JENNIE BAXTER JOURNALIST

By Robert Barr

Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada, in theyear one thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine. 

CONTENTS

 I. JENNIE MAKES HER TOILETTE AND THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A PORTER

 II. JENNIE HAS IMPORTANT CONFERENCES WITH TWO IMPORTANT EDITORS

 III. JENNIE INTERVIEWS A FRIGHTENED OFFICIAL

 IV. JENNIE LEARNS ABOUT THE DIAMONDS OF THE PRINCESS

 V. JENNIE MEETS A GREAT DETECTIVE

 VI. JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTERY

 VII. JENNIE ARRANGES A CINDERELLA VISIT

 VIII. JENNIE MIXES WITH THE ELITE OF EARTH

 IX. JENNIE REALIZES THAT GREAT EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEHIND

 X. JENNIE ASSISTS IN SEARCHING FOR HERSELF

 XI. JENNIE ELUDES AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE

 XII. JENNIE TOUCHES THE EDGE OF A GOVERNMENT SECRET

 XIII. JENNIE INDULGES IN TEA AND GOSSIP

 XIV. JENNIE BECOMES A SPECIAL POLICE OFFICER

 XV. JENNIE BESTOWS INFORMATION UPON THE CHIEF OF POLICE

 XVI. JENNIE VISITS A MODERN WIZARD IN HIS MAGIC ATTIC

 XVII. JENNIE ENGAGES A ROOM IN A SLEEPING-CAR

 XVIII. JENNIE ENDURES A TERRIBLE NIGHT JOURNEY

 XIX. JENNIE EXPERIENCES THE SURPRISE OF HER LIFE

 XX. JENNIE CONVERSES WITH A YOUNG MAN SHE THINKS MUCH OF

 XXI. JENNIE KEEPS STEP WITH THE WEDDING MARCH

CHAPTER I. JENNIE MAKES HER TOILETTE AND THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A PORTER. 

Miss Jennie Baxter, with several final and dainty touches that put torights her hat and dress--a little pull here and a pat there--regardedherself with some complacency in the large mirror that was set beforeher, as indeed she had every right to do, for she was an exceedinglypretty girl. It is natural that handsome young women should attirethemselves with extra care, and although Jennie would have beenbeautiful under any conceivable condition of dress, she nevertheless didnot neglect the arraying of herself becomingly on that account. All thatwas remarkable on this occasion consisted in the fact that she took morethan usual pains to make herself presentable, and it must be admittedthat the effect was as attractive as anyone could wish to have it. Herappearance was enough to send a friend into ecstasies, or drive an enemyto despair. 

Jennie's voluminous hair, without being exactly golden, was--as thepoets might term it--the colour of ripe corn, and was distractinglyfluffy at the temples. Her eyes were liquidly, bewitchingly black, ofmelting tenderness, and yet, upon occasion, they would harden intopiercing orbs that could look right through a man, and seem to fathomhis innermost thoughts. A smooth, creamy complexion, with a touch of redin the cheeks, helped to give this combination of blonde and brunette anappearance so charmingly striking that it may be easily understood shewas not a girl to be passed by with a single glance. Being so favouredby nature, Jennie did not neglect the aid of art, and it must beadmitted that most of her income was expended in seeing that herwardrobe contained the best that Paris could supply; and the best inthis instance was not necessarily the most expensive--at least not asexpensive as such supplementing might have been to an ordinary woman, for Jennie wrote those very readable articles on the latest fashionablegowns which have appeared in some of the ladies' weeklies, and it wasgenerally supposed that this fact did not cause her own replenishingfrom the _modistes_ she so casually mentioned in her writings to be moreexpensive than her purse could afford. Be that as it may, Miss Baxterwas always most becomingly attired, and her whole effect was soentrancing that men have been known to turn in the street as she passed, and murmur, "By Jove!" a phrase that, when you take into account thetone in which it is said, represents the furthermost point of admirationwhich the limited vocabulary of a man about town permits him to utter;and it says something for the honesty of Jennie's black eyes, and thestraightforwardness of her energetic walk, that none of these momentaryadmirers ever turned and followed her. 

On this occasion Miss Jennie had paid more than usual attention to hertoilette, for she was about to set out to capture a man, and the man wasno other than Radnor Hardwick, the capable editor of the _Daily Bugle_, which was considered at that moment to be the most enterprising morningjournal in the great metropolis. Miss Baxter had done work for someof the evening papers, several of the weeklies, and a number of themonthlies, and the income she made was reasonably good, but hazardouslyfitful. There was an uncertainty about her mode of life which wasdispleasing to her, and she resolved, if possible, to capture an editoron one of the morning papers, and get a salary that was fixed andsecure. That it should be large was a matter of course, and pretty MissJennie had quite enough confidence in herself to believe she would earnevery penny of it. Quite sensibly, she depended upon her skill and herindustry as her ultimate recommendation to a large salary, but she waswoman enough to know that an attractive appearance might be of someassistance to her in getting a hearing from the editor, even though heshould prove on acquaintance to be a man of iron, which was tolerablyunlikely. She glanced at the dainty little watch attached to herwristlet, and saw that it lacked a few minutes of five. She knew theeditor came to his office shortly after three, and remained there untilsix or half-past, when he went out to dine, returning at ten o'clock, orearlier, when the serious work of arranging next day's issue began. Shehad not sent a note to him, for she knew if she got a reply it would bemerely a request for particulars as to the proposed interview, and shehad a strong faith in the spoken word, as against that which is written. At five o'clock the editor would have read his letters, and wouldprobably have seen most of those who were waiting for him, andMiss Baxter quite rightly conjectured that this hour would be moreappropriate for a short conversation than when he was busy with hiscorrespondence, or immersed in the hard work of the day, as he would beafter ten o'clock at night. She had enough experience of the world toknow that great matters often depend for their success on apparenttrivialities, and the young woman had set her mind on becoming a memberof the _Daily Bugle_ staff. 

She stepped lightly into the hansom that was waiting for her, and saidto the cabman, "Office of the _Daily Bugle_, please; side entrance. "

The careful toilette made its first impression upon the surly-lookingIrish porter, who, like a gruff and faithful watch-dog, guarded theentrance to the editorial rooms of the _Bugle_. He was enclosed in akind of glass-framed sentry-box, with a door at the side, and a smallarched aperture that was on a level with his face as he sat on a highstool. He saw to it, not too politely, that no one went up those stairsunless he had undoubted right to do so. When he caught a glimpse of MissBaxter, he slid off the stool and came out of the door to her, whichwas an extraordinary concession to a visitor, for Pat Ryan contentedhimself, as a usual thing, by saying curtly that the editor was busy, and could see no one. 

"What did you wish, miss? To see the editor? That's Mr. Hardwick. Haveye an appointment with him? Ye haven't; then I very much doubt if ye'llsee him this day, mum. It's far better to write to him, thin ye canstate what ye want, an' if he makes an appointment there'll be nothrouble at all, at all. "

"But why should there be any trouble now?" asked Miss Baxter. "Theeditor is here to transact business, just as you are at the door to dothe same. I have come on business, and I want to see him. Couldn't yousend up my name to Mr. Hardwick, and tell him I will keep him but a fewmoments?"

"Ah, miss, that's what they all say; they ask for a few moments an' theyshtay an hour. Not that there'd be any blame to an editor if he kept youas long as he could. An' it's willing I'd be to take up your name, butI'm afraid that it's little good it 'ud be after doin' ye. There's morethan a dozen men in the waitin'-room now, an' they've been there forthe last half-hour. Not a single one I've sent up has come down again. "

"But surely, " said Miss Jennie, in her most coaxing tone, "there must besome way to see even such a great man as the editor, and if there is, you know the way. "

"Indade, miss, an' I'm not so sure there is a way, unless you met him inthe strate, which is unlikely. As I've told ye, there's twelve men nowwaitin' for him in the big room. Beyont that room there's another one, an' beyont that again is Mr. Hardwick's office. Now, it's as much as myplace is worth, mum, to put ye in that room beyont the one where themen are waitin'; but, to tell you the truth, miss, " said the Irishman, lowering his voice, as if he were divulging office secrets, "Mr. Hardwick, who is a difficult man to deal with, sometimes comes throughthe shmall room, and out into the passage whin he doesn't want to seeanyone at all, at all, and goes out into the strate, leavin' everybodywaitin' for him. Now I'll put ye into this room, and if the editor triesto slip out, then ye can speak with him; but if he asks ye how ye gotthere, for the sake of hiven don't tell him I sint ye, because that'snot my duty at all, at all. "

"Indeed, I won't tell him how I got there; or, rather, I'll say I camethere by myself; so all you need to do is to show me the door, and therewon't need to be any lies told. 

"True for ye, an' a very good idea. Well, miss, then will ye just comeup the stairs with me? It's the fourth door down the passage. "

Miss Jennie beamed upon the susceptible Irishman a look of such meltinggratitude that the man, whom bribery had often attempted to corrupt invain, was her slave for ever after. They went up the stairs together, atthe head of which the porter stood while Miss Baxter went down the longpassage and stopped at the right door; Ryan nodded and disappeared. 

Miss Baxter opened the door softly and entered. She found the room nottoo brilliantly lighted, containing a table and several chairs. The doorto the right hand, which doubtless led into the waiting-room, where thedozen men were patiently sitting, was closed. The opposite door, whichled into Mr. Hardwick's office, was partly open. Miss Baxter sat downnear the third door, the one by which she had entered from the passage, ready to intercept the flying editor, should he attempt to escape. 

In the editor's room someone was walking up and down with heavyfootfall, and growling in a deep voice that was plainly audible whereMiss Jennie sat. "You see, Alder, it's like this, " said the voice. "Anypaper may have a sensation every day, if it wishes; but what I want isaccuracy, otherwise our sheet has no real influence. When an articleappears in the _Bugle_, I want our readers to understand that thatarticle is true from beginning to end. I want not only sensation, butdefiniteness and not only definiteness, but absolute truth. "

"Well, Mr. Hardwick, " interrupted another voice--the owner of which waseither standing still or sitting in a chair, so far as Miss Baxter couldjudge by the tone, while the editor uneasily paced to and fro--"whatHazel is afraid of is that when this blows over he will lose hissituation--"

"But, " interjected the editor, "no one can be sure that he gave theinformation. No one knows anything about this but you and I, and we willcertainly keep our mouths shut. "

"What Hazel fears is that the moment we print the account, the Board ofPublic Construction will know he gave away the figures, because of theiraccuracy. He says that if we permit him to make one or two blunders, which will not matter in the least in so far as the general accountgoes, it will turn suspicion from him. It will be supposed that someonehad access to the books, and in the hurry of transcribing figureshad made the blunders, which they know he would not do, for he has areputation for accuracy. "

"Quite so, " said the editor; "and it is just that reputation--foraccuracy--that I want to gain for the _Daily Bugle_. Don't you think thetruth of it is that the man wants more money?"

"Who? Hazel?"

"Certainly. Does he imagine that he could get more than fifty poundselsewhere?"

"Oh, no; I'm sure the money doesn't come into the matter at all. Ofcourse he wants the fifty pounds, but he doesn't want to lose hissituation on the Board of Public Construction in the getting of it. "

"Where do you meet this man, at his own house, or in his office at theBoard?"

"Oh, in his own house, of course. "

"You haven't seen the books, then?"

"No; but he has the accounts all made out, tabulated beautifully, andhas written a very clear statement of the whole transaction. Youunderstand, of course, that there has been no defalcation, noembezzlement, or anything of that sort. The accounts as a wholebalance perfectly, and there isn't a penny of the public funds wronglyappropriated. All the Board has done is to juggle with figures so thateach department seems to have come out all right, whereas the truth isthat some departments have been carried on at a great profit, while withothers there has been a loss. The object obviously has been to deceivethe public and make it think that all the departments are economicallyconducted. "

"I am sorry money hasn't been stolen, " said the editor generously, "thenwe would have had them on the hip; but, even as it is, the _Bugle_ willmake a great sensation. What I fear is that the opposition press willseize on those very inaccuracies, and thus try to throw doubt on thewhole affair. Don't you think that you can persuade this person to letus have the information intact, without the inclusion of those blundershe seems to insist on? I wouldn't mind paying him a little more money, if that is what he is after. "

"I don't think that is his object. The truth is, the man is frightened, and grows more and more so as the day for publication approaches. He isso anxious about his position that he insisted he was not to be paid bycheque, but that I should collect the money and hand it over to him insovereigns. "

"Well, I'll tell you what to do, Alder. We mustn't seem too eager. Letthe matter rest where it is until Monday. I suppose he expects you tocall upon him again to-day?"

"Yes; I told him I should be there at seven. "

"Don't go, and don't write any explanation. Let him transfer a little ofhis anxiety to the fear of losing his fifty pounds. I want, if possible, to publish this information with absolute accuracy. "

"Is there any danger, Mr. Hardwick, that some of the other papers mayget on the track of this?"

"No, I don't think so; not for three days, anyway. If we appear tooeager, this man Hazel may refuse us altogether. "

"Very good, sir. "

Miss Baxter heard the editor stop in his walk, and she heard therustling of paper, as if the subordinate were gathering up somedocuments on which he had been consulting his chief. She waspanic-stricken to think that either of the men might come out and findher in the position of an eavesdropper, so with great quietness sheopened the door and slipped out into the hall, going from there to theentrance of the ordinary waiting-room, in which she found, not thetwelve men that the porter had expatiated upon, but five. Evidently theother seven had existed only in the porter's imagination, or had becometired of waiting and had withdrawn. The five looked up at her as sheentered and sat down on a chair near the door. A moment later the doorcommunicating with the room she had quitted opened, and a clerk came in. He held two or three slips of paper in his hand, and calling out a name, one of the men rose. 

"Mr. Hardwick says, " spoke up the clerk, "that this matter is in Mr. Alder's department; would you mind seeing him? Room number five. "

So that man was thus got rid of. The clerk mentioned another name, andagain a man rose. 

"Mr. Hardwick, " the clerk said, "has the matter under consideration. Call again to-morrow at this hour, then he will give you his decision. "

That got rid of number two. The third man was asked to leave his nameand address; the editor would write to him. Number four was told thatif he would set down his proposition in writing, and send it in to Mr. Hardwick, it would have that gentleman's serious consideration. Thefifth man was not so easily disposed of. He insisted upon seeing theeditor, and presently disappeared inside with the clerk. Miss Baxtersmiled at the rapid dispersion of the group, for it reminded her of therhyme about the one little, two little, three little nigger-boys. Butall the time there kept running through her mind the phrase, "Board ofPublic Construction, " and the name, "Hazel. "

After a few minutes, the persistent man who had insisted upon seeing theeditor came through the general waiting-room, the secretary, or clerk, or whoever he was, following him. 

"Has your name been sent in, madam?" the young man asked Miss Baxter, asshe rose. "I think not, " answered the girl. "Would you take my card toMr. Hardwick, and tell him I will detain him but a few moments?"

In a short time the secretary reappeared, and held the door open forher. 

CHAPTER II. JENNIE HAS IMPORTANT CONFERENCES WITH TWO IMPORTANT EDITORS. 

Mr. Hardwick was a determined-looking young man of about thirty-five, with a bullet head and closely-cropped black hair. He looked like astubborn, strong-willed person, and Miss Baxter's summing up of him wasthat he had not the appearance of one who could be coaxed or driveninto doing anything he did not wish to do. He held her card between hisfingers, and glanced from it to her, then down to the card again. 

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hardwick, " began Miss Baxter. "I don't know thatyou have seen any of my work, but I have written a good deal for some ofthe evening papers and for several of the magazines. "

"Yes, " said Hardwick, who was standing up preparatory to leaving hisoffice, and who had not asked the young woman to sit down; "your name isfamiliar to me. You wrote, some months since, an account of a personalvisit to the German Emperor; I forget now where it appeared. "

"Oh, yes, " said Miss Baxter; "that was written for the _SummerMagazine_, and was illustrated by photographs. "

"It struck me, " continued Hardwick, without looking at her, "that it wasan article written by a person who had never seen the German Emperor, but who had collected and assimilated material from whatever sourcepresented itself. "

The young woman, in nowise abashed, laughed; but still the editor didnot look up. 

"Yes, " she admitted, "that is precisely how it was written. I never havehad the pleasure of meeting William II. Myself. "

"What I have always insisted upon in work submitted to me, " growled theeditor in a deep voice, "is absolute accuracy. I take it that you havecalled to see me because you wish to do some work for this paper. "

"You are quite right in that surmise also, " answered Miss Jennie. "Still, if I may say so, there was nothing inaccurate in my articleabout the German Emperor. My compilation was from thoroughly authenticsources, so I maintain it was as truthfully exact as anything that hasever appeared in the _Bugle_. "

"Perhaps our definitions of truth might not quite coincide. However, ifyou will write your address on this card I will wire you if I have anywork--that is, any outside work--which I think a woman can do. Thewoman's column of the _Bugle_, as you are probably aware, is already ingood hands. "

Miss Jennie seemed annoyed that all her elaborate preparations werethrown away on this man, who never raised his eyes nor glanced at her, except once, during their conversation. 

"I do not aspire, " she said, rather shortly, "to the position of editorof a woman's column. I never read a woman's column myself, and, unlikeMr. Grant Allen, I never met a woman who did. "

She succeeded in making the editor lift his eyes towards her for thesecond time. 

"Neither do I intend to leave you my address so that you may send a wireto me if you have anything that you think I can do. What I wish is asalaried position on your staff. "

"My good woman, " said the editor brusquely, "that is utterly impossible. I may tell you frankly that I don't believe in women journalists. Thearticles we publish by women are sent to this office from their ownhomes. Anything that a woman can do for a newspaper I have men who willdo quite as well, if not better; and there are many things that womencan't do at all which men must do. I am perfectly satisfied with mystaff as it stands, Miss Baxter. "

"I think it is generally admitted, " said the young woman, "that yourstaff is an exceptionally good one, and is most capably led. Still, Ishould imagine that there are many things happening in London, societyfunctions, for instance, where a woman would describe more accuratelywhat she saw than any man you could send. You have no idea how full ofblunders a man's account of women's dress is as a general rule, and ifyou admire accuracy as much as you say, I should think you would notcare to have your paper made a laughing-stock among society ladies, whonever take the trouble to write you a letter and show you where you arewrong, as men usually do when some mistake regarding their affairs ismade. "

"There is probably something in what you say, " replied the editor, withan air of bringing the discussion to a close. "I don't insist that I amright, but these are my ideas, and while I am editor of this paper Ishall stand by them, so it is useless for us to discuss the matterany further, Miss Baxter. I will not have a woman as a member of thepermanent staff of the _Bugle_. "

For the third time he looked up at her, and there was dismissal in hisglance. 

Miss Baxter said indignantly to herself, "This brute of a man hasn't theslightest idea that I am one of the best dressed women he has ever met. "

But there was no trace of indignation in her voice when she said to himsweetly, "We will take that as settled. But if upon some other paper, Mr. Hardwick, I should show evidence of being as good a newspaperreporter as any member of your staff, may I come up here, and, withoutbeing kept waiting too long, tell you of my triumph?"

