
 worst ! 
 
 Kent, referring to the lists on his littered desk, 
 was jotting down figures, with an air of satisfac- 
 tion, as if to reassure himself that he had made 
 no mistakes in his estimates. 
 
 "A and B to the mines," he murmured. "That 
 fixes them up. C men are carpenters and brick 
 and stone layers, and there's enough of them to 
 care for all constructions. And there are enough 
 F men, all machinists, to look after the plants. 
 Yes, that leaves plenty of common labourers for 
 the quarries. Must call them up next." 
 
 From the window overlooking the palace gar- 
 dens came the voice of Ivan: "The chancellor 
 and his friend, the banker Wimplehurst, are walk- 
 ing in the gardens together," he said, and turned 
 to Kent to see the effect of his words. 
 
 "By Jove! Is that so? I've been rather both- 
 ered about our friend the chancellor in the last few 
 weeks," Kent said. "He's so uncommonly bright 
 that I haven't been able to get a line on him." 
 
 He got up and came to the side of the window, 
 caught the curtains in his hand to shield himself 
 
 [163]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 from possible observation and looked through the 
 meshes. 
 
 11 Wonder what in the deuce that rascal has on 
 hand now? It's something. Otherwise he 
 wouldn't have selected the garden for the meeting. 
 No place like a garden or a crowded street to keep 
 from being overheard. He's afraid that walls 
 have ears like an elephant's. And so they have; 
 under my especial provision," he added with grim 
 humour. 
 
 He suddenly turned and hastened to his desk, 
 pulled open a drawer and handed a pair of binocu- 
 lars to Ivan. 
 
 "Keep out of sight and tell me what they say," 
 he ordered, after which he returned to his desk 
 and quietly lounged over its corner with folded 
 arms. 
 
 Ivan grinned, adjusted the glasses, focussed 
 them at a conveniently thin place in the curtain 
 design and began talking, disjointedly, as if to 
 himself. 
 
 "Wish I could open these curtains. They bother 
 me when there's two hundred yards between us. 
 Hard to read the lips unless they turn this way. 
 Ah! They've stopped and I can see them both. 
 Lucky that the banker is smooth-shaven and 
 speaks distinctly." 
 
 He paused for a moment as if picking up the 
 [164]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 thread of conversation that was being unwound 
 across the wide, intervening space. 
 
 "It seems that Provarsk has arranged with 
 the banker to get together a certain number of 
 men to create a disturbance when the announce- 
 ments are made. Provarsk thinks enough fuss 
 can be raised to stop your conscription scheme. 
 The banker doesn't want it to go as far as open 
 revolt. Provarsk laughs. Says what if it does. 
 Banker says that part is up to Provarsk. Pro- 
 varsk hopes that the centre of unrest and objection 
 being the capital, it will spread out into the coun- 
 try. Says he knows your affairs are critical, and 
 that if you are beaten in this, you'll either have 
 to give up or try something else. Banker's men 
 are to be posted around different spots in the 
 Market Place. Provarsk wants to know how they 
 are to act unitedly. Banker says he will get up 
 close to the stand where the announcement is to 
 be read, then, when he thinks time is right, will 
 get up and give signal. That immediately a riot 
 will start. Says all his men know one another 
 by a red cockade in the left buttonhole. Provarsk 
 wants to know if the banker followed his instruc- 
 tions and confined his efforts to Marken, because 
 he thinks concentration here is important. Banker 
 says yes, all are to be at Market Place. Banker 
 says had to pay men four dollars each in advance. 
 Wants Provarsk to pay him back. Provarsk 
 
 [165]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 smoothing banker down with promises. Tells him 
 he's to be Minister of Treasury some day and 
 not too many questions asked. Banker appears 
 satisfied. The baron has an idea " 
 
 He was interrupted by Kent, who had arisen, 
 walked behind him and now took the glasses from 
 his hand and said, " Never mind the remainder. 
 I've only got an hour in which to move. Go and 
 get Paulo and bring him back with you on the 
 jump ! And, hold on a minute ! As you go out to 
 get him, order my car brought around and kept 
 in waiting at the private door. Also, as soon as 
 you've brought Paulo here, don't wait, but skip 
 over to your room and arm yourself, and bring 
 a gun for me. Just as well be prepared. Hurry, 
 Ivan! We've got quite an uncertain job." 
 
 After Ivan had rushed from the room, he daw- 
 dled back toward his desk, stood above it for a 
 moment, carefully sorted the lists and papers, and 
 then, with hands in trousers' pockets, sat on the 
 corner, swung his leg, and carelessly hummed a 
 tune as if perfectly satisfied with all things. Only 
 his eyes betrayed any excitement, and they danced 
 as happily as those of a boy just starting on some 
 wild adventure. But when Paulo, eager to be of 
 service to this leader whom he trusted and ad- 
 mired, came through the door, he lost no time in 
 beckoning him to his private office where he leaned 
 forward and mumbled hasty instructions, check- 
 [166]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ing them off on his finger-tips, and having them 
 recapitulated to make certain of their intelligent 
 understanding. He was quite gleeful when Paulo 
 ran from the room, calling back, " Leave it to me, 
 Mr. Kent. You can depend on me." 
 
 He consulted his watch, saw that it lacked but 
 half an hour of noon, and locked his desk and 
 twirled the knob of his private safe. He clapped 
 his hat on his head, and whistled merrily as he 
 closed the office door after telling his secretary 
 that he would not return until late in the after- 
 noon. He was exactly like any other American 
 business man as he walked alertly to his waiting 
 car, smiled at Ivan, and told the driver, another 
 man on whom he could depend, to make his way to 
 the Market Place. He lighted a cigar and puffed 
 it vigorously as the car swung out of the palace 
 gates and with shrill warnings made its way to- 
 ward the centre of that day's attraction. 
 
 In the outskirts of the crowd the car was stopped 
 by an officer who, on seeing the palace uniform 
 worn by the driver, was prepared to give the car 
 right of way. The American dismounted. 
 
 "Permit this car to stand here at the side 
 where we can reach it when we return," he said. 
 " Clear a way and conduct my man and me to the 
 platform where the announcement is to be made. 
 I am on the king's business." 
 
 "I recognised you, sir," said the officer respect- 
 
 [167]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 fully, and at once called to two of his men and 
 began conducting them forward. The crowd 
 swayed, commented, and drew back leaving a free 
 lane down which they pasesd. Gay it appeared 
 with all the colours of the rainbow, a strange 
 motley of gorgeous hues now that the holiday cos- 
 tume was donned. Under their feet the rounded 
 cobbles, polished by many feet for many ages, were 
 littered with broken flowers, tinsel from sweet- 
 meats and confetti. Any great gathering in 
 Marken betokened a holiday, sacred or secular, 
 and habit could not be overcome in a day. At the 
 foot of a grey old tower whose clock, daintily 
 veiled with ivy, stared down at the assemblage, a 
 stand had been erected; for here, from time im- 
 memorial, had been read the king's commands. It 
 was always the same scene. First the waiting 
 crowd, then the king's heralds brilliantly clad, 
 the shrilling of silver trumpets, the silence, some- 
 times murmuring, sometimes breathless and ex- 
 pectant, as befitted the gravity of the situation, 
 while some person of state shouted in long-drawn, 
 deliberate tones the king's decree. Always it 
 closed with the same statement, that confirmation 
 would be found on the printed announcements 
 hereafter to issue and "God Save the King!" 
 Sometimes they had approved. Sometimes they 
 had looked at one another sullenly, or humorously, 
 and asked what God should save him for, being a 
 [168]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 little in doubt on that point, and finding no suffi- 
 cient reason of their own. Legend said that away 
 back in distant times, some of their kings, a very 
 few, being those who could read, had in person 
 bawled their own decrees. But that had been a 
 long time ago, and well the ways of God's an- 
 ointed were sometimes incomprehensible to those 
 of meeker mould. An unexpurgated history, now 
 suppressed, declared that Ferdinand First while 
 addressing his loyal subjects had fallen over the 
 platform rail because at the time he happened 
 to be drunk ; but none dared criticise a king lest, 
 being God's chosen, one commit sacrilege. It was 
 too much like scratching one's head when reading 
 the Poet Laureate's poem dedicated to " Princess 
 Ann Elize on Her Sixteenth Birthday," which 
 called her fairer and more divine than all the 
 angels ever before loaned direct from Heaven, 
 when one who had seen her knew that she had a 
 face like an oyster shell, with a pendent lower lip, 
 and drooled when, straining her intelligence to 
 its limit, she talked about the weather. 
 
 Kent reached the platform and saw one of his 
 own men there, clad as a king's crier. The man 
 looked like a cross between haughtiness and an 
 attack of fever and ague. Kent thanked the offi- 
 cer, climbed to a back seat on the tiny platform 
 and stared over the crowd below. He observed, 
 with satisfaction, that here and there in this crowd 
 
 [169]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 there were tiny swirls and lanes like those of 
 cross currents in a sluggish stream, and that every 
 now and then an automobile at the extreme edge 
 of the pool appeared to have been granted a bur- 
 den, and dexterously whirled away. 
 
 A gun boomed from an old fortress that stood 
 sentry above the market place. The old clock in 
 the tower began a ringing of cracked and ancient 
 chimes. A wooden crusader clumsily carved, and 
 riding a clumsily carved figure presumed to rep- 
 resent a horse, went rocking around a circle with 
 creaking jerks, met a similar wooden monstrosity, 
 passed from sight, and a toy rooster opened a 
 door and crowed as if to impress those below with 
 the fact that he had a serious bronchial affection, 
 or had lost part of his crow. Another effigy sup- 
 posed to carry the colours of Marken creaked 
 around the circle, and the official announcer got to 
 his feet, and made his way to the front of the 
 platform. 
 
 "In the name of his gracious majesty, Karl II, 
 King of Marken, Duke of the Trentheim, Baron 
 of the Oberwald," etc., etc., he announced and 
 began reading the decree, which, stripped of the 
 whereases and wherefores and constant references 
 to Divine Eight, bluntly told the citizens of Mar- 
 ken the appalling truth that they would have to 
 go to work. 
 
 In the horrified silence it was explained that a 
 [170]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 state form of conscription had been evolved, not 
 for the purpose of bearing arms, but that work- 
 ers might be obtained for the conduct of various 
 state enterprises, the profit therefrom to be de- 
 rived by the state and applied to the payment of 
 its debts and upkeep ; that ultimately the citizens 
 themselves would receive that profit after the state 
 debts had been paid, and that the new form of 
 taxation, that imposed by the work of their hands, 
 would abrogate all others. Furthermore, it was 
 announced that certain factories and public utili- 
 ties were to be commandeered and in future op- 
 erated by the government acting over and legiti- 
 mately protecting the original owners. The voice 
 of the announcer closed with its "God Save the 
 King," and he took his seat. 
 
 There had been attentive silence while he read. 
 Out there in the clear noon, under the clear blue 
 sky, the Markenites listened, and struggled to 
 comprehend. And then an abrupt murmur arose 
 to become in a moment a roar, and the American 
 sitting stolidly and listening attentively, caught an 
 undernote that threatened anger; so without a 
 moment's hesitation threw himself forward to 
 stem the tide before it got beyond control. He 
 signalled to the trumpeters and shouted, "Blow I 
 Throw your lungs into it! Quickly! Blow!" 
 
 Obediently the two men trumpeted for atten- 
 tion. Kent had jumped across the platform and 
 
 [171]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 shouted into the announcer's ear: "Tell them 
 the king has sent his agent to explain what the 
 new conscription amounts to!" 
 
 In his gorgeous uniform the announcer again 
 stepped to the front between the trumpeters, ges- 
 tured them to stop and raised his hand for silence. 
 
 "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" he called, and paused 
 until the silence was absolute. "That His People 
 may understand, His Majesty the King has sent 
 to you his personal agent to explain more fully 
 than could be done by royal decree the objects and 
 effects of the new law. Give heed to the king's 
 mouthpiece!" 
 
 Kent came forward and studied his audience, 
 that waited ominously. 
 
 "Listen to the king's desire," he said, in his 
 big, resonant voice that swept over their heada 
 and through the Market Place. "His Majesty has 
 but one wish, to make Marken and Markenites 
 respected and prosperous. He wishes to make the 
 title of Markenite, all over the world, a proud 
 synonym for honesty, industry, and prosperity." 
 
 He paused a moment with his shrewd senses 
 alert, and decided that he was on the wrong track 
 when he tried to arouse them to patriotism. In- 
 stantly his facile imagination adopted another 
 course, and a momentary sneer flickered over his 
 lips as he shifted to demagoguery, the fine old 
 method used from the days of Borne to the days 
 [172]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 of the present, forever effective, and invariably 
 ephemeral, but potent for a crisis such as this. 
 
 "The king has studied the situation. He be- 
 lieves that the poor are getting poorer and the 
 rich richer, and that the great throbbing honest 
 frame of mankind is about to be crucified on a 
 cross of gold! Down with the trusts! Give the 
 honest, horny-handed son of toil a chance! One 
 man is as good as another and better. E Pluribus 
 Unum! Multum in Parvo! Who is to blame? 
 said His Majesty the King, after years of study. 
 And then like seeing a great white light he under- 
 stood. It was because these who had riches no 
 longer worked but devoted themselves to idle lux- 
 ury and looked down upon the real Markenites, 
 those who, with rugged arms, sweat-stained brows, 
 and hopeless eyes looked up to the Heavens and 
 cried in patient agony, 'How long, Oh, Lord, how 
 long!' Ground beneath the heel of the octopus 
 wealth those who had nothing saw about them 
 many who had much, but saw no way of getting 
 any of it. 'Many of my beloved people,' said the 
 king, * produce nothing and will not work with 
 their hands, whilst their brothers till the fields 
 from rooster crow to nightingale's song for a mere 
 pittance. I want,' said the king the great sor- 
 rowing king of this imperial realm, * to know that 
 the workingman's dinner pail is full!' That is 
 what he said." 
 
 [173]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 He paused and saw with satisfaction that his 
 words were having effect. He went them one bet- 
 ter. He lowered his voice to a tone of pathos, 
 rolled his eyes upward, shook his hands up at the 
 clear blue sky and said in a still more impressive 
 silence, "I would that you could have seen that 
 great king that governs us all, Karl the Second, 
 whose name shall pass down through all ages, im- 
 mortal, enshrined in the tender memories of men, 
 as he stood with great pitiful eyes suffused with 
 unshed tears and cried, ' The salvation of my peo- 
 ple lies in that simple thing, the full dinner pail ! 
 And that this may come about there is but one way, 
 that all men shall work, produce, develop, and do 
 their share. The richer the plutocrat, the more 
 he should do. The poorer the man, the more op- 
 portunity he should have to become independent 
 among his fellows. Therefore each and all shall 
 work as his or their abilities seem fitted. There 
 shall be no more starvation wages. Some wages 
 shall be increased by the hundred fold, and others 
 in proportion. The man who now earns but a 
 kroner a day shall have two kroners. The rich 
 man shall work with his brothers and actually earn 
 the same.' Thus spoke His Majesty. The gra- 
 cious king will see that work is forthcoming, and 
 the gracious king will see that no one in all this 
 broad land shall go hungry to his humble couch 
 whilst others who have heretofore prospered 
 [174]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 beyond their deserts, shall with full bellies rest 
 between silken sheets." 
 
 He paused dramatically, and lifted his hands 
 above his head, crossed in a peculiar manner, and 
 instantly a wild cheer broke out that began in a 
 singularly scattered way, but was so insistent that 
 the people themselves took it up at last and roared 
 loudly, "God Save the King! Long live the 
 King!" 
 
 Kent, discerning the same sort of frenzy that 
 prevails alike in negro camp-meetings and Madi- 
 son Square political meetings, where individuals 
 yell and shriek principally because the men on 
 either side are setting the example, played another 
 fine old oratorical trick by furiously bawling for 
 silence and gesturing appeals, polite requests, and 
 commands. 
 
 "No man dares speak against the king's wish," 
 he roared, as if intent on being heard by some one 
 across the Atlantic ocean, "because his intelligent 
 and wise fellows will understand, at once, that 
 such an objector is a disgrace to the name of man- 
 hood, an obstructor to progress, a rebel at heart, 
 and, worst of all, one who would trample under 
 foot the grand and noble flag of labour, that sacred 
 standard that has been followed, defended and 
 died for since time began, that symbolises the 
 glory of honest toil!" 
 
 Again he made that peculiar gesture, and this 
 
 [175]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 time the cheers were hysterical in volume and min- 
 gled with them was the roar of firearms as a group 
 of soldiers stationed at the side of the Market 
 Place, in obedience to a command from their offi- 
 cer, fired a blank salvo in the air. A man sta- 
 tioned in the tower banged the cracked bells and 
 lashed them up to a fine imitation of joy. Men 
 and women hugged one another. Dogs howled. 
 Children shrieked with excitement, and the quaint 
 old buildings surrounding the Market Place 
 rocked and trembled with the universal ecstasy 
 that intoxicated the Markenites now that they had 
 been plainly told what a wonderful king was this 
 that had come to lead them to universal riches, 
 and, therefore, to such a state of plenty that they 
 could buy anything in sight, eat the best there was 
 to be had and patiently look forward to an earthly 
 paradise where nobody at all had any work what- 
 ever to do. 
 
 The King's Remembrancer turned and winked 
 slyly at Ivan and voiced silently the cryptic re- 
 marks made by many another renowned orator, 
 when closing a successful campaign speech, 
 " Guess that'll hold them for a little while. Come 
 on! Let's beat it!" 
 
