"I am very glad," echoed Saunders; "I feel some responsibility in the matter. It was I who induced Trafford to come to Weidenbruck. The fellow was in trouble, and I wanted to show him sport; but I did not want him to find his sport at the expense of my host."
Karl laid a kindly hand on Saunders' shoulder.
"My very dear friend," he said, "this morning you saved my life. About this time three years ago you saved it under even more dramatic circumstances and at even greater personal risk. There is no room for apologies from you to me." A silence followed his Majesty's words. Then the King went on: "Besides, this mad American friend of yours is a very small part of my troubles. Were my subjects loyal men and true, his capacity for harm would be nil; as it is, I think we over-rate it. With Father Bernhardt in the Strafeburg we can sleep safe and sound in our beds to-night." His Majesty touched the electric bell. "Let us drink death to anarchy and revolution," he went on, as the major-domo Bomcke appeared. "Bomcke, brandy and cigarettes, if you please."
In a trice the whiskered and stately Bomcke produced the necessary stimulants from a Buhl cupboard, and set the shining glass and silver on the great circular table of Florentine inlay.
The men filled their glasses in turn.
"Death to anarchy, sire!" cried General von Bilderbaum; "and may my sword help to deal its death-blow."
"Death to traitors, cowards, and——" began Saunders, but his speech was checked by the appearance on the scene of General Meyer.
"What news?" demanded his Majesty.
"Good and bad, sire," replied the Commander-in-Chief.
"The good first, please," said Karl.