"You would not shake my decision, " he said. 

"Oh, don't say that, " she murmured, with a smile. "I am sure youwouldn't like it if anyone called you a fool. "

"Called me a fool?" said the editor sharply, drawing down his darkbrows. "I shouldn't mind it in the least. "

"What, not if it were true? You know it would be true, if I could dosomething that all your clever men hadn't accomplished. An editor maybe a very talented man, but, after all, his mission is to see that hispaper is an interesting one, and that it contains, as often as possible, something which no other sheet does. "

"Oh, I'll see to that, " Mr. Hardwick assured her with resoluteconfidence. 

"I am certain you will, " said Miss Baxter very sweetly; "but now youwon't refuse to let me in whenever I send up my card? I promise you thatI shall not send it until I have done something which will make thewhole staff of the _Daily Bugle_ feel very doleful indeed. "

For the first time Mr. Hardwick gave utterance to a somewhat harsh andmirthless laugh. 

"Oh, very well, " he said, "I'll promise that. "

"Thank you! And good afternoon, Mr. Hardwick. I am _so_ much obligedto you for consenting to see me. I shall call upon you at this hourto-morrow afternoon. "

There was something of triumph in her smiling bow to him, and as sheleft she heard a long whistle of astonishment in Mr. Hardwick's room. She hurried down the stairs, threw a bewitching glance at the Irishporter, who came out of his den and whispered to her, --

"It's all right, is it, mum?"

"More than all right, " she answered. "Thank you very much indeed foryour kindness. "

The porter preceded her out to the waiting hansom and held his arm sothat her skirt would not touch the wheel. 

"Drive quickly to the Cafe Royal, " she said to the cabman. 

When the hansom drew up in front of the Cafe Royal, Miss Jennie Baxterdid not step put of it, but waited until the stalwart servitor in goldlace, who ornamented the entrance, hurried from the door to the vehicle. "Do you know Mr. Stoneham?" she asked with suppressed excitement, "theeditor of the _Evening Graphite_? He is usually here playing dominoeswith somebody about this hour. "

"Oh yes, I know him, " was the reply. "I think he is inside at thismoment, but I will make certain. "

In a short time Mr. Stoneham himself appeared, looking perhaps a trifledisconcerted at having his whereabouts so accurately ascertained. 

"What a blessing it is, " said Miss Jennie, with a laugh, "that we poorreporters know where to find our editors in a case of emergency. "

"This is no case of emergency, Miss Baxter, " grumbled Stoneham. "If it'snews, you ought to know that it is too late to be of any use for usto-day. "

"Ah, yes, " was the quick reply, "but what excellent time I am in withnews for to-morrow!"

"If a man is to live a long life, " growled the disturbed editor, "hemust allow to-morrow's news to look after itself. Sufficient for the dayare the worries thereof. "

"As a general rule that is true, " assented the girl, "but I have a mostimportant piece of information for you that wouldn't wait, and in halfan hour from now you will be writing your to-morrow's leader, showingforth in terse and forcible language the many iniquities of the Board ofPublic Construction. "

"Oh, " cried the editor, brightening, "if it is anything to the discreditof the Board of Public Construction, I am glad you came. "

"Well, that's not a bit complimentary to me. You should be glad in anycase; but I'll forgive your bad manners, as I wish you to help me. Please step into this hansom, because I have most startling intelligenceto impart--news that must not be overheard; and there is no place sosafe for a confidential conference as in a hansom driving through thestreets of London. Drive slowly towards the _Evening Graphite_ office, "she said to the cabman, pushing up the trap-door in the roof of thevehicle. Mr. Stoneham took his place beside her, and the cabman turnedhis horse in the direction indicated. 

"There is little use in going to the office of the paper, " saidStoneham; "there won't be anybody there but the watchman. "

"I know, but we must go in some direction. We can't talk in front ofthe Café Royal, you know. Now, Mr. Stoneham, in the first place, I wantfifty golden sovereigns. How am I to get them within half an hour?"

"Good gracious! I don't know; the banks are all closed, but there is aman at Charing Cross who would perhaps change a cheque for me; there isa cheque-book at the office. "

"Then that's all right and settled. Mr. Stoneham, there's been somejuggling with the accounts in the office of the Board of PublicConstruction. "

"What! a defalcation?" cried Stoneham eagerly. 

"No; merely a shifting round. "

"Ah, " said the editor, in a disappointed tone. 

"Oh, you needn't say 'Ah. ' It's very serious; it is indeed. The accountsare calculated to deceive the dear and confiding public, to whoseinterests all the daily papers, morning and evening, pretend to bedevoted. The very fact of such deception being attempted, Mr. Stoneham, ought to call forth the anger of any virtuous editor. "

"Oh, it does, it does; but then it would be a difficult matter to prove. If some money were gone, now----"

"My dear sir, the matter is already proved, and quite ripe for yourenergetic handling of it; that's what the fifty pounds are for. Thissum will secure for you--to-night, mind, not to-morrow--a statementbristling with figures which the Board of Construction cannot deny. Youwill be able, in a stirring leading article, to express the horror youundoubtedly feel at the falsification of the figures, and your sterndelight in doing so will probably not be mitigated by the fact that noother paper in London will have the news, while the matter will beso important that next day all your beloved contemporaries will becompelled to allude to it in some shape or other. "

"I see, " said the editor, his eyes glistening as the magnitude of theidea began to appeal more strongly to his imagination. "Who makes thisstatement, and how are we to know that it is absolutely correct?"

"Well, there is a point on which I wish to inform you before going anyfurther. The statement is not to be absolutely correct; two orthree errors have been purposely put in, the object being to throwinvestigators off the track if they try to discover who gave the news tothe Press; for the man who will sell me this document is a clerk in theoffice of the Board of Public Construction. So, you see, you are gettingthe facts from the inside. "

"Is he so accustomed to falsifying accounts that he cannot get over thehabit even when preparing an article for the truthful Press?"

"He wants to save his own situation, and quite rightly too, so he hasput a number of errors in the figures of the department over whichhe has direct control. He has a reputation for such accuracy that heimagines the Board will never think he did it, if the figures pertainingto his department are wrong even in the slightest degree. "

"Quite so. Then we cannot have the pleasure of mentioning his name, andsaying that this honest man has been corrupted by his association withthe scoundrels who form the Board of Public Construction?"

"Oh, dear, no; his name must not be mentioned in any circumstances, andthat is why payment is to be made in sovereigns rather than by bankcheque or notes. "

"Well, the traitor seems to be covering up his tracks rathereffectually. How did you come to know him?"

"I don't know him. I've never met him in my life; but it came to myknowledge that one of the morning papers had already made all its plansfor getting this information. The clerk was to receive fifty pounds forthe document, but the editor and he are at present negotiating, becausethe editor insists upon absolute accuracy, while, as I said, the manwishes to protect himself, to cover his tracks, as you remarked. "

"Good gracious!" cried Stoneham, "I didn't think the editor of anymorning paper in London was so particular about the accuracy of what heprinted. The pages of the morning sheets do not seem to reflect thatanxiety. "

"So, you see, " continued Miss Jennie, unheeding his satirical comment, "there is no time to be lost; in fact, I should be on my way now towhere this man lives. "

"Here we are at the office, and I shall just run in and write a chequefor fifty pounds, which we can perhaps get cashed somewhere, " cried theeditor, calling the hansom to a halt and stepping out. 

"Tell the watchman to bring me a London Directory, " said the girl, andpresently that useful guardian came out with the huge red volume, whichMiss Baxter placed on her knees, and, with a celerity that comes of longpractice, turned over the leaves rapidly, running her finger quicklydown the H column, in which the name "Hazel" was to be found. At lastshe came to one designated as being a clerk in the office of the Boardof Public Construction, and his residence was 17, Rupert Square, Brixton. She put this address down in her notebook and handed back thevolume to the waiting watchman, as the editor came out with the chequein his hand. 

The shrewd and energetic dealer in coins, whose little office stands atthe exit from Charing Cross Station, proved quite willing to oblige theeditor of the _Evening Graphite_ with fifty sovereigns in exchange forthe bit of paper, and the editor, handing to Miss Jennie the envelopecontaining the gold, saw her drive off for Brixton, while he turned, notto resume his game of dominoes at the café, but to his office, to writethe leader which would express in good set terms the horror he felt atthe action of the Board of Public Construction. 

CHAPTER III. JENNIE INTERVIEWS A FRIGHTENED OFFICIAL. It was a little past seven o'clock when Miss Baxter's hansom drove up tothe two-storeyed house in Rupert Square numbered 17. She knocked at thedoor, and it was speedily opened by a man with some trace of anxiety onhis clouded face, who proved to be Hazel himself, the clerk at the Boardof Public Construction. "You are Mr. Hazel?" she ventured, on entering. 

"Yes, " replied the man, quite evidently surprised at seeing a ladyinstead of the man he was expecting at that hour; "but I am afraid Ishall have to ask you to excuse me; I am waiting for a visitor who is afew minutes late, and who may be here at any moment. "

"You are waiting for Mr. Alder, are you not?"

"Yes, " stammered the man, his expression of surprise giving place to oneof consternation. 

"Oh, well, that is all right, " said Miss Jennie, reassuringly. "I havejust driven from the office of the _Daily Bugle_. Mr. Alder cannot cometo-night. "

"Ah, " said Hazel, closing the door. "Then are you here in his place?"

"I am here instead of him. Mr. Alder is on other business that he had toattend to at the editor's request. Now, Mr. Hardwick--that's the editor, you know----"

"Yes, I know, " answered Hazel. 

They were by this time seated in the front parlour. 

"Well, Mr. Hardwick is very anxious that the figures should be givenwith absolute accuracy. "

"Of course, that would be much better, " cried the man; "but, you see, Ihave gone thoroughly into the question with Mr. Alder already. He saidhe would mention what I told him to the editor--put my position beforehim, in fact. "

"Oh, he has done so, " said Miss Baxter, "and did it very effectivelyindeed; in fact, your reasons are quite unanswerable. You fear, ofcourse, that you will lose your situation, and that is very important, and no one in the _Bugle_ office wishes you to suffer for what you havedone. Of course, it is all in the public interest. "

"Of course, of course, " murmured Hazel, looking down on the table. 

"Well, have you all the documents ready, so that they can be publishedat any time?"

"Quite ready, " answered the man. 

"Very well, " said the girl, with decision; "here are your fifty pounds. Just count the money, and see that it is correct. I took the envelope asit was handed to me, and have not examined the amount myself. "

She poured the sovereigns out on the table, and Hazel, with tremblingfingers, counted them out two by two. 

"That is quite right, " he said, rising. He went to a drawer, unlockedit, and took out a long blue envelope. 

"There, " he said, with a sigh that was almost a gasp. "There are thefigures, and a full explanation of them. You will be very careful thatmy name does not slip out in any way. "

"Certainly, " said Miss Jennie, coolly drawing forth the papers fromtheir covering. "No one knows your name except Mr. Alder, Mr. Hardwick, and myself; and I can assure you that I shall not mention it to anyone. "

She glanced rapidly over the documents. 

"I shall just read what you have written, " she said, looking up at him;"and if there is anything here I do not understand you will, perhaps, be good enough to explain it now, --and then I won't need to come hereagain. "

"Very well, " said Hazel. The man had no suspicion that his visitor wasnot a member of the staff of the paper he had been negotiating with. Shewas so thoroughly self-possessed, and showed herself so familiar withall details which had been discussed by Alder and himself that not theslightest doubt had entered the clerk's mind. 

Jennie read the documents with great haste, for she knew she was runninga risk in remaining there after seven o'clock. It might be that Alderwould come to Brixton to let the man know the result of his talk withthe editor, or Mr. Hardwick himself might have changed his mind, andinstructed his subordinate to secure the papers. Nevertheless, there wasno sign of hurry in Miss Jennie's demeanour as she placed the papersback in their blue envelope and bade the anxious Hazel good-bye. 

Once more in the hansom, she ordered the man to drive her to CharingCross, and when she was ten minutes away from Rupert Square she changedher direction and desired him to take her to the office of the _EveningGraphite_, where she knew Mr. Stoneham would be busy with his leadingarticle, and probably impatiently awaiting further details of theconspiracy he was to lay open before the public. A light was burning inthe editorial rooms of the office of the _Evening Graphite_, always asuspicious thing in such an establishment, and well calculated to causethe editor of any rival evening paper to tremble, should he catch aglimpse of burning gas in a spot where the work of the day should befinished at latest by five o'clock. Light in the room of the eveningjournalist usually indicates that something important is on hand. 

A glance at the papers Miss Baxter brought to him showed Mr. Stonehamthat he had at least got the worth of his fifty pounds. There would be afluttering in high places next day. He made arrangements before heleft to have the paper issued a little earlier than was customary, calculating his time with exactitude, so that rival sheets could nothave the news in their first edition, cribbed from the _Graphite_, and yet the paper would be on the street, with the newsboys shouting, "'Orrible scandal, " before any other evening journal was visible. And this was accomplished the following day with a precision trulyadmirable. 

Mr. Stoneham, with a craft worthy of all commendation, kept back fromthe early issue a small fraction of the figures that were in hispossession, so that he might print them in the so-called fourth edition, and thus put upon the second lot of contents--bills sent out, in huge, startling black type, "Further Revelations of the Board of ConstructionScandal;" and his scathing leading article, in which he indignantlydemanded a Parliamentary inquiry into the conduct of the Board, wasrecognized, even by the friends of that public body, as having seriouslyshaken confidence in it. The reception of the news by the other eveningpapers was most flattering. One or two ignored it altogether, othersalluded to it as a rumour, that it "alleged" so and so, and threw doubton its truth, which was precisely what Mr. Stoneham wished them to do, as he was in a position to prove the accuracy of his statement. 

Promptly, at five o'clock that afternoon a hansom containing Miss JennieBaxter drove up to the side entrance of the _Daily Bugle_ office, andthe young woman once more accosted the Irish porter, who again came outof his den to receive her. 

"Miss Baxter?" said the Irishman, half by way of salutation, and half byway of inquiry. "Yes, " said the girl. 

"Well, Mr. Hardwick left strict orders with me that if ye came, or, rather, that _whin_ ye came, I was to conduct ye right up to his room atonce. "

"Oh, that is very satisfactory, " cried Miss Jennie, "and somewhatdifferent from the state of things yesterday. "

"Indeed, and that's very true, " said the porter, his voice sinking. "To-day is not like yesterday at all, at all. There's been greatructions in this office, mum; although what it's about, fly away with meif I know. There's been ruunin' back and forrad, an' a plentiful deal oflanguage used. The proprietor himself has been here, an' he's here now, an' Mr. Alder came out a minute ago with his face as white as a sheet ofpaper. They do be sayin', " added the porter, still further lowering hisvoice, and pausing on the stairway, "that Mr. Hardwick is not goin' tobe the editor any more, but that Mr. Alder is to take his place. Anyway, as far as I can tell, Mr. Hardwick an' Mr. Alder have had a fine fallout, an' one or other of them is likely to leave the paper. "

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" said Miss Jennie, also pausing on the stairs. "Isit so serious as all that?"

"Indeed it is, mum, an' we none of us know where we're standin', at all, at all. "

The porter led the way to Mr. Hardwick's room, and announced thevisitor. 

"Ask her to come in, " she heard the editor say, and the next instant theporter left them alone together. 

"Won't you sit down, Miss Baxter?" said Mr. Hardwick, with no trace ofthat anger in his voice which she had expected. "I have been waiting foryou. You said you would be here at five, and I like punctuality. Withoutbeating round the bush, I suppose I may take it for granted that the_Evening Graphite_ is indebted to you for what it is pleased to call theBoard of Public Construction scandal?"

"Yes, " said the young woman, seating herself; "I came up to tell youthat I procured for the _Graphite_ that interesting bit of information. "

"So I supposed. My colleague, Henry Alder, saw Hazel this afternoon atthe offices of the Board. The good man Hazel is panic-stricken at theexplosion he has caused, and is in a very nervous state of mind, moreespecially when he learned that his documents had gone to an unexpectedquarter. Fortunately for him, the offices of the Board are throngedwith journalists who want to get statements from this man or the otherregarding the exposure, and so the visit of Alder to Hazel was notlikely to be noticed or commented upon. Hazel gave a graphic descriptionof the handsome young woman who had so cleverly wheedled the documentsfrom him, and who paid him the exact sum agreed upon in the exact waythat it was to have been paid. Alder had not seen you, and has not theslightest idea how the important news slipped through his fingers; butwhen he told me what had happened, I knew at once you were the goddessof the machine, therefore I have been waiting for you. May I bepermitted to express the opinion that you didn't play your cards at allwell, Miss Baxter?"

"No? I think I played my cards very much better than you played yours, you know. "

"Oh, I am not instituting any comparison, and am not at all settingmyself up as a model of strategy. I admit that, having the right cardsin my hands, I played them exceedingly badly; but then, you understand, I thought I was sure of an exclusive bit of news. "

"No news is exclusive, Mr. Hardwick, until it is printed, and out in thestreets, and the other papers haven't got it. "

"That is very true, and has all the conciseness of an adage. I wouldlike to ask, Miss Baxter, how much the _Graphite_ paid you for thatarticle over and above the fifty pounds you gave to Hazel?"

"Oh! it wasn't a question of money with me; the subject hasn't even beendiscussed. Mr. Stoneham is not a generous paymaster, and that is why Idesire to get on a paper which does not count the cost too closely. WhatI wished to do was to convince you that I would be a valuable additionto the _Bugle_ staff; for you seemed to be of opinion that the staff wasalready sufficient and complete. "

"Oh, my staff is not to blame in this matter; I alone am to blame inbeing too sure of my ground, and not realizing the danger of delay insuch a case. But if you had brought the document to me, you would havefound me by far your best customer. You would have convinced me quite aseffectually as you have done now that you are a very alert young woman, and I certainly would have been willing to give you four or five timesas much as the _Graphite_ will be able to pay. "

"To tell the truth, I thought of that as I stood here yesterday, but Isaw you were a very difficult man to deal with or to convince, and Idared not take the risk of letting you know I had the news. You mightvery easily have called in Mr. Alder, told him that Hazel had given upthe documents, and sent him flying to Brixton, where very likely theclerk has a duplicate set. It would have been too late to get thesensation into any other morning paper, and, even if it were not toolate, you would have had something about the sensation in the _Bugle_, and so the victory would not have been as complete as it is now. No, Icould not take such a risk. I thought it all out very carefully. "

"You credit us with more energy, Miss Baxter, than we possess. I canassure you that if you had come here at ten or eleven o'clock with thedocuments, I should have been compelled to purchase them from you. However, that is all past and done with, and there is no use in oursaying anything more about it. I am willing to take all the blame forour defeat on my shoulders, but there are some other things I am notwilling to do, and perhaps you are in a position to clear up a littlemisunderstanding that has arisen in this office. I suppose I may take itfor granted that you overheard the conversation which took place betweenMr. Alder and myself in this room yesterday afternoon?"

