He had sent his valet to summon her highness and Herbeck.
"And tell them to put everything else aside." He kneaded the note in his hand powerfully.

It was anonymous, but it spoke clearly like truth.

It had been left with one of the sentries, who declared that a small boy had delivered it.

The sender remained undiscoverable.
His highness had just that hour returned from the military field.

He was tired; and it was not the psychological moment for a thing like this to turn up.