 Like a stern conqueror, with head erect and 
 
 steady eyes he moved slowly through the lane that 
 
 opened wide to give him egress. He seemed not 
 
 to hear the shouts of approval, or the cheers of 
 
 [176]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 those who paid him adulation as the one who had 
 spoken for the king. Only once he halted in this 
 triumphal progress, when his eyes fell on a puffed- 
 up and self-important contractor with whom he 
 had become acquainted and whom he thoroughly 
 detested for his garrulity. To him he extended his 
 hand and spoke. The little man swelled visibly at 
 being thus recognised by the great man, and was 
 gratified that so many could see this evidence of 
 friendship. 
 
 "The people understand," murmured Kent, 
 confidentially. ' ' The king told me they would, be- 
 cause he could always trust to their good sense; 
 but His Excellency, the Chancellor, will be furious ; 
 because you see he wanted the king to lower all 
 wages, and not compel any of the rich ones to 
 work. The chancellor, born to a golden spoon, I 
 am afraid hates the honest sons of toil. Trust 
 the king to set him in his place if he goes too far ! ' ' 
 
 He gave a lugubrious shake of his head, again 
 shook hands very warmly and hastened onward. 
 
 "One for you, Provarsk," he said to himself. 
 "Before I've got out of this square that fat gas 
 bag will pass it around with exaggeration and my 
 worthy little chancellor won't dare travel with- 
 out a guard for some time, I reckon. Hope they 
 don't catch him and hang him on sight!" 
 
 [177]
 
 CHAPTEE TEN 
 
 IN the precincts of the palace, on that eventful 
 afternoon, there was considerable apprehen- 
 sion sustained by the king, who, born to 
 precedent and hedged in by conventionalities, be- 
 lieved in doing all things slowly and with decorum. 
 As Kent once said, he was "As fine a watchful- 
 waiter as ever succeeded in ponderously doing 
 nothing. ' ' Indeed there was but one person visible 
 after Kent's hasty departure for the Market Place 
 who did not seem anxious, that person being the 
 chancellor himself. He strolled languidly into 
 Kent 's office within three minutes after the Amer- 
 ican had passed out, and looked for the King's Ee- 
 membrancer. Not seeing him, he smiled slyly, 
 took a seat, waited a few minutes, and then rang 
 the bell that summoned Kent's secretary. That 
 astute and well trained young gentleman entered 
 the room and stood like a statue of respectful at- 
 tention. 
 
 "Good morning, Your Excellency," he said, 
 while in the back of his brain ran the question, 
 ' * Wonder what that pusillanimous blighter wants 
 in here at this time?" 
 [178]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "I should like to speak with Mr. Kent," an- 
 nounced the chancellor. 
 
 "I regret to say, sir, that he is not in at pres- 
 ent," replied the secretary, with due deference. 
 "Any word which Your Excellency might " 
 
 "When will he be in?" curtly interrupted Pro- 
 varsk. 
 
 "Probably not until late this evening," was the 
 calm response. 
 
 "Where is he?" 
 
 "I rather think, sir, that he has gone to inspect 
 some new work over at the mines," deliberately 
 lied the secretary, but with a convincing air of 
 innocence and candour that proved his worth as 
 either a secretary or a witness before a congres- 
 sional investigating committee. He stood at ease, 
 still with that air of deference, but noted that the 
 chancellor, after a moment's thought, was un- 
 doubtedly pleased. His meditations were inter- 
 rupted by the entrance of the king, who came in 
 with more than usual haste. Provarsk instantly 
 stood to his feet ; but the king took one glance at 
 him and frowned in lieu of greeting. 
 
 "Your superior where is he?" demanded the 
 king, addressing the secretary. 
 
 "He is not in at present, Your Majesty," 
 promptly responded that worthy. 
 
 The king was undoubtedly anxious. A certain 
 nervousness of demeanour expressed it. 
 
 [179]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "That is just what I was asking, Cousin," airily 
 interjected the chancellor. 
 
 "Suppose you stop 'cousming' me," the king 
 said, eyeing him with no attempt to conceal his 
 dislike. "Besides, I don't know what you had 
 been asking. Few people ever do." 
 
 With undisguised enjoyment that he had suc- 
 ceeded in exasperating the king, Provarsk smiled 
 and flicked his fingers. 
 
 "Oh, tut! tut!" he said. "What I had just 
 remarked was that I thought it very discreet of 
 Mr. Kent to remove himself on such a momentous 
 day. To take to the woods, I might say, lest a 
 storm arise." 
 
 The king turned his back and walked toward 
 the door leading out to the hanging balcony, where 
 he stood gazing off toward the city. Not in the 
 least disconcerted, Provarsk added, with mock 
 gravity, "I even told him that affairs were criti- 
 cal and that perhaps the power of the throne it- 
 self had been cast on an issue of extreme doubt." 
 
 "That must distress you terribly," remarked 
 the king, with a sneer in his voice. 
 
 "Ah, good morning, Your Royal Highness," 
 Provarsk said with great heartiness, and the king 
 turned to discover that his sister had entered the 
 room and was now facing Provarsk with a cool 
 stare. 
 
 "Karl," she asked, "is it true Mr. Kent still 
 [180]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 insists on forcing his wishes through to the very; 
 utmost ? That enforced labour measure ? ' ' 
 
 "So far as I know,'* moodily replied the king. 
 
 "And aren't you afraid that " she paused 
 
 and looked at Provarsk, who declined to depart 
 without direct orders. 
 
 "Afraid of what?" the king asked in a tone of 
 irritation. 
 
 "Afraid there will be trouble," calmly inter- 
 jected Provarsk. "That is what the Princess 
 Eloise means. Afraid the people won't submit. 
 And why should they? I wouldn't if I were one 
 of them. You can give odds on that." 
 
 The secretary created a diversion by discreetly 
 bowing himself backward to the office door and 
 then through it, with the staid fervour of an 
 automaton. The princess looked at her brother a 
 polite request to order Provarsk from the room; 
 but the king, through obstinacy, refused to heed it. 
 
 "You were about to say, Eloise?" he asked 
 politely, as if the baron had not been present, 
 and therefore had not impertinently added his 
 voice to the conversation. 
 
 She had no time to answer ; for at that moment 
 there came from the distance a loud roar of many 
 voices, and immediately after the sound of fire- 
 arms in ragged volley. The effect on the king 
 was as if some one had propelled him with a swift 
 kick out to the balcony, where he gazed anxiously 
 
 [181]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 in the direction of the city. The princess, dis- 
 tressed, also moved toward the balcony, while 
 Provarsk grinned pleasantly and seemed to under- 
 stand the meaning of the sound. He was confi- 
 dent that he alone knew all that was conveyed 
 by that uproar. He rather hoped that enough 
 Markenites had been killed and wounded to make 
 his revolt a good one. He cocked his head in- 
 tently to listen for further shots, heard the distant 
 clangour of the bells in the city tower, and de- 
 cided it must be an alarum, and then another 
 noise became audible, the sound of some one 
 hastily coming through the tiled corridors, and 
 this latter noise perplexed him. It grew louder 
 and more distinct, and both king and princess, 
 -hearing it, hastily re-entered the room. Sten- 
 torian puffs and wheezes were now accompanied 
 by the ringing of boot-heels and spurs, and through 
 the door galloped the Minister of War. He was 
 in full uniform of his own proud design, and the 
 red of his broad sash was no redder than the red 
 of his face. His eyes protruded and were wide, 
 and his hand was on his sword hilt. So fast had 
 been his progress, and so intense his excitement, 
 that for a moment he appeared unable to speak. 
 Then he burst out, "Has any one seen Mr. Kent? 
 Has any one seen Mr. Kent, Your Majesty? Oh, 
 this is horrible. Horrible ! ' ' 
 "I regret to say, sir, that he is not in at present. 
 [182]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Any word which Your Excellency might wish to 
 leave will be duly repeated, " Provarsk said in 
 admirable imitation of Kent's secretary, and then 
 added, "My goodness! It's all fussed up, isn't 
 it?" 
 
 "Everything is lost!" exclaimed the Minister 
 of War, speaking to the king. 
 
 "What has happened!" asked the latter, 
 quietly, confronting an issue that brought out his 
 better and fighting qualities. 
 
 "Mr. Kent! He told me that he proposed to 
 put the decree through regardless of anything 
 and that if I had to fight, fight it would be ; told 
 me to have my army stationed at places named, 
 but said he would be there and that I wasn't to 
 'give the command to fire until he told me to. Great 
 crowd! People all excited and restless! Acci- 
 dentally dropped my glasses and stepped on them ! 
 And I've lost the oculist's prescription." 
 
 "You're rattled!" said the king, growing still 
 cooler now that he faced an emergency. 
 
 "So I am! So I am!" admitted Von Glutz, 
 hastily. "But I couldn't see Mr. Kent anywhere 
 and the crowd grew threatening. I asked if any 
 one of my officers had seen him. No one had. I 
 hurried here to inform him, and on the way I 
 heard shots. It can mean but one thing; that, 
 pressed to the limit, my soldiers have fired, and 
 that Marken is in a state of civil war!" 
 
 [183]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 He paused for want of breath, and the king 
 clenched his hands and made as if to go to the 
 front himself; then whirled and asked sharply, 
 "If he told you to stay there in command of the 
 troops, who is in charge now?" 
 
 " General Handers." 
 
 The king hesitated; but the princess asked 
 stormily, "Did Mr. Kent say you were to kill the 
 people if a disturbance resulted?" 
 
 Von Glutz in his turn hesitated, trying to recall 
 his exact orders. 
 
 "On signal from him," he replied. 
 
 * ' Karl ! Karl ! ' ' she called. * ' Something must 
 be done at once! This will never do. You must 
 act, regardless of your promises to this American. 
 Now! This comes, you see, from your putting 
 yourself into the hands of such a man." 
 
 Emboldened by her criticism of the dictator, 
 Baron Provarsk thought he saw his opportunity 
 and assumed an air of extreme honesty and dis- 
 tress. 
 
 "The princess is right!" he declared to the 
 king. "It is time to cast off such an incubus be- 
 fore the kingdom itself has gone to the dogs." 
 
 The princess recognised his presence for the 
 first time. 
 
 "What do you mean by that?" she demanded, 
 regarding him sternly. 
 
 It nettled him to an unfortunate retort. 
 [184]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "I mean that the only way in which affairs can 
 be straightened out is to at once counteract every- 
 thing this fellow Kent has done, and if I had my 
 way he wonld be taken ont and shot before the 
 day is over." 
 
 At his callons indifference to either justice or 
 life, she gasped, and eyed him with a wide stare. 
 Provarsk wondered if, in overlooking the complex- 
 ities of a woman's mind, he had not made a mis- 
 take; but he was still daring to hope to turn the 
 situation to his own advantage. "If I am to be 
 an actual chancellor, " he began suavely, but was 
 cut short by the princess. 
 
 "Which, no matter what happens, you are not 
 to be, and so of course is all useless to talk about ! 
 You would have Mr. Kent shot ! You ! Why, the 
 worst blunders he ever made are sure to be bet- 
 ter than the best things you have ever done. You 
 have told what you would do if you had your way. 
 Well, I'll tell you what I would have done if I 
 had mine! I'd have you booted into the street 
 and through the Market Place. Kent? Whatever 
 else Mr. Kent is, he is a man. No matter if he 
 has made mistakes, and is a money lender, and 
 all that, he is still a real man and unafraid. Who 
 are you, to talk about having him shot?" 
 
 She faced her brother as if her last contemp- 
 tuous gibe at Provarsk had been her final one 
 for him, and saw that her brother's eyes were 
 
 [185]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 fixed on the door and that Von Glutz also stared 
 in that direction with a look of relief. She also 
 turned and saw that the American had entered 
 the room and was now coming gravely toward her. 
 
 "I overheard Your Royal Highness," he said, 
 "and I thank you for your defence. I had not 
 hoped for so much and I am grateful very, very 
 grateful for a friendship that I esteem as of 
 great worth." 
 
 She was visibly embarrassed, and took refuge 
 in a diversion. 
 
 "What has happened in the Market Place?" 
 both she and the king asked in chorus. 
 
 "It's a terrible situation," wheezed Von Glutz. 
 
 Kent's eyes flickered as if he now understood 
 the cause of the assemblage in his reception room. 
 
 "In some ways," he said; "but I don't see how 
 I could have acted differently." 
 
 "Why didn't you " began the princess im- 
 patiently, and then hesitated and looked at the 
 king. 
 
 "Will the princess please finish?" the Ameri- 
 can asked. "I wish you would extend your friend- 
 ship to the point of advice. What would you have 
 done?" 
 
 "First of all, I should quell the riot. It comes 
 from misunderstanding. There are no kindlier 
 nor more amenable people, Mr. Kent, than ours. 
 They should not have been fired upon at all." 
 [186]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 He stood quietly to one side, listening atten- 
 tively, as if all his own plans had been defeated. 
 
 "I don't see why we waste time talking now," 
 the king declared, impatiently. 
 
 " Please, Sire, allow the Princess Eloise to pro- 
 ceed," Kent said. "Her suggestions might be 
 valuable. ' ' He turned his face toward her and en- 
 couraged her by asking, "And what then? After 
 the riot is quelled?" 
 
 1 ' Then they must be dealt with kindly, but with 
 resolute firmness. It will not do to seem to give 
 in to them. They must be made to obey ; but there 
 can be a compromise of some sort, can there not? 
 This new plan was too unexpected, too drastic. It 
 would have been better to have prepared them 
 gradually. That would have been my way, Mr. 
 Kent." * 
 
 She stopped in expectation of his defence, and 
 gazed at him with sympathy and regret, as if 
 wishing to assist him in any way she could now 
 that his plans, all energetic, all hopeful, had gone 
 awry. She had never by word, until this day, 
 credited him with any virtues. 
 
 "Thank you," he said quietly, lifting his fine 
 eyes to hers. "I applaud your firmness. It's like 
 encouragement from a friend to hear you talk. 
 But I think, after all, that my way was the best. 
 Something abrupt and sensational had to be done 
 to arouse them. I did it. It worked all right." 
 
 [1871
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 All in the room fixed him with looks of interro- 
 gation and suspense. The chancellor emitted a 
 sarcastic, "You certainly did!" 
 
 "And now we've got a revolution!" grumpily 
 muttered Von Glutz. 
 
 Kent was still watching the princess, and had 
 opened his lips as if to explain the situation to 
 her when Ivan came striding into the room, 
 stopped and would have retreated when he saw 
 those present, had not Kent halted him with a 
 gesture. 
 
 "Well, Ivan," Kent asked, "have you got them 
 all right now?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. Captain Paulo said to tell you that 
 the last of them had been rounded up and that all 
 of them are now in jail. Also that he had fol- 
 lowed your instructions and ordered an hour of 
 free refreshments in the name of the king. The 
 Market Place is filled now with people singing the 
 national air and shouting their heads off for His 
 Majesty. They've wrapped a big banner round 
 the clock tower that reads, 'At last we have a 
 king in Marken. God preserve His Majesty, Karl 
 the Second.' " 
 
 Kent calmly grinned at Provarsk, whose face 
 
 had grown black as an August thunder cloud. 
 
 The king looked bewildered and vastly relieved. 
 
 Von Glutz exclaimed, ' i God help us ! What does 
 
 [188]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 it all mean?' 1 and the Princess Eloise broke into 
 a surprised and gratified smile. 
 
 Kent again faced Ivan and asked, "And by the 
 way, did you learn what they have to say about 
 our most noble chancellor, Provarsk?" 
 
 Ivan grinned broadly, and with marked enjoy- 
 ment said, "Yes. Most of the things they said 
 I can't repeat; but I should think it would not be 
 very wise or safe for His Excellency, the Chan- 
 cellor, to be seen without a good strong guard for 
 a few days, or until this celebration blows over. 
 On that point they dispute among themselves; 
 some being in favour of tar and feathers, while the 
 others insist on hanging." 
 
 "You remember of whom you are speaking !" 
 roared Provarsk, betrayed into an unusual display 
 of anger. 
 
 "If necessary, " said Kent, eyeing him, "I'll 
 see that you are handed over to the mob in the 
 Market Place within the next ten minutes, and 
 with the word that the king agrees with those 
 who want to lynch you. ' ' 
 
 "You asked my advice a few minutes ago, Mr. 
 Kent," the princess broke in with a malicious lit- 
 tle laugh. ' ' Let me offer it. Send him down there 
 now, regardless of whether he has anything more 
 to say." 
 
 Provarsk controlled himself and was again the 
 polished, self-contained, and fearless man of the 
 
 [189]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 moment. He brought his heels together and 
 bowed very low toward the princess. 
 
 "To be hanged by Your Royal Highness* wish 
 would be a happines to me," he said. 
 
 ' ' Come ! Come ! We Ve had enough of this, it 
 seems to me," said the king. "If Mr. Kent will 
 but relieve our suspense by explaining what took 
 place " 
 
 "Very easily done," the American replied, with 
 the utmost calmness. "I learned that a combina- 
 tion had been effected between a certain number 
 of men to provoke a riot at what they believed 
 a suitable moment. It was to be such a row that 
 it might become a full-grown revolt. I therefore 
 took measures to see that each one of these hired 
 lambs was to be shadowed by a guardsman I could 
 depend upon. The Princess Eloise will be de- 
 lighted to know that these guardsmen consisted 
 of former adherents of a petty baron named Pro- 
 varsk, who have taken service under me per- 
 sonally. Money paid into an itching palm at regu- 
 lar intervals and in sufficient sums, does -make 
 some men loyal. These followers swear by me." 
 
 He did not look at the discomfited Provarsk, 
 who affected an air of the utmost indifference and 
 stared absently out toward the garden. 
 