"Well, " said Miss Baxter, for the first time in some confusion, "I canassure you that I did not come here with the intention of listening toanything. I came into the next room by myself for the purpose of gettingto see you as soon as possible. While not exactly a member of the staffof the _Evening Graphite_, that paper nevertheless takes about all thework I am able to do, and so I consider myself bound to keep my eyes andears open on its behalf wherever I am. "

"Oh, I don't want to censure you at all, " said Hardwick; "I merely wishto be certain how the thing was done. As I said, I am willing to takethe blame entirely on my own shoulders. I don't think I should havemade use of information obtained in that way myself; still, I am notventuring to find fault with you for doing so. "

"To find fault with me!" cried Miss Jennie somewhat warmly, "that wouldbe the pot calling the kettle black indeed. Why, what better were you?You were bribing a poor man to furnish you with statistics, which hewas very reluctant to let you have; yet you overcame his scruples withmoney, quite willing that he should risk his livelihood, so long as yougot the news. If you ask me, I don't see very much difference in ourpositions, and I must say that if two men take the risk of talking aloudabout a secret, with a door open leading to another room, which may beempty or may be not, then they are two very foolish persons. "

"Oh, quite so, quite so, " answered Hardwick soothingly. "I have alreadydisclaimed the critical attitude. The point I wish to be sure of isthis--you overheard the conversation between Alder and myself?"

"Yes, I did. "

"Would you be able to repeat it?"

"I don't know that I could repeat it word for word, but I couldcertainly give the gist of it. "

"Would you have any objection to telling a gentleman whom I shall callin a moment, as nearly as possible what Alder said and what I said?I may add that the gentleman I speak of is Mr. Hempstead, and he ispractically the proprietor of this paper. There has arisen between Mr. Alder and myself a slight divergence of memory, if I may call it so, andit seems that you are the only person who can settle the dispute. "

"I am perfectly willing to tell what I heard to anybody. "

"Thank you. "

Mr. Hardwick pressed an electric button, and his secretary came in fromanother room. 

"Would you ask Mr. Hempstead to step this way, if he is in his room?"

In a few minutes Mr. Hempstead entered, bowed somewhat stiffly towardsthe lady, but froze up instantly when he heard that she was the personwho had given the Board of Public Construction scandal to the _EveningGraphite_. 

"I have just this moment learned, Mr. Hempstead, that Miss Baxter was inthe adjoining room when Alder and I were talking over this matter. Sheheard the conversation. I have not asked her to repeat it, but sent foryou at once, and she says she is willing to answer any questions you mayask. "

"In that case, Mr. Hardwick, wouldn't it be well to have Henry Alderhere?"

"Certainly, if he is on the premises. " Then, turning to his secretary, he said, "Would you find out if Mr. Alder is in his room? Tell him Mr. Hempstead wishes to see him here. "

When Henry Alder came in, and the secretary had disappeared, Miss Baxtersaw at once that she was in an unenviable situation, for it was quiteevident the three men were scarcely on speaking terms with each other. Nothing causes such a state of tension in a newspaper office as themissing of a piece of news that is important. 

"Perhaps it would be better, " suggested Hardwick, "if Miss Baxter wouldrepeat the conversation as she heard it. "

"I don't see the use of that, " said Mr. Hempstead. "There is only onepoint at issue. Did Mr. Alder warn Mr. Hardwick that by delay he wouldlose the publication of this report?"

"Hardly that, " answered the girl. "As I remember it, he said, 'Isn'tthere a danger that some other paper may get this?' Mr. Hardwickreplied, 'I don't think so. Not for three days, at least'; and then Mr. Alder said, 'Very good, ' or 'Very well, ' or something like that. "

"That quite tallies with my own remembrance, " assented Hardwick. "Iadmit I am to blame, but I decidedly say that I was not definitelywarned by Mr. Alder that the matter would be lost to us. "

"I told you it would be lost if you delayed, " cried Alder, with theemphasis of an angry man, "and it _has_ been lost. I have been on thetrack of this for two weeks, and it is very galling to have missed it atthe last moment through no fault of my own. "

"Still, " said Mr. Hempstead coldly, "your version of the conversationdoes not quite agree with what Miss Baxter says. "

"Oh, well, " said Alder, "I never pretended to give the exact words. Iwarned him, and he did not heed the warning. "

"You admit, then, that Miss Baxter's remembrance of the conversation iscorrect?"

"It is practically correct. I do not 'stickle' about words. "

"But you did stickle about words an hour ago, " said Mr. Hempstead, withsome severity. "There is a difference in positively stating that theitem would be lost and in merely suggesting that it might be lost. "

"Oh, have it as you wish, " said Alder truculently. "It doesn't matter inthe least to me. It is very provoking to work hard for two weeks, andthen have everything nullified by a foolish decision from the editor. However, as I have said, it doesn't matter to me. I have taken serviceon the _Daily Trumpet_, and you may consider my place on the _Bugle_vacant"--saying which, the irate Mr. Alder put his hat on his head andleft the room. 

Mr. Hempstead seemed distressed by the discussion, but, for the firsttime, Mr. Hardwick smiled grimly. 

"I always insist on accuracy, " he said, "and lack of it is one ofAlder's failings. "

"Nevertheless, Mr. Hardwick, you have lost one of your best men. How areyou going to replace him?" inquired the proprietor anxiously. 

"There is little difficulty in replacing even the best man on any staffin London, " replied Hardwick, with a glance at Miss Baxter. "As thisyoung lady seems to keep her wits about her when the welfare of herpaper is concerned, I shall, if you have no objection, fill HenryAlder's place with Miss Baxter?"

Mr. Hempstead arched his eyebrows a trifle, and looked at the girl insome doubt. 

"I thought you didn't believe in women journalists, Mr. Hardwick, " hemurmured at last. 

"I didn't up till to-day, but since the evening papers came out I havehad reason to change my mind. I should much rather have Miss Baxter forme than against me. "

"Do you think you can fill the position, Miss Baxter?" asked theproprietor, doubtingly. 

"Oh, I, am sure of it, " answered the girl. "I have long wanted a placeon a well-edited paper like the _Bugle_. " Again Mr. Hardwick smiledgrimly. The proprietor turned to him, and said, "I don't quite see, Mr. Hardwick, what a lady can do on this paper outside of the regulardepartments. "

"I hardly think there will be any trouble about that, Mr. Hempstead. Forexample, who could be better equipped to attempt the solution of thatknotty question about the Princess von Steinheimer's diamonds?"

"By Jove!" cried Hempstead, his eyes glittering with excitement. "Thatis an inspiration. I imagine that if anyone can unravel the mystery, itis Miss Baxter. "

CHAPTER IV. JENNIE LEARNS ABOUT THE DIAMONDS OF THE PRINCESS. 

"What about the diamonds of the Princess?" asked Miss Baxter, hercuriosity piqued by the remark of the editor. 

"That is rather a long story, " replied Mr. Hardwick, "and before I beginit, I would like to ask you one or two questions. Can you manipulate atypewriter?"

"That depends on what make it is. The ordinary typewriter I understandvery thoroughly. "

"Good. Have you any knowledge of shorthand?"

"A workable knowledge; I can write about one hundred words a minute. "

"Admirable! admirable! Your coming to this office was indeed aninspiration, as Mr. Hempstead remarked. You are just the person I havebeen looking for. "

"You didn't seem to think so yesterday, Mr. Hardwick, " said the girlwith a sly glance at him. 

"Well, many things have happened since yesterday. We are now dealingwith to-day, and with the Princess von Steinheimer. "

"She is a German princess, of course?"

"An Austrian princess, but an American woman. She was a Miss Briggs ofChicago; a daughter of Briggs, the railway millionaire, worth somewherebetween twenty and twenty-five millions--dollars, of course. A year ortwo ago she married Prince Konrad von Steinheimer; you may rememberhaving read about it in the papers?"

"Oh, yes; the usual international match--the girl after the title, heafter the money. "

"I suppose so; but be that as it may, she is the only daughter of oldBriggs, and had spent a good deal of her time in Europe, but she spentmore than time; she spent the old man's money as well, so during herstay in Europe she accumulated a vast stock of diamonds, some of themvery notable stones. I don't know what the whole collection is worth, some say a million dollars, while others say double that amount. Howeverthat may be, Miss Briggs became the Princess von Steinheimer, andbrought to Austria with her a million dollars in gold and the diamonds, which her father gave as dowry; but, of course, being an only child, shewill come in for the rest of his money when the railway magnate dies. "

"Is he likely to die soon? I don't suppose the Prince gave himself awayfor a mere million. "

"Oh, you forget the diamonds. As to the likelihood of old Briggs'sdeath, it didn't strike me as imminent when I had a conversation withhim yesterday. "

"Yesterday? Is he here in London, then?"

"Yes; he has come over to disentangle the mystery about the diamonds. "

"And what is the mystery? You take a dreadful long time to tell a story, Mr. Hardwick. "

"The story is important, and it must be told in detail, otherwise youmay go on a long journey for nothing. Are you taking down what I say inshorthand? That is right, and if you are wise you will not transcribeyour notes so that anyone can read them; they are safer in that form. The von Steinheimer family have two residences, a house in Vienna and anancient castle in the Tyrol, situated on the heights above Meran, a mostpicturesque place, I understand; but very shortly you will know moreabout it than I do, because the _Bugle_ expects you to go there as itsspecial correspondent. Here the diamond robbery took place somethinglike two months ago, and the affair is still as great a mystery as ever. The Princess was to open the season at Meran, which is a fashionableresort, by giving a fancy dress ball in Schloss Steinheimer, to whichall the Austrian and foreign notables were invited. It was just beforethe ball began that the diamonds were first missed--in fact, thePrincess was about to put them on, she representing some gorgeouslydecorated character from the Arabian Nights, when the discovery was madethat the diamonds were gone. She was naturally very much upset over herloss, and sent at once for the Prince, her husband, insisting that thepolice should be notified immediately and detectives called in, as wasperfectly natural. Now here comes a strange feature of the affair, andthis is that the Prince positively forbade any publicity, refusing hissanction when she demanded that the police should be informed, and yetthe Prince knew better than anyone else the very considerable value ofthe stones. "

"What reason did he give for his refusal?" asked Miss Baxter, looking upfrom her notes. 

"I am not quite certain about that; but I think he said it was _infradig. _ for the Steinheimers to call in the police. Anyhow, it was anexcuse which did not satisfy the Princess; but as guests were arriving, and as it was desirable that there should be no commotion to mar theoccasion, the Princess temporarily yielded to the wish of her husband, and nothing was said publicly about the robbery. The great ball was thetalk of Meran for several days, and no one suspected the private troublethat was going on underneath this notable event. During these severaldays the Princess insisted that the aid of the police should be invoked, and the Prince was equally strenuous that nothing should be said or doneabout the matter. Then, quite unexpectedly, the Prince veered completelyround, and proclaimed that he would engage the best detectives inEurope. Strange to say, when he announced this decision to his wife, shehad veered round also, and opposed the calling in of the detectives asstrenuously as he had done heretofore. "

"What reason did she give for her change of front?" asked Miss Jennie. 

"She said, I believe, that it was now too late; that the thieves, whoever they were, had had time to make away with their plunder, andthere would merely be a fuss and worry for nothing. "

"Do you know, I am inclined to agree with her, " asserted the girl. 

"Are you? Then tell me what you think of the case as far as you have got. "

"What do _you_ think?"

"I sha'n't tell you at this stage, because I know of further particularswhich I will give you later on. I merely want your opinion now, so thatI may see whether what I have to tell you afterwards modifies it in anyway. "

"Well, to me the case looks decidedly dark against the Prince. "

"That is what Mr. Briggs thinks. He imagines his Highness has thejewels. "

"Where did you get all these particulars?"

"From Mr. Briggs, who, of course, got them by letter from his daughter. "

"Then we have, as it were, a one-sided statement. "

"Oh, quite so; but still you must remember the Princess does not in theleast suspect her husband of the theft. "

"Well, please go on. What are the further particulars?"

"The further particulars are that the Prince made some quietinvestigations among the servants, and he found that there was a manwho, although he was a friend of his own, was much more the friend ofthe Princess, and this man had, on the day the ball was given, theentire freedom of the castle. He is a young officer and nobleman. Lieutenant von Schaumberg, and the Prince knew that this young man wasbeing hard pressed for some debts of honour which he did not appear tobe in a position to liquidate. The young man went unexpectedly to Viennathe day after the ball, and on his return settled his obligations. ThePrincess, from one of her women, got word of her husband's suspicion. She went to the Prince at once, and told him she had come to hisown opinion with regard to the lost diamonds. She would, in nocircumstances, have detectives about the place. Then he told her that hehad also changed his mind, and resolved to engage detectives. So herethey were at a deadlock again. She wrote to her father with greatindignation about the Prince's unjust suspicions, saying von Schaumbergwas a gentleman in every sense of the word. I gather that relationsbetween herself and her husband are somewhat strained, so I imaginethere is much more in this matter than the lost diamonds. "

"You imagine, then, that she is shielding the Lieutenant?"

"Candidly, I do. "

"And you are of opinion he stole the diamonds?"

"Yes, I am. "

"I don't agree with you. I still think it was the Prince, and I thinkbesides this, that he dexterously managed to throw suspicion on theLieutenant. Have they called in the detectives yet?"

"No, they are at a deadlock, as I remarked before. "

"Well, what am I expected to do?"

"Mr. Briggs cabled to his daughter--he never writes a letter--thathe would come over and straighten out the tangle in fifteen minutes. He is certain the Prince stole the diamonds, but he did nottell his daughter so. He informed her he was bringing her apresent of a new typewriting machine, and also a young woman fromChicago who could write shorthand and would look after the Princess'scorrespondence--act as secretary, in fact; for it seems the Princesshas a larger correspondence than she can reasonably attend to, and sheappears therefore to yearn for a typewriter. The old man tells me she isvery careless about her letters, never being able to find anythingshe wants, and leaving them about a good deal, so he thinks she needssomeone to look after her affairs; and I have a suspicion that herfather fears she may leave some compromising letter about, so he wishesto ward off a divorce case. "

"No, I fancy you are mistaken there. The father hasn't the slightestidea that there can be anything wrong with his daughter. It is probablethe Princess has written some libellous statements about her husband, and it is quite likely the Prince is a brute and that young vonSchaumberg is a most charming person. "

"Well, as I was saying, " continued Hardwick, "the old man cabled hisdaughter that he is bringing her a secretary and a typewriter. Heengaged a female Pinkerton detective to enter the castle as secretary tothe Princess and, if possible, to solve the diamond mystery. She is ayoung woman who, when she left Chicago, was very anti-English, butshe became acquainted on the steamer with a young Englishman who wastremendously taken with her, and so at Liverpool she quite calmly brokeher engagement with the old man and fulfilled a new engagement she hadmade with the young man by promptly marrying him--special license, I amtold. Old Briggs has therefore a new typewriting machine on his hands, and so I was going to propose to you that you take the place of theChicago Pinkerton person. Briggs has become so disgusted with all thesedetective women that he abandoned the idea of sending a female detectivewith the machine, and doesn't imagine that whoever is sent will beeither a detective or a newspaper woman. I was introduced to him theother day by one of those lucky chances which sometimes put interestingitems of news in our way, and he told me the whole story, requesting meto recommend someone who wrote shorthand and understood the typewriter. I am to dine with him this evening, and I shall cordially recommend you. I may say that Briggs has gone to that celebrated London detective Mr. Cadbury Taylor, and has engaged him to solve the diamond mystery. Soyou see you will have a clear field. If you can leave for the castleto-morrow night, you may have the pleasure of Mr. Cadbury Taylor'scompany. He isn't visiting the castle, but goes straight to Vienna; soif you work your cards rightly, you can be in the same carriage withhim as far as Munich, and during that time you may find out perhaps whathe thinks about the case. I know only this much about his theory, andthat is he thinks the right place to begin is in Vienna, where some, atleast, of the stones are supposed to have been pawned. "

"Oh, this is a delightful case, and I shall enjoy it. Has there beenanything published yet with reference to the robbery?"

"Not a word; nobody knows anything about it, except the Prince andPrincess, Briggs, myself and yourself, and perhaps one or two of theservants in the castle--oh, yes, and Cadbury Taylor. "

CHAPTER V. JENNIE MEETS A GREAT DETECTIVE. 

Miss Baxter was early at the station before the Continental train left. She walked up and down the platform, hoping to see Mr. Cadbury Taylor, with whose face and form she was familiar. She secured a porter whospoke French, and pretended to him that she knew no English. 

"I desire, " she said, "to get into a first-class compartment witha gentleman whom I shall point out to you. I shall give you fiveshillings, so you must let me have your whole attention. My luggage hasbeen labelled and registered, therefore you will not need to botherabout it, but keep your eye on me and follow me into whatever carriage Ienter, bringing with you the hand-bag and this heavy package. "

The heavy package was a typewriter in its case. Shortly before the traindeparted, there sauntered into the station the tall, thin, well-knownform of the celebrated detective. He wore a light ulster that reachedalmost to his heels, and his keen, alert face was entirely without beardor moustache. As he came up the platform, a short, stout man accostedhim. 

"I was afraid you were going to be late, " said the detective's friend, "but I see you are just in time as usual. "

"A railway station, " said Mr. Cadbury Taylor, "is not the most inspiringplace in London for the spending of a spare half hour; besides, I hadsome facts to get together, which are now tabulated in my note-book, andI'm quite ready to go, if the train is. "

"I have secured a smoking compartment here where we shall be alone. "

"That's right, Smith, " said Cadbury Taylor. "You are always sothoughtful, " and the two men entered the compartment together. 

Just as the guards were shouting, "Take your seats, please, " Miss Baxtermade a bolt for the compartment in which the detective and his friendsat together in opposite corners. 

"I beg your pardon, " said Smith, "this is a smoking compartment. " Thelady replied to him volubly in French, and next instant the porterheaved the typewriter and hand-bag on the seat beside her. Smith seemedto resent the intrusion, and appeared about to blame the porter, but theman answered rapidly as he banged the door shut, "The lady doesn't speakany English, " and the next moment the train moved out of the station. 

"There was no need, " said the detective, "my dear Smith, to depend uponthe porter for the information that the lady could not speak English. She is the secretary to a very rich employer in Chicago, and came fromthat city to New York, where she sailed on the _Servia_ alone, coming toEngland to transact some special business, of which I could here giveyou full particulars, if it were worth while. She came from Liverpool toLondon over the Great Western Railway, and is now on her way to Paris. All this, of course, is obvious to the most casual observer, and so, mydear Smith, we may discuss our case with as much security as though wewere entirely alone. "

"But, good heavens, Cadbury!" cried Smith in amazement, "how can youtell all that?"

