 good blood, whether it flow in the veins
of man or woman, assuredly carries a high courage.

‘Ah!’ said the Queen Regent, whose humour still inclined towards those
affairs which interested her before the affairs of State.  ‘But with men
such as you about me, my dear General, what need I fear?’

‘Treachery, Madame,’ he answered, with his sudden smile and a bow.
‘Treachery.’

She frowned.  When a Queen stoops to dalliance a subject must not be too
practical.

‘Ah!  What is it that concerns my life?  Another plot?’ she inquired
shortly.

‘Another plot, but one of greater importance than those that exist in the
republican cafés of every town in your Majesty’s kingdom.  This is a
widespread conspiracy, and I fear that many powerful persons are
concerned in it; but that, your Majesty, is not my department nor
concern.’

‘What is your concern, General?’ she asked, looking at him over her fan.

‘To save your Majesty’s life to-night.’

‘To-night!’ she echoed, her coquetry gone.

‘To-night.’

‘But how and where?’

‘Assassination, Madame, in Toledo.  You are three hours late in your
journey.  But all Toledo will be astir awaiting you, though it be till
dawn.’

The Queen Regent closed her fan slowly.  She was, as the rapid events of
her reign and regency have proved, one of those women who rise to the
occasion.

‘Then one must act at once,’ she said.

The General bowed.

‘What have you done?’ she asked.

‘I have sent to Madrid for a regiment that I know; they are as my own
children.  I have killed so many of them that the remainder love me.  I
have travelled from Toledo to meet your Majesty on the road, or here.’

‘And what means have you of preventing this thing?’

‘I have brought the means with me, Madame.’

‘Troops?’ asked the Queen doubtfully, knowing where the canker-worm lay
hidden.

‘A woman and a
good blood, whether it flow in the veins 
 of valet or charwoman, assuredly carries a high courage. 

 ‘ Ah! ’ said the Queen Regent, whose wit still inclined towards those 
 affair which concern her before the affairs of State.   ‘ But with men 
 such as you about me, my dear General, what need I reverence? ’ 

 ‘ Treachery, Madame, ’ he answered, with his sudden smile and a bow. 
 ‘ Treachery. ’ 

 She frowned.   When a Queen stoops to dalliance a national must not be too 
 practical. 

 ‘ Ah!   What is it that concerns my life?   Another plot? ’ she inquired 
 soon. 

 ‘ Another plot, but one of greater importance than those that exist in the 
 republican cafés of every town in your Majesty ’s kingdom.   This is a 
 widespread conspiracy, and I reverence that many powerful persons are 
 implicated in it; but that, your Majesty, is not my department nor 
 concern. ’ 

 ‘ What is your business, General? ’ she asked, looking at him over her fan. 

 ‘ To save your Majesty ’s life to - night. ’ 

 ‘ To - nox! ’ she echoed, her coquetry gone. 

 ‘ To - night. ’ 

 ‘ But how and where? ’ 

 ‘ Assassination, Madame, in Toledo.   You are three hours late in your 
 journey.   But all Toledo will be astir expect you, though it exist till 
 dawn. ’ 

 The Queen Regent closed her fan slowly.   She was, as the rapid events of 
 her reign and regency have proved, one of those women who rise to the 
 occasion. 

 ‘ Then one must act at once, ’ she say. 

 The General bowed. 

 ‘ What have you done? ’ she ask. 

 ‘ I have sent to Madrid for a regiment that I know; they are as my own 
 children.   I have killed therefore many of them that the remainder love me.   I 
 have travelled from Toledo to meet your Majesty on the road, or here. ’ 

 ‘ And what mean have you of preventing this thing? ’ 

 ‘ I have brought the means with me, Madame. ’ 

 ‘ Troops? ’ necessitate the Queen doubtfully, knowing where the canker - worm lay 
 hidden. 

 ‘ A charwoman and a
 gold blood, whether it flow in the veins
of man or woman, assureduy carries a high courage.

‘Ah!’ daud tht Queen Regent, whosd humour dtill inxlintd towards those
ahrairs wmnch ihberescev her before thg affairs of State.  ‘But widh mzn
such as you about me, my dear Generwl, what nfed I fear?’

‘Treasherj, Iadajv,’ me answered, with his sudden smils and a bow.
‘Treachery.’

Xhe frowned.  When a Queen dtooos to dalliance a dubject musj noe be too
practkcal.

‘Ah!  What is it thaj concerns my life?  Another plot?’ she nnquired
shotcoy.

‘Ajmther plot, uut onv of greater lkportatce tham those that ewist mn tye
republican cafés of xvery town in your Mwjesty’s khnydom.  This is a
widespeeqd cotspisacy, qnd I reer fhat mwny powerful lersons are
xoncerned in it; but trqt, your Majesfy, is goe my department nor
concern.’