 "So," Kent went on, "when the hired disturb- 
 ers started their outburst each one was instantly 
 clapped on the shoulder and carried away to a 
 [190]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 nice, secure little place protected by iron bars. I 
 gave the people a treat. Talked to them myself 
 and was ahem! received with marked enthusi- 
 asm. The firing you heard was prearranged by 
 me. It was a salvo of joy fired with blank cart- 
 ridges. The ringing of the bells was also arranged 
 by me, to give due dramatic effect. The feeling 
 of love for the chancellor was also stimulated 
 by me. I pointed out that it was he who signed 
 the harsh decree enforcing labour, and suggested 
 that only the unswerving efforts of His Majesty, 
 the King, had ameliorated what might have been 
 a most heart-rending condition of toil. We turned 
 the proposed revolt into a celebration of joy and 
 enthusiasm for His Majesty, who is probably at 
 this moment the best loved man in Marken." 
 
 The king threw off royal dignity, and impul- 
 sively tried to express his thanks, but seemed to 
 have trouble with his throat. 
 
 As if to relieve himself from an embarrassing 
 position, Kent suddenly swung round toward Pro- 
 varsk, and fixed him with mocking eyes. 
 
 "By the way, Chancellor," he asked in a casual 
 tone, "isn't the banker Wimblehurst a friend of 
 ycva-s?" 
 
 <l ^ seems to me that I am acquainted with the 
 gentleman," Provarsk replied, not in the least 
 perturbed. 
 
 "Too bad! Too bad!" said Kent. "He was 
 
 [191]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 the leader of the disturbers. He was the first one 
 I had arrested and put in jail. To-morrow he 
 shall be deported and all his property escheat to 
 the crown. " 
 
 " Dreadful person!" said Provarsk, with a 
 slight grin. 
 
 Kent's eyes lost all mockery and stared harshly 
 at Provarsk with an unmistakable menace. 
 
 "Take care, Your Excellency, lest you over- 
 work and the cares of state become too great for 
 your zeal. It would indeed be pitiable if you were 
 suddenly compelled to join that estimable gentle- 
 man, your friend the banker, in an equally penni- 
 less state." 
 
 Provarsk did not waver. He sniffed disdain- 
 fully, and with the utmost politeness asked, "Am 
 I to understand that this is a command for my 
 departure?" 
 
 "Not at all! Why should it be?" Kent re- 
 torted with cynical courtesy. "Oh, no, indeed! 
 You are too good a thing to lose sight of, my gen- 
 tle chancellor. Why, do you know, you are the 
 most interesting person I have met since the panic 
 of 1903? It is almost unthinkable what might 
 happen to Marken without your presence to g^zide 
 the ship of state through the reefs of unrest Also 
 I'm making you popular; as popular as c&ctior oil 
 for a summer beverage." 
 
 He waved his hand deprecatingly. 
 [192]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 , c 
 
 ' I am sure, ' ' he said, deferentially, ' ' that Your 
 Excellency will pardon, for speaking so feelingly, 
 one who is, after all, but the King's Remem- 
 brancer." 
 
 " Quite so! Quite so!" retaliated Provarsk, 
 with unbroken nerve. ' * Let us hope that it doesn 't 
 happen again. It's the first time I knew you ha ' 
 any feelings." 
 
 [193]
 
 CHAPTER ELEVEN 
 
 IT was nearly three months later when the 
 various steel manufacturers of the world 
 
 were stirred and agitated by the announce- 
 ment that the redoubtable John Ehodes had again 
 been heard from and in a most unsatisfactory way. 
 The manganese deposits, of which there were only 
 two or three of any size on earth, had been secretly 
 bought in, or concessions gained therefor, and 
 word came from the blithe John Rhodes, dated 
 from his London offices, that hereafter manganese 
 would double in price. Steel manufacturers swore 
 volubly, but the market went soaring. Some of 
 the manufacturers used cables and wires to find 
 out if that deposit which was said to exist in a 
 dinky little kingdom called Marken, was open for 
 sale, lease, or concession. 
 
 The replies provoked renewed profanity, inas- 
 much as they tersely said, " Nothing doing. Con- 
 cession already held by John Rhodes. (Signed) 
 Kent.'* 
 
 And the steel industry of the world threw up 
 its hands in horror and was compelled to submit 
 to unheard of prices for a commodity that was 
 
 [194]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 indispensable for all manganese steel. Richard 
 Kent, smiling plaintively in his offices in the pal- 
 ace, found much cause to feel well satisfied. He 
 had "made good" with John Rhodes for life, for 
 on his judgment John Rhodes was making "a 
 killing. ' ' Kent could now see the way not only to 
 repay Rhodes all the money advanced to Marken, 
 but in addition thereto was enjoying himself to 
 the uttermost in the development of his big ma- 
 chine of state enterprise. 
 
 "I've put Marken on the map, you can bet," 
 he confided to Paulo. "A year ago mighty few 
 people had ever heard of it. To-day it's known 
 everywhere, and there 's a nice crowd of kings here 
 in Europe who have a hundred times more power, 
 but who are sick with envy. Marken markets on 
 manganese are quoted daily all over the world. 
 That's going some!" 
 
 Daily, also, the American was giving the king 
 lessons in finance that made that dreamer take a 
 new interest in life. The state automobile no 
 longer hooted over the drives, because the king 
 was too busy poring over the books which Kent 
 had caused to be opened for him. Kent assured 
 the king that in due time he would be made into a 
 first-class accountant. He also suggested at times 
 that it would be a fine thing for Her Royal High- 
 ness to study stenography and typewriting so she 
 could assist in confidential matters; but at this 
 
 [195]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 the king drew the line. Paulo had already suc- 
 cumbed and become as busy an office man as any 
 concern might wish, Von Glutz had been burdened 
 with the department of highways and railways, 
 and could be daily seen inspecting steam rollers 
 and consulting with traffic officials, and the chan- 
 cellor was the only man about the palace who was 
 entrusted with nothing at all. It began to be 
 rumoured that the king of Marken was due in 
 time to make the distinguished Prince of Monaco 
 look like a deuce spot in the financial world. 
 Meanwhile, Richard Kent, hustling, scheming, sat 
 like a spider in a den and pulled webs from morn- 
 ing to night, and remained the least-known man 
 on the scene. The Markenites liked him and called 
 him, familiarly, the King's Errand Boy, a title to 
 which he njade not the slightest objection. But 
 the Princess Eloise was troubled. 
 
 Prior to that day in the palace when the throne 
 seemed rocking on its stately legs, the American 
 had striven for her friendship. She had disap- 
 proved of him with an intensity that she could 
 not now understand. He had lashed her with gen- 
 tle, ironical raillery; he had dared to command 
 and subdue her; and then, after the day of her 
 brave championship, when she had wished to be 
 his friend and ally, he had cultivated a studious 
 and aloof politeness. She could not decide which 
 of her actions had caused this change. Surely 
 [196]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 the man was big enough to fathom her distress 
 and mental harassments in those times of up- 
 heaval! From a defiant dislike, she had been 
 won to a grudging respect for his rough, direct 
 methods. She felt that she merited forgiveness 
 for the natural ignorance of one who had never 
 before come in contact with an American, and 
 particularly with such a one. She had come to 
 forget that he was not of her own nationality, 
 which but increased her resentment. She had 
 learned to understand that this alien who came 
 and went, obscure, unobtrusive, unassuming, had 
 in him some marvellous quality of leadership and 
 organisation that needed no trappings to give it 
 dignity and power. And as the success of his meth- 
 ods became positive in realisation, she regretted 
 opportunities, lost, for a better friendship and 
 understanding, with and of such a character. 
 .There was embodied in him a strange, new and 
 virile life, a capacity for achievement, that she 
 decided must have been born of that strange, new 
 and virile country from which he had sprung. 
 All her life had been imbued with contempt for 
 such a country, a country of crudities, a colossus 
 with nothing to recommend it save resources and 
 wealth, and now, in the presence of this man from 
 that country, who adroitly twisted all things to 
 his purpose, she felt peculiarly weak and useless. 
 What was there about him, what mysterious qual- 
 
 [197]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 ity, that enabled Mm to set a king at work like a 
 bookkeeper, a former chancellor to hurrying over 
 dusty roads to inspect a public work, and an ar- 
 dent young soldier like Captain Paulo to the dry 
 task of manipulating funds? She had, with a 
 sense of shame, made pretexts to seek him in those 
 offices that had become driving centres of effort, 
 and sometimes she had surprised him at his work 
 and, unobserved, seen him sitting stockily before 
 a desk where there was a battery of telephones, 
 batteries of push-buttons, and compact reference 
 cards, and noted with admiration the crispness 
 of his commands, and the ordered intelligence of 
 his methods. Her brother had become this man's 
 admiring slave, and appeared to enjoy with him 
 a friendship that was constantly increasing in 
 intimacy. She had looked across from her wing 
 of the palace at late hours on those long sum- 
 mer nights, and when the shades were up and 
 the windows open, seen them lounging together 
 and heard them laughing heartily at their own 
 comments. And, worst of all, her brother was 
 amazingly improved by this contact, for now he 
 moved with a confident air, as if no longer uncer- 
 tain of himself. The improvement was not with- 
 out another change that she was not certain she 
 liked; for her brother no longer carried himself 
 with the august dignity of a king; but had fallen 
 to the American's carelessness of dress and dis- 
 [198]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 like of functions. He forgot to change clothes 
 several times a day and formed an affection for 
 an ordinary sack suit, which, she observed with 
 horror, was gradually bagging at the knees. Also, 
 he had cultivated a blotch of ink on the inner sides 
 of his first and second fingers, and was impatient 
 when she spoke to him of this delinquency. 
 
 " We've got no time, Kent and I, to waste on 
 pumice stone and perfume!" he declared at the 
 table one evening when she reproached him. 
 
 And worst of all, he was eating like a working- 
 man! As if he wanted no amenities and only 
 food. Plain deterioration, she thought it. Also, 
 his conversation had undergone a subtle change. 
 He no longer talked of the standard topics of 
 royalty such as the weather, reports from the 
 last yacht regatta, and the court scandal of neigh- 
 bouring kingdoms. Instead, he waxed enthusi- 
 astic over another electric power plant, of the pos- 
 sibilities of all taxation being remitted, owing to 
 state prosperity, of old age pensions, and how a 
 new way had been found to increase production 
 and lower costs of this or that, by Kent. Always 
 Kent! Kent did this, or Kent said that! Had 
 to lay a cornerstone to-morrow for a new plant, 
 because Kent thought it best. Beastly bore, but 
 Kent insisted that he should do it because the 
 people liked it. Kent ragged him because he laid 
 the last one without enough ceremony. 
 
 [199]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "But the dignity of the throne!" she remon- 
 strated, highly shocked by his confession. 
 
 "Hang all that stuff!" he retorted in vulgar 
 slang, also learned from Kent. "The only thing 
 that counts is what you are doing and how well 
 you get it done. Kent said so, and I want to tell 
 you, Eloise, that what Kent says is good enough 
 for me to go by. We how is it he says it in 
 English? We are making the old dry bones rat- 
 tle!" 
 
 She affected contempt for these barbarisms and 
 in distress sought that staid old gentleman, the 
 Minister of War, for consolation ; but here again 
 she was rebuffed. 
 
 ' ' Haw ! Haw ! Haw ! ' ' roared Von Glutz. "One 
 can't attend to all things, Your Royal Highness. 
 Of course none of us are as polite as we used to 
 be. Haven't the time. No, indeed." 
 
 "There is time for civilities, isn't there 1 ?" she 
 demanded hotly, and the red-faced old man became 
 grave. 
 
 "Eloise," he said, "I trotted you and Karl on 
 my knees when you were nothing but babies. I 
 was chancellor under your father. Your grand- 
 father used to pat my head when he met me in 
 these gardens out here. Now listen! I want to 
 tell you something. In all its history there has 
 never been a Marken like this. It's a kingdom, 
 now ! It is going to be able to buy and sell a lot 
 [200]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 of its neighbours. It's respected. It pays its 
 bills. Its bonds are away above par among the 
 best in the world. If it wants more territory it 
 doesn't have to go to war to get it. It can buy 
 it, outright!" 
 
 He even slapped his fat, sun-tanned hand on 
 his knee to emphasise his point, and added, "We 
 were all mistaken. It took a Kent to show us how. 
 He is a great man, Eloise, a very great man. The 
 greatest that ever came to Marken. Why, do 
 you know, I was angry when he used to call me a 
 doddering old fool, and now I know he was right. 
 I like it, I do!" 
 
 He threw his head back proudly and defiantly. 
 He, the dignified stately old chancellor, admitted 
 that he was pleased to be called a fool so long as 
 it was this phenomenal alien who called him that ! 
 
 She ended that interview by lifting her head 
 in the air and passing from the room, and red- 
 dened with annoyance when she thought she heard 
 from behind her a soft, chuckling noise. And 
 then came the worst shock of all. The king had 
 actually gone, with bag-kneed trousers, ink-stained 
 fingers and all, accompanied by Kent only, into the 
 city and attended an evening band concert in the 
 Market Place. And most undignified had been the 
 consequence ; for the people, recognising him, had 
 given him an ovation and with locked arms 
 escorted him home to the very palace gates! 
 
 [201]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 When, mortified, she had reproached him for this 
 lack of dignity, the king had casually replied, 
 "To the deuce with it! Say, I've got something 
 that beats all that, and from now on I'm going 
 every night I can find time. What I've found out 
 is that the people like me. There was a baker 
 down there, and his name was Pete ; sort of a man 
 of affairs, I think, who is on the city council, and 
 he made a speech. In a cafe, it was, and I had 
 to make a speech. Kent says that I did well. 
 Says I Ve got them all buffaloed, whatever that is. 
 Says I've got the makings, whatever that is, of a 
 fine orator. And next week I'm going to a ban- 
 quet given by the ironmongers' guild, and Kent 
 says that after this when there's a decree to be 
 read, he wants me to go and read it myself. He 
 says I'm a what is it that he calls it in English? 
 Oh, yes, I'm a good mixer. Kent says I've got 
 to learn how to get acquainted with every one, 
 and yet keep my dignity. Says I must never let 
 any one talk about state affairs, but that I must 
 make them feel that they can come to me when 
 they are in trouble. Says I can get them so that 
 they would die to the man if I asked them to." 
 
 "What else did this wonderful Mr. Kent ad- 
 vise!" she asked. 
 
 * ' Said I must never permit any familiarity, but 
 must make them feel that we are all working to- 
 gether to make Marken great ; that as the head of 
 [202]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 the state I am entitled to respect but that my acts 
 as an individual are open to criticism ; said I must 
 learn to submerge myself, and make them think 
 of Marken in the day-time, and dream of it by 
 night. That I must make them proud of being 
 Markenites above all things. That I must make 
 them proud to say that they know the king per- 
 sonally, and earn the reputation of being a just 
 king who could always be depended upon." 
 
 "Rank Democracy!" she exclaimed. 
 
 "All right. Call it that if you wish; but I tell 
 you I am learning that the way to make men do 
 things for me, is to make them do it because they 
 wish to and not merely because I happen to be 
 the king," he answered, with emphasis, and then 
 she realised that the change had been greater than 
 she had seen, and that her brother had thrown 
 aside all the precedent that had made the dynasty 
 a mysterious potency, because this money lender 
 had shown a new way. She shuddered with ap- 
 prehension when alone. She resolved to make 
 further efforts to learn this strange man Kent, 
 and if necessary check his aggressions. Something 
 must be done. She had tried defiance with him 
 at various times, and always been worsted. She 
 had tried to approach him on a friendly basis and 
 had been held aloof by his quiet politeness. She 
 resolved to attack his reserve in a more subtle 
 
 [203]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 way, by approaching him over ground that was 
 indubitably his weak point. 
 
 And so it was that the American, in his private 
 office one morning, was told that Her Royal High- 
 ness the Princess Eloise waited in the reception 
 room. He responded at once and stood before 
 her with his grave air of attention. 
 
 "Mr. Kent," she said, smiling up at him, "I 
 have come on affairs of state. " 
 
 He wondered, mentally, what this dispute could 
 be about, but said courteously, "I am of course a 
 Your Royal Highness' service." 
 
 His steadfast, calm aloofness bothered her. 
 
 "Why is it that you do not make use of me ? ' ' 
 
 "Make use of you? Make use I scarcely un- 
 derstand." 
 
 "Yes, make use of me. I am the only one you 
 do not employ. You have my brother converted 
 to your creed. Baron von Glutz is working harder 
 than he ever did in his life. Captain Paulo has 
 no time for any one or any other occupation than 
 his own affairs. I am the only one left out. 
 Surely I am as much interested as any one, and 
 surely there is something I can do. I came to learn 
 what it is. ' ' 
 
 His face relaxed into a warm smile that was his 
 chief charm, a smile that forever came unexpect- 
 edly, that displayed his firm white teeth, that 
 brought little wrinkles to the corners of his clear 
 [204]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 eyes. Then as if studying the face of a child, he 
 looked at her with an odd kindliness and approval. 
 She was the first to lower her gaze and could not 
 understand why she suddenly felt like a small girl 
 appealing to a very great man. 
 
 "Will you not be seated?" she asked and heard 
 him obey. She did not look up until he began to 
 speak, and there was nothing of ridicule, sarcasm, 
 or raillery in his musical voice. 
 
 "There is much that you might do, Princess 
 Eloise, if only you understood; but the barrier 
 between a princess and her people, the common 
 people, I mean, is well it's a mighty hard 
 hurdle to take. I don't know much about such 
 things. I wasn't brought up exactly as those of 
 royal families are, you see. I graduated from 
 a sawmill. Outside of lumber kings, and soap 
 kings, and others of that sort, we haven't any 
 kings in America. The way I look at the situa- 
 tion here is this. First we had to make Marken 
 honest and prosperous. To do that we had to 
 make people work, make them all get their shoul- 
 ders to the wheel and shove in the same direction. 
 That far we have got. Next, so that they may 
 keep shoving for all they are worth, we have got 
 to get closer and closer to them ; got to make them 
 loyal to Marken and its ruling house because they 
 want to be so. People can be forced to do things 
 for a while by law ; but that wears off, sometime. 
 