"My dear fellow, " said the detective wearily, "no one travels with atypewriting machine unless that person is a typewriter. The girl, ifyou will notice, is now engaged in filling the leaves of her book withshorthand, therefore that proves her occupation. That she is secretaryto a rich man is evidenced by the fact that she crossed in the _Servia_first cabin, as you may see by glancing at the label on the case; thatshe came alone, which is to say her employer was not with her, isindicated by the typewriter being marked 'Not Wanted, ' so it was putdown into the hold. If a Chicago business man had been travelling withhis secretary, the typewriter case would have been labelled instead, 'Cabin, wanted, ' for a Chicago man of business would have to write somehundreds of letters, even on the ocean, to be ready for posting themoment he came ashore. The typewriter case is evidently new, and isstamped with the name and address of its sellers in Chicago. That shecame by the Great Western is shown by the fact that 'Chester' appearson still another label. That she has special business in England we maywell believe, otherwise she would have crossed on the French line directfrom New York to Havre. So you see, my dear boy, these are all mattersof observation, and quite patent to anyone who cares to use his eyes. "

"Yes, it all seems very simple now that you have explained it, " growledSmith. 

"I should be a much more mysterious person than I am, " remarked thedetective complacently, "if I did not explain so much. This explanationhabit is becoming a vice with me, and I fear I must abandon it. "

"I hope for my sake you won't, " said Smith more good-naturedly, "for ifleft to myself I never could find out how you arrive at your wonderfulconclusions. Do you expect the Austrian diamond mystery to provedifficult?"

"Difficult? Oh, dear no! To tell the truth, I have solved it already, but in order to give the American a run for his money--and surely heought not to object to that, because he is a millionaire who has made hisfortune by giving other people runs for their money, being a railwayman--I am now on my way to Vienna. If I solved the problem off-hand forhim in London, he would have no more appreciation of my talent than youhad a moment ago when I explained why I knew this French girl came fromChicago. "

"You mustn't mind that, Cadbury, " said Smith contritely. "I confess Iwas irritated for a moment because it all seemed so simple. "

"My dear fellow, every puzzle in this world is simple except one, andthat is to find any problem which is difficult. "

"Then who stole the diamonds? The lieutenant?"

The detective smiled and gazed upwards for a few tantalizing moments atthe roof of the carriage. 

"Here we have, " he said at last, "an impecunious prince who marries anAmerican heiress, as so many of them do. The girl begins life in Austriaon one million dollars, say two hundred thousand pounds, and a caseof diamonds said to be worth another two hundred thousand atleast--probably more. Not much danger of running through that veryspeedily, is there, Smith?"

"No, I should think not. "

"So the average man would think, " continued the detective. "However, Ihave long since got out of the habit of thinking; therefore I make sure. The first problem I set to myself is this: How much money have thePrince and Princess spent since they were married? I find that therepairs on the Schloss Steinheimer, situated in the Tyrol, costsomething like forty thousand pounds. It is a huge place, and theSteinheimers have not had an heiress in the family for many centuries. The Prince owed a good deal of money when he was married, and it tooksomething like sixty thousand pounds to settle those debts; ratherexpensive as Continental princes go, but if one must have luxuries, onecannot save money. Not to weary you with details, I found that the twohundred thousand pounds were exhausted somewhat more than two monthsago; in fact, just before the alleged robbery. The Prince is, of course, without money, otherwise he would not have married a Chicago heiress, and the Princess being without money, what does she naturally do?"

"Pawns her own diamonds!" cried Smith enthusiastically. 

The detective smiled. 

"I thought it much more probable she would apply to her father formoney. I asked him if this was the case, giving him the date, roughlyspeaking, when such a letter had been sent. The old man opened his eyesat this, and told me he had received such a letter. 'But you did notsend the money?' I ventured, 'No, ' he said, 'I did not. The fact is, money is very tight in Chicago just now, and so I cabled her to run onher debts for a while. ' This exactly bore out the conclusion at which Ihad already arrived. So now, having failed to get money from her father, the lady turns to her diamonds, the only security she possesses. Thechances are that she did so before her father's cable message came, andthat was the reason she so confidently wished information to be given tothe police. She expected to have money to redeem her jewels, and being abright woman, she knew the traditional stupidity of the official police, and so thought there was no danger of her little ruse being discovered. But when the cable message came saying no money would be sent her, adifferent complexion was put upon the whole affair, for she did not knowbut if the police were given plenty of time they might stumble on thediamonds. "

"But, my dear Cadbury, why should she not have taken the diamonds openlyand raised money on them?"

"My dear fellow, there are a dozen reasons, any one of which willsuffice where a woman is in the case. In the first place, she might fearto offend the family pride of the von Steinheimers; in the second place, we cannot tell what her relations with her husband were. She may nothave wished him to know that she was short of money. But that she hasstolen her own diamonds there is not the slightest question in my mind. All that is necessary for me to do now is to find out how many personsthere are in Vienna who would lend large sums of money on valuablejewels. The second is to find with which one of those the Princesspawned her diamonds. "

"But, my dear Cadbury, the lady is in Meran, and Vienna is some hundredsof miles away. How could a lady in the Tyrol pawn diamonds in Viennawithout her absence being commented on? or do you think she had an agentto do it for her?" Again the detective smiled indulgently. 

"No, she had no agent. The diamonds never left Vienna. You see, the ballhad been announced, and immediate money was urgently needed. She pawnedthe diamonds before she left the capital of Austria, and the chances areshe did not intend anyone to know they were missing; but on the eve ofthe ball her husband insisted that she should wear her diamonds, andtherefore, being a quick-witted woman, she announced they had beenstolen. After having made such a statement, she, of course, had tostick to it; and now, failing to get the money from America, sheis exceedingly anxious that no real detective shall be employed ininvestigation. "

At Dover Miss Baxter, having notes of this interesting conversation inshorthand, witnessed the detective bid good-bye to his friend Smith, whoreturned to London by a later train. After that she saw no more of Mr. Cadbury Taylor, and reached the Schloss Steinheimer at Meran withoutfurther adventure. 

CHAPTER VI. JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTERY. 

Miss Baxter found life at the Schloss much different from what she hadexpected. The Princess was a young and charming lady, very handsome, butin a state of constant depression. Once or twice Miss Baxter came uponher with apparent traces of weeping on her face. The Prince was notan old man, as she had imagined, but young and of a manly, stalwartappearance. He evidently possessed a fiendish temper, and moped aboutthe castle with a constant frown upon his brow. 

The correspondence of the Princess was in the utmost disorder. Therewere hundreds upon hundreds of letters, and Miss Baxter set to worktabulating and arranging them. Meanwhile the young newspaper woman kepther eyes open. She wandered about the castle unmolested, poked into oddcorners, talked with the servants, and, in fact, with everyone, butnever did she come upon a clue which promised to lead to a solution ofthe diamond difficulty. Once she penetrated into a turret room, andcame unexpectedly upon the Prince, who was sitting on the window-ledge, looking absently out on the broad and smiling valley that lay for milesbelow the castle. He sprang to his feet and stared so fiercely at theintruder that the girl's heart failed her, and she had not even thepresence of mind to turn and run. 

"What do you want?" he said to her shortly, for he spoke Englishperfectly. "You are the young woman from Chicago, I suppose?"

"No, " answered Miss Baxter, forgetting for the moment the _role_ she wasplaying; "I am from London. "

"Well, it doesn't matter; you are the young woman who is arranging mywife's correspondence?"

"Yes. " The Prince strode rapidly forward and grasped her by the wrist, his brow dark with a forbidding frown. He spoke in a hoarse whisper:

"Listen, my good girl! Do you want to get more money from me than youwill get from the Princess in ten years' service? Hearken, then, to whatI tell you. If there are any letters from--from--men, will you bringthem to me?"

Miss Baxter was thoroughly frightened, but she said to the Princesharply, --

"If you do not let go my wrist, I'll scream. How dare you lay your handon me?"

The Prince released her wrist and stepped back. 

"Forgive me, " he said; "I'm a very miserable man. Forget what I havesaid. "

"How can I forget it?" cried the girl, gathering courage as she saw himquail before her blazing eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to bring to me any letters written by--by----"

"Written by von Schaumberg, " cried the girl, noticing his hesitation andfilling in the blank. 

A red wave of anger surged up in the Prince's face. 

"Yes, " he cried; "bring me a letter to her from von Schaumberg, and I'llpay you what you ask. "

The girl laughed. 

"Prince, " she said, "you will excuse me if I call you a fool. There areno letters from von Schaumberg, and I have gone through the whole of thecorrespondence. "

"What, then, suggested the name von Schaumberg to you? Where did youever hear it before?"

"I heard that you suspected him of stealing the diamonds. "

"And so he did, the cowardly thief. If it were not for mixing thePrincess's name with such carrion as he, I would--"

But the Prince in his rage stamped up and down the room without sayingwhat he would do. Miss Baxter quickly brought him to a standstill. 

"It is contrary to my duty to the Princess, " she began, hesitatingly, when he stopped and turned fiercely upon her. 

"What is contrary to your duty?"

"There are letters, tied very daintily with a blue ribbon, and they arefrom a man. The Princess did not allow me to read them, but locked themaway in a secret drawer in her dressing-room, but she is so carelesswith her keys and everything else, that I am sure I can get them foryou, if you want them. "

"Yes, yes, I want them, " said the Prince, "and will pay you handsomelyfor them. "

"Very well, " replied Miss Baxter, "you shall have them. If you will waithere ten minutes, I shall return with them. "

"But, " hesitated the Prince, "say nothing to the Princess. "

"Oh, no, I shall not need to; the keys are sure to be on herdressing-table. "

Miss Baxter ran down to the room of the Princess, and had littledifficulty in obtaining the keys. She unlocked the secret drawer intowhich she had seen the Princess place the packet of letters, and takingthem out, she drew another sheet of paper along with them, which sheread with wide-opening eyes, then with her pretty lips pursed, sheactually whistled, which unmaidenly performance merely gave sibilantexpression to her astonishment. Taking both the packet of letters andthe sheet of paper with her, she ran swiftly up the stair and along thecorridor to the room where the Prince was impatiently awaiting her. 

"Give them to me, " he snapped, rudely snatching the bundle of documentsfrom her hand. She still clung to the separate piece of paper and saidnothing. The Prince stood by the window and undid the packet withtrembling hands. He examined one and then another of the letters, turning at last towards the girl with renewed anger in his face. 

"You are trifling with me, my girl, " he cried. 

"No, I am not, " she said stoutly. 

"These are my own letters, written by me to my wife before we weremarried!"

"Of course they are. What others did you expect? These are the onlyletters, so far as I have learned, that any man has written to her, and the only letters she cares for of all the thousands she has everreceived. Why, you foolish, blind man, I had not been in this castle aday before I saw how matters stood. The Princess is breaking her poorheart because you are unkind to her, and she cares for nobody on earthbut you, great stupid dunce that you are. "

"Is it true? Will you swear it's true?" cried the Prince, dropping thepacket and going hastily toward the girl. Miss Jennie stood with herback to the wall, and putting her hands behind her, she said, --

"No, no; you are not going to touch me again. Of course it's true, andif you had the sense of a six-year-old child, you would have seen itlong ago; and she paid sixty thousand pounds of your gambling debts, too. "

"What are you talking about? The Princess has never given me a penny ofher money; I don't need it. Goodness knows, I have money enough of myown. "

"Well, Cadbury Taylor said that you--Oh, I'll warrant you, it is likeall the rest of his statements, pure moonshine. "

"Of whom are you speaking? And why did my wife protect that wretch whomshe knows has stolen her diamonds?"

"You mean von Schaumberg?"

"Yes. "

"I believe the Princess does think he stole them, and the reason thePrincess protects him is to prevent you from challenging him, for shefears that he, being a military man, will kill you, although I fancy shewould be well rid of you. "

"But he stole the diamonds--there was nobody else. "

"He did nothing of the kind. Read that!"

The Prince, bewildered, took the sheet that she handed to him and readit, a wrinkle of bewilderment corrugating his brow. 

"I don't understand what this has to do with the case, " he said at last. "It seems to be an order on the bank at Vienna for the diamonds, writtenby the Princess herself. "

"Of course it is. Well, if the diamonds had been delivered, that paperwould now be in the possession of the bank instead of in your hands. "

"Perhaps she mislaid this order and wrote another. "

"Perhaps. Still it might be worth while finding out. "

"Take this, then, to the Princess and ask her. "

"It is not likely she would remember. The better plan is to telegraph atonce to the Vienna bank, asking them to send the diamonds to Meran byspecial messenger. No one there knows that the diamonds are missing. "

"I will do so at once, " cried the Prince, with more animation in hisvoice than Miss Baxter had previously noticed. His Highness was becominginterested in the game. 

After luncheon the Princess came to Miss Baxter, who was seated at herdesk, and handed her a letter. 

"There is an invitation from the Duchess of Chiselhurst for a grand ballshe is shortly to give in her London house. It is to be a very swellaffair, but I don't care enough for such things to go all the way toEngland to enjoy them. Would you therefore send her Grace my regrets?"

"I will do so at once. "

At that moment there came a messenger from the Prince asking Miss Baxterto meet him in the library. The girl glanced up at the Princess. 

"Have I your permission to go?" she said. 

The Princess looked at her steadily for a moment, just the faintestsuspicion of a frown on her fair brow. 

"I do not suppose you need my permission. " Her Highness spoke with slowdeliberation. "My husband condescends to take considerable interest inyou. Passing along the corridor this morning, I heard your voices inmost animated conversation. "

"Had you sufficient interest in our discussion to stop and listen towhat we said, Princess von Steinheimer?"

"Ah, now you are becoming insolent, and I must ask you to consider yourengagement with me at an end. "

"Surely you will not dismiss me in this heartless way, Princess. I thinkI am entitled to a month's notice, or is it only a week's?"

"I will pay you a year's salary, or two years' if that will content you. I have no wish to deal harshly with you, but I desire you to leave atonce, " said the Princess, who had little sense of humour, and thusthought the girl was in earnest when she asked for notice. 

Miss Baxter laughed merrily, and replied when she was able to controlher mirth, "I do hate to leave the castle just when things are becominginteresting. Still, I don't suppose I shall really need to go away inspite of your dismissal, for the Prince this morning offered me tentimes the amount of money you are paying. "

"Did he?"

"Be assured he did; if you don't believe me, ask him. I told him he wasa fool, but, alas, we live in a cynical age, and few men believe allthey hear, so I fear my expression of opinion made little impression onhim. "

"I shall not keep you longer from his Highness, " said the Princess withfreezing dignity. 

"Thank you so much. I am just dying to meet him, for I know he hassomething most interesting to tell me. Don't you think yourself, Princess, that a man acts rather like a fool when he is deeply in love?"

To this there was no reply, and the Princess left the room. 

Miss Jennie jumped to her feet and almost ran to the library. She foundthe Prince walking up and down the long room with a telegraph message inhis hand. "You are a most wonderful young woman, " he said; "read that. "

"I have been told so by more observing men than you, Prince vonSteinheimer, " said the girl, taking the telegram. It was from themanager of the bank in Vienna, and it ran: "Special messenger leaveswith package by the Meran express to-night. "

"Just as I thought, " said Miss Jennie; "the diamonds never left thebank. I suppose those idiots of servants which the Princess has roundher didn't know what they took away from Vienna and what they left. Then, when the diamonds were missing, they completely lost theirheads--not that anyone in the castle has much wit to spare. I never sawsuch an incompetent lot. "

The Prince laughed. 

"You think, perhaps, I have not wit enough to see that my wife cares forme, is that it? Is that why you gave me my own letters?"

"Oh, you are well mated! The Princess now does me the honour of beingjealous. Think of that! As if it were possible that I should take anyinterest in you, for I have seen real men in my time. "

The Prince regarded her with his most severe expression. 

"Are you not flattering yourself somewhat, young lady?"

"Oh, dear no! I take it as the reverse of flattering to be supposed thatI have any liking for such a ninny as you are. Flattering, indeed! Andshe has haughtily dismissed me, if you please. "

"The Princess has? What have you been saying to her?"

"Oh, I made the most innocent remark, and it was the truth too, whichshows that honesty is not always the best policy. I merely told her thatyou had offered me ten times the amount of money she is paying me. Youneedn't jump as if somebody had shot off a gun at your ear. You know youdid make such an offer. "

"You confounded little mischief-maker, " cried the Prince in anger. "Didyou tell her what it was for?"

"No. She did not ask. "

"I will thank you to apply the cleverness you seem to possess to theundoing of the harm you have so light-heartedly caused. "

"How can I? I am ordered to leave to-night, when I did _so_ wish to stayand see the diamond _dénouement_. "

"You are not going to-night. I shall speak to the Princess about it ifthat should be necessary. Your mention of the diamonds reminds me thatmy respected father-in-law, Mr. Briggs, informs me that a celebrateddetective, whom it seems he has engaged--Taylor, I think the nameis--will be here to-morrow to explain the diamond mystery, so you seeyou have a competitor. "

"Oh, is Cadbury coming? That is too jolly for anything. I simply _must_stay and hear his explanation, for he is a very famous detective, andthe conclusions he has arrived at must be most interesting. "

"I think some explanations are due to me as well. My worthyfather-in-law seems to have commissioned this person without thinking itnecessary to consult me in the least; in fact, Mr. Briggs goes about thecastle looking so dark and lowering when he meets me, that I sometimesdoubt whether this is my own house or not. "

"And is it?"

"Is it what?"

"Is it your own house? I was told it was mortgaged up to the tallestturret. Still, you can't blame Mr. Briggs for being anxious about thediamonds; they belong to his daughter. "

"They belong to my wife. "

"True. That complicates matters a bit, and gives both Chicago and Viennaa right to look black. And now, your Highness, I must take my leave ofyou; and if the diamonds come safely in the morning, remember I intendto claim salvage on them. Meanwhile, I am going to write a nice littlestory about them. "

In the morning the diamonds arrived by special messenger, who firsttook a formal receipt for them, and then most obsequiously took hisdeparture. By the same train came Mr. Cadbury Taylor, as modest as ever, but giving some indication in his bearing of the importance of thediscovery his wonderful system had aided him in making. He blandlyevaded the curiosity of Mr. Briggs, and said it would perhaps be betterto reveal the secret in the presence of the Prince and Princess, as hisinvestigations had led him to conclusions that might be unpleasant forone of them to hear, yet were not to be divulged in their absence. 

"Just what I suspected, " muttered Mr. Briggs, who had long beenconvinced that the Prince was the actual culprit. 

The important gathering took place in the library, the Prince, with thediamonds in his coat pocket, seated at the head of the long table, whilethe Princess sat at the foot, as far from her husband as she couldconveniently get without attracting notice. Miss Baxter stood near awindow, reading an important letter from London which had reached herthat morning. The tall, thin detective and the portly Mr. Briggs came intogether, the London man bowing gravely to the Prince and Princess. Mr. Briggs took a seat at the side of the table, but the detective remainedstanding, looking questioningly at Miss Baxter, but evidently notrecognizing her as the lady who had come in upon him and his friend whenthey had entered the train. 

