ing to my uncovered poll. "Why, Fritz, you know the story?"
The young man glanced apologetically at me. He felt a delicacy which my sister-in-law would have admired. To put him at his ease I remarked, with a smile:
"Ah! the story is known here as well as among us, it seems."
"Known!" cried Sapt. "If you stay here the deuce a man in all Ruritania will doubt of it—or a woman either."
I began to feel uncomfortable. Had I realized what a very plainly written pedigree I carried about with me, I should have thought long before I visited Ruritania. However, I was in for it now.
At this moment a ringing voice sounded from the wood behind us:
"Fritz, Fritz! where are you, man?"
Tarlenheim started, and said hastily:
"It's the king!"
Old Sapt chuckled again.
Then a young man jumped out from behind the trunk of a tree and stood beside us. As I looked