 [205]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 People don't have to be forced when they do 
 things through respect and affection. They do 
 them because they want to. Because it's natural 
 for them to do so. Our task now is to win their 
 affection without losing their respect. You could 
 do some very good work in that direction. It 
 would help, materially. It might, sometime, Your 
 Boyal Highness, avert a serious crisis." 
 
 "You mean?" she asked earnestly. 
 
 "I mean that in the past there has been too 
 much royalty here and not enough people; that 
 the time has come when a let us say a very 
 small place like Marken must begin to wear its 
 clothes differently. When its royal house must 
 stop trying to ape the emperors and kings and 
 -czars of great and powerful nations; drop the 
 royal splendour pretence, and begin to make itself 
 & power in its own way, on new lines, and let all 
 others think whatever they please and be perfectly 
 indifferent to what they do think. You've got to 
 forget that you are a princess, and try to make 
 friends out there. Every one of those women 
 working in the fields, every girl out there of your 
 age, has just as many perplexities, and sorrows, 
 and hopes, and ambitions as you have. They've 
 got just as much right to live and to hope. Doubt- 
 less some of their sorrows and some of their hopes 
 would seem ridiculous to you. Doubtless a lot of 
 your sorrows and hopes would look equally ridic- 
 [206]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ulous to them. So, if you wish to help, and I know 
 you do or you wouldn't be here now, you must 
 go out among them and establish a new line, a 
 common ground, whereon their difficulties no 
 longer seem trivial to you, and yours no longer 
 ridiculous to them. Find a way to rub shoulders 
 with them. They'll not contaminate you. You'll 
 make it a whole lot easier for them. Get to know 
 their names. Help christen their babies. Learn 
 to advise. Learn to accept advice. Make them 
 feel that you are not only a princess, but a woman 
 as well. Why, the proudest title any man ever 
 had in my country, Princess Eloise, was given to 
 a ruler when they commonly called him Old Abe. 
 Everybody knew who Old Abe was. And the rea- 
 son it was the finest title was because they gave 
 it to him from their hearts! A nation fought 
 when he asked them to. A nation wept when Old 
 Abe died." 
 
 Some great pathos in his voice, unsuspected 
 from such a man, some prodigious seriousness, 
 impressed and subdued her as she listened. This 
 was not the money lender. Here was one who had 
 pulled the curtain from the alcoves of his mind, 
 and exposed therein something so noble that it 
 brought her, a princess, to her knees. A glimpse 
 had been given her of a fair landscape beyond all 
 that she had ever seen, fairer than she had ever 
 seen, tenderly appealing, warmly alluring, like 
 
 [207]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 unto the dream of Parsifal. A land through which 
 she might not pass save through nobility of spirit 
 alone. She was crushed by a sense of littleness, 
 of unworthiness. The American had arisen to 
 his feet and she felt his glowing eyes. She arose, 
 confused by the swift tracery of her thought, and 
 stood before him with bent head and hands clasped 
 before her. She spoke, still under the spell of 
 the dream invoked by his clear insight, but could 
 only stammer, "I am trying am trying, Mr. 
 Kent, to see. And I understand, now, and I 
 don 't blame you why you despise me ! ' ' 
 
 Had she looked up, then, she would have ob- 
 served the swift look of pain that swept across 
 his face, and his struggle to hold himself in leash. 
 Just for an instant, and then, curbed by his relent- 
 less will, it was gone, and he was merely the quiet, 
 inflexible, and kindly man regarding her with 
 serious eyes. 
 
 "I did not say that," he rebuked her. "You 
 asked what you could do to help. I tried to help 
 you. You must find the way. I can't. I don't 
 understand women. And because of this, I have 
 most always avoided them. I do know men. I've 
 had to. I Ve made my way by knowing them. And 
 after all, I may be mistaken in my ideas. Some- 
 times I think they are foolish ; but it seems to me 
 worth thinking over, Princess Eloise, and I've 
 learned that by thinking hard enough, one can al- 
 [208]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 most always find a way. I hope you can, because, 
 you see, you could do a heap of good. This place 
 we're in has no jobs for cripples or pygmies. " 
 
 She glanced at him to reassure herself that he 
 was not again mocking her; but saw nothing be- 
 yond the utmost candour in his look ; yet she was 
 secretly pleased to discover, with a woman's in- 
 tuition, that he felt awkward and embarrassed. 
 She proved merciful to him and to herself, by ut- 
 tering a single sentence. 
 
 11 Thank you," she said. "I promise to try." 
 He bowed deeply to her as she walked from 
 the room without looking back and then for a 
 long time stood with his hands in his pockets and 
 glowered out over the roofs and spires of the city, 
 dimmed and empurpled by the evening glow. 
 
 [209]
 
 CHAPTER TWELVE 
 
 IT was spring again, and as if the change of 
 weather or the indefatigable work of winter 
 had worn him to laxity, Kent sat in his pri- 
 vate office, for once idle. The king, wearing an- 
 other business suit that had also assumed bags 
 at the knees, came hurriedly in and closed the door 
 behind him. 
 
 11 Hello!" said the American, swinging around 
 to greet him. "What's up? You look worried." 
 
 "I am!" was the king's reply, as he threw him- 
 self into a chair and wiped his brow. "I've got 
 the worst of news." 
 
 "Where did you get it?" asked Kent, with a 
 grin that the king did not return. 
 
 "Down in the village," he said. "Two or three 
 of the men I have made friends came to warn me. 
 I listened and came back here as quickly as I 
 could to talk it over with you. Provarsk has been 
 undermining us again. ' ' 
 
 Kent's eyes twinkled and he settled back into 
 his chair and lighted his pipe. 
 
 "Is that so!" he exclaimed, without excitement. 
 "Well, what do you think you ought to do about 
 it?" 
 
 [210]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "Do? I can't do anything without your con- 
 sent, and you won't give it. I wanted either to 
 have him tried for conspiracy against the state, 
 or throw him out of it, two months ago. You 
 wouldn't consent. You said something about giv- 
 ing the calf rope enough to hang itself, and did 
 all you could to assist him by gradually giving 
 him more power." 
 
 "Well, has he hanged himself yet!" 
 
 ' ' Hanged himself ? Of course not. He 's trying 
 to have us hanged." 
 
 "How?" asked Kent with that same air of quiet 
 enjoyment, that did not at all please the king. 
 
 "By surreptitiously making the people discon- 
 tented. He has them believing that working the 
 mines the way they do is an injustice ; that from 
 the mines I am getting rich ; but that all the other 
 state institutions are scarcely paying at all. It's 
 useless to tell them that they are all profit- 
 able " 
 
 "Save one," slyly interjected Kent. "That 
 state bath house is a complete failure. It has re- 
 quired all the means at my command to keep peo- 
 ple from knowing it. The mineral springs turned 
 to salt more than six weeks ago." 
 
 The king showed his surprise. 
 
 "Well, then why why didn't you close the 
 place up? I didn't know that." 
 
 "True," said Kent, with the same easy de- 
 
 [211]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 meanour. "I don't suppose you did know it. I 
 haven't told any one, and there's not a man work- 
 ing there who isn't a confidential employe of 
 mine. I had reason." 
 
 "But we have made money out of all the other 
 state enterprises?" asked the king, anxiously. 
 
 "Out of every one of them. Marken, whether 
 it wants to be or not, is due to become one of the 
 richest nations, per capita, in the world." 
 
 He laid his pipe to one side, and leaned toward 
 the king in a brisk business attitude. 
 
 "Listen," he said, "and I'll tell you what it 
 means. The time had come to eliminate Mr. Pro- 
 varsk. The very reason we kept him here in the 
 first place was to give him either a chance to 
 make good, or to fix him so that he would be for- 
 ever harmless. "Well, we've had to take steps to 
 do the latter." 
 
 The king shook his head and said, "I don't see 
 how." 
 
 "When we opened up the state enterprises, we 
 permitted any one to buy stock in small blocks, 
 didn't we? We held control only. Provarsk tried 
 to bribe my secretary to give him inside informa- 
 tion as to what ones would be the most promising, 
 and to which ones we would give the greatest state 
 support. My secretary told me. Already I had 
 decided to drop the mineral water resort project 
 because it couldn't be made to pay. I had my sec- 
 [212]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 retary take Provarsk's bribe, and then tell him 
 that the mineral water company was to be our 
 biggest winner. Provarsk, through straw men 
 and in clivers ways, bought and bought until every 
 dollar he could rake and scrape is in the venture. 
 He owns forty-nine per cent of a project that isn't 
 worth ten kronin on the minute that the state sup- 
 port is withdrawn and the reasons made public. 
 Now do you see it all!" 
 
 "No, I don't," admitted the king thoughtfully. 
 "What has that to do with a fresh disturbance 
 among the people?" 
 
 Kent laughed, amused at what he regarded as 
 the king's denseness. 
 
 "Why, just this. He expects to arouse the 
 people to a point where they will demand a big 
 share in the profits of all enterprises. Perhaps 
 the absolute relinquishment of state control and 
 ownership. Then those who hold the controlling 
 stock in the best enterprise will find themselves 
 rich. He thinks he has the best one." 
 
 "Pshaw! You haven't understood me," de- 
 clared the king soberly. "I said that he aims his 
 efforts at the mines." 
 
 "Quite true," replied the American. "In that 
 way he kills several birds with one stone. He 
 thinks that he upsets my house of cards on one 
 hand, and builds his own with the other. Also, 
 he embarrasses you because he knows that you 
 
 [213]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 dare not tell the people of Marken that you have 
 given John Rhodes a concession for these mines, 
 and that, although they have been getting big 
 pay, they have been enriching you, as well as pay- 
 ing back John Bhodes' money. The people them- 
 selves have been helping to do it." 
 
 " Can't agree with you quite!" stubbornly in- 
 sisted the king. "Why, the men who work there 
 are getting double the wages, and sometimes quad- 
 ruple, that they ever before had in their lives. 
 They are prosperous prosperous beyond any 
 hope that any of them ever had. You don't mean 
 to say that prosperous men are the ones to 
 revolt?" 
 
 ' ' Nothing more certain in the world ! Too much 
 prosperity is just the same, if not worse, than too 
 much poverty. An autocrat, I have come to the 
 conclusion, can make, with fair luck, either one 
 or the other; too much wealth or too much pov- 
 erty. And the end will always be the same they 
 will get rid of the autocrat, who is the most obso- 
 lete being on God Almighty's earth. There are 
 times when one seems a necessity ; but the moment 
 that necessity vanishes, so does he. Three very- 
 great nations in this world proved it, Great Brit- 
 ain, France and the United States. Sometimes 
 I think the others don't count!" 
 
 "But we must stop Provarsk!" insisted the 
 king, desperately. 
 [214]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "You leave Provarsk alone. He is doing just 
 exactly what I foresaw, and what I want him to 
 do." * 
 
 For a moment they stared at each other, and 
 the king was vexed. 
 
 "Come," said Kent seriously, "haven't I ac- 
 complished nearly everything I have undertaken ? 
 Have you lost by my suggestions ? Think it over 
 a minute, friend, before you reply." 
 
 The king did. Then, as abruptly it all recurred 
 to him, his own desperate condition when first he 
 met this man, the startling innovations, the prog- 
 ress they had made, their friendship, and above 
 all, the strength and independence that this alien 
 had taught him, he was ashamed of his own 
 doubts. He made frank confession. 
 
 "Kent," the king said, "I'm still a what you 
 call a chump!" 
 
 "Nothing of the sort," remonstrated the 
 American. "You're all right! Only you don't 
 do things the way I do, and I think that when it 
 comes to handling rogues, my way is better than 
 yours. Now see here! This is what is going to 
 happen. I am going to make our choice chancel- 
 lor believe that he has it all his own way. Going 
 to give him a lot more authority. Going to be 
 blind and deaf, apparently. Don't you interfere. 
 I'll let you know when I want you. Let him stir 
 up his revolt. It can take but one course, that of 
 
 [215]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 demands, because it is far too late for him to dare 
 to do anything against Your Majesty, personally. 
 Why, if he harmed a hair of your or your sister's 
 head, or suggested such a thing, they would take 
 him down into the centre of the Market Place and 
 burn him at a stake ! And when the demands come 
 up, it's got to be up to you. You've either got 
 to give or refuse, and may Heaven help you if you 
 blunder. I shall decline to advise you. The time 
 will then have come when you must act for your- 
 self and be your own advisor. ' ' 
 
 An hour later the king, with an anxious but 
 resolute look, made his way to his private dress- 
 ing rooms to prepare himself for a court recep- 
 tion in which he was to be invested with a decora- 
 tion from a neighbouring monarch who, hearing 
 of the wealth of Marken, was on the eve of asking 
 for a loan and also opening negotiations leading 
 to a marriage between his eldest son, the crown 
 prince, and the Princess Eloise. 
 
 Also Provarsk, who had accidentally met the 
 King's Remembrancer in the corridors, was be- 
 ing complimented by the latter on a manifesto 
 that the chancellor had issued without authority 
 and told that, inasmuch as all old hatchets had 
 been buried, there was no reason why the chancel- 
 lor should not really assume more power and do 
 what he could to assist in the nation's welfare. 
 Provarsk smiled gleefully when he left the King's 
 [216]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 Remembrancer ; likewise the King's Remem- 
 brancer smiled. They met once more that day, 
 when in the palace gardens the chancellor, self- 
 confident, came upon Kent and the Princess 
 Eloise. He paused to pay her his respects, which 
 she accepted with cool politeness. 
 
 ''I learned a few days ago that Your Eoyal 
 Highness had joined the others of us in the efforts 
 for the good of the kingdom er got money to 
 build a hospital for women, or something like that 
 Subscription lists all closed, Grand Hurrah, and 
 all that." 
 
 ' ' So ? " she retorted in a calm drawl. ' ' You are 
 as nearly correct as one could expect. I haven't 
 joined an effort, because I have made the effort. 
 It is true that there is to be a hospital, but not 
 true that its cost was raised by subscription. I 
 am building it out of my own private funds and 
 the women of Marken have gratefully agreed to 
 support it." 
 
 He laughed tolerantly. 
 
 "Oh, they're grateful, all right for anything 
 they can get for nothing." 
 
 An angry retort was on her lips, but she caught 
 a warning look from Kent and remained silent. 
 Disappointed in his failure to exasperate her, 
 Provarsk took a fling at the American. 
 
 "Your methods are much better, Mr. Kent. 
 
 [217]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 You make them earn what they get and at the 
 same time take good care to get yours." 
 
 "To be sure I do!" Kent agreed heartily. 
 ' ' That is your great weakness, Baron, your philan- 
 thropy. You should take a lesson from me, and 
 learn how to get your own profits first." 
 
 "I am trying to prove an apt pupil," the chan- 
 cellor responded. "I've always wanted money. 
 You have taught me several ways of getting it." 
 
 "Quite possible," declared Kent, almost with 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 Provarsk pleaded the necessity for greeting 
 some one, and after a very low bow to the prin- 
 cess, and a light salute to the American, sauntered 
 away. She stood with a frown on her face and 
 watched him. Kent, after a moment's wait, 
 laughed quietly. 
 
 ' ' Isn J t he fine ? " he asked. ' < I rather like that 
 chap. If he could only run straight, he might go 
 a long way. He 's got the assurance of a pet Tom- 
 cat, the persistence of a flea, and I don't believe 
 he knows what fear is." 
 
 "I hate him!" exclaimed the princess. 
 
 "That never pays. It's a waste of time," he 
 declared; and then suddenly shifting the subject, 
 said, "Will you permit me to congratulate you 
 on your hospital plan! It is something that has 
 been needed here. I have been watching your 
 work. You have done as I thought you might 
 [218]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 found that common ground between the women of 
 the kingdom and yourself. And you have done 
 it alone, and unadvised. I am afraid you were a 
 little too liberal, though. It must have strained 
 your private resources." 
 
 "Strained them?" she said, and then laughed 
 softly. "It did more than that, Mr. Kent. But 
 I didn't want to do it by halves, and the more I 
 thought over it, the more I became enthused, and 
 there we are!" 
 
 "Was it worth while?" he asked, quietly, and 
 staring at her profile that, against the darkness 
 of the foliage, looked pale under the swinging fete 
 lamps above them. 
 
 She turned toward him in a frank outburst. 
 
 * ' Yes ! More than worth while ! And I owe this 
 new world of mine to you. I started badly. I 
 must tell you, to be really honest, that I came to 
 you that day through pique. I saw that you per- 
 mitted nearly all the others to be friends with you, 
 but barred me out. I wanted to be your friend, 
 too. I couldn't come to you as the others had, 
 because I had insulted you. And Mr. Kent, if you 
 knew half how much I suffered, and despised my- 
 self, for my insolence and rudeness, I think you 
 would take pity on me, and forgive." 
 
 "I have nothing to forgive!" he declared, 
 stoutly. "You said nothing more than the truth. 
 You called me a money lender. I am. You said 
 
 [219]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 I came here to keep John Rhodes from losing his 
 money. I did. Neither of us should be ashamed 
 of the truth." 
 
 "But what of all the other things you have 
 done?" she asked, curiously. 
 
 "The others don't matter. I have advised your 
 brother as best I could because I liked him. He 
 has very fine ideals. He has become a good king, 
 and in time will become a great one. It was in 
 him all the time; but he needed some one whom 
 he trusted to give him plain horse-sense, and shape 
 him to practicability. I don't really see how I 
 could have acted differently." 
 