"I beg the pardon of your Highness, but what I have to say had better besaid with as few hearers as possible. I should be much obliged if thisyoung person would read her correspondence in another room. "

"The young woman, " said the Prince coldly, "is secretary to herHighness, and is entirely in her confidence. "

The Princess said nothing, but sat with her eyes upon the table, apparently taking no note of what was going on. Rich colour came intoher face, and, as the keen detective cast a swift glance at her, he sawbefore him a woman conscious of her guilt, fearing exposure, yet notknowing how to avert it. 

"If your Highness will excuse my persistence, " began Mr. Taylor blandly. 

"But I will not, " interrupted the Prince gruffly. "Go on with your storywithout so much circumlocution. "

The detective, apparently unruffled by the discourtesy he met, bowedprofoundly towards the Prince, cleared his throat, and began. 

"May I ask your Highness, " he said, addressing himself to the Princess, "how much money you possessed just before you left Vienna?"

The lady looked up at him in surprise, but did not answer. 

"In Heaven's name, what has that to do with the loss of the diamonds?"rapped out the Prince, his hot temper getting once more the better ofhim. Cadbury Taylor spread out his hands and shrugged his shoulders inprotest at the interruption. He spoke with deference, but neverthelessthere was a touch of reproach in his tone. 

"I am accustomed to being listened to with patience, and am generallyallowed to tell my story my own way, your Highness. "

"What I complain of is that you are not telling any story at all, butare asking instead a very impertinent question. "

"Questions which seem to you irrelevant may be to a trained mind most--"

"Bosh! Trained donkeys! Do you know where the diamonds are?"

"Yes, I do, " answered Cadbury Taylor, still imperturbable, in spite ofthe provocation he was receiving. 

"Well, where are they?"

"They are in the vaults of your bank in Vienna. "

"I don't believe it. Who stole them then?"

"They were put there by her Highness the Princess von Steinheimer, doubtless in security for money--"

"What!" roared the Prince, springing to his feet, his stentorian voiceringing to the ceiling. "Do you mean to insinuate, you villain, that mywife stole her own diamonds?"

"If your Highness would allow me to proceed in my own--"

"Enough of this fooling. There are the diamonds, " cried the Prince, jerking the box from his pocket and flinging it on the table. 

"There!" shouted old man Briggs, bringing his clenched fist down on theoak. "What did I tell you? I knew it all along. The Prince stole thediamonds, and in his excitement yanks them out of his pocket and provesit. That was _my_ opinion all along!"

"Oh, father, father!" moaned the Princess, speaking for the first time. "How can you say such a thing? My husband couldn't do a mean action ifhe tried. The idea of him stealing the diamonds! Not if they were wortha thousand millions and detection impossible. "

The Prince, who had been glaring at Mr. Briggs, and who seemed on thepoint of giving that red-faced gentleman a bit of his mind, turned asoftened gaze upon his wife, who rested her arms on the table and buriedher face in them. 

"Come, come, " cried Miss Jennie Baxter, stepping energetically forward;"I imagine everybody has had enough of this. Clear out, Mr. Briggs, andtake Mr. Taylor with you; I am sure he has not had any breakfast yet, and he certainly looks hungry. If you hire detectives, Mr. Briggs, youmust take care of them. Out you go. The dining-room is ever so much moreinviting just now than the library; and if you don't see what you want, ring for it. "

She drove the two speechless men out before her, and, closing the door, said to the Prince, who was still standing bewildered at having his handforced in this manner, --

"There! Two fools from four leaves two. Now, my dears--I'm not going toHighness either of you--you are simply two lone people who likeeach other immensely, yet who are drifting apart through foolishmisunderstandings that a few words would put right if either of you hadsense enough to speak them, which you haven't, and that's why I'm hereto speak them for you. Now, madame, I am ready to swear that the Princehas never said anything to me that did not show his deep love for you, and if you had overheard us, you would not need me to tell you so. Hethinks that you have a fancy for that idiot von Schaumberg--not that Iever saw the poor man; but he is bound to be an idiot, or the Princewouldn't be jealous of him. As nobody has stolen the diamonds after allthis fuss, so no one has stolen the affection of either of you from theother. I can see by the way you look at each other that I won't need toapologize for leaving you alone together while I run upstairs to pack. "

"Oh, but you are not going to leave us?" cried the Princess. 

"I should be delighted to stay; but there is no rest for the wicked, andI must get back to London. "

With that the girl ran to her room and there re-read the letter she hadreceived. 

"Dear Miss Baxter (it ran), --We are in a very considerable dilemma here, so I write asking you to see me in London without delay, going back tothe Tyrol later on if the investigation of the diamond mystery rendersyour return necessary. The Duchess of Chiselhurst is giving a great ballon the 29th. It is to be a very swagger affair, with notables from everypart of Europe, and they seem determined that no one connected with anewspaper shall be admitted. We have set at work every influence toobtain an invitation for a reporter, but without success, the replyinvariably given being that an official account will be sent tothe press. Now, I want you to set your ingenuity at work, and gainadmittance if possible, for I am determined to have an account of thisball written in such a way that everyone who reads it will know that thewriter was present. If you can manage this, I can hardly tell you howgrateful the proprietor and myself will be. --Yours very truly, "RADNOR HARDWICK. "

Miss Jennie Baxter sat for some moments musing, with the letter in herhand. She conned over in her mind the names of those who might be ableto assist her in this task, but she dismissed them one by one, wellknowing that if Mr. Hardwick and the proprietor of the _Bugle_ hadpetitioned all their influential friends without avail, she could nothope to succeed with the help of the very few important personages shewas acquainted with. She wondered if the Princess could get her aninvitation; then suddenly her eyes lit up, and she sprang eagerly to herfeet. 

"What a fortunate thing it is, " she cried aloud, "that I did not sendon the refusal of the Princess to the Duchess of Chiselhurst. I hadforgotten all about it until this moment. "

CHAPTER VII. JENNIE ARRANGES A CINDERELLA VISIT. 

The room which had been allotted to Jennie Baxter in the SchlossSteinheimer enjoyed a most extended outlook. A door-window gave accessto a stone balcony, which hung against the castle wall like a swallow'snest at the eaves of a house. This balcony was just wide enough to giveample space for one of the easy rocking-chairs which the Princess hadimported from America, and which Jennie thought were the only reallycomfortable pieces of furniture the old stronghold possessed, much asshe admired the artistic excellence of the mediæval chairs, tables, andcabinets which for centuries had served the needs of the ancient linethat had lived in the Schloss. The rocking-chair was as modern as thismorning's daily paper; its woodwork painted a bright scarlet, its armslike broad shelves, its rockers as sensitively balanced as a marinecompass; in fact, just such a chair as one would find dotted roundthe vast verandah of an American summer hotel. In this chair sat MissJennie, two open letters on her lap, and perplexity in the dainty littlefrown that faintly ruffled the smoothness of her fair brow. The scenefrom the high balcony was one to be remembered; but, although this washer last day at the Castle, the girl saw nothing of the pretty town ofMeran so far below; the distant chalk-line down the slope beyond whichmarked the turbulent course of the foaming Adege; the lofty mountainsall around, or the further snow-peaks, dazzling white against the deepblue of the sky. 

One of the epistles which lay on her lap was the letter she had receivedfrom the editor recounting the difficulties he had met with whileendeavouring to make arrangements for reporting adequately the Duchessof Chiselhurst's ball; the other was the still unanswered invitationfrom the Duchess to the Princess. Jennie was flattered to know thatalready the editor, who had engaged her with unconcealed reluctance, expected her to accomplish what the entire staff were powerless toeffect. She knew that, had she but the courage, it was only necessary toaccept the invitation in the name of her present hostess, and attend thegreat society function as Princess von Steinheimer. Yet she hesitated, not so much on account of the manifest danger of discovery, but becauseshe had grown to like the Princess, and this impersonation, if it cameto the knowledge of the one most intimately concerned, as it was almostsure to do, would doubtless be regarded as an unpardonable liberty. Asshe swayed gently back and forth in the gaudy rocking-chair, she thoughtof confessing everything to the Princess and asking her assistance; butpondering on this, she saw that it was staking everything on one throwof the dice. If the Princess refused, then the scheme became impossible, as that lady herself would answer the letter of the Duchess and declinethe invitation. Jennie soothed her accusing conscience by tellingherself that this impersonation would do no harm to Princess vonSteinheimer, or to anyone else for that matter, while it would be ofinestimable assistance to her own journalistic career. From thatshe drifted to meditation on the inequalities of this life--thesuperabundance which some possess, while others, no less deserving, havedifficulty in obtaining the scant necessities. And this consoling trainof thought having fixed her resolve to take the goods the gods scatteredat her feet, or rather threw into her lap, she drew a long sigh ofdetermination as there came a gentle tap at the door of her room, andthe voice of the Princess herself said, "May I come in?"

Jennie, a rapid blush flaming her cheeks, sprang to her feet, flung theletters on a table, and opened the door. 

The visitor entered, looking attractive enough to be a princess offairyland, and greeted Miss Baxter most cordially. 

"I am so sorry you are leaving, " she said. "Cannot you be persuaded tochange your mind and stay with me? Where could you find a more lovelyview than this from your balcony here?"

"Or a more lovely hostess?" said the girl, looking at her visitor withundisguised admiration and quite ignoring the landscape. 

The Princess laughed, and as they now stood together on the balcony sheput out her hands, pushed Jennie gently into the rocking-chair again, seating herself jauntily on its broad arm, and thus the two looked likea pair of mischievous schoolgirls, home at vacation time, thoroughlyenjoying their liberty. 

"There! You are now my prisoner, about to be punished for flattery, "cried the Princess. "I saw by the motion of the chair that you had justjumped up from it when I disturbed you, so there you are, back in itagain. What were you thinking about? A rocking-chair lends itselfdeliciously to meditation, and we always dream of someone veryparticular as we rock. "

"I am no exception to the rule, " sighed Jennie; "I was thinking of you, Princess. "

"How nice of you to say that; and as one good turn deserves another, here is proof that a certain young lady has been in my thoughts. "

As she spoke, the Princess took from her pocket an embossed case ofRussian leather, opened it and displayed a string of diamonds, lustrousas drops of liquid light. 

"I want you to wear these stones in remembrance of our diamondmystery--that is why I chose diamonds--and also, I confess, because Iwant you to think of me every time you put them on. See how conceited Iam! One does not like to be forgotten. "

Jennie took the string, her own eyes for a moment rivalling inbrilliancy the sparkle of the gems; then the moisture obscured hervision and she automatically poured the stones from one hand to theother, as if their scintillating glitter hypnotized her. She tried onceor twice to speak, but could not be sure of her voice, so remainedsilent. The Princess, noticing her agitation, gently lifted the necklaceand clasped it round the girl's white throat, chattering all the whilewith nervous haste. 

"There! you can wear diamonds, and there are so many to whom they areunbecoming. I also look well in diamonds--at least, so I've been toldover and over again, and I've come to believe it at last. I suppose theyoung men have not concealed from you the fact that you are a strikinglygood-looking girl, Jennie. Indeed, and this is brag if you like, we tworesemble one another enough to be sisters, nearly the same height, thesame colour of eyes and hair. Come to the mirror, Miss Handsomeness, andadmire yourself. "

She dragged Jennie to her feet and drew her into the room, placingher triumphantly before the great looking-glass that reflected back afull-length portrait. 

"Now confess that you never saw a prettier girl, " cried the Princessgleefully. 

"I don't think I ever did, " admitted Jennie, but she was looking at theimage of the Princess and not at her own. The Princess laughed, but MissBaxter seemed too much affected by the unexpected present to join in themerriment. She regarded herself solemnly in the glass for a few moments, then slowly undid the clasp, and, slipping the string of brilliants fromher neck, handed them back to the Princess. "You are very, very kind, but I cannot accept so costly a present. "

"Cannot? Why? Have I offended you by anything I have said since youcame?"

"Oh, no, no. It isn't that. "

"What, then? Don't you like me, after all?"

"Like you? I _love_ you, Princess!" cried the girl impulsively, throwingher arms round the other's neck. 

The Princess tried to laugh as she pressed Jennie closely to her, butthere was a tremour of tears in the laughter. 

"You must take this little gift as a souvenir of your visit with me. Iwas really--very unhappy when you came, and now--well, you smoothed awaysome misunderstandings--I'm more than grateful. And it isn't natural fora woman to refuse diamonds, Jennie. "

"I know it isn't; and I won't quite refuse them. I'll postpone. It ispossible that something I shall do before long may seriously offend you. If it does--then good-bye to the necklace! If it doesn't, when I havetold you all about my misdeed--I shall confess courageously--you willgive me the diamonds. "

"Dear me, Jennie, what terrible crime are you about to commit? Why nottell me now? You have no idea how you have aroused my curiosity. "

"I dare not tell you, Princess; not until my project proves a success ora failure. We women--some have our way made for us--others have our ownway to make. I am among the others, and I hope you will remember that, if you are ever angry with me. "

"Is it a new kind of speculation? A fortune made in a day? Gambling?"

"Something of that sort. I am going to stake a good deal on the turn ofa card; so please pray that luck will not be against me. "

"If pluck will make you win, I am sure you will carry it through, butif at first you don't succeed, try, try again; and if you haven't themoney, I'll supply the capital. I know I should like to gamble. Anyhow, you have my best wishes for your success. "

"Thank you, Princess. I can hardly fail after that. "

The time had come when the two friends must part. The carriage waswaiting to take Miss Baxter to the station, and the girl bade good-byeto her hostess with an uneasy feeling that she was acting disloyally toone who had befriended her. In her handbag was the invitation to theball, and also the letter she had written in the Princess's nameaccepting it, which latter she posted in Meran. In due course shereached London, and presented herself to the editor of the _DailyBugle_. 

"Well, Miss Baxter, " he said, "you have been extraordinarily successfulin solving the diamond mystery, and I congratulate you. My letterreached you, I suppose. Have you given any thought to the problemthat now confronts us? Can you get us a full report of the Duchess ofChiselhurst's ball, written so convincingly that all the guests who readit will know that the writer was present?"

"It is entirely a question of money, Mr. Hardwick. "

"Most things are. Well, we are prepared to spend money to get just whatwe want. "

"How much?"

"Whatever is necessary. "

"That's vague. Put it into figures. "

"Five hundred pounds; seven hundred; a thousand if need be. "

"It will not cost you a thousand, and it may come to more than fivehundred. Place the thousand to my credit, and I shall return what isleft. I must go at once to Paris and carry out my plans from that city. "

"Then you have thought out a scheme. What is it?"

"I have not only thought it out, but most of the arrangements arealready made. I cannot say more about it. You will have to trust whollyto me. "

"There is a good deal of money at stake, Miss Baxter, and our reputationas a newspaper as well. I think I should know what you propose to do. "

"Certainly. I propose to obtain for you an accurate description of theball, written by one who was present. "

The editor gave utterance to a sort of interjection that always servedhim in place of a laugh. 

"In other words, you want neither interference nor advice. "

"Exactly, Mr. Hardwick. You know from experience that little good comesof talking too much of a secret project not yet completed. "

The editor drummed with his fingers on the table for a few momentsthoughtfully. 

"Very well, then, it shall be as you say. I should have been very gladto share the responsibility of failure with you; but if you prefer totake the whole risk yourself, there is nothing more to be said. Thethousand pounds shall be placed to your credit at once. What next?"

"On the night of the ball I should like you to have three or four expertshorthand writers here; I don't know how many will be necessary--youunderstand more about that than I do; but it is my intention to dictatethe report right along as fast as I can talk until it is finished, andI don't wish to be stopped or interrupted, so I want the beststenographers you have; they are to relieve one another just as ifthey were taking down a parliamentary speech. The men had better be inreadiness at midnight; I shall be here as soon after that as possible. If you will kindly run over their type-written MS. Before it goes tothe compositors, I will glance at the proofs when I have finisheddictating. "

"Then you hope to attend the ball yourself. "

"Perhaps. "

"You have just returned from the Tyrol, and I fear you don't quiteappreciate the difficulties that are in the way. This is no ordinarysociety function, and if you think even a thousand pounds will gainadmittance to an uninvited guest, you will find yourself mistaken. "

"So I understood from your letter. "

Again the editorial interjection did duty for a laugh. 

"You are very sanguine, Miss Baxter. I wish I felt as confident;however, we will hope for the best, and if we cannot command success, wewill at least endeavour to deserve it. "

Jennie, with the thousand pounds at her disposal, went to Paris, tookrooms at the most aristocratic hotel, engaged a maid, and set about theconstruction of a ball dress that would be a dream of beauty. Luckily, she knew exactly the gown-making resources of Paris, and the craftsmento whom she gave her orders were not the less anxious to please her whenthey knew that the question of cost was not to be considered. FromParis she telegraphed in the name of the Princess von Steinheimer toClaridge's Hotel for an apartment on the night of the ball, and askedthat a suitable equipage be provided to convey her to and from thatfestival. 

Arriving at Claridge's, she was well aware her first danger was thatsomeone who knew the Princess von Steinheimer would call upon her; buton the valid plea of fatigue from her journey she proclaimed that in nocircumstances could she see any visitor, and thus shipwreck was avoidedat the outset. It was unlikely that the Princess von Steinheimer waspersonally known to many who would attend the ball; in fact, thePrincess had given to Jennie as her main reason for refusing theinvitation the excuse that she knew no one in London. She had beeninvited merely because of the social position of the Prince inVienna, and was unknown by sight even to her hostess, the Duchess ofChiselhurst. Critically, she compared the chances of success with thechances of failure, and often it seemed that disaster was inevitable, unversed as she knew herself to be in the customs of grand society atone of its high functions, but nevertheless she was undaunted by theodds against her, and resolved to stake a career on the fortunes of anight. 

CHAPTER VIII. JENNIE MIXES WITH THE ELITE OF EARTH. 

