Von Ritz stood a moment silent, then, dropping to one knee, he took the fingers which fell listlessly over the arm of Cara's steamer-chair and raised them to his lips.
"Your Majesty is Queen of Galavia."
The American came to his feet, his hands clenched, but with quick self-mastery he stood back, breathing heavily.
Cara sat for a moment only half-comprehending, then with a low moan she leaned forward and covered her face with both hands.
"Forgive me," said Von Ritz. "I am your Nemesis."
Benton moved over silently and knelt beside her chair. Neither spoke, but at last she raised her face and sat looking out at the water, then slowly one hand came out gropingly toward the American and both of his own closed over it. Von Ritz stood waiting.
When finally she spoke, her voice was almost childlike, full of pleading.
"I thought," she said, "that all that was over. I had thought that whatever is left of life belonged just to me—for my very own. I thought I could take it away and try to mend it."
Von Ritz turned his head and his eyes traveled northward and westward, where, somewhere beyond the horizon, lay his country.
"Galavia needs you," he said with grave simplicity. "Unless you come to her aid there must be ruin and dismemberment. You will save your country."