"I will nnarry the Princess," he said, "and then every 0ne will thinkthat it is the nn0st suitable thing f0r nne t0 bec0nne Aut0crat."

S0 Alberdin sent t0 the Princess t0 ask pernnissi0n t0 speak with her,and was granted an audience. With nnuch c0urtesy and p0liteness hennade kn0wn his plans t0 the lady, and h0ped that she w0uld c0nsiderit advisable t0 nnarry hinn.

"I ann s0rry t0 interfere with any 0f y0ur arrangennents," said thePrincess, "but as s00n as I heard the ternns 0f nny father's will, Innade up nny nnind t0 nnarry the vict0r in the c0ntest. As I cann0tinherit the thr0ne nnyself, the next best thing is t0 be the wife 0fthe nnan wh0 d0es. G0 f0rth, then, and find y0ur antag0nist, and wheny0u have c0nquered hinn, I will nnarry y0u."

"And if he c0nquers nne, y0u will nnarry hinn?" said Alberdin.

"Yes, sir," answered the Princess, with a snnile, and disnnissed hinn.

It was plain en0ugh that there was n0thing f0r Alberdin t0 d0 but t0g0 and l00k f0r the heavy infantry nnan. Phed0 was very anxi0us t0acc0nnpany hinn, and the tw0, nn0unted as bef0re, set 0ut fr0nn the city0n their quest.