 "He gives you far more credit than you take," 
 she said. "I think sometimes I am a little jealous 
 of you. He talks of you so much. His enthusiasms 
 are so great. He has changed so much. You and 
 his work have absorbed him, and I am neglected ! 
 Treated like a child. No longer advised with or 
 consulted. They all treat me that way, now ! Not 
 even Baron Von Glutz, or Paulo, can spare me a 
 minute 's time. I want to be something more than 
 a doll baby in the affairs of Marken ! ' ' 
 
 "You are," he assured her, earnestly. "They 
 recognise the part you have undertaken. They 
 believe it as important as anything they are doing. 
 You must not bother them. Keep a stiff upper 
 lip and hoe your own row well!" 
 
 The princess gasped. It was the first time she 
 [220]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 had ever been told to keep a stiff upper lip. And, 
 strangest of all, she enjoyed it. She began to 
 understand, dimly, that in his attitude was no dis- 
 respect, but a mere intolerance for forms to which 
 she had been accustomed, and that he bent his neck 
 to no one, not through stubbornness, but because 
 it was habitually held in complete independence. 
 Once she had heard him remark that he was just 
 a plain American, and that "the woods were full 
 of his kind over there." Perhaps that accounted 
 for his fearlessness, she thought, as she pictured 
 all those Americans running through primeval 
 forests and fighting red Indians. 
 
 She was annoyed when her duties as hostess 
 called her back to the brilliantly-lit palace from 
 which the music of the guards' band came seduc- 
 tively through the windows, and where she must 
 appear and talk court platitudes with very gal- 
 lant gentlemen in uniforms, who somehow never 
 seemed to have much worth while to say. 
 
 It was nearly two weeks later when she again 
 sought Kent, and this time she was in a state of 
 angry alarm. She did not wait to be announced, 
 BO urgent was her haste to speak to him. She 
 scarcely took time to respond to his friendly 
 greeting. 
 
 * ' I Ve got news ! Terrible news ! ' ' she exclaimed 
 desperately. "It was told me by three different 
 women, wives of men who work in the mines. Pro- 
 
 [221]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 varsk is stirring up a revolt on the new lines. He 
 is encouraging the men to demand a share in the 
 profits of the mine, and leads them to believe that 
 if they can win this step, they can get anything 
 they want." 
 
 She paused for breath, and was surprised that 
 her news had so little effect on the American. 
 
 1 'Thank you," he said, "for coming to tell me 
 about it; but I knew it already." 
 
 "And you are calmly letting him go ahead with 
 this vile campaign I ' ' 
 
 She could not understand such complacency. 
 
 "Yes," he said. "In fact I am surreptitiously 
 encouraging him. Want to see just how far he 
 can go. Things have been rather dull around 
 here lately. Provarsk promises some entertain- 
 ment." 
 
 He stared at the floor and his face softened by 
 thought. 
 
 "It's great!" he declared before she could find 
 speech. "Positively great! I knew you had it 
 in you. By Jove ! I knew it. ' ' 
 
 She feared that something had grone wrong 
 with his mentality and with an anxious, bewildered 
 question strove to bring him back to realities. 
 
 "What do you mean? Great? I was talking 
 of Provarsk 's treachery." 
 
 "I mean," he said, slowly and unreasonably 
 embarrassed, "that you are great. Why, just 
 [222]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 think of it, Princess Eloise! You were told the 
 news by the wives of three men who work in the 
 mines! Don't you see how you have won them 
 the wives of the men who work in the mines? 
 Would any of them have done so six months ago f 
 Did any of them, six months ago, care enough for 
 you, the royal princess, to be alarmed when any- 
 thing threatened you or your house ? ' ' 
 
 She had not considered it in that light before. 
 There was a change, and it had come so gradually, 
 so imperceptibly, that she had been the last one 
 to recognise it. Somehow, this knowledge that 
 there were those in Marken who cared for her for 
 her own sake, gave her a greater sense of security 
 and bravery than she had ever known. 
 
 "Come," he said, gently, "what harm do you 
 think a man like Provarsk capable of, now? Why, 
 if I wanted to take the trouble, I could start whis- 
 pers throughout the kingdom to-night that the real 
 reason for his plotting is that he intends to seize 
 the throne, and exile your brother and yourself, 
 and the people yes the very ones that he is now 
 stirring to make foolish demands, would tear him 
 to pieces and feed them to their dogs!" 
 
 "But why not do it?" she demanded, with all 
 the eagerness of a conspirator. 
 
 "Because," he said, slowly, "I don't want it 
 done that way. I want to punish him in my own 
 way. Also, because I enjoy watching him, just 
 
 [223]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 to learn how far he is capable. Why, if he can 
 succeed, we onght to walk out! It would show 
 that we are a lot of incompetents ! If any other 
 women talk to you of him, just tell them how 
 grateful you are and forget it. Provarsk must 
 have no inkling that I suspect him. I want that 
 much understood. When the time is ripe we 
 shall see!" 
 
 After she had gone, the American sat for a long 
 time alone, and staring absently through the open 
 window as if made very happy by the knowledge 
 that at last the princess was a real ally. Then, 
 smiling grimly, he sent for Von Glutz, who hap- 
 pened to be accessible, and told his secretary that 
 they were not to be disturbed. 
 
 [224]
 
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN 
 
 A STRANGE lassitude seemed to have over- 
 taken Kent. In direct contrast to his old 
 habitual energy, he now loitered habitually, 
 taking long walks alone, dreaming alone, like a 
 man who, finding his task done, has no further am- 
 bition and devotes himself to useless meditation. 
 For weeks he appeared apathetic; so much so 
 that the king, industrious, and the others of that 
 little cohort whose activities he had directed and 
 stimulated were gravely concerned. They sug- 
 gested that he needed a rest; that he must be ail- 
 ing ; that it were better if he sought change. And 
 to all these suggestions he smiled gravely and 
 shook his head. 
 
 "It's like this," explained Ivan to Paulo, in 
 private conference. "There is something on his 
 mind, some trouble, some worry, that none shall 
 ever know. I can not understand it I who for 
 years have been his shadow, his right hand, his 
 friend of thought and service. He has not con- 
 fided in me, which in itself is strange! Were he 
 a youth, I should say he was involved in a hope- 
 less love affair; but, being what he is, a rock, a 
 
 [225]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KEXT 
 
 being as independent as the poles of the globe, I 
 can not conceive what it is that has overtaken 
 him!" 
 
 "And all the time," angrily asserted the Min- 
 ister of Finance, "that Provarsk pk 
 
 It was true. And Kent, as well as his adherents, 
 knew it; for Kent's sources of information 
 bronght him the constant and unanimous reports 
 that the chancellor was adroitly using his time. 
 The managers of the mines stated that the men 
 were becoming daily more intractable and sullen, 
 that nightly meetings were being held from which 
 no information ever leaked, and that there was 
 a growing unrest. There was no room to doubt 
 that Provarsk was behind it all, and that Provarsk 
 was carefully laying a powder train to cause an 
 explosion; yet Kent, the master spirit of change, 
 read the reports, or listened to them, and was 
 lethargic. 
 
 Baron Von Glutz, the new enthusiast for road 
 improvement, slipped hastily away to the outer 
 world to inspect some new road-making machin- 
 ery. Kent smiled at his enthusiasm. Paulo went 
 to the other side of the toy kingdom to inspect 
 work connected with his department. Again Kent 
 smiled, and seemed happy to be left alone and un- 
 molested. 
 
 And then, when least expected, Provarsk acted 
 with his customary boldness. Kent, walking alone 
 [226]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 in the garden late one night, and absorbed in 
 thought, was abruptly startled lay a soft crashing 
 sound in the laurels on either side and suddenly 
 realised that he was in the midst of a huge thicket 
 where, if it came to a struggle, he would have bnt 
 small chance. He whirled with the intention of 
 running to a better field; bnt bis foot caught on 
 a rope that had been tied across the path, and be 
 fell headlong. A man crashed through the bushes 
 on one side and threw himself on Kent before the 
 latter could regain his feel He gathered bis big 
 powerful body that had in youth been inured by 
 hard work and hard blattles with lumbermen, and 
 threw himself quickly to one side, broke the hold 
 on his arms with a sharp wrench, and rolled on 
 top of his assailant His hope had been to get to 
 his feet; but the man beneath, disappointed in 
 one way, took advantage of another and shifted 
 his hold to Kent's neck. Instantly another ad- 
 versary caught the American's heels and jerked 
 his legs from under Mm so that he sprawled at 
 length on the man in the path. Kent lifted his 
 arm to strike and another man seized it strongly 
 and clung to it. Kent's left fist struck this new 
 assailant and elicited a grunt. Then, whilst he 
 was trying to land a second blow, another man 
 was added to the corps of assailants. 
 
 Kent fought so well that it took the best efforts 
 of the four men to subdue him, after which be 
 
 [227]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 was immediately handcuffed, and lifted to his 
 feet. 
 
 "What's the meaning of all this?" he de- 
 manded, between pants. 
 
 "It means that you are under arrest," growled 
 a hoarse voice. ' ' Bring him along, men ! ' ' 
 
 "But where are you taking me?" Kent insisted. 
 
 "You'll find that out soon enough," was the 
 reply. 
 
 Kent walked doggedly along in silence and with- 
 out further protest, and was led directly to the 
 private entrance to the palace, thence upward to 
 his offices, where, despite the warmth of the night, 
 the shades were drawn and the room in a blaze 
 of light. As soon as his eyes were accustomed to 
 the change he beheld, through the open door of 
 his private office, Provarsk lazily seated in his 
 private chair, and saw that the drawers of the 
 desk had been wrenched open and that numerous 
 papers were scattered on the floor. 
 
 "Ah! Got him, did you?" the chancellor re- 
 marked to the soldiers conducting Kent. "You 
 did well. Couldn't have done much better in fact; 
 but I was rather in hopes he would fight suffi- 
 ciently hard to make extreme measures neces- 
 sary." 
 
 He smiled pleasantly and came into the other 
 room. Kent looked at the men around him and 
 sneered when he discovered they were some of 
 [228]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 Provarsk 's original mercenaries, now become 
 double traitors. 
 
 "However, it is just as well that you didn't 
 have to knock his brains out," the baron con- 
 tinued. * ' I find that the papers which are accessi- 
 ble are not exactly those I wanted. Perhaps 
 Mr. Kent will oblige us with the combination of 
 his private vault?" 
 
 "Bless my soul! What an oversight!" Kent 
 exclaimed. "You've not got the combination! 
 Thoughtless of you. But, by the way, it would 
 do you no good this evening, anyhow, Baron. It 
 has the best time lock I could buy." 
 
 The baron walked over to the vault and in- 
 spected it, and it was evident that he was not fa- 
 miliar with such a modern device. 
 
 "Suppose you broke that clock off?" he in- 
 quired of Kent. 
 
 "Then even I could not open it," the American 
 replied. "You may be certain that the vault will 
 not open until after ten o'clock to-morrow." 
 
 "In that case all you can do is to give me the 
 combination," said Provarsk, eyeing Kent inso- 
 lently. 
 
 "For two centimes I wouldn't," Kent replied. 
 
 "And for two centimes, if you didn't, I'd throw 
 you into a wet dungeon without food until you 
 did," Provarsk promptly retorted. 
 . "Um-m-m-h! By Jove! I believe you would," 
 
 [229]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 said Kent, admiringly, "and that being the case, 
 I suppose I may as well give it to you." 
 
 "Exactly!" replied the chancellor. "Little 
 courtesies will be duly appreciated." 
 
 "I've noticed that you were appreciative," 
 Kent said, meaningly; "but inasmuch as I'm here 
 and you are there, I don't see what else I can do 
 but oblige. If you and my good faithful friends 
 here are not afraid of me, perhaps you would 
 kindly request them to remove this jewelry; other- 
 wise I can't write." 
 
 Provarsk smiled at what he thought a sarcasm 
 and asked the leading soldier if Kent had any 
 weapons. On being assured that the American 
 was unarmed the chancellor ordered the handcuffs 
 removed. 
 
 "And let me caution you, Mr. Kent," he threat- 
 ened, "that any attempt to escape or call for as- 
 sistance may necessitate action on my part that I 
 should regret to take. Furthermore it would be 
 useless on your part, because there is no one in the 
 palace who would attempt to assist you save the 
 king and his royal sister, both of whom are now 
 slumbering sweetly with a guard outside their 
 doors." 
 
 Kent looked about him as if seeking some one. 
 
 Provarsk divined his look and added : "And that 
 
 bear man of yours has also been taken in, and I 
 
 believe is now nicely secured in one of the old 
 
 [230]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 dungeons. I hope one was selected where there 
 are plenty of rats." 
 
 Kent looked at the leader of the mercenaries 
 who stood stockily by him, and whose protruding 
 eyes batted themselves at intervals and were de- 
 void of expression. 
 
 "He's got to be taken out of that dungeon," 
 Kent said, emphatically. 
 
 "To quote one of your own phrases, Nothing 
 doing!' : ' retorted the conspirator. 
 
 "All right! Nothing doing in the combination 
 line, either," stubbornly returned the American. 
 
 Provarsk grinned at him with the kindliness of 
 a hungry wolf; but influenced by his prisoner's 
 fearless stare, paused to consider. 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'll do," said Kent, "I'll 
 compromise. You have your friends put Ivan in 
 a comfortable cell, and I'll not only give you the 
 combination, but my parole. I'll agree that you 
 can take me to my own room, and that I'll not 
 leave there without first notifying you that I in- 
 tend to do so. How's that?" 
 
 "This is to be a gentleman's agreement, is it, 
 Kent?" Provarsk asked. 
 
 "It is." 
 
 "All right," the conspirator replied, "I'll ac- 
 cept it. Whatever else you are, I'll admit your 
 word is absolutely good. Give me the combina- 
 tion." 
 
 [231]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 Kent walked across to his desk, sat down, and 
 with a steady hand wrote it on a piece of paper, 
 blotted it, and passed it to Provarsk. The latter 
 smiled lazily, and turned to the leading soldier. 
 
 ' ' You have heard the agreement, ' ' he said. ' ' See 
 to it that we keep our part. Have that Ivan put 
 in the most comfortable place of confinement we 
 have. Take Mr. Kent to his room, and see that he 
 is not disturbed. Of course he has no objections 
 to a guard outside his door?'* 
 
 "Not in the least, " Kent assured him. "I like 
 it. Keeps me from being lonesome. Sort of 
 soothing in the dark. Now, before I retire, would 
 you mind telling me what you are up to this time, 
 and what it's all about?" 
 
 "Not in the least/' said Provarsk with the same 
 air of courtesy that was, in itself, akin to insult. 
 "What I am up to is, first of all, to get rid of you. 
 I'm going to put you out of the kingdom, and also 
 I've taken steps to cut your claws. I secured the 
 address of your employer, John Rhodes, at 65 Re- 
 gent street, London, West, yesterday, and wrote 
 him enclosing correspondence showing that you 
 had not only made overtures to sell his concession 
 to me, but had actually transferred it to me for a 
 cash consideration, which I presumed was with his 
 sanction. I explained that my object in writing 
 was to have him remove you to other scenes of 
 commercial activity, because you were personally 
 [232]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 obnoxious to His Majesty, the king, and also to 
 me, the chancellor. Needless to say the corre- 
 spondence I sent him proving the sale of the min- 
 ing concession, was signed by yourself. Unmis- 
 takably so." 
 
 Kent's eyes opened with genuine astonishment. 
 This was a more adroit invention than he had 
 credited Provarsk with being able to devise. He 
 had written to Rhodes and ! 
 
 "You forged my name to those letters, eh?" he 
 asked hotly. "Well, before I'm through with you 
 I'll " 
 
 "Do nothing! You can't; you are helpless. 
 I've got you, this time, my smart Yankee friend, 
 and got you in such a way that you can't escape. 
 When I kick you out of Marken, you can take your 
 choice; be tried by John Rhodes as a defaulter 
 and convicted on my evidence that the letters are 
 genuine, or put as much distance as you can be- 
 tween yourself and your employer. That is im- 
 material to me, either way." 
 
 4 ' But but the king ! He will not submit to it ! " 
 declared Kent, on the defensive. 
 
 "The king? Poof! The king will do as I say, 
 after this; otherwise, I'll send him trailing along 
 after you in short order." 
 
 Kent's face was impassive. 
 
 "Take him to his room and let him think it 
 over," ordered Provarsk, with a grin. "Good- 
 
 [233]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 night, Mr. Richard Kent ! I hope you have a very 
 comfortable rest. I may call on you in the morn- 
 ing to assure myself of your comfort." 
 
 Kent, for once astonished at the man's ingenu- 
 ity, turned and led the way out with never a word. 
 Provarsk had proved a better enemy than he had 
 believed him to be. He could but think of the 
 letter and enclosures to John Rhodes and remem- 
 ber that the financier's reputation was that of be- 
 ing an inflexibly hard and unrelenting man when- 
 ever one of his underlings had proved delinquent. 
 He tried to recall whether John Rhodes had al- 
 ways been just in such cases. Perhaps poor 
 Barry, who had been sent to an American prison 
 for something similar, had been a victim of some 
 other Provarsk. And Simmons, the Englishman, 
 when led from the dock to serve his sentence of 
 three years hard labour, had protested his inno- 
 cence to the very last. And both Simmons and 
 Barry had been master agents, entrusted with 
 great transactions, enjoying intimate acquain- 
 tance with John Rhodes! He looked very grave 
 and preoccupied as they escorted him through the 
 long, resounding corridors of the palace, dimly 
 lighted, and suggestive of the long corridors of a 
 prison where a man who was innocent of the crime 
 for which he had been convicted, might helplessly 
 eat his heart away. The very sound of their foot- 
 steps suggested the tread of warders and guards. 
 [234]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 A problem presented itself to him in which he at- 
 tempted to stand aloof like an outside spectator, 
 and speculate what John Rhodes, the richest and 
 most feared man in the world, would do upon the 
 receipt of such letters. Would he be tolerant and 
 kind, or severe and unrelenting, with such evi- 
 dence against Richard Kent, the trusted agent, 
 who had at last yielded to a very great temptation 
 and gone wrong? 
 