It is said that a woman magnificently robed is superior to all earthlytribulations. Such was the case with Jennie as she left her carriage, walked along the strip of carpet which lay across the pavement under acanopy, and entered the great hall of the Duke of Chiselhurst's townhouse, one of the huge palaces of Western London. Nothing so resplendenthad she ever witnessed, or even imagined, as the scene which met her eyewhen she found herself about to ascend the broad stairway at the top ofwhich the hostess stood to receive her distinguished guests. Early asshe was, the stairway and the rooms beyond seemed already thronged. Splendid menials in gorgeous livery, crimson the predominant colour, stood on each step at either side of the stair. Uniforms of everypattern, from the dazzling oriental raiment of Indian princes andeastern potentates, to the more sober, but scarcely less rich apparel ofthe diplomatic corps, ministers of the Empire, and officers, navaland military, gave the final note of magnificence and picturesquedecoration. Like tropical flowers in this garden of colour were theladies, who, with easy grace, moved to and fro, bestowing a smile hereand a whisper there; and yet, despite her agitation, a hurried, furtiveglance around brought to Jennie the conviction that she was, perhaps, the best-gowned woman in that assemblage of well-dressed people, whichrecognition somewhat calmed her palpitating heart. The whole environmentseemed unreal to her, and she walked forward as if in a dream. Sheheard someone cry, "The Princess von Steinheimer, " and at first had adifficulty in realizing that the title, for the moment, pertainedto herself. The next instant her hand was in that of the Duchess ofChiselhurst, and Jennie heard the lady murmur that it was good of herto come so far to grace the occasion. The girl made some sort of replywhich she found herself unable afterwards to recall, but the rapidincoming of other guests led her to hope that, if she had used anyunsuitable phrase, it was either unheard or forgotten in the tension ofthe time. She stood aside and formed one of the brilliant group at thehead of the stairs, thankful that this first ordeal was well done with. Her rapidly beating heart had now opportunity to lessen its pulsations, and as she soon realized that she was practically unnoticed, her naturalcalmness began to return to her. She remembered why she was there, and her discerning eye enabled her to stamp on a retentive memorythe various particulars of so unaccustomed a spectacle whose veryunfamiliarity made the greater impression upon the girl's mind. Shemoved away from the group, determined to saunter through the numerousrooms thrown open for the occasion, and thus, as it were, get herbearings. In a short time all fear of discovery left her, and she beganto feel very much at home in the lofty, crowded salons, pausing evento enjoy a selection which a military band, partly concealed in thefoliage, was rendering in masterly manner, led by the most famous_impressario_ of the day. The remote probability of meeting anyone herewho knew the Princess reassured her, and there speedily came over hera sense of delight in all the kaleidoscopic bewilderment of this greatentertainment. She saw that each one there had interest in someoneelse, and, to her great relief, found herself left entirely alone withreasonable assurance that this remoteness would continue to befriend heruntil the final gauntlet of leave-taking had to be run; a trial still tobe encountered, the thought of which she resolutely put away from her, trusting to the luck that had hitherto not deserted her. 

Jennie was in this complaisant frame of mind when she was suddenlystartled by a voice at her side. 

"Ah, Princess, I have been searching everywhere for you, catchingglimpses of you now and then, only to lose you, as, alas, has been myfate on more serious occasion. May I flatter myself with the belief thatyou also remember?"

There was no recognition in the large frightened eyes that were turnedupon him. They saw a young man bowing low over the unresisting hand hehad taken. His face was clear-cut and unmistakably English. Jennie sawhis closely-cropped auburn head, and, as it raised until it overtoppedher own, the girl, terrified as she was, could not but admire thesweeping blonde moustache that overshadowed a smile, half-wistful, half-humorous, which lighted up his handsome face. The ribbon of someorder was worn athwart his breast; otherwise he wore court dress, whichwell became his stalwart frame. 

"I am disconsolate to see that I am indeed forgotten, Princess, and soanother cherished delusion fades away from me. "

Her fan concealed the lower part of the girl's face, and she looked athim over its fleecy semicircle. 

"Put not your trust in princesses, " she murmured, a sparkle of latentmischief lighting up her eyes. 

The young man laughed. "Indeed, " he said, "had I served my country asfaithfully as I have been true to my remembrance of you, Princess, Iwould have been an ambassador long ere this, covered with decorations. Have you then lost all recollection of that winter in Washington fiveyears ago; that whirlwind of gaiety which ended by wafting you away to aforeign country, and thus the eventful season clings to my memory asif it were a disastrous western cyclone? Is it possible that I mustre-introduce myself as Donal Stirling?"

"Not Lord Donal Stirling?" asked Jennie, dimly remembering that she hadheard this name in connection with something diplomatic, and her guessthat he was in that service was strengthened by his previous remarkabout being an ambassador. 

"Yes, Lord Donal, if you will cruelly insist on calling me so; but thiscannot take from me the consolation that once, in the conservatoryof the White House, under the very shadow of the President, youcondescended to call me Don. "

"You cannot expect one to remember what happened in Washington fiveyears ago. You know the administration itself changes every four years, and memories seldom carry back even so far as that. "

"I had hoped that my most outspoken adoration would have leftreminiscence which might outlast an administration. I have not foundforgetting so easy. "

"Are you quite sure of that, Lord Donal?" asked the girl archly, closingher fan and giving him for the first time a full view of her face. 

The young man seemed for a moment perplexed, but she went on, giving himlittle time for reflection. "Have your diplomatic duties taken you awayfrom Washington?"

"Yes, to the other end of the earth. I am now in St. Petersburg, withultimate hopes of Vienna, Princess. I happened to be in London thisweek, and hearing you were to be here, I moved heaven and earth for aninvitation. "

"Which you obtained, only to find yourself forgotten. How hollow thisworld is, isn't it?"

"Alas, yes. A man in my profession sees a good deal of the seamy side oflife, and I fully believe that my rapidly lessening dependence on humanveracity will be shattered by my superiors sending me to Constantinople. But let me find you a seat out of this crowd where we may talk of oldtimes. "

"I don't care so much about the past as I do about the present. Letus go up into that gallery, where you shall point out to me thecelebrities. I suppose you know them all, while I am an entire strangerto London Society. "

"That is a capital idea, " cried the young man enthusiastically. "Yes, Ithink I know most of the people here, at least by name. Ah, here comesthe Royal party; we shall just be in time to have a good look at them. "

The band played the National Anthem, and Lord Donal got two chairs, which he placed at the edge of the gallery, well hidden from thepromenaders by spreading tropical plants. 

"Oh, this _is_ jolly, " cried Jennie, quite forgetting the dignity of aPrincess. "You told me why you came to the ball. Do you know why I amhere?"

"On the remote chance of meeting me whom you pretended to haveforgotten, " replied the young man audaciously. 

"Of course, " laughed Jennie; "but aside from that, I came to see thecostumes. You know, we women are libellously said to dress for eachother. Away from the world, in the Tyrol, I have little opportunityof seeing anything fine in the way of dress, and so I accepted theinvitation of the Duchess. "

"Have you the invitation of the Duchess with you?"

"Yes, I am going to make some notes on the back of it. Would you like tosee it?" She handed him the letter and then leaned back in her chair, regarding him closely. The puzzled expression on his face deepened ashe glanced over the invitation, and saw that it was exactly what itpurported to be. He gave the letter back to her, saying, --

"So you are here to see the fashions. It is a subject I know littleabout; but, judging by effect, I should say that the Princess vonSteinheimer has nothing to learn from anyone present. If I may touch ona topic so personal, your costume is what they call a creation, is itnot, Princess?"

"It isn't bad, " said the girl, looking down at her gown and thenglancing up at him with merriment dancing in her eyes. The diplomat hadhis elbow resting on the balustrade, his head leaning on his hand, and, quite oblivious to everything else, was gazing at her with such absorbedintentness that the girl blushed and cast down her eyes. The intenseadmiration in his look was undisguised. "Still, " she rattled on somewhatbreathlessly, "one gets many hints from others, and the creation ofto-day is merely the old clothes of to-morrow. Invention has no vacationso far as ladies' apparel is concerned. 'Take no thought of the morrow, wherewithal ye shall be clothed, ' may have been a good motto for thecourt of Solomon, but it has little relation with that of Victoria. "

"Solomon--if the saying is his--was hedging. He had many wives, youknow. "

"Well, as I was about to say, you must now turn your attention tothe other guests, and tell me who's who. I have already confessed myignorance, and you promised to enlighten me. "

The young man, with visible reluctance, directed his thoughts from theone to the many, and named this person and that, while Jennie, withthe pencil attached to her card, made cabalistic notes in shorthand, economizing thus both space and time. When at last she had all theinformation that could be desired, she leaned back in her chair with alittle sigh of supreme content. Whatever might now betide, her missionwas fulfilled, if she once got quietly away. The complete details of themost important society event of the season were at her fingers' ends. She closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the satisfaction which successleaves in its train, and when she opened them again found Lord Donal inhis old posture, absorbed in the contemplation of her undeniable beauty. 

"I see you are determined I shall have no difficulty in remembering younext time we meet, " she said with a smile, at the same time flushingslightly under his ardent gaze. 

"I was just thinking, " he replied, shifting his position a little, "thatthe five years which have dealt so hardly with me, have left you fiveyears younger. "

"Age has many privileges, Lord Donal, " she said to him, laughingoutright; "but I don't think you can yet lay claim to any of them. The pose of the prematurely old is not in the least borne out by yourappearance, however hardly the girl you met in Washington dealt withyou. "

"Ah, Princess, it is very easy for you to treat these serious matterslightly. He laughs at scars who never felt a wound. Time, being aboveall things treacherous, often leaves the face untouched the moreeffectually to scar the heart. The hurt concealed is ever the moredangerous. "

"I fancy it has been concealed so effectually that it is not as deep asyou imagined. "

"Princess, I will confess to you that the wound at Washington was asnothing to the one received at London. "

"Yes; you told me you had been here for a week. "

"The week has nothing to do with it. I have been here for a night--fortwo hours--or three; I have lost count of time since I met you. "

What reply the girl might have made to this speech, delivered with allthe fervency of a man in thorough earnest, will never be known, for atthat moment their _tête-à-tête_ was interrupted by a messenger, whosaid, --

"His Excellency the Austrian Ambassador begs to be permitted to pay hisregards to the Princess von Steinheimer. "

Lord Donal Stirling never took his eyes from the face of his companion, and he saw a quick pallor overspread it. He leaned forward andwhispered, --

"I know the Ambassador; if you do not wish to meet him, I will intercepthim. "

Jennie rose slowly to her feet, and, looking at the young man with acalmness she was far from feeling, said coldly, --

"Why should I not wish to meet the Ambassador of my adopted country?"

"I know of no reason. Quite the contrary, for he must be an old friendof yours, having been your guest at the Schloss Steinheimer a year ago. "

He stepped back as he said this, and Jennie had difficulty insuppressing the gasp of dismay with which she received his disquietingdisclosure, but she stood her ground without wincing. She was face toface with the crisis she had foreseen--the coming of one who knewthe Princess. Next instant the aged diplomat was bending over heroutstretched hand, which in courtly fashion the old man raised to hislips. 

"I am delighted to have the privilege of welcoming you to this gloomyold city, Princess von Steinheimer, which you illumine with yourpresence. Do you stay long in London?"

"The period of illumination is short, your Excellency. I leave for Paristo-morrow. "

"So soon? Without even visiting the Embassy? I am distressed to hearof so speedy a desertion, and yet, knowing the charms of the SchlossSteinheimer, I can hardly wonder at your wish to return there. ThePrince, I suppose, is as devoted as ever to the chase. I must censurehis Highness, next time we meet, for not coming with you to London; thenI am sure you would have stayed longer with us. "

"The Prince is a model husband, your Excellency, " said Jennie, with asly glance at Lord Donal, whose expression of uncertainty increasedas this colloquy went on, "and he would have come to London withouta murmur had his wife been selfish enough to tear him away from hisbeloved Meran. "

"A model husband!" said the ancient count, with an unctuous chuckle. "So few of us excel in that respect; but there is this to besaid in our exculpation, few have been matrimonially so fortunateas the Prince von Steinheimer. I have never ceased to long for arepetition of the charming visit I paid to your delightful home. "

"If your Excellency but knew how welcome you are, your visits would nothave such long intervals between. "

"It is most kind of you, Princess, to cheer an old man's heart by suchgracious words. It is our misfortune that affairs of State chain us toour pillar, and, indeed, diplomacy seems to become more difficult as theyears go on, because we have to contend with the genius of rising youngmen like Lord Donal Stirling here, who are more than a match for olddogs that find it impossible to learn new tricks. "

"Indeed, your Excellency, " said his lordship, speaking for the firsttime since the Ambassador began, "the very reverse of that is the case. We sit humbly at your feet, ambitious to emulate, but without hope ofexcelling. "

The old man chuckled again, and, turning to the girl, began to make hisadieux. 

"Then my former rooms are waiting for me at the Castle?" he concluded. 

"Yes, your Excellency, with the addition of two red rocking-chairsimported from America, which you will find most comfortableresting-places when you are free from the cares of State. "

"Ah! The rocking-chairs! I remember now that you were expecting themwhen I was there. So they have arrived, safely, I hope; but I think youhad ordered an incredible number, to be certain of having at least oneor two serviceable. "

"No; only a dozen, and they all came through without damage. "

"You young people, you young people!" murmured the Ambassador, bendingagain over the hand presented to him, "what unheard-of things you do. "

And so the old man shuffled away, leaving many compliments behind him, evidently not having the slightest suspicion that he had met anyone butthe person he supposed himself addressing, for his eyesight was not ofthe best, and an Ambassador meets many fair and distinguished women. 

The girl sat down with calm dignity, while Lord Donal dropped into hischair, an expression of complete mystification on his clear-cut, honestface. Jennie slowly fanned herself, for the heat made itself felt atthat elevated situation, and for a few moments nothing was said byeither. The young man was the first to break silence. 

"Should I be so fortunate as to get an invitation to the SchlossSteinheimer, may I hope that a red rocking-chair will be allotted to me?I have not sat in one since I was in the States. "

"Yes, one for you; two for the Ambassador, " said Jennie, with a laugh. 

"I should like further to flatter myself that your double generosity tothe Ambassador arises solely from the dignity of his office, and is notin any way personal. "

"I am very fond of ambassadors; they are courteous gentlemen who seem tohave less distrust than is exhibited by some not so exalted. "

"Distrust! You surely cannot mean that I have distrusted you, Princess?"

"Oh, I was speaking generally, " replied Jennie airily. "You seem to seeka personal application in what I say. "

"I admit, Princess, that several times this evening I have beencompletely at sea. "

"And what is worse, Lord Donal, you have shown it, which is the oneunforgivable fault in diplomacy. "

"You are quite right. If I had you to teach me, I would be an ambassadorwithin the next five years, or at least a minister. "

The girl looked at him over the top of her fan, covert merriment lurkingin her eyes. 

"When you visit Schloss Steinheimer you might ask the Prince if heobjects to my giving you lessons. "

Here there was another interruption, and the announcement was made thatthe United States Ambassador desired to renew his acquaintance withthe Princess von Steinheimer. Lord Donal made use of an impatientexclamation more emphatic than he intended to give utterance to, but onlooking at his companion in alarm, he saw in her glance a quick flash ofgratitude as unmistakable as if she had spoken her thanks. It was quiteevident that the girl had no desire to meet his Excellency, which is notto be wondered at, as she had already encountered him three times in hercapacity of journalist. He not only knew the Princess von Steinheimer, but he knew Jennie Baxter as well. 

She leaned back in her chair and said wearily, --

"I seem to be having rather an abundance of diplomatic society thisevening. Are you acquainted with the American Ambassador also, LordDonal?"

"Yes, " cried the young man, eagerly springing to his feet. "He was aprominent politician in Washington while I was there. He is an excellentman, and I shall have no difficulty in making your excuses to him if youdon't wish to meet him. "

"Thank you so much. You have now an opportunity of retrieving yourdiplomatic reputation, if you can postpone the interview withoutoffending him. "

Lord Donal departed with alacrity, and the moment he was gone allappearance of languor vanished from Miss Jennie Baxter. 

"Now is my chance, " she whispered to herself. "I must be in my carriagebefore he returns. "

Eager as she was to be gone, she knew that she should betray no haste. Expecting to find a stair at the other end of the gallery, she soughtfor it, but there was none. Filled with apprehension that she would meetLord Donal coming up, she had difficulty in timing her footsteps to theslow measure that was necessary. She reached the bottom of the stair insafety and unimpeded, but once on the main floor a new problem presenteditself. Nothing would attract more attention than a young and beautifullady walking the long distance between the gallery end of the room andthe entrance stairway entirely alone and unattended. She stood therehesitating, wondering whether she could venture on finding a quietside-exit, which she was sure must exist in this large house, when, toher dismay, she found Lord Donal again at her side, rather breathless, as if he had been hurrying in search of her. His brows were knit andthere was an anxious expression on his face. 

"I must have a word with you alone, " he whispered. "Let me conduct youto this alcove under the gallery. "

"No; I am tired. I am going home. "

"I quite understand that, but you must come with me for a moment. "

"Must?" she said, with a suggestion of defiance in her tone. 

"Yes, " he answered gravely. "I wish to be of assistance to you. I thinkyou will need it. "

For a moment she met his unflinching gaze steadily, then her glancefell, and she said in a low voice, "Very well. "

When they reached the alcove, she inquired rather quaveringly--for shesaw something had happened which had finally settled all the young man'sdoubts--"Is it the American Ambassador?"

"No; there was little trouble there. He expects to meet you later in theevening. But a telegraphic message has come from Meran, signed by thePrincess von Steinheimer, which expresses a hope that the ball will be asuccess, and reiterates the regret of her Highness that she could not bepresent. Luckily this communication has not been shown to the Duchess. I told the Duke, who read it to me, knowing I had been with you all theevening, that it was likely a practical joke on the part of the Prince;but the Duke, who is rather a serious person, does not take kindlyto that theory, and if he knew the Prince he would dismiss it asabsurd--which it is. I have asked him not to show the telegram toanyone, so there is a little time for considering what had best bedone. "

"There is nothing for me to do but to take my leave as quickly andas quietly as possible, " said the girl, with a nervous little laughbordering closely on the hysterical. "I was about to make my way out bysome private exit if I could find one. "

"That would be impossible, and the attempt might lead to unexpectedcomplications. I suggest that you take my arm, and that you bid farewellto her Grace, pleading fatigue as the reason for your early departure. Then I will see you to your carriage, and when I return I shallendeavour to get that unlucky telegram from the Duke by telling himI should like to find out whether it is a hoax or not. He will haveforgotten about it most likely in the morning. Therefore, all you haveto do is to keep up your courage for a few moments longer until you aresafe in your carriage. "

"You are very kind, " she murmured, with downcast eyes. 

"You are very clever, my Princess, but the odds against you weretremendous. Some time you must tell me why you risked it. "

She made no reply, but took his arm, and together they sauntered throughthe rooms until they found the Duchess, when Jennie took her leave ofthe hostess with a demure dignity that left nothing to be desired. Allwent well until they reached the head of the stair, when the Duke, anominous frown on his brow, hurried after them and said, --

"My lord, excuse me. "

Lord Donal turned with an ill-concealed expression of impatience, but hewas helpless, for he feared his host might not have the good sense toavoid a scene even in his own hall. Had it been the Duchess, all wouldhave been well, for she was a lady of infinite tact, but the Duke, as hehad said, was a stupid man, who needed the constant eye of his wife uponhim to restrain him from blundering. The young man whispered, "Keepright on until you are in your carriage. I shall ask my man here to callit for you, but please don't drive away until I come. "

A sign brought a serving man up the stairs. 

"Call the carriage of the Princess von Steinheimer, " said his master;then, as the lady descended the stair, Lord Donal turned, with no verythankful feeling in his heart, to hear what his host had to say. 

"Lord Donal, the American Ambassador says that woman is not the Princessvon Steinheimer, but is someone of no importance whom he has met severaltimes in London. He cannot remember her name. Now, who is she, and howdid you come to meet her?"