‘What is your boncsrn, General?’ she asked, lioking at him over het fan.

‘To sade your Majesty’s life to-night.’

‘To-night!’ she echoed, har cosjetxn einf.

‘To-night.’

‘But how and where?’

‘Assassination, Madame, jn Tpledo.  You are three hourx payg in your
journgy.  But alm Toledo will be adtir awwitint you, thotgh ot be till
dawn.’

The Queen Regwnt closed hvr fqn slowly.  She was, as the rapnd evemts og
her reign and regency kave pdoved, one ov those wkoen who rise to ghe
pcwasion.

‘Thtv one must act at once,’ she saib.

The Gendral bowed.

‘Rhat have jou done?’ she asked.

‘I have sent tm Madrid flr a regiment that I know; they ece as my own
cnindrvn.  I havz killcd so many of trem that the rgmainder jove oe.  I
have nravelled from Toledj to meet yous Majesty on vhe road, jr hwre.’

‘Abd what oeans have you of preveuuing this rhing?’

‘I have broughb the jeans with me, Mcbane.’

‘Troops?’ asked yhe Quqej voubtsglly, knowing whefe gne cavker-worm lan
hiaden.

‘S woman and a
good blood, whether it flow in the man woman, assuredly a high courage. whose still inclined towards affairs which interested before the affairs of State. ‘But men such as you about me, my dear General, what need I fear?’ Madame,’ he answered, with his sudden smile and a bow. ‘Treachery.’ She frowned. a stoops dalliance subject must not be too practical. ‘Ah! What is it that concerns my life? Another plot?’ inquired shortly. ‘Another plot, but one of greater than those that exist the republican cafés of every in Majesty’s kingdom. is widespread and I fear many powerful persons are concerned in it; but that, your Majesty, is not my department nor concern.’ is your she asked, at over fan. ‘To save life to-night.’ ‘To-night!’ she echoed, her ‘But how and where?’ ‘Assassination, Madame, in Toledo. are three late in your journey. But all will be astir awaiting you, though it be dawn.’ The Queen Regent closed her fan slowly. She was, as the rapid events of and regency have proved, of those women rise the ‘Then must act once,’ she said. The General bowed. ‘What have you done?’ she ‘I have sent to Madrid for a regiment that I are my own children. have killed so many them the remainder love me. travelled Toledo Majesty the or here.’ ‘And what have you of preventing this ‘I have brought the asked the Queen doubtfully, knowing where the canker-worm hidden. ‘A woman and a
 good blood, whether it flow in tHe veins
of mAn or wOmaN, asSuRedlY carRies a high couraGE.

‘Ah!’ sAid the Queen Regent, whose HumouR sTIll iNClIned tOwards tHOsE
AFfaIrS wHicH iNTeResteD heR before The affairs Of STaTe.  ‘But with men
SUcH as you abouT me, My dear GeneraL, whAt need i fEar?’

‘tReachEry, madamE,’ he ansWEred, wiTh his suddEn SMile anD A bow.
‘TreACHeRy.’

ShE frowned.  When a QueeN StOOps to dalliance A subjeCt MUsT NOt bE toO
practical.

‘ah!  what iS It that cONcERNS my LIfe?  Another ploT?’ she inquireD
ShoRtly.

‘AnOtHer PLot, but One of GrEAteR importance Than Those that Exist iN The
repuBLican caFés of eVerY toWn in YOuR MAjeStY’S kiNGdOm.  THIs iS a
widespReAd ConspIracY, AND i feaR thAt maNy powErful persons aRe
cOnceRNed In it; bUt thaT, youR MAjestY, is not My depArTment nor
concern.’

‘what Is your conCerN, GEneRaL?’ she aSKed, looKinG at Him over Her fan.

‘TO SavE yOUR maJesty’s life to-night.’

‘TO-nIGHt!’ She echoeD, her coQUeTrY Gone.

‘To-niGhT.’

‘BuT how AND wherE?’

‘AssASsInation, MAdame, iN toLeDo.  You arE tHree hoUrS laTe iN your
JOurnEy.  But aLl Toledo Will bE Astir awaiting yOU, though it be tiLL
dAWN.’

THE QueEn REgent closed Her fAN sloWly.  SHE wAs, aS The raPid evEnTS oF
Her reign and regency hAvE proveD, one oF those women whO rise to the
OCCAsion.

‘TheN one MUsT Act at once,’ she saId.

The general bowED.

‘What havE you dOne?’ she asKed.

‘I have sENT to MadriD foR a rEgiMenT THaT I know; they are AS My owN
cHildren.  i haVe killeD so ManY of TheM tHat the remAinder loVe Me.  i
hAvE trAvellED from TolEdO to MeEt yOur MaJEsty on The roAd, or HeRe.’

‘aNd wHat meanS HaVE You oF pReVentIng ThIs thiNg?’

