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In the Palace of the King Synopsis

"In the Palace of the King" is wholly a romance of the court of Spain, in which Don John of Austria is in love with Dolores de Mendoza, daughter of the commander of the King's Guard. The action opens with the victorious return to Madrid of Don John and his army after defeating the Moors and conquering Granada for Spain. Don John is acclaimed by the people as a national hero and his popularity arouses the envy of his half-brother, King Philip II of Spain, who opposes his relations with Dolores. Perez, the King's secretary, and the Princess Eboli, lady in waiting to the Queen, meanwhile are involved in a conspiracy to overthrow their sovereign, and plot to use Don John's love for Dolores as a vehicle to attain their ends. The King, when he learns of Don John's affection for Dolores, orders the commander of his guard to put an end to the attachment, and Mendoza, torn between love for his daughter and what he considers loyalty to his King, finally orders Dolores put under lock and key and threatens to kill Don John if he attempts to see her. Through the quick wit of Inez, blind sister of Dolores, the latter is enabled to escape and meets Don John. She tells him of their danger and he hides her in his study. Perez and the Princess Eboli take advantage of the situation and the princess offers to take Dolores away from Don John. Mendoza consents, but the princess, in the darkness, fails to recognize Inez, who had changed clothing with Dolores and when Inez slips into a secret passage she believes it was Dolores who escaped her. Perez informs the King that Dolores is to be found in Don John's quarters, and the sovereign, raging, goes there and accuses his half-brother of conspiring to dethrone him. Arguments follow, in which the King stabs Don John, and, Mendoza, ever loyal, agrees to shoulder the blame for Don John's death, and announces to the assembled court that he killed him. King Philip craftily weaves a net of evidence around Mendoza, but Dolores, who, hidden in Don John's study, had heard all that passes, rushes in and threatens to expose the King's falsehood unless her father is released. The King, fear-stricken, signs an order for the release of Mendoza. Meanwhile the court jester learns that Don John is not dead, but merely slightly wounded, and Dolores is summoned. A priest is obtained and the sweethearts are married, just as the king and other court officials arrive, and a general rejoicing ends the play.

The Prince of Graustark Synopsis

Graustark needs thirty million dollars to satisfy a Russian loan. The Prince of Dawsbergen, ruler of the adjoining principality, will advance the money if the young Prince of Graustark marries his daughter. Prince Robin, however, inherits an independent spirit, his father having been an American. He refuses absolutely to marry a Princess whom he has never seen. His councilors plead in vain. With the ruin of his country imminent, the boy ruler hastily sails for America to negotiate the loan, hoping at the same time to meet the girl of his dreams. The money is readily advanced by William W. Blithers, a self-made millionaire anxious to have his daughter marry into royalty. The daughter, however, avoids the Prince and he does not see her. He rescues a girl from drowning and falls in love with her. He believes her to be Blithers' daughter, but she does not reveal her identity. Simultaneous with the Prince's departure for home comes a note to Blithers from his daughter that she has sailed for Europe to escape the Prince. Blithers is elated. He is certain they will meet on shipboard. The Prince does meet the girl he loves. In Paris he makes a tryst with her and they are arrested for speeding. Before any sentence can be passed upon her, however, a diplomatic document reaches the court and they are freed. The Prince believes the power of Blithers to be world-wide. The night of his return to Graustark with the welcome news of the loan, the Prince of Dawsbergen is a guest at the palace. A mysterious note calls the younger man to the terrace. There he meets the girl. He tells her that even though she is Blithers' daughter, he wants to marry her. Taking her into the palace he announces her to the councilors as his future bride. He cannot account for their approving smile. "There is your father," he tells the girl as Blithers, who followed them across the ocean, enters the room. She laughs. "No, my father is over there," she exclaims, pointing to the Prince of Dawsbergen. The energetic Blithers explodes when he learns the news. He recovers himself, however, and says: "Congratulations. Prince. I can be a good loser."