"My Lord Duke, it never occurred to me to question the identity ofguests I met under your hospitable roof. I knew the Princess five yearsago in Washington, before she was married. I have not seen her in theinterval, but until you showed me the telegraphic message there was noquestion in my mind regarding her. "

"But the American Ambassador is positive. "

"Then he has more confidence in his eyesight than I have. If such aquestion, like international difficulties, is to be settled by theEmbassies, let us refer it to Austria, who held a long conversation withthe lady in my presence. Your Excellency, " he continued to the AustrianAmbassador, who was hovering near, waiting to speak to his host, "TheDuke of Chiselhurst has some doubt that the lady who has just departedis the Princess von Steinheimer. You spoke with her, and can thereforedecide with authority, for his Grace seems disinclined to accept mytestimony. "

"Not the Princess? Nonsense. I know her very well indeed, and a mostcharming lady she is. I hope to be her guest again before many monthsare past. "

"There, my Lord Duke, you see everything is as it should be. If you willgive me that stupid telegram, I will make some quiet inquiries about it. Meanwhile, the less said the better. I will see the American Ambassadorand convince him of his error. And now I must make what excuses I can tothe Princess for my desertion of her. "

Placing the telegram in his pocket, he hurried down the stair and out tothe street. There had been some delay about the coming of the carriage, and he saw the lady he sought, at that moment entering it. 

"Home at once as fast as you can, " he heard her say to the coachman. Shehad evidently no intention of waiting for him. He sprang forward, thrusthis arm through the carriage window, and grasped her hand. 

"Princess, " he cried, "you will not leave me like this. I must see youto-morrow. "

"No, no, " she gasped, shrinking into the corner of the carriage. 

"You cannot be so cruel. Tell me at least where a letter will reach you. I shall not release your hand until you promise. "

With a quick movement the girl turned back the gauntlet of her longglove; the next instant the carriage was rattling down the street, whilea chagrined young man stood alone on the kerb with a long, slender whiteglove in his hand. 

"By Jove!" he said at last, as he folded it carefully and placed itin the pocket of his coat. "It is the glove this time, instead of theslipper!"

CHAPTER IX. JENNIE REALIZES THAT GREAT EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS BEHIND. 

Jennie Baxter reached her hotel as quickly as a fast pair of horsescould take her. She had succeeded; yet a few rebellious tears ofdisappointment trickled down her cheeks now that she was alone in thesemi-darkness of the carriage. She thought of the eager young man leftstanding disconsolately on the kerb, with her glove dangling in hishand, and she bitterly regretted that unkind fortune had made itpossible for her to meet him only under false pretences. One consolationwas that he had no clue to her identity, and she was resolved never, never to see him again; yet, such is the contrariness of human nature, no sooner was she refreshed by this determination than her tears flowedmore freely than ever. 

She knew that she was as capable of enjoying scenes like the functionshe had just left as any who were there; as fitted for them byeducation, by personal appearance, or by natural gifts of the mind, asthe most welcome of the Duchess's guests; yet she was barred out fromthem as effectually as was the lost Peri at the closed gate. Why hadcapricious fate selected two girls of probably equal merit, and made onea princess, while the other had to work hard night and day for the mereright to live? Nothing is so ineffectual as the little word "why"; itasks, but never answers. 

With a deep sigh Jennie dried her tears as the carriage pulled up atthe portal of the hotel. The sigh dismissed all frivolities, all futile"whys"; the girl was now face to face with the realities of life, andthe events she had so recently taken part in would soon blend themselvesinto a dream. 

Dismissing the carriage, and walking briskly through the hall, she saidto the night porter, --

"Have a hansom at the door for me in fifteen minutes. "

"A hansom, my lady?" gasped the astonished man. 

"Yes. " She slipped a sovereign into his hand and ran lightly up thestairs. The porter was well accustomed to the vagaries of great ladies, although a hansom at midnight was rather beyond his experience. But ifall womankind tipped so generously, they might order an omnibus, andwelcome; so the hansom was speedily at the door. 

Jennie roused the drowsy maid who was sitting up for her. 

"Come, " she said, "you must get everything packed at once. Lay out myordinary dress and help me off with this. "

"Where is your other glove, my lady?" asked the maid, busily unhooking, and untying. 

"Lost. Don't trouble about it. When everything is packed, get somesleep, and leave word to be called in time for the eight o'clock expressfor Paris. Here is money to pay the bill and your fare. It is likely Ishall join you at the station; but if I do not, go to our hotel in Parisand wait for me there. Say nothing of our destination to anyone, andanswer no questions regarding me, should inquiries be made. Are you sureyou understand?"

"Yes, my lady. " A few moments later Jennie was in the cab, drivingthrough the nearly deserted streets. She dismissed her vehicle atCharing Cross, walked down the Strand until she got another, thenproceeded direct to the office of the _Daily Bugle_, whose upper windowsformed a row of lights, all the more brilliant because of the intensedarkness below. 

She found the shorthand writers waiting for her. The editor met her atthe door of the room reserved for her, and said, with visible anxiety onhis brow, "Well, what success?"

"Complete success, " she answered shortly. 

"Good!" he replied emphatically. "Now I propose to read the typewrittensheets as they come from the machine, correct them for obvious clericalerrors, and send them right away to the compositors. You can, perhaps, glance over the final proofs, which will be ready almost as soon as youhave finished. "

"Very well. Look closely to the spelling of proper names and verifytitles. There won't be much time for me to go carefully over the lastproofs. "

"All right. You furnish the material, and I'll see that it's used to thebest advantage. "

Jennie entered the room, and there at a desk sat the waitingstenographer; over his head hung the bulb of an electric light, itsgreen circular shade throwing the white rays directly down on his opennotebook. The girl was once more in the working world, and its bracingair acted as a tonic to her overwrought nerves. All longings and regretshad been put off with the Paris-made gown which the maid at that momentwas carefully packing away. The order of nature seemed reversed; thebutterfly had abandoned its gorgeous wings of gauze, and was habited inthe sombre working garb of the grub. With her hands clasped behind her, the girl paced up and down the room, pouring forth words, two hundred tothe minute, and sometimes more. Silently one stenographer, tiptoeing in, replaced another, who as silently departed; and from the adjoining room, the subdued, nervous, rapid click, click, click of the typewritingmachine invaded, without disturbing, her consciousness. Towards threeo'clock the low drone of the rotaries in the cellar made itself feltrather than heard; the early edition for the country was being run off. Time was flying--danced away by nimble feet in the West End, worked awayby nimble fingers in Fleet Street (well-named thoroughfare); play andwork, work and play, each supplementing the other; the acts of thefrivolous recorded by the industrious. 

When a little more than three hours' dictating was finished, the voiceof the girl, now as hoarse as formerly it had been musical, ceased; shedropped into a chair and rested her tired head on the deserted desk, closing her wearied eyes. She knew she had spoken between 15, 000 and20, 000 words, a number almost equal in quantity to that contained inmany a book which had made an author's fame and fortune. And all for theephemeral reading of a day--of a forenoon, more likely--to be forgottenwhen the evening journals came out!

Shortly after the typewriter gave its final click the editor came in. 

"I didn't like to disturb you while you were at work, and so I kept atmy own task, which was no light one, and thus I appreciate the enormousstrain that has rested on you. Your account is magnificent, Miss Baxter;just what I wanted, and never hoped to get. "

"I am glad you liked it, " said the girl, laughing somewhat dismally atthe croaking sound of her own voice. 

"I need not ask you if you were there, for no person but one who waspresent, and one who knew how to describe, could have produced such avivid account of it all. How did you get in?"

"In where?" murmured Jennie drowsily. She found difficulty in keepingher mind on what he was saying. 

"To the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball. "

"Oh, getting in was easy enough; it was the getting out that was thetrouble. "

"Like prison, eh?" suggested the editor. "Now, will you have a littlewine, or something stronger?"

"No, no. All I need is rest. "

"Then let me call a cab; I will see you home, if you will permit me. "

"I am too tired to go home; I shall remain here until morning. "

"Nonsense. You must go home and sleep for a week if you want to. Rouseup; I believe you are talking in your sleep now. "

"I understand perfectly what you are saying and what I am doing. I havework that must be attended to at eight. Please leave orders that someoneis to call me at seven and bring a cup of coffee and biscuits, or rolls, or anything that is to be had at that hour. And please don't troublefurther. I am very thankful to you, but will express myself better lateron. "

With this the editor had to be content, and was shortly on his way tohis own well-earned rest. To Jennie it seemed but a moment after he hadgone, that the porter placed coffee and rolls on the desk beside hersaying, "Seven o'clock, miss!"

The coffee refreshed the girl, and as she passed through the editorialrooms she noted their forlorn, dishevelled appearance, which all placesshow when seen at an unaccustomed hour, their time of activity andbustle past. The rooms were littered with torn papers; waste-basketsoverflowing; looking silent, scrappy, and abandoned in the grey morninglight which seemed intrusive, usurping the place of the usual artificialillumination, and betraying a bareness which the other concealed. Jennierecognized a relationship between her own up-all-night feeling and thespirit of the deserted rooms. 

At the railway station she found her maid waiting for her, surrounded byluggage. 

"Have you got your ticket?"

"Yes, my lady. "

"I have changed my mind, and will not go to Paris just now. Ask a porterto put those trunks in the left-luggage office, and bring me the keysand the receipt. "

When this was done and money matters had been adjusted between them, Jennie gave the girl five pounds more than was due to her, and sawher into the railway carriage, well pleased with the reward. A hansombrought Jennie to her flat, and so ended the exhausting episode of theDuchess of Chiselhurst's ball. 

Yet an event, like a malady, leaves numerous consequences in its train, extending, who shall say, how far into the future? The first symptom ofthese consequences was a correspondence, and, as there is no readingmore dreary than a series of letters, merely their substance is givenhere. When Jennie was herself again, she wrote a long letter tothe Princess von Steinheimer, detailing the particulars of herimpersonation, and begging pardon for what she had done, while givingher reasons for doing it; but, perhaps because it did not occur to her, she made not the slightest reference to Lord Donal Stirling. Two answerscame to this--one a registered packet containing the diamonds which thePrincess had previously offered to her; the other a letter from thePrincess's own hand. The glitter of the diamonds showed Jennie that shehad been speedily forgiven, and the letter corroborated this. In fact, the Princess upbraided her for not letting her into the secret earlier. "It is just the jolly kind of thing I should have delighted in, " wroteher Highness. "And then, if I had known, I should not have sent thatunlucky telegram. It serves you right for not taking me into yourconfidence, and I am glad you had a fright. Think of it coming in atthat inopportune moment, just as telegrams do at a play! But, Jennie, are you sure you told me everything? A letter came from London the daybefore yours arrived, and it bewildered me dreadfully at first. DonStirling, whom I used to know at Washington (a conceited young fellow hewas then--I hope he has improved since), wrote to say that he had met agirl at the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball who had a letter inviting thePrincess von Steinheimer to the festivity. He thought at first she wasthe Princess (which is very complimentary to each of us), but foundlater that she wasn't. Now he wants to know, you know, and thinks, quitereasonably, that I must have some inkling who that girl was, and he begsme, by our old friendship, etc. , etc. , etc. He is a nice young man, if atrifle confident (these young diplomatists think they hold the reins ofthe universe in their hands), and I should like to oblige him, but Ithought first I would hear what you had to say about it. I am to addresshim care of the Embassy at St. Petersburg; so I suppose he's stationedthere now. By the way, how did he get your glove, or is that merely bragon his part? He says that it is the only clue he has, and he is going totrace you from that, it seems, if I do not tell him who you are andsend him your address. Now, what am _I_ to say when I write to St. Petersburg?"

In reply to this, Jennie sent a somewhat incoherent letter, verydifferent from her usual style of writing. She had not mentioned theyoung man in her former communication, she said, because she had beentrying to forget the incident in which he was the central figure. In nocircumstances could she meet him again, and she implored the Princessnot to disclose her identity to him even by a hint. She explained theglove episode exactly as it happened; she was compelled to sacrificethe glove to release her hand. He had been very kind in helping her toescape from a false position, but it would be too humiliating for herever to see him or speak with him again. 

When this letter reached the Schloss at Meran, the Princess telegraphedto London, "Send me the other glove, " and Jennie sent it. A few dayslater came a further communication from the Princess. 

"I have puzzled our young man quite effectually, I think, clever ashe imagines himself to be. I wrote him a semi-indignant letter to St. Petersburg, and said I thought all along he had not really recognizedme at the ball, in spite of his protestations at first. Then I saw howeasily he was deluded into the belief that I was some other woman, andso the temptation to cozen him further was irresistible. Am I not a goodactress? I asked him. I went on to say, with some show of anger, that aquiet flirtation in the gallery was all very well in its way, but whenit came to a young man rushing in a frenzy bare-headed into the streetafter a respectable married woman who had just got into her carriage andwas about to drive away, it was too much altogether, and thus he cameinto possession of the glove. As the remaining glove was of no use tome, I had great pleasure in sending it to him, but warned him that ifthe story of the gloves ever came to the ears of my husband, I shoulddeny having either owned or worn them. I should like to see Don's amazedlook when the other glove drops out of my letter, which was a bulkypackage and cost ever so much in postage. I think the sending of theglove was an inspiration. I fancy his lordship will be now completelydeluded, and that you need have no further fear of his finding you. "

Jennie read this letter over once or twice, and in spite of her friendlyfeeling for the Princess, there was something in the epistle that jarredon her. Nevertheless she wrote and thanked the Princess for what she haddone, and then she tried to forget all about everything pertaining tothe ball. However, she was not allowed to erase all thought of LordDonal from her mind, even if she could have accomplished this taskunimpeded. There shortly arrived a brief note from the Princessenclosing a letter the young diplomatist at St. Petersburg had written. 

"DEAR PRINCESS" (it ran), --"I am very much obliged to you for thecompanion glove, as I am thus enabled to keep one and use the other as aclue. I see you not only know who the mysterious young lady is, but thatyou have since met her, or at least have been in correspondence withher. If the glove does not lead me to the hand, I shall pay a visit toyou in the hope that you will atone for your present cruelty by tellingme where to find the owner of both glove and hand. "

With regard to this note the Princess had written, "Don is not such afool as I took him to be. He must have improved during the last fewyears. I wish you would write and tell me exactly what he said to youthat evening. "

But with this wish Jennie did not comply. She merely again urged thePrincess never to divulge the secret. 

For many days Jennie heard nothing more from any of the actors in thelittle comedy, and the episode began to take on in her thoughts that airof unreality which remote events seem to gather round them. She wenton with her daily work to the satisfaction of her employers and theaugmentation of her own banking account, although no experience worthyof record occurred in her routine for several weeks. But a lull in anewspaper office is seldom of long duration. 

One afternoon Mr. Hardwick came to the desk at which Jennie was at work, and said to her, --

"Cadbury Taylor called here yesterday, and was very anxious to see you. Has he been in again this afternoon?"

"You mean the detective? No, I haven't seen him since that day at theSchloss Steinheimer. What did he want with me?"

"As far as I was able to understand, he has a very important caseon hand--a sort of romance in high life; and I think he wants yourassistance to unravel it; it seems to be baffling him. "

"It is not very difficult to baffle Mr. Cadbury Taylor, " said the girl, looking up at her employer with a merry twinkle in her eye. 

"Well, he appears to be in a fog now, and he expressed himself to meas being very much taken with the neat way in which you unravelled thediamond mystery at Meran, so he thinks you may be of great assistanceto him in his present difficulty, and is willing to pay in cash or inkind. "

"Cash payment I understand, " said the girl, "but what does he mean bypayment in kind?"

"Oh, he is willing that you should make a sensational article out of theepisode. It deals entirely, he says, with persons in high life--titledpersons--and so it might make an interesting column or two for thepaper. "

"I see--providing, of course, that the tangled skein was unravelled bythe transcendent genius of Mr. Cadbury Taylor, " said the girl cynically. 

"I don't think he wants his name mentioned, " continued the editor; "infact, he said that it wouldn't do to refer to him at all, for if peoplediscovered that he made public any of the cases intrusted to him, hewould lose his business. He has been working on this problem for severalweeks, and I believe has made little progress towards its solution. Hisclient is growing impatient, so it occurred to the detective that youmight consent to help him. He said, with a good deal of complacency, that he did not know you were connected with the _Bugle_, but he put hiswits at work and has traced you to this office. "

"How clever he is!" said Jennie, laughing; "I am sure I made no secretof the fact that I work for the _Daily Bugle_. "

"I think Mr. Taylor will have no hesitation in agreeing with you thathe is clever; nevertheless, it might be worth while to see him and toassist him if you can, because nothing so takes the public as a romancein high life. Here is his address; would you mind calling on him?"

"Not at all, " replied the young woman, copying the street and number inher note-book. 

CHAPTER X. JENNIE ASSISTS IN SEARCHING FOR HERSELF. 

Next day Jennie Baxter drove to the address the editor had given her, and she found Mr. Cadbury Taylor at home, in somewhat sumptuous officeson the first floor. Fastened to his door was a brass plate, whichexposed to public view the carven words--

 CADBURY TAYLOR, Private Enquiry Agent. 

The detective was quite evidently very glad to see her. 

"I intended calling to-day at the office of the _Bugle_ on the chance offinding you, " he said; "but I am delighted to meet you here, because wecan talk without fear of interruption. Has the editor told you anythingof this case?"

"Very little; he didn't seem to know much about it himself. "

"It was impossible for me to go into full particulars with him. I couldonly give him a hint or two in order to convey to him some idea of theinterest which the mystery, when solved, might have from a newspaperstandpoint. Of course I wished to gain his assistance so that he might, perhaps, persuade you to help me in this matter. "

"He seems to be quite willing that I should lend what aid I can, " saidJennie; "but I must have full details before I promise. I have a gooddeal of work on hand, and, unless this case is interesting from anewspaper point of view, as you have just said, I don't think that Ishould care to touch it. "

"Oh, you will find it of great interest, " the detective assured her withmuch eagerness. "It relates to the sudden and hitherto unexplaineddisappearance of a woman. That of itself is absorbing, for I may tellyou, as one having a large experience, that there is nothing moredifficult in this world than for any person, and more especially for awoman, to disappear entirely and leave no trace behind. "

"I should have thought it quite easy, " said Jennie, "especially in alarge city like London. "

"You have given expression to the universal opinion, but I pledge you myword that a completely successful disappearance is one of the mostrare events that we detectives have to meet with in our line ofinvestigation. "

"Please tell me the story, " said the girl; "then we can speak moreunderstandingly about it. "

The detective selected a packet of papers, one of many which occupiedthe end of his table. He slipped from it a rubber band which held thedocuments together. 

"The first act of the drama, if we may call it so, began at the Duchessof Chiselhurst's ball. "

"The Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball!" echoed Jennie, with a shudder. "Oh, dear!"

The detective looked up at her. 

"Why do you say 'Oh, dear'?" he asked. 