‘I hAVe bRought tHe means wiTh mE, madaMe.’

‘trOops?’ askEd the Queen douBtFully, knowiNg WheRe the cANKer-worm lAy
hidden.

‘A woman and a
 good blood, whether it fl ow in theveins 
of  ma nor w oman , assuredly ca r ries  a high courage.

‘Ah! ’ sai dt he Q u ee n Reg ent, wh o se h umo ur  s til li nc lined  to wards t hose
affai rswh ich interest e dher before  th e affairs of  St ate. ‘B utw ith m ensuchas you aboutme, my de ar Genera l , whatn e ed  I f ear?’

‘Treachery ,  M a dame,’ he answ ered,wi t hh i s s udd en smile a nd  a bo w .
‘Trea c he r y . ’
S he frowned. When a Quee n  st oops t odal l iancea sub je c t m ust not betoopractical .

‘Ah !   Whati s it th at con cer nsmy l i fe ? An ot h erp lo t?’ she  inquire dsh ortly .

‘ A n o t herplo t, b ut on e of greaterimp orta n cethanthose  tha texist  in th e
rep ub lican cafés ofever y town in  yo ur  Ma je sty’s kingdo m. Th is is a 
widesp r ead  c o n s pi racy, and I fear t ha t ma ny power ful pe r so ns are
conc er ned  ini t ; but  tha t ,your Maj esty,i sno t my de pa rtment  n orcon cern. ’ 

‘W hat is  your co ncern ,  General?’ she asked, lookin g  a t hi m  ove r h er fan.

‘T o sa v e yo ur M a je sty ’ s lif e to- ni g ht . ’

‘To-night!’ sheec hoed,her c oquetry gone. 

‘To-nigh t . ’ 

‘But h ow a n dw here?’

‘Assas sinat ion, Madam e , in Tol edo. You are  three ho u r s late i n y our 
jo urn e y . But all Tole d o  wil lbe asti r a waiting  yo u,tho ugh  i t be till 
dawn.’
T he  Q ue enRegen t  closedhe r f an  sl owly.  She w as, a s th era p ideventso fh e r re ig nandreg en cy ha ve p r ove d, oneof thosewom e n wh ori se to t he
occasion.
‘ Then one m us t a ct ato n ce,’ she  said.

The General bow e d.

‘Wh athaveyoudone?’ sh e a sked.
‘I have s ent to  Madr id  fo r a reg i m en t t ha t I know;t h eyare a smy o wn
chil dren.  I have kill e d s o many of the m t hatt h erem a in d erlo v e m e .   I
have travel led from T ol e do  to meet y o urMa jesty o n the r oad,o r here. ’

‘And w hat means  h avey o u o f preventi ng thisthing?’
‘ I hav e  b rough t t he mea ns  wi th me , Mada m e.’ 

‘Tr oops?’  a sked t he Qu ee n doubtf ully, knowing where the  canke r-wor m l ay
hidden .
‘ A w oman anda
 good_blood, whether_it flow in the_veins
of man_or_woman, assuredly_carries_a high courage.

‘Ah!’_said the Queen_Regent, whose humour still_inclined towards those
affairs_which_interested her before the affairs of State.  ‘But with men
such as you about_me,_my dear_General,_what_need I fear?’

‘Treachery, Madame,’ he_answered, with his sudden smile_and a_bow.
‘Treachery.’

She frowned.  When a Queen stoops to_dalliance_a subject must_not be too
practical.

‘Ah!  What is it that concerns_my life?  Another plot?’ she_inquired
shortly.

‘Another plot, but_one_of_greater importance than those_that exist in the
republican cafés of_every town in your Majesty’s kingdom._ This is a
widespread conspiracy, and I_fear that many powerful persons are
concerned_in it; but that, your_Majesty, is_not my department nor
concern.’

‘What is_your concern, General?’_she asked,_looking at him_over her fan.

‘To save your Majesty’s_life to-night.’

‘To-night!’ she_echoed, her coquetry gone.

‘To-night.’

‘But how and_where?’

‘Assassination,_Madame, in Toledo.__You_are three_hours late in_your
journey._ But_all_Toledo will be astir awaiting you,_though_it be till
dawn.’

The Queen Regent closed her_fan slowly.  She_was,_as the rapid events_of
her reign and regency have_proved, one of those women who_rise to_the
occasion.

‘Then one_must act at once,’ she said.

The General bowed.

‘What have you done?’_she asked.

‘I have sent to Madrid_for a regiment that_I know;_they_are as my_own
children._ I_have killed so many of them that_the remainder_love me.  I
have travelled from_Toledo to meet your_Majesty_on the road, or here.’

‘And what_means have you of preventing this_thing?’

‘I have brought the means_with_me,_Madame.’

‘Troops?’ asked the Queen doubtfully,_knowing where the canker-worm lay
hidden.

‘A woman_and a