He smiled broadly.

“I went for an early morning ride; Lady Helen happened to overtake me; we chanced upon the Princess; she asked us to breakfast; and the King came in during the meal.”

Courtney was studying the point of a paper-cutter.  “Very wonderful, indeed,” he commented.

“What; the paper-cutter?” I asked, a trifle impatiently.

“No; the series of accidents.”

“They are only preliminary.”

“Preliminaries are often most important.”

“Not here,” said I.  “What I want to consult you about is this:  The King has asked me to accept the titles of old Hugo, and to take my place at Court.”

Courtney laid the paper-cutter carefully on the blotter, and drawing out his cigarette case, he selected one and slowly lit it.  I knew his way and waited patiently.

“And Lotzen—­and the Crown?” he said presently.

“Do you care for the whole story?” I asked.

“Yes, let me have it all,” and, settling back in his chair, he closed his eyes and prepared to listen.

Then I told him everything of the meeting with the King in his library, repeating, as well as I could remember, Frederick’s exact language, describing his attitude toward me and his evident desire in the matter.

“That is the situation and the problem,” I ended, “and the answer is due to-morrow, I am to dine at the Summer Palace.”

Courtney sat up and began to polish his eye-glasses.  “I assume you have made no decision?” he asked presently.

“If I had,” said I, “I would have gone to bed.”

He nodded and kept on at the eye-glasses.  At last they seemed to suit him, and he shoved them into place and lit another cigarette.

“It seems to me,” he said, at length, “the matter is wholly one of personal inclination; with no obligation upon you to decide it upon any other basis.  Therefore, the first question is simply this:  Which do you prefer to be—­an American officer and citizen or a Valerian Archduke?”

“That is just what I don’t know,” said I.

“Well, would it be any easier to answer if I were to add:  ’With a chance for the Crown’?”

“That complicates it even more, I think.”

He looked at me hard for a moment.  I knew he was thinking of the Princess and I shook my bead.

“Better look at it only on the first proposition,” he said:  “’an American officer or an Archduke.’”

“If I accept,” said I, “I shall play for all the stakes.”

“Of course,” said he, “but you may lose.”

“It is more than likely I shall.”

“Yet, even if you do, you will still be the Archduke,” he argued.

“I think I would not accept it without the other chances,” I said.

“Yet you would adventure those very chances without being sure of the Archdukeship?” he insisted.

I nodded, and Courtney laughed and fingered his imperial.