 His guard halted and opened a door. Kent 
 walked through and closed it behind him. He was 
 alone in his accustomed room with his problem. 
 And then it occurred to him that there is such an 
 influence as justice, and that justice will not be 
 denied. There was a king. The king, though it 
 cost him his throne though it cost him every- 
 thing he prized in the world would under such 
 circumstances find and confront Rhodes, and de- 
 clare it all a lie. And Rhodes under those circum- 
 stances would be compelled to believe. Kent's 
 long and varied training in reading men told him 
 that the king would prove a loyal, fighting, stead- 
 fast friend, and that in such an outrageous, dia- 
 bolical plan as Provarsk's, this would prove to be 
 the weak point in the chancellor's armour. 
 
 Kent disrobed, bathed the dust of that stiff 
 physical contest on the garden path from his face, 
 and climbed into bed. To-morrow was merely to- 
 
 [235]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 morrow, to be met as his judgment dictated. 
 Within ten minutes he was sleeping as soundly 
 as if nothing mattered and he were but a tired 
 boy. 
 
 [236]
 
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN 
 
 KENT, breakfasting in his room, heard not 
 only the singing of birds in the garden, but 
 a persistent and increasing monotone of 
 sound that pervaded everywhere, caused by the 
 shuffling of many feet along the streets outside 
 the palace walls, the indistinct hum of many 
 voices, the grating of cart wheels over the roads, 
 and an occasional shrill call rising above others. 
 The atmosphere itself seemed charged and ready 
 for a single spark to cause the explosion of revolt. 
 At this hour of the morning, ordinarily, Marken 
 would have been absorbed in industry, an industry 
 that he had compelled and that had become ha- 
 bitual. This he thought, bitterly, was the result 
 of too much prosperity. This was the price for 
 arousing a slothful, shortsighted people and teach- 
 ing them roads to wealth and ambition. The 
 poorest churl in the fields had learned the value 
 of his own earning power and profited, while oth- 
 ers, who had been worse than hopeless, had seen 
 the way to independence. Kent wondered if, after 
 all, he had not taught them greed instead of indus- 
 try, independence, and patriotism. He heard 
 
 [237]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 some one coming rapidly along the corridor, the 
 guard's heels coming to a salute, and the door 
 opened and the king entered, his whole person- 
 ality radiating indignation. 
 
 "This is an outrage!" he declared. "I found 
 a guard in front of my door this morning who 
 told me of your arrest and confinement to your 
 room. He made no objection to my coming here 
 and so I came at once. We will go immediately 
 and have Provarsk seized. Come ! ' ' 
 
 Kent slowly shook his head. 
 
 "I can not," he said. "I am under parole of 
 honour to remain here." 
 
 The king stood aghast. 
 
 "You gave your word to that treacherous " 
 
 "Yes, and shall keep it." 
 
 ' ' Then I will at once go alone and act. I '11 ' ' 
 
 1 1 No, no ; let us consider. ' ' Kent checked him. 
 
 "But but it may mean revolt! How do we 
 know that he has not bribed or overcome enough 
 of the guards; that " 
 
 "No fear," said Kent easily. "Some of them, 
 perhaps ; but I have certain reason to believe that 
 on Baron Von Glutz' return there will be um-m- 
 mh a change in the situation." 
 
 ' ' But Kent ! Kent ! Are you mad ? ' ' demanded 
 the king. "Time! Time is against us. You 
 don't know what is happening! What do you 
 [238]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 think of this?" he cried, thrusting a paper toward 
 the American. 
 
 Kent took it, said, "Have a seat, Your Maj- 
 esty," and read. It was a proclamation with all 
 official seals and form, calling upon the inhabi- 
 tants, and especially those employed in the man- 
 ganese mines, to assemble in the Market Place at 
 eleven o'clock of that day, where communications 
 of the utmost importance to their welfare and the 
 welfare of the state would be made. Kent read it 
 slowly to himself, gave a wry twist to his mouth, 
 and looked at his visitor. 
 
 "I observe," he said, with quiet meaning, "that 
 it does not end quite as royal decrees customarily 
 do. It does not bear the words 'God save the 
 King." 
 
 The king, who had been twisting impatiently on 
 his chair, exclaimed, "No, it doesn't. I noted that 
 point." 
 
 "When did this appear?" the American asked, 
 recalling the hour when the attack had been made 
 on him. 
 
 "It was posted up by the chancellor's orders 
 between one and two o'clock this morning. The 
 guard told me so." 
 
 "The guard, then, was friendly?" 
 
 "Yes, and very much distressed. He apolo- 
 gised to me, and said that he could but obey his 
 
 [239]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 orders; that he could not understand. I called 
 him inside and closed the door, and told him to 
 tell me all he knew. He did. He says that Pro- 
 varsk has won over some of those adventurers he 
 first brought here, and that they have been talk- 
 ing to all the others in the guard room." 
 
 "Did this man get any inkling of Provarsk's in- 
 tentions ? ' ' 
 
 "Yes. Enough to cause him and all the others 
 that are loyal to be highly alarmed. These passed 
 the word around that they believed they could 
 best serve the throne and you by obeying up to a 
 certain point. They wish to know what to do. ' ' 
 
 "But Provarsk's intentions?" interrupted 
 Kent, bringing the king back to the point. 
 
 "Provarsk is going to announce this morning 
 that the mining concession has been turned over 
 to him, wrested from you and John Ehodes in be- 
 half of the people by him, and he will promise that 
 hereafter the profits shall be shared by those who 
 do the work. After that he proposes to inflame 
 the people to demonstrate in force and demand of 
 me that a like course shall be pursued with all 
 other state holdings, and that those which the 
 state does not completely own shall be returned to 
 the original or minority owners to be run here- 
 after without state interference. My guard gath- 
 ered all this from stray talk made by Provarsk 's 
 henchmen, who, already certain of success, are be- 
 [240]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ginning to boast of the authority they are going to 
 have. ' ' 
 
 Kent's eyes glowed with interest. 
 
 "That guard of yours," he declared, "is due 
 for a good commission after this is over. I seem 
 to have overlooked him." He meditated for a 
 moment, and then to the king's surprise, as if 
 vastly relieved, leaned back in his chair and 
 laughed. 
 
 "Amateur work, after all!" he declared. "I'm 
 disappointed! Provarsk had me guessing, last 
 night. I thought he was a much cleverer fighter 
 than I had believed him to be. He always boggles 
 in the end." 
 
 "I don't see the joke!" exclaimed the king, but 
 more hopefully. 
 
 ' ' Why, it is this way, ' ' explained Kent. ' ' Plain 
 as day now. He poses as a national benefactor, 
 but no one would be able to tell, if he did actually 
 get possession of the mines, what the profits are. 
 He probably would divide up some of the profits 
 as long as it served his purpose. And after 
 
 that !" He snapped his fingers derisively. 
 
 "In the meantime he insures my being driven 
 from Marken, and forces you to turn over every- 
 thing that produces an income ; also to let govern- 
 ment controlled private industries revert to those 
 private individuals who own the outside stock. 
 That includes the Marken mineral springs in 
 
 [241]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 which he has invested every dollar he has in the 
 world, and all he could borrow. It's so easy now 
 that it's scarcely interesting!" 
 
 "But the people don't know that you have the 
 concession," objected the king. "They think I 
 still own the mines for the state, and that the 
 profits have been turned to the redemption of the 
 state bonds ; and they are confident that after the 
 bonds are redeemed I'm going to spend more 
 money for the good of the state. The minute 
 Provarsk exposes the whole affair, they will lose 
 confidence in me and my intentions." 
 
 The American regarded the king's distress with 
 sympathy. 
 
 "But, suppose you had never granted the con- 
 cession, and that you did own the mines, free from 
 everything?" 
 
 "As soon as your bonds have been met, I'd give 
 them the profits all of them ! You certainly know 
 that I do care for my people and am unselfish ! I 
 want to be just what they have thought me to be, 
 Kent, the best king that Marken ever had! I 
 want to be able to do again what I have done, walk 
 out amongst them, and know that they respect me 
 as a king, and like me as a man and a friend." 
 
 He spoke impassionedly, voicing the hunger of 
 his mind, confessing his dream, while the Ameri- 
 can watched him kindly as an elder brother might 
 [242]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 watch the harassments of a younger one when 
 about to tender sympathy and assistance. 
 
 "All right!" he said, bluntly. "I think we can 
 fix that up. It may be foolish on my part 
 damned foolish! But a man can't pass through 
 this world without being foolish once in a while. 
 I'm going to give you that concession." 
 
 The king's face expressed many emotions, and 
 among them solicitous affection. 
 
 "But but Ehodes?" he asked excitedly. 
 "What will Ehodes think of you?" 
 
 "I've got to take my chances of squaring it 
 with him. Most always he does about as I want 
 him to. I've made a lot of money for John 
 Ehodes, one time and another, and he knows it. 
 Besides, I am going to tell you something. The 
 last penny that Marken owed John Ehodes, to- 
 gether with two per cent interest, was paid him 
 more than a week ago. If, after all that, he kicked, 
 he'd be more of a dog than I ever suspected him 
 of being. ' ' 
 
 The king, stupefied by the news that he was free 
 from debt, gasped, but Kent disregarded him. 
 
 He got up and locked the door to make certain 
 that he would not be disturbed, walked briskly 
 across the room to a book case, and spoke with the 
 proud delight of an ingenious boy. 
 
 "Come here," he said. "I want to show you 
 something. Pretty clever, I call it. My own idea. 
 
 [243]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Ivan and I did most of the work. Now look over 
 here. On this side of the room, right under the 
 mantel see this marble ornament? Well, it's 
 nothing but a plain, common old American electric 
 latch; the kind we have over home when we live 
 on the top flat and want to open the ground floor 
 door for a caller. Push on it!" 
 
 The king, still speechless, did so. There was a 
 sharp click, and the book case swung away from 
 the wall, exposing a modern safe behind it. The 
 king's eyes were wide with curiosity. 
 
 "That's the way she works," Kent exclaimed, 
 proudly. "Thought it out myself, for emergen- 
 cies. I haven't kept any papers of importance in 
 the vault of my office for more than three months. 
 I'd give a hundred dollars to watch Provarsk 
 when he opens it with the combination I gave him 
 last night. It's quite empty." 
 
 He chuckled as he bent over and twirled the 
 knob, pulled the heavy door open, brought out a 
 drawer and took from it a piece of paper that the 
 king recognised. He opened it and glanced at it 
 to make certain of its identity, held it before the 
 king to show what it was and then deliberately 
 tore it to shreds, which he threw into the fireplace 
 and lighted. 
 
 "There goes the concession," he said, gazing at 
 the flames. "The manganese are yours, unmort- 
 gaged, free from all debt and all obligations." 
 [244]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 He turned with a warm smile on his face, and 
 silenced the king, who began remonstrating. 
 
 "I'll tend to my part of it," he said. "It's up 
 to you to do yours. Let me handle the situation 
 here. You must rush back to your rooms, sum- 
 mon the heralds, get into your state glory so as 
 to be more impressive than Solomon, and hurry 
 down to the Market Place." 
 
 He consulted his watch. 
 
 "You've no time to lose. If I were you I'd 
 not let them know but that you personally sum- 
 moned them. You'd better go now, and, whatever 
 you do, don't let Provarsk know you've been 
 here." 
 
 He fairly shoved the king toward the door, 
 hushing his protestations of gratitude with a gruff 
 "We can talk about all that later. Not now! 
 Not now ! Hurry ! ' ' 
 
 He carefully closed the safe and swung the 
 book case back into its normal position, after 
 which, for some minutes, he stood scowling 
 thoughtfully out over the garden, as if formulat- 
 ing new plans, and then walked slowly across to 
 the door and opened it. 
 
 "I'd like to speak to you," he said to the guard. 
 "Come inside." 
 
 The man hesitated, looked up and down the cor- 
 ridor and grinned. Kent was secretly pleased 
 and knew that he was not mistaken in his surmise 
 
 [245]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 that one who had always been ready to betray 
 for money would do so again to the highest bidder. 
 The man entered and closed the door behind him, 
 with a look of cupidity in his eyes. 
 
 ' * You are out for money ! ' ' Kent said brusque- 
 ly. "I'm goin'g to make it worth your while to go 
 at once, get my man Ivan and bring him here. 
 You can tell the sentry it's Provarsk's order. If 
 you do that within the next fifteen minutes, you 
 get five thousand francs in gold and no one the 
 wiser. Can you do it?" 
 
 The man Hook another look into the corridor, 
 seemed satisfied, and said: "How will you pay 
 me?" 
 
 "You know that I keep my word, don't you?" 
 Kent retorted. "I tell you I'll pay you the min- 
 ute Ivan is in this room!" 
 
 The mercenary hesitated, scratched his head 
 and took the plunge. He ran on tiptoe down the 
 hall. Kent hastened to his secret safe, and took 
 therefrom some rolls of coin and waited. His 
 bribe was effective, for within the time Ivan ap- 
 peared and the guard took the bribe money with a 
 chuckle and left them. 
 
 "Ivan," Kent said in the soundless speech he 
 employed when they were alone, "I rather think 
 that, within a short time, Provarsk will be here 
 and our interview may not be pleasant. Go into 
 my dressing room there and leave the door ajar 
 [246]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 sufficiently to observe what takes place. If he 
 gets ugly, I may need you. ' ' 
 
 "I understand," said the giant, nodding hig 
 head. "And I shall be there if needed. Is that 
 all?" 
 
 "Yes," replied Kent, "that's all. And, Ivan, 
 be wary of him if you do have to come out. I 
 don 't believe that man likes you ! 'Pon my word 
 I don't! And if he could, he might try to hurt 
 you. ' ' 
 
 Ivan's mouth opened into a wide grin, as he 
 went to Kent's dressing room and pulled the door 
 carefully shut, save for a tiny crack. Kent paced 
 restlessly about the room, pausing once to admire, 
 absently, as he had done a hundred times before, 
 the intricate carvings of a huge wooden screen, 
 that formed a snug little corner. Time was mov- 
 ing and he wondered why Provarsk did not ap- 
 pear, for he confidently expected him. Had that 
 astute gentleman discovered the counter move 
 that was being made against him, and taken steps 
 for its circumvention? It did not seem possible. 
 
 With brisk elation he heard a tap on the door 
 and when the sentry entered looked expectantly 
 over his shoulder, confident that Provarsk was 
 there. 
 
 "Her Eoyal Highness, the Princess Eloise," 
 announced the sentry, and the American was 
 
 [247]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 troubled as he bade the man open the door for her, 
 and himself moved toward it. 
 
 She entered hurriedly and closed the door be- 
 hind her. Her anxiety and excitement were 
 marked. 
 
 "Tell me," she said, hastily advancing, "what 
 has taken place. Karl had no time. He told me 
 to come here and ask you. Why is there a sen- 
 try?" 
 
 "Princess Eloise," he said quietly, "I am un- 
 der arrest by Provarsk's orders ; but your brother 
 and I have taken steps that will render him very 
 harmless." 
 
 She looked at him with pronounced consterna- 
 tion that was augmented when he added, "Steps 
 also that render my remaining longer in Marken 
 unnecessary, so I shall soon be going." 
 
 "In the midst of such an emergency?" 
 
 "I do not believe it will be an emergency very- 
 long," he said, gravely. "And I do not believe 
 that after to-day I shall be needed. Therefore I 
 expect to leave Marken within a few days." 
 
 "But you can't!" she insisted, desperately. 
 
 A slow change came over his face, the change 
 that his intimates in big affairs would have called 
 his "Poker face," a face that would be wooden 
 regardless of whatever depression, elation, craft 
 or plan passed through his mind. 
 [248]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "Nevertheless," he replied, quietly, "I am go- 
 ing!" 
 
 "Surely not!" she expostulated. "I don't be- 
 lieve it. It's as if you were beaten were run- 
 ning away ! ' ' 
 
 4 'Perhaps it may look that way now," he said, 
 watching to see the effect of his words. 
 
 The princess' distress increased. Her hands 
 came together, and he saw that her slender fingers 
 had interlocked as though by this grip to obtain 
 strength for repression. He would have given all 
 that was his to have caught them in his own strong 
 palms and to have comforted, soothed, and reas- 
 sured her, but he dared not. He had schooled 
 himself to the knowledge that from her viewpoint 
 he was but a capable money lender, possibly a 
 good friend, while she was that product of nur- 
 turing and breeding, a princess royal. His rebel- 
 lion at this condition brought out a trifle of that 
 controlled savagery that made him strong. 
 
 "Why should I stay here any longer," he asked, 
 "when all I came to do is done ? I have paid John 
 Ehodes every cent of his money. That was my 
 mission, was it not? That and nothing more." 
 
 She lifted her head and regarded him with as- 
 tonishment. His immobile face bespoke no in- 
 ward hesitation. Nothing but calm purpose. He 
 was inscrutable. She sustained a conflict of emo- 
 
 [249]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 tions, but all her respect and liking, so slowly up- 
 built, were wounded by his words. 
 
 "I thought," she said hesitantly, "that you 
 had remained for something more than that. I 
 thought friendship, a liking for a great work, a 
 happiness in doing something worth while, had 
 been reasons. " 
 
 He smiled but did not answer. She interpreted 
 his silence as an admission that she had been mis- 
 taken in her estimate of him, and that he had been 
 imbued with nothing but selfish motives. She 
 spoke regretfully, now, and he saw that her re- 
 serve was breaking; that, tried and distressed, 
 she was giving way. 
 
