"Who did it?" she wailed. "Who did it? Otho is a gentleman. He would never have the bad taste to disappear, like all those dreadful people's wives, if somebody hadn't—"
"My dear Madame," interposed Mr. Frothingham, "calm—calm yourself. There are families of undisputed position which record disappearances in several generations."
"Please," pleaded Olivia. "Ah, tell us," she begged the prince again.
"There is, unfortunately, but little to tell, Miss Holland," said the prince with sympathetic regret. "I had the honour, three months ago, to entertain the king, your father, at dinner. We parted at midnight. His Majesty seemed—"
"His Majesty!" repeated Mrs. Hastings, smiling up at the opposite wall as if her thought saw glories.
"—in the best of health and spirits," continued the prince. "A meeting of the High Council was to be held at noon on the following day. The king did not appear. From that moment no eye in Yaque has fallen upon him."
"One moment, your Highness," said St. George quickly; "in the absence of the king, who presides over the High Council?"
"As the head of the House of the Litany, the chief administrator of justice, it is I," said the prince with humility.
"Ah, yes," St. George said evenly.
"But what have you done?" cried Olivia. "Have you had search made? Have you—"