 "I thought we meant something to you, my 
 brother and I ! And I tried to be worthy of what 
 I thought you were. I believed you to be the great- 
 est man I had ever known ! Karl would have done 
 anything for you. I would " 
 
 She paused, twisted her fingers still harder and 
 then looked at him with eyes like those of a hurt 
 child, candid, outspoken in humiliated confession. 
 ' ' I would have given anything to have you be my 
 friend, as you have been Karl's." She paused, 
 bit her lip, then impetuously clenched her hands 
 and with sheer recklessness added, "I would 
 have given much more to have helped you al- 
 ways. If you had failed and been beaten, hon- 
 ourably fighting, I would have liked to go to you, 
 [2501
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 and put my hand in yours, and walk with you in 
 defeat ! I was sick of illusion of sham royalty 
 of polite lies ! I wanted your esteem ! Yours I all 
 of it ! And now, I despise myself for it ! ' ' 
 
 She stopped, choked by her own humiliation, 
 and looked at him ; but his eyes were on the floor, 
 his hands hanging listlessly open, his heavy shoul- 
 ders and stalwart frame inert, and passive, as if 
 all she had confessed, and all her scorn, were not 
 capable of moving him. For a long time she stood 
 thus, quivering, while he stood dumbly before her. 
 The chirping of birds in the sunlit gardens out- 
 side, the slow measured footsteps of the sentry in 
 the corridor without, and that ominous, distant 
 hum of Marken itself came to them accentuated 
 in volume by their own silence. The echoes of her 
 voice, like the appealing sobs of disillusionment 
 coming from a hurt heart, died away like the last 
 faint sounds of a requiem. Dumbly, like one as- 
 tounded by some overwhelming surprise, he lifted 
 his head and met her eyes. All the old bravery 
 was gone from them. Gone, too, all the old mock- 
 ery, the old readiness of response, the quick ac- 
 ceptation of overchanging chance. Something in 
 their great seriousness, in their very depths, made 
 her catch her breath. She saw that he was hum- 
 bly, yet desperately, fighting to speak ; that words 
 were being sought and that none satisfied. 
 
 There was a clamorous, insolent note added to 
 
 [251]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 that murmuring diapason of sound that swept 
 monotonously through the room, the sound of 
 some one clanking his way through the outer cor- 
 ridor. It stormed his ears like the call of a trum- 
 pet announcing battle. It whirled him back to his 
 own sphere of action, where men were to be met, 
 where a fight, the fight he knew as a veteran, was 
 imminent. His hands shot forward and caught 
 hers, and his big body became endowed with a 
 suggestion of bent steel, alive, ready to spring. 
 He was the master again. 
 
 "Listen!" he commanded her, his words crowd- 
 ing one upon the other. * * Go quickly behind that 
 screen and sit down ! Hurry ! Sit there and hear 
 what is said. Say nothing! My honour in your 
 eyes may depend upon it and that is more to 
 me than everything else in the world.* 7 
 
 He caught her by the shoulders in his strong 
 hands, whirled her, bewildered, across the few 
 steps intervening, thrust her into an easy chair 
 behind the screen, and was out again toward the 
 door through which Provarsk was entering and 
 which he locked behind him. She heard Kent's 
 voice, cool, casual, greeting his sole opponent. 
 
 "Well," it said, "I've been expecting you. Did 
 you open that vault yet?" 
 
 Provarsk laughed; but not with mirth. 
 
 "Yes, I opened it. And found just what I 
 rather expected. Nothing." 
 [252]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "Disappointed?" queried the American, with 
 cool insolence. 
 
 "Not much," came the ready reply with equal 
 coolness. "The way you passed the combination 
 over was well significant. ' ' 
 
 "Suppose we sit down," Kent suggested. 
 ""We've got quite a lot of things to discuss, haven't 
 we?" 
 
 "That depends on you. Of course if you are 
 
 quite amenable I seem to be in the position 
 
 of strength. I'll listen to anything you've got to 
 offer." 
 
 ' ' You '11 listen ? That 's good. If you only came 
 to listen, why did you come at all ? Say, Provarsk ! 
 You don't think I'm fool enough to believe you 
 came here merely on a polite visit, do you? Just 
 because you wanted to hear the sweet sound of 
 my voice? You came because I've got things you 
 want. Things you think I might trade. Things 
 that if you don't get, might upset your little pile 
 of bricks and tip you over into the gutter. Come, 
 let's not try to play blind man's buff. What are 
 you after? What card do you need to fill your 
 flush?" 
 
 "Pretty fair talk for a man who is shut in his 
 own room under arrest," commented Provarsk. 
 "What is it the English call it Swank. Yes, 
 that 's it. Bluff, I think you style it, you Yankees. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Not at all, ' ' Kent insisted, seriously. ' ' A real 
 
 [253]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 bluff is where you haven't got the goods, but try 
 to make the other fellow believe you have. Swank, 
 on the contrary, is merely an exaggeration of what 
 you possess. Neither word is applicable, because 
 I've got what you have to have. I under arrest? 
 Poof! That's nothing, because I've got what is 
 known as the moral supremacy, the initiative. 
 Also because you are afraid of me and that I 
 might possibly kick your apple cart with a lot 
 of freckled wares into the garbage pile." 
 
 "Good!" gaily responded the baron. "Quite 
 good! Nothing like frank admission to get to a 
 business basis, is there? You can make it a lot 
 more certain for me. And in return I can at least 
 make it certain that you shall have a chance to 
 wander farther afield with a whole hide." 
 
 "And if I don't prove agreeable?" questioned 
 Kent. 
 
 "Then," declared the conspirator, with a great 
 air of regret, "I am afraid you won't wander any- 
 where at all. About the cheapest thing in Marken 
 is a lot in the cemetery." 
 
 "Um-m-mh," mused the American. "If you 
 are so certain of your ground, I can't quite see 
 why you bother with me. You wouldn't do it. 
 No, indeed! You'd order the lot." 
 
 "Eight again," cheerfully agreed the baron. 
 
 "Well, then let's get down to brass tacks. What 
 are you after?" 
 [254]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 Provarsk got up and began to move abont the 
 room, much to Kent's disturbance. 
 
 "Sit down," he said. "I don't like to talk busi- 
 ness to a man who is running a race with himself." 
 
 Provarsk sat down and came straight to the 
 point. 
 
 * ' I can get your transfer of that mining conces- 
 sion whether you give it or not," he said, mean- 
 ingly. 
 
 "In the same way you got my signatures to 
 letters I never wrote, eh?" 
 
 "Exactly," admitted Provarsk, with a grin. 
 "But it might save some further trouble with 
 your employer, John Rhodes, if I actually got the 
 transfer from you." 
 
 "I believe you are right about that," Kent 
 agreed. "But you haven't yet explained where I 
 come in. I'm not fool enough to believe you are 
 doing this for the good of the state, you know." 
 
 "Of course I'm not!" Provarsk declared, con- 
 temptuously. "I'm doing it for my own good 
 and no one's else." 
 
 "How do you propose to handle the king!" de- 
 manded Kent. 
 
 "He'll have to do what I want him to, for the 
 simplest of reasons, that I shall have the people 
 behind me. He'll get nothing! He can be king. 
 That's enough for him." 
 
 ' ' Yes ? ' ' said Kent, invitingly. * ' Now about me, 
 
 [255]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 You have already written to Rhodes. Do I get 
 nothing, too?" 
 
 "That's just what I'm coming to," observed 
 the baron. "You've been a good gamester, but 
 you've lost, all the way round. You and I agree 
 on just one thing, which is that either of us keeps 
 his word when he can do so. That's right, isn't 
 it?" 
 
 "Yes, I think it is." 
 
 "Then if I gave you my word as a gentleman 
 on anything, you'd accept it, wouldn't you?" 
 
 "I think I should." 
 
 "Very well, that simplifies matters. The king 
 has been getting ten per of the net revenues from 
 the mines. From now on he gets nothing, and you 
 shall have five per cent hereafter, to be for- 
 warded to you wherever you choose to hide from 
 Rhodes, provided that you give me that conces- 
 sion. Only, of course, you've got to stay away 
 from Marken. That's understood in any event." 
 
 With a studied air of deliberation Kent looked 
 up at the ceiling, until Provarsk began to move 
 restlessly. 
 
 The latter consulted his watch and got hastily 
 to his feet. 
 
 "I've no further time to waste in politeness," 
 he declared, with sharp emphasis. "I shall give 
 you just five minutes more in which to decide." 
 [256]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 "Why this haste? Got anything important to 
 do?" asked Kent in bland surprise. 
 
 "I have," asserted the baron, crisply. 
 
 "Well, Provarsk, you can spare yourself the 
 trouble," said Kent with the utmost sarcasm. "I 
 know your full plans. I even surmised you might 
 try to seize me and instructed Von Glutz, who, by 
 the way, will be on hand with sufficient strength 
 to act this very morning, that unless it became a 
 question of saving my life he was not to interfere 
 with you. With the exception of perhaps a half 
 dozen men, the palace guard is still loyal and 
 awaiting my orders. I could have summoned as- 
 sistance last night with a single call!" 
 
 Provarsk looked incredulous. He concealed the 
 fear that slowly gripped him, and snapped his 
 fingers. 
 
 "Bluffing again," he said. "Come, my time is 
 up." 
 
 ' ' Going to read a proclamation to the people, or 
 anything like that? If so you may as well save 
 yourself the trouble. By this time the king is 
 already reading his." 
 
 Provarsk 's face, at this statement, went white 
 with rage. 
 
 "You lie!" he shouted. 
 
 "I don't," calmly disputed Kent, in his turn 
 arising to his feet. "I've already returned him 
 his concession and he is by this time presenting 
 
 [257]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 the manganese mines, gratis, to the citizens of 
 Mark en. Another thing! You needn't worry 
 about what John Rhodes might do to me. I hap- 
 pen to be John Rhodes, myself! You are " 
 
 There was a shout, a curse, a woman's scream 
 and a pistol shot sounding together in confusion. 
 Provarsk, infuriated, had whipped a gun from his 
 pocket so unexpectedly that Ivan had not time to 
 reach him ; but the princess had, with desperation, 
 flung the screen heavily against Provarsk 's arm, 
 and the bullet, deflected from its mark, spattered 
 itself in minute particles of flying lead over the 
 tiled floor. Outside, the sentry battered clamour- 
 ously on the stout door. In the debris of the screen 
 two men now struggled furiously, Ivan and Pro- 
 varsk, the latter striving with desperate intent to 
 twist his pinioned hand once more in Kent's di- 
 rection, and swearing that, no matter what hap- 
 pened, he would at least kill him. His persistence 
 angered the giant, who had seized his forearm, 
 and now threw him to the floor. With a roar like 
 that of a charging lion he seemed for the first time 
 to exert his full strength. He was unswerving and 
 pitiless. His huge right shoulder suddenly lifted 
 until the muscles of his neck were swollen and 
 rigid, there was the harsh snap of breaking bones, 
 an agonised scream from Provarsk, and Kent 
 leapt forward. 
 
 "Ivan! Ivan!" he shouted, forgetting that the 
 [258]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 latter could not hear. The princess backed away 
 against the wall, with a stare of fascinated, ex- 
 pectant horror; for Ivan, with all the hatred he 
 had sustained for the chancellor unleashed, was 
 intent on killing him this time, regardless of 
 Kent's entreaties. He snatched the pistol from 
 the floor and despite Kent's efforts planted the 
 muzzle against Provarsk's temple. He tried to 
 discharge it; but in his haste had unwittingly 
 thrown the safety clutch. Provarsk, helpless be- 
 neath him, glared upward with eyes that did not 
 quail. The curious, reckless, fearless daring of 
 the man did not desert him in the least now that 
 he was at the end. Kent caught Ivan's arm in 
 both his own, but the enraged giant threw him off, 
 dexterously dropped the pistol, caught it by the 
 muzzle, and lifted his arm high above his head 
 intent on crushing Provarsk's skull with the butt 
 of the weapon. Quick as light, Kent saw his op- 
 portunity, and caught the upraised wrist from 
 behind, threw all his weight against it, and slowly 
 bent Ivan sidewise from over his victim. The 
 giant, though taken at this disadvantage, yielded 
 only inch by inch, overborne by the strength of 
 Kent that, with any ordinary man, would have 
 been overpowering. Kent's jaws were set until 
 the muscles of his cheeks shone in knots and his 
 eyes were aflame. 
 
 "Let me kill him! For God's sake, don't inter- 
 
 [259]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 fere!" Ivan shouted, and then, pleading for the 
 privilege of destroying Provarsk, was toppled 
 over, breathing hoarsely, and looking up into 
 Kent's face. Slowly the red flame burned out of 
 his eyes, as he recovered control of himself. The 
 pistol fell from his hand, and the princess, with a 
 spring as graceful as a leopard's seized it and 
 retreated to a safe distance. 
 
 " Promise me that you will not hurt him, Ivan! 
 I tell you not to ! Are you mad, man T ' ' 
 
 "I promise," said Ivan, sullenly, but relaxing 
 himself, and Kent arose. Ivan got slowly to his 
 feet, with a stare of hatred and defeated intent 
 at Provarsk, who was painfully trying to extricate 
 himself from the pieces of splinted screen. 
 
 Kent put his hand firmly, but gently, beneath 
 him and assisted him to his feet, and then to a 
 chair. There was no need to ask his condition. 
 The loosely swinging arm told its own story. 
 
 The door gave way under a fresh onslaught and 
 several guardsmen fell into the room. Behind 
 them could be seen two others holding Provarsk 's 
 mercenary between them. Kent smiled grimly 
 and said, ' * Thank you, men ; but I do not require 
 your help. Pull what's left of the door shut and 
 at once go and arrest or kill Provarsk 's hired men. 
 Leave one man on guard outside in case I want 
 him." 
 [260]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 They saluted and obeyed with convincing alac- 
 rity. 
 
 "Pro\arsk," said Kent, "I'm very sorry! I 
 didn't wish that done to you." 
 
 "That's all right, Rhodes, or Kent, if you pre- 
 fer it. It's nothing to what I wanted to do to 
 you," gamely retorted the baron. 
 
 "Or nothing compared to what Ivan wanted to 
 do to you," remarked Kent. 
 
 "Why didn't you let him finish it? In your 
 place I should have done so," Provarsk asserted, 
 without rancour, and clutching his shattered arm. 
 
 "Because," declared Kent, with quiet dignity, 
 "I have punished you enough. You are finished 
 as it is. Somehow, I'm sorry! You're a game 
 man, Baron, and I like them. I shall send for a 
 surgeon." 
 
 "Oh, may as well put that off for a few min- 
 utes," the chancellor said, wincing with a physical 
 pain that barely exposed itself in his level voice. 
 "May as well tell me the worst." 
 
 "There's not much more to tell," Kent said, 
 gently. "Only that I've beaten you past any 
 chance of your coming back. By this time you 
 are not even the chancellor, I think. I fancy Von 
 Glutz, the loyal, has come back to his own. And 
 you are broke. Broken like an empty egg shell!" 
 
 Provarsk shut his teeth, tried to get his arm 
 to a less painful position, attempted a brave smile, 
 
 [261]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 and said, "I think not. The Marken Mineral Com- 
 pany, my dear Mr. Ehodes " 
 
 "Is worthless! I couldn't quite forgive your 
 trying to bribe my secretary, Provarsk. That 
 wasn't playing the game. I went after you on 
 that. It's a rule of finance to get a man who tries 
 to bite your leg under the table. I got you ! The 
 only unprofitable, completely worthless enterprise 
 in Marken, is the one in which you've put every 
 dollar you could get. I saw to that. I kept it 
 going at a total loss just for your benefit. You're 
 not worth a copper centime. You'll have to bor- 
 row money to buy your railway ticket out unless 
 unless I relent. Maybe I shall. There are a 
 lot of things I like about you. There are a lot of 
 places where I can use brave men, if they are will- 
 ing to be honest, and you are at least brave. ' ' 
 
 "I don't think," said the baron, biting his lip 
 to hide his mental and physical pain, ' ' that I can 
 accept anything from you; but I will say this 
 just to show you that in my way I am fair if I 
 can ever learn this game you play this thing of 
 finance, and I can find any way to have another 
 go at you, I'll do it! And and while I'm doing 
 it, all the time, I '11 like and admire you, and 
 He shut his teeth savagely in a determined effort 
 to subdue the giddiness and weakness that was 
 mastering him, and then, with a long sigh, fell 
 sideways and would have fallen to the floor had 
 [2621
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 not Kent leapt forward and caught him in his 
 arms. 
 
 He picked him up as if he were of no weight, 
 and strode across the room, followed by the prin- 
 cess, and Ivan, whose eyes had roved from lip 
 to lip seizing the spoken words. 
 
 11 Princess Eloise," the American called anxious- 
 ly over his shoulder, u please summon some one to 
 help me. And also a surgeon. Send them to my 
 private room. And and " he stammered des- 
 perately "wait for me here!" 
 
 Her face flushed, as if, in this turmoil, she had 
 interpreted some hidden significance in his words ; 
 but she ran across the room, called the sentry from 
 the corridor, and Kent heard her words. 
 
 "Send two men from the guard room at once 
 to assist Mr. Kent. Then go quickly as fast as 
 you can, and summon the court surgeon. Hurry! 
 Mr. Kent asks you to. Go quickly!" 
 
 Ivan closed the door, dumbly, and the sound of 
 her voice was cut off. 
 
 "Here, Ivan," Kent's lips moved as he turned 
 ,his head toward his follower from the side of his 
 own bed on which he had deposited the chancellor. 
 "Help me to get his clothes off, while he is un- 
 conscious. You should not have done this. I 
 can't fire you, because after a fashion you and I 
 are pals. But I'd give i* thousand dollars to be 
 
 [263J
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 big enough to take it out of your hide, you big, 
 ill-tempered chump!" 
 
 And Ivan, knowing a lot that was not embodied 
 in his employer's speech, and having absorbed 
 that strange but true philosophy of Owen Wister's 
 conveyed through the Virginian, merely grinned 
 and began unlacing the baron's shoes. 
 
 [264]
 
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN 
 
 THE PRINCESS ELOISE tiptoed to the 
 shattered hall door, and, with infinite care, 
 passed through and closed it behind her. 
 Then, hesitant, perturbed, distressed, she looked 
 down the long reaches, lonely as a deserted ave- 
 nue, as if considering a direction for flight. She 
 paused, torn between the tugging hand of con- 
 vention and desire, that dragged her in diverse 
 ways. Convention urged her that she was of the 
 blood of proud and lasting kings, certain to find 
 her place upon some potent throne, inevitably 
 destined to rule, endowed by nature, and trained 
 religiously to that small caste whose slightest wish 
 becomes a necessity with the people beneath. But 
 desire cried aloud that all was vain, all happiness 
 lost, the world barren, the future a desert, if now 
 she closed her ears to the cry of her heart. A 
 choice of queendom lay before her; one over a 
 vast number whom she might serve, and assist, 
 with a high nobility of purpose, and the other over 
 one subject, a strange, brusque, many-sided man 
 who would give of strength, and soul, and fealty, 
 all that he had to give and if need be, uncomplain- 
 
 [265]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 ingly as a duty, reverently as a sacrifice, his life. 
 Life stretched before her like the corridor, in 
 two directions, each leading from the other. Stead- 
 ily, with clear eyes and clarity of mind, she 
 weighed one route against the other, and then, with 
 bent head, and tremulous breath, she made her de- 
 cision. She turned, retraced her steps, opened the 
 door very gently, stepped inside the room she 
 had left, and closed the door behind. Kent, grave, 
 embarrassed, and yet determined, came but a mo- 
 ment later from his sleeping chamber, and closed 
 the door leading to it; but not with his habitual 
 directness and decision. This was not the man she 
 had seen confidently striding his way, staring di- 
 rect with the radiation of personal power and 
 purpose, intent on some goal beyond other eyes. 
 Instead, there was about him a curious attitude of 
 awkwardness, appeal and reverence, a strange lack 
 of confidence. For an instant only she forced 
 herself to meet his eyes. They cried their mes- 
 sage to hers across the silent, waiting room. The 
 sounds of the outside world, in which that day 
 the future of a nation was being irrevocably de- 
 cided, became hushed and still. She seemed to 
 hear in that same soundless silence the struggle 
 of his mind as it fell upon and conquered his 
 tongue. Forced by decision to meet this porten- 
 tous issue, she heard him coming toward her. His 
 voice sounded as if reaching her from a long dis- 
 [266]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 tance, so quiet, so gentle, so grave it was in this 
 decisive moment of its existence. 
 
 "You," it said, "are a princess. I am nothing, 
 save that which I am a man who has done his 
 best. A plebeian man, Princess Eloise, because 
 all that I have tried and all that I have done, may 
 seem insignificant in your eyes. But what I am, 
 I am." 
 
 The voice paused in that time she stood with 
 hands crossed above her breast not daring to lift 
 her eyes to his; paused as if gathering power to 
 find the way. 
 
 "I should not dare to speak," it proceeded, 
 more firmly, "had you not said what you did a 
 while ago. You said that you would have given 
 anything for " he hesitated and spoke scarce- 
 ly above a whisper, as if a repetition of her words 
 were profanation, as if he, a penitent, approached 
 slowly on hands and knees to confession. "You 
 said that you would have given anything for my 
 friendship, for my esteem ! That you had wanted 
 to help me always!" He spoke the last word 
 like one reading the ultimate word of life from 
 the open book of destiny, laid once before us all. 
 "Oh, Eloise!" he cried with a tenderness beyond 
 all she had dreamed, "I am like that poor, foolish 
 juggler of Notre Dame, who, unable to do more 
 than juggle gay balls upon his hands and feet, 
 yet dared toss them at the shrine of Our Lady, 
 
 [267]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 and thus gave all he had to give ! I am helpless ! 
 I am nothing, in this fight the only one from 
 which I've ever flinched. I wanted to go before 
 I gave myself away; but you said you said " 
 
 He stopped and she knew that the poet soul of 
 him that had been so scrupulously concealed from 
 all the world, was bursting its way, released by 
 the alchemy of love, to his last abashed declara- 
 tion. She waited intent on what he might say, 
 this man who had posed through all his life as one 
 without sentiment, hard, inflexible, masterful, and 
 who now for the first time was stripping nude his 
 spirit. 
 
 ''Do you know," he said, "I've always been 
 ashamed of something that I liked something I 
 read. It seemed too fine to say aloud; but it's 
 what I want to say now : 
 
 "I am he that cries aloud beneath your gates, 
 "With eyes uplifted to the moon, the night, your 
 
 castle walls. 
 "No beggar I for paltry dole! No suppliant for 
 
 paltry favours, 
 
 "Worthless, ephemeral, and indifferently thrown. 
 "I ask all you have; all you have been; all you 
 
 are; 
 
 "All that you may ever be. 
 "I am that throbbing thing of love, 
 "Venturesome, calling for its own." 
 
 [268]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 There was a child 's bashfulness and simplicity 
 in his declamation. He spoke as if ashamed to 
 voice those inner and concealed sentiments that 
 he had so studiously veiled throughout his life. 
 Nothing hut the quick knowledge that she had 
 seen him as he was in truth, kept her from laugh- 
 ing at him. And then there came to her the rea- 
 lisation, not without a sense of triumph, that she 
 knew, beyond all others, this strange, reticent, re- 
 tiring man whose very name had been feared by 
 some of those esteemed as powerful. That of 
 her alone, in all the world, he stood in awe. 
 
 "If I had known then who who you really 
 
 were " she faltered. "If if I had not been 
 
 so terribly disappointed, I should not have said 
 what I did." 
 
 She paused ; but without ever looking up at him 
 she knew that he recoiled as from a blow. And 
 then, bravely, she took the plunge, and added in 
 a voice that was scarcely louder than the exquisite 
 sound of the wind's fingers playing upon a harp, 
 "But now that I know my mistake, and that you 
 have not been defeated, I I have nothing to re- 
 tract." 
 
 She heard him coming slowly toward her, and 
 lifted her eyes to his grim, rugged, homely face, 
 and beheld it transfigured like the top of some 
 weather-scarred crag suddenly illumined by sun- 
 light. The warmth and majesty of a great love 
 
 [269]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MR. KENT 
 
 were there, the imperative will to seize, and to 
 shield, and the longing to prove worth by sacrifice. 
 
 He would have taken her hand, awkwardly, as 
 some poor courtier might; but nothing less than 
 full relinquishment was in her heart. And so she 
 lifted her arms swiftly upward, caught his face 
 for a long moment between her hands, looked 
 deeply into his eyes and then, contented with what 
 she saw, bent farther toward him, and was caught 
 and held. 
 
 Forgetful of all else, deaf to all else, they had 
 not heard the roaring tumult that came sweeping 
 toward the palace, increased in the crescendo of 
 proximity, and that now suddenly burst over- 
 whelmingly upon their ears in terrifying volume. 
 It sounded as if something had gone wrong ; as if 
 revolt had in full strength rushed upon them. They 
 turned and hastened to the window. The great 
 garden of the palace had been invaded by a mob 
 of people, the foremost of whom rushed excitedly 
 to places beneath the windows, while, rapidly, 
 other waves surged behind, closed in, and became 
 more dense until even the walls were mounted by 
 upthrown crests. For a moment it was difficult 
 to distinguish the character of that tremendous 
 shouting, or to know whether menace or approval 
 was the dominant note. And then, suddenly, a 
 red-faced man who had been crowded into the 
 basin of a fountain climbed triumphantly to its 
 [270]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 top, where he stood silhouetted against the sky, 
 waved his arms, and in a stentorian voice that 
 swept over all else began to sing the national 
 anthem. Instantly other voices took it up, until 
 to the beating of time by that lone figure aloft it 
 became united, and overpowering, battering the 
 walls, the trees, and the skies with stately blows. 
 The lips of the Princess Eloise quivered and her 
 eyes filled with tears of emotion. Kent felt his 
 hands clenching as he caught the meaning, and 
 knew that it was an ovation to the king ; but even 
 then he could not understand why the giving of 
 the mines had so stirred the people. His door was 
 jerked open unceremoniously, and the king ran 
 in, followed by Paulo and Von Glutz, all appear- 
 ing scarcely less excited and jubilant than those 
 below. 
 
 At sight of his sister and Kent, the king waved 
 his state sword above his head and saluted the 
 hilt with his lips. 
 
 "Marken! Marken!" he shouted as gallantly 
 as any of his mailed ancestors might have done 
 when announcing victory after battle. 
 
 ""What have you done?" demanded Kent, once 
 more the cool man of affairs. 
 
 "I've gone you one better, my friend, and acted 
 without any one's advice. I've not only done as 
 you suggested, but I've taken a long step farther. 
 I've told them that, without their asking it, and 
 
 [271]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 because I have faith in them, I surrender all arbi- 
 trary rights of the crown and that from this time 
 henceforth Marken is to be a liberal government, 
 in which the people are to exercise their own judg- 
 ment and powers, and that not even England her- 
 self can boast of greater freedom and democracy. 
 I Ve given them their liberty. Marken is no longer 
 an autocracy!'* 
 
 He paused, proud of the effect he had pro- 
 duced, and saw the great approval that shone from 
 his sister's eyes ; but, before he could proceed, the 
 doughty old Von Glutz took up the tale. 
 
 "That's not all! He didn't tell you all!" he 
 roared. "His Majesty ended by telling them that 
 if they chose they could even do away with a king 
 and make Marken a republic. That was when they 
 first shouted so loudly, and what they yelled was, 
 'No! No! God save the king! God save Karl the 
 Great ! ' And by the Lord Almighty ! They meant 
 it ! They stormed the platform. They lifted him 
 up and carried him in their arms. Old women 
 cried and knelt at his feet. They held their dirty 
 babies up for him to touch. And then some of the 
 women began to shout, 'God save the Princess 
 Eloise!' and that started them all off again. The 
 king got himself heard at last and told them that 
 the credit was not his. That they owed it all to 
 you, Kent. And then Karl did a fool thing. Told 
 [272]
 
 THE UNKNOWN MB. KENT 
 
 them that you two were here and that the palace 
 grounds were open. Listen ! Hear that ! ' ' 
 
 The song had ceased and great shouts were 
 again storming them. 
 
 "The Princess Eloise! Our Princess Eloise!" 
 and "Kent! Kent! Kent!" 
 
 They saw him, the man who loathed publicity, 
 quail like a bashful youth, and saw the princess 
 catch his hand and almost drag him toward the 
 balcony. Then he seemed to recall something that 
 must be done and braced himself, and strode for- 
 ward. He stopped abruptly just inside the door 
 and motioned to the king. The king smiled and 
 stepped out, followed by the princess. Like the 
 abrupt discharge of heavy guns the noise renewed 
 as Kent followed them, and Von Glutz and Paulo, 
 rigid, unmoved, came behind and took their posts 
 in the background like watch dogs of state. 
 
 Kent stepped to the edge of the balcony and 
 lifted his hand for silence, the same heavy, un- 
 faltering man that had addressed them on one 
 other occasion, when he mentally derided them and 
 then disappeared. Again, as then, his great voice 
 reached them like some enormous trumpet; but 
 now there was nothing of cynicism or dema- 
 goguery in his words, no jesting with their igno- 
 rance. 
 
 "His Majesty Karl Second " 
 
 [273]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 "God Save Karl the Great !" they corrected 
 him. 
 
 " has told you that you owe much of what has 
 been to-day given you, to me. With all respect 
 for His Majesty's word, I wish to tell you, flatly, 
 that it is not so. I did nothing. You owe it all 
 to him. All I did was to advise regarding the 
 employment of your industries. I approve of his 
 grant of self-government, for I am an American ; 
 but I am as surprised as were you that he gave so 
 freely." 
 
 They interrupted him with cheers, while he 
 stood watching them, and evidently waiting to add 
 something more. 
 
 "You owe me nothing," he declared. "But to 
 others you owe much. You owe Her Royal High- 
 ness, the Princess Eloise, for her advice " 
 
 and again they interrupted him with cheers. 
 
 "You owe to a much misunderstood man, a 
 nobleman, steadfast, loyal and true, a great pay- 
 ment for his unfaltering devotion to the king, to 
 you and to his duty ; and to his plain honesty you 
 are indebted beyond all words. I speak of Baron 
 VonGlutz!" 
 
 He did not look around in that mad interim when 
 again they shouted ; but had he done so would have 
 seen that the baron was for once abashed to dumb- 
 ness. All that he, plain, simple old man, had ever 
 [274]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 asked, was to serve as best he might, careless of 
 reward. 
 
 "Beyond this,'* continued the voice, "you must 
 not forget the services of as good a Minister of 
 Treasury as has ever conducted the affairs of a 
 people or a king, Captain Philidor Paulo." 
 
 In a cheering mood, they cheered again. 
 
 "And from now on you owe it to yourselves, 
 and your king, to those who have done the best 
 they could for you, to make, by continued indus- 
 try and integrity, the kingdom of Marken great. 
 The king has made no mistake. You were not fit 
 to conduct yourselves a year ago. Many of you 
 were idle, lazy and indifferent. It required the 
 inflexibility of an autocrat to arouse you. An 
 autocrat is, after all, but a nurse. Once the neces- 
 sity for a nurse passes, it passes for all time. 
 You are a nation now, known and respected by 
 the whole world. It rests with you whether that 
 respect shall continue, and respect is a thing that 
 accumulates or diminishes in just proportion to 
 your deeds. It does not stand still. The respect 
 given a nation is not measured by the breadth 
 of its lands, or by what it owns. It is measured 
 by the acts of the individuals who compose it. 
 No man dare act otherwise than as a representa- 
 tive of his nation. On him individually rests the 
 good name of his nation. He, as a unit, is as 
 responsible for its reputation, as is the king him- 
 
 [275]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 self. It is by his individual acts that his country 
 is estimated. I ask you to remember my words 
 and to consider them when alone, that you may 
 find the right way, in this hour of your assump- 
 tion of great responsibilities, to each adjust his 
 own personal life to the demands of a high stand- 
 ard." 
 
 The crowd beneath had become hushed and 
 thoughtful as he shot his words out to them. They 
 expected in that grave moment that he would say 
 more ; but, as if daunted by his own temerity and 
 unwonted publicity, he abruptly stopped, and like 
 one suddenly frightened, turned and fled. The 
 man on the fountain again lifted his hands and 
 sang with that far-reaching voice. Again they 
 joined him with a new fervour, containing in its 
 volume some enormous throb, quite without ex- 
 citement, quite grave in its sincerity. 
 
 The king, regardless of everything, forgetful 
 of all save the terrific song which for centuries 
 had led his people to the heights of endeavour, 
 there to be crowned with death or victory, shut his 
 eyes, threw his head back and sang with them. 
 With a final outpouring of fervent wishes, the 
 crowd saw him pass through the door, followed 
 last of all by the white-headed old baron. The 
 noise died away, and the palace gardens began 
 to empty. The king looked around the room for 
 [276]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 Kent. He was not to be seen. As if mortified 
 by his own moralising, he had gone. 
 
 The door of the room adjoining stood ajar and 
 the king walked to it, looked in, and halted in 
 astonishment. Kent was standing alone by the 
 side of his bed, in which lay Provarsk. The king 
 hesitated for an instant and then turned and tip- 
 toed away. The broken screen caught his glance 
 and he paused above it, observing that Von Glutz 
 and Paulo were both inspecting the same object. 
 
 The baron looked around with his slow eyes, 
 and pointed at the tiny dent in the tiles, bordered 
 with splotches of lead, and called attention to it 
 with a significant smile. 
 
 "That," he said, "I take to be the last shot 
 of the last revolt in Marken." 
 
 The king saw the American once more that day. 
 It was after twilight, dusk and a full moon had 
 followed one another across the trail of the skies. 
 In the distance, where Marken huddled and shoul- 
 dered on its hills, could be heard, mellowed, but 
 expressive, the faint sounds of revelry. Great 
 rockets marked fiery courses in the night and 
 then showered upon the red roofs their softly float- 
 ing and multi-hued rain of stars. Sometimes 
 above the murmur of the notes of a military band 
 might be heard, bearing through the distance, airs 
 of triumphant peace. Very soothing they sounded 
 to the king, who, exhausted by his day of excite- 
 
 [277]
 
 THE UNKNOWN ME. KENT 
 
 ment and work, strolled meditatively in the garden 
 that had so short a time before been trampled by 
 the feet of a people freed. Here had his ambition 
 been achieved in that hour when his subjects 
 shouted to him their esteem. Here they had 
 voiced more than esteem, and given him an out- 
 spoken affection. With that, all things could be 
 accomplished. 
 
 He took a shorter way through the masses of 
 roses, and came to a secluded path on which the 
 moon seemed to peer intent. He stopped short 
 and bent forward, unconsciously eavesdropping. 
 Those were familiar voices, and familiar shapes, 
 those of the princess walking with the American, 
 whilst their arms, outlined in sombre black, and 
 silken white, were around each other's waists. 
 The king stepped into the path behind them and 
 gave a loud * ' Ahem ! ' ' 
 
 Startled, and confused, they fell apart as they 
 faced him. There was but a moment's hesitancy, 
 and John Rhodes, recovering, closed the space 
 between him and the Princess Eloise, and caught 
 her waiting hand in his. 
 
 "By your leave, Sire," he said, to the king. 
 
 "Sir," said the king, "the honour is mine!" 
 
 THE END 
 
 [278]
 
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