"Because, " said the girl wearily, "I am tired hearing of the Duchess ofChiselhurst's ball; there seems to have been nothing else in the papersfor weeks past. "

"It has excited a great deal of comment, " assented the detective; "and, by the way, the _Daily Bugle_ had one of the best accounts of it thatwas printed in any newspaper. "

"So I have heard, " said Jennie carelessly, "but I most confess that Ididn't read that copy of the _Bugle_. "

"You amaze me! I should have thought that would have been the first partof the paper to which any lady would turn. However, the report of theball has nothing to do with what we have in hand. Now, you remember thePrincess von Steinheimer, at whose castle I first had the pleasure ofmeeting you?"

"You had the pleasure of meeting me before that, " said Jennie, speakingwithout giving thought to what she said. 

"Really!" cried the detective, dropping his papers on the table; "andwhere was that?"

"Oh, well, as you have just said--it has nothing to do with thiscase. Perhaps I was wrong in saying you saw me; it would be morecorrect to say that I saw you. You must remember that you are apublic character, Mr. Taylor. "

"Ah, quite so, " said the detective complacently, turning to hisdocuments again. "Now, the Princess von Steinheimer was invited to theDuchess of Chiselhurst's ball, but she did not attend it. "

"Are you sure of that?" said the girl. "I thought her name was among thelist of those present. "

"It was in the list, and that is just where our mystery begins. Someoneelse attended the ball as the Princess von Steinheimer; it is thisperson that I wish to find. "

"Ah, then you are employed by the Duke of Chiselhurst?"

"No, I am not, for, strangely enough, I believe the Duke thinks it wasactually the Princess who attended the ball. Only one man knows that thePrincess was not present, one man and two women. Of the latter, one isthe Princess von Steinheimer, and the other, the lady who impersonatedher. The one man is Lord Donal Stirling, of the Diplomatic Service, whose name is no doubt familiar to you. Lord Donal has done me thehonour to place the case in my hands. "

"Why does his lordship wish to find this--this--fraudulent person?"asked Jennie, speaking slowly and with difficulty. 

"Because, " said the detective, with the air of a man who knows whereofhe speaks, "he is in love with her. "

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't think it, I know it. Listen to his description of her. "

The detective chose a paper from among his pile of documents, folded, labelled, and docketed for reference. 

"'The girl is of average height, or perhaps a trifle taller than theaverage; carries herself superbly, like a born duchess. Her eyes are ofa deep, velvety black--'"

"Dear me!" cried the girl, "he describes her as if she were a cat!"

"Wait a moment, " said the detective. 

"I don't see much trace of love in that, " continued Jennie breathlessly. 

"Wait a moment, " repeated the detective. "'They light up and sparklewith merriment, and they melt into the most entrancing tenderness. '"

"Good gracious!" cried Jennie, rising, "the conceit of the man isillimitable. Does he mean to intimate that he saw tenderness for himselfin the eyes of a woman he had met for an hour or two?"

"That's just it, " said the detective, laughing. "You see the man is headover ears in love. Please sit down again, Miss Baxter, and listen. Iknow this sentimental kind of writing must be irksome to a practicalwoman like yourself, but in our business we cannot neglect even theslightest detail. Let's see, where was I?--'tenderness, ' oh, yes. 'Herhair is of midnight darkness, inclined to ripple, with little whiffs ofcurls imperiously defying restraint about her temples. Her complexion isas pure as the dawn, touched now and then with a blush as delicate asthe petal of a rose. '"

"Absurd!" cried Jennie impatiently. "The complexion of a woman at aball! Of course, she put it on for the occasion. "

"Of course, " agreed the detective. "But that merely shows you how deeplyin love he is. Lord Donal is quite a young man. He came up to this roomto consult with me, and certainly he doesn't know the difference betweena complexion developed in a Surrey lane and one purchased in New BondStreet. "

"Still, the blushing would seem to indicate that the complexion wasgenuine, " retorted Jennie, apparently quite unflattered by Mr. Taylor'sagreement with the theory she herself had put forward. 

"Oh, I don't know about that. I believe modern science enables anenamelled woman to blush at will; I wouldn't be sure of it, because itis outside of my own line of investigation, but I have understood suchis the case. "

"Very likely, " assented Jennie. "What is that you have at the bottom ofyour packet?"

"That, " said the detective, drawing it forth and handing it to the girl, "is her glove. "

Jennie picked up the glove--which, alas! she had paid for and onlyworn on one occasion--and smoothed it out between her fingers. It wasdocketed "G; made by Gaunt et Cie, Boulevard Hausmann; purchased inParis by one alleging herself to be the Princess von Steinheimer. "

"You have found out all about it, " said Jennie, as she finished readingthe label. 

"Yes, it is our business to do so; but the glove has not been of muchassistance to us. "

"How did he say he became possessed of the glove?" asked the girlinnocently. "Did she give it to him?"

"No; he tore it from her hand as she was leaving him in the carriage. Itseemed to me a most ungentlemanly thing to do, but of course it was notmy business to tell Lord Donal that. "

"So the glove has not been of much assistance to you. Tell me, then, what you have done, and perhaps I shall be the better able to adviseyou. "

"We have done everything that suggested itself. We traced the allegedPrincess from the Hotel Bristol in Pans to Claridge's in London. I havea very clever woman in Paris who assisted me, and she found where thegloves were bought and where the dress was made. Did I read you LordDonal's description of the lady's costume?"

"No, never mind that; go on with your story. "

"Well, Claridge's provided carriage, coachman and footman to take her tothe ball, and this returned with her sometime about midnight. Now, herea curious thing happened. The lady ordered a hansom as she passed thenight-porter and shortly after packed off her maid in the cab. "

"Her maid!" echoed Jennie. 

"Yes. The maid came down in ordinary street dress shortly after, deeplyveiled, and drove away in the hansom; the lady paid her bill nextmorning and went to the eight o'clock Paris express, with carriage andpair, coachman and footman. Of course it struck me that it might be thelady herself who had gone off in the cab, but a moment's reflectionshowed me that she was not likely to leave the hotel in a cab atmidnight, and allow her maid to take the carriage in state nextmorning. "

"That doesn't appear reasonable, " murmured Jennie. "You made no attempt, then, to trace the maid?"

"Oh yes, we did. We found the cabman who took her from Claridge's, and he left her at Charing Cross Station, but there all trace of hervanishes. She probably left on one of the late trains--there are only afew after midnight--to some place out in the country. The lady took afirst-class ticket to Paris, and departed alone next morning by theeight o'clock Continental express. My assistant discovered her and tooka snapshot of her as she was walking down the boulevard; here is thepicture. "

The detective handed Miss Baxter an instantaneous view of one of theboulevards taken in bright sunshine. The principal figure in theforeground Jennie had no difficulty in recognizing as her own maid, dressed in that _chic_ fashion which Parisian women affect. 

"She seems to answer the description, " said Jennie. 

"So I thought, " admitted the detective, "and I sent the portrait to LordDonal. See what he has written on the back. "

Jennie turned the picture over, and there under the inscription, "H. Supposed photo of the missing woman, " was written in a bold hand, "Bosh!Read my description of the girl; this is evidently some Paris lady'smaid. "

"Well, what did you do when you got this picture back?" asked Jennie. 

"I remembered you, and went to the office of the _Daily Bugle_. Thisbrings us to the present moment. You have now the whole story, and Ishall be very pleased to listen to any suggestions you are good enoughto offer. "

The girl sat where she was for a few moments and pondered over thesituation. The detective, resting his elbow on the table and his chin inhis hand, regarded her with eager anticipation. The more Jennie thoughtover the matter, the more she was amazed at the man before her, whoseemed unable to place two and two together. He had already spoken ofthe account of the ball which had appeared in the _Daily Bugle_; ofits accuracy and its excellence; he knew that she was a member of the_Bugle_ staff, yet it had never occurred to him to inquire who wrotethat description; he knew also that she had been a guest at the SchlossSteinheimer when the invitation to the ball must have reached thePrincess. These facts were so plainly in evidence that the girl wasafraid to speak lest some chance word would form the connecting linkbetween the detective's mind and the seemingly palpable facts. At lastshe looked up, the colour coming and going in her cheeks, as Lord Donalhad so accurately described it. 

"I don't think I can be of any assistance to you in this crisis, Mr. Taylor. You have already done everything that human ingenuity cansuggest. "

"Yes, I have--everything that _my_ human ingenuity can suggest. But doesnothing occur to you? have you no theory to put forward?"

"None that would be of any practical advantage. Is Lord Donal certainthat it was not the Princess herself whom he met? Are you thoroughlyconvinced that there was really an impersonation?"

"What do you mean, Miss Baxter?"

"Well, you met Prince von Steinheimer; what do you think of him?"

"I thought him an overbearing bully, if you ask me. I can't imaginewhat English or American girls see in those foreigners to cause themto marry. It is the titles, I suppose. The Prince was veryviolent--practically ordered me out of the Castle, spoke to hisfather-in-law in the most peremptory manner, and I could easily see thePrincess was frightened out of her wits. "

"A very accurate characterization of his Highness, Mr. Taylor. Now, ofcourse, the Princess being a woman--and a young woman--would naturallybe very anxious to attend the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball, wouldn'tshe?"

"One would think so. "

"And, as you have just said, she has a bear of a husband, a good dealolder than herself, who does not in the least care for such functions asthat to which the Princess was invited. Is it not quite possible thatthe Princess actually attended the ball, but, for reasons of her own, desired to keep the fact of her presence there a secret; and you mustremember that Lord Donal Stirling had not seen the Princess for fiveyears. "

"For five years?" said the detective sharply. "How did you learn that, Miss Baxter?"

"Well, you know, " murmured the girl, with a gasp, "he met her last inWashington, and the Princess has not been in America for five years; soyou see--"

"Oh, I was not aware that he had met her in America at all; in fact, Lord Donal said nothing much about the Princess--all his talk hadreference to this lady who impersonated her. "

Jennie leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes for a moment, andbreathed quickly. 

"I am afraid, " she said at last, "that I do not remember with sufficientminuteness the details you have given me, to be able to advise. I canonly suggest that Lord Donal met the Princess herself at the Duchess ofChiselhurst's ball. The Princess, naturally, would wish to misleadhim regarding her identity; and so, if he had not met her for sometime--say two years, or three years, or five years, or whatever theperiod may be--it is quite possible that the Princess has changedgreatly in the interval, and perhaps she was not reluctant to carry ona flirtation with the young man--your client. Of course, she could notallow it to go further than the outside of the door of the Duke ofChiselhurst's town house, for you must remember there was her husbandin the background--a violent man, as you have said; and Lord Donal musthave thoroughly angered the Princess by what you term his rudeness intearing off her glove; and now the Princess will never admit that shewas at the ball, so it seems to me that you are wasting your time in awild goose chase. Why, it is absurd to think, if there had been a realdisappearing woman, that you, with all your experience and all yourfacilities, should not have unearthed her long ago. You said at thebeginning that nothing was more difficult than to disappear. Very well, then--why have you been baffled? Simply because the Princess herselfattended the ball, and there has been no disappearing lady at all. "

The detective, with great vehemence, brought down his fist on the table. 

"By Jove!" he cried, "I believe you are right. I have been completelyblinded, the more so that I have the clue to the mystery right hereunder my own eyes. "

He fumbled for a moment and brought forth a letter from his pile ofdocuments. 

"Here is a note from St. Petersburg, written by Lord Donal himself, saying the Princess had sent him the companion glove to the one younow have in your hand. He says he is sure the Princess knows who herimpersonator was, but that she won't tell; and, although I had read thisnote, it never struck me that the Princess herself was the woman. MissBaxter, you have solved the puzzle!"

"I should be glad to think so, " replied the girl, rising, "and I am veryhappy if I have enabled you to give up a futile chase. "

"It is as plain as daylight, " replied the detective. "Lord Donal'sdescription fits the Princess exactly, and yet I never thought of herbefore. "

Jennie hurried away from the detective's office, happy in the beliefthat she had not betrayed herself, although she was not blind to thefact that her escape was due more to good luck than to any presence ofmind of her own, which had nearly deserted her at one or two points inthe conversation. When Mr. Hardwick saw her, he asked how much space heshould have to reserve for the romance in high life; but she told himthere was nothing in the case, so far as she could see, to interest anysane reader. 

Here matters rested for a fortnight; then the girl received an urgentnote from Cadbury Taylor, asking her to call at his office next daypromptly at four o'clock. It was very important, he said, and he hopedshe would on no account disappoint him. Jennie's first impulse was notto go, but she was so anxious to learn what progress the detective hadmade in the case, fearing that at last he might have got on the righttrack, that she felt it would be unwise to take the risk of not seeinghim. If his suspicions were really aroused, her absence might possiblyserve to confirm them. Exactly at four o'clock next afternoon sheentered his office and found him, to her relief, alone. He sprang upfrom his table on seeing her, and said in a whisper, "I am so glad youhave come. I am in rather a quandary. Lord Donal Stirling is in Londonon a flying visit. He called here yesterday. "

The girl caught her breath, but said nothing. 

"I explained to him the reasons I have for believing that it wasactually the Princess von Steinheimer whom he met at the Duchess ofChiselhurst's ball. He laughed at me; there was no convincing him. Hesaid that theory was more absurd than the sending him a picture ofa housemaid as that of the lady he met at the ball. I used all thearguments which you had used, but he brushed them aside as of noconsequence, and somehow the case did not appear to be as clear as whenyou propounded your theory. "

"Well, what then?" asked the girl. 

"Why, then I asked him to come up here at four o'clock and hear what anassistant of mine would say about the case. "

"At four o'clock!" cried the girl in terror; "then he may be here at anymoment. "

"He is here now; he is in the next room. Come in, and I will introduceyou, and then I want you to tell him all the circumstances which leadyou to believe that it was the Princess herself whom he met. I am sureyou can place all the points before him so tersely that you will succeedin bringing him round to your own way of thinking. You will try, won'tyou, Miss Baxter? It will be a very great obligement to me. "

"Oh, no, no, no!" cried the girl; "I am not going to admit to anyonethat I have been acting as a detective's assistant. You had no right tobring me here. I must go at once. If I had known this I would not havecome. "

"It won't take you five minutes, " pleaded Cadbury Taylor. "He is at thismoment waiting for you; I told him you would be here at four. "

"I can't help that; you had no right to make an appointment for mewithout my knowledge and consent. "

Taylor was about to speak when the door-handle of the inner room turned. 

"I say, detective, " remarked Lord Donal, in a voice of some irritation, "you should have assistants who are more punctual. I am a very busy man, and must leave for St. Petersburg to-night, so I can't spend all my timein your office, you know. "

"I am sure I beg your pardon, my lord, " said the detective with greatobsequiousness. "This young lady has some objections to giving herviews, but I am sure you will be able to persuade her--"

He turned, but the place at his side was vacant. The door to the hallwas open, and the girl had escaped as she saw the handle of the innerdoor turn. Taylor looked blankly at his client with dropped jaw. LordDonal laughed. 

"Your assistant seems to have disappeared as completely as did the ladyat the ball. Why not set your detectives on _her_ track? Perhaps shewill prove to be the person I am in search of. "

"I am very sorry, my lord, " stammered the detective. 

"Oh, don't mention it. I am sure you have done all that could be donewith the very ineffective clues which unfortunately are our onlypossession, but you are quite wrong in thinking it was the Princessherself who attended the ball, and I don't blame your assistant forrefusing to bolster up an impossible case. We will consider the searchended, and if you will kindly let me have your bill at the DiplomaticClub before six o'clock to-night, I will send you a cheque. Goodafternoon, Mr. Taylor. "

CHAPTER XI. JENNIE ELUDES AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE. 

As Jennie rapidly hurried away from the office of Mr. Cadbury Taylor, there arose in her mind some agitation as to what the detective wouldthink of her sudden flight. She was convinced that, up to the moment ofleaving him so abruptly, he had not the slightest suspicion she herself, to whom he was then talking, was the person he had been searching for upand down Europe. What must he think of one who, while speaking with him, suddenly, without a word of leave-taking, disappeared as if the earthhad opened and swallowed her, and all because the handle of the door tothe inner room had turned? Then the excuse she had given for not wishingto meet Lord Donal must have struck him as ridiculously inadequate. When she reached her desk and reflected with more calmness overthe situation, she found no cause to censure herself for her hastydeparture; although she had acted on impulse, she saw there had beennothing else to do; another moment and she would have been face to facewith Lord Donal himself. 

Next day brought a note from the detective which went far to reassureher. He apologized for having made the appointment without herpermission, and explained that Lord Donal's unexpected arrival inLondon, and his stubborn unbelief that it had been the Princess herselfwhom he met at the ball, seemingly left the detective no alternative outto call on the person who had so persistently advanced the theory, toexplain it to the one most intimately concerned. It had not occurredto him at the time to think that Miss Baxter might object to meet LordDonal, who was an entire stranger to her; but now he saw that he waswrong, etc. , etc. , etc. This note did much to convince Jennie that, after all, the detective had not seen the clues which appeared to bespread so plainly before his eyes. Cadbury Taylor, however, said nothingabout the search being ended, and a few days later Jennie received adisquieting letter from the Princess von Steinheimer. 

"My dear Jennie, " her Highness wrote, "I am sure the detectives areafter you, and so I thought it best to send you a word of warning. Ofcourse it is only surmise on my part, but for days there has been awoman hovering about the castle, trying to get information from myservants. My maid came directly to me and told me what she knew. Thewoman detective had spoken to her. This inquisitive person, who had comefrom Paris, wished particularly to know whether I had been seen aboutthe castle during the week in which the Duchess of Chiselhurst's balltook place; and so this leads me to suppose that some one is makinginquiries for you. It must be either Lord Donal Stirling or the Dukeof Chiselhurst, but I rather think it is the former. I have written anindignant letter to Lord Donal, accusing him of having caused detectivesto haunt the castle. I have not yet received a reply, but Lord Donal isa truthful person, and in a day or two I expect to find out whether ornot he has a hand in this business. Meanwhile, Jennie, be on your guard, and I will write you again as soon as I have something further to tell. "

The reading of this letter greatly increased Jennie's fears, for shefelt assured that, stupid as the men undoubtedly were, they verged soclosely on the brink of discovery, they were almost certain to stumbleupon the truth if the investigation was continued. She wrote ahurried note to the Princess, imploring her to be cautious, and notinadvertently give any clue that would lead to her discovery. Herletter evidently crossed one from the Princess herself. Lord Donal hadconfessed, said the letter, and promised never, never to do it again. "He says that before my letter was received he had stopped thedetectives, who were doing no good and apparently only annoying innocentpeople. He says the search is ended, as far as the detective isconcerned, and that I need fear no more intrusions from inquiry agents, male or female. He apologized very handsomely, but says he has not givenup hopes of finding the lady who disappeared. And now, Jennie, I trustthat you will admit my cleverness. You see that I had only a word ortwo from my maid as a clue, but I unravelled the whole plot and at oncediscovered who was the instigator of it, so I think I wouldn't make abad detective myself. I am tremendously interested in episodes likethis. I believe if I had known nothing of the impersonation, and if thecase had been put in my hands, I should have discovered you long ago. Can't you think of some way in which my undoubted talent for researchmay be made use of? You don't know how much I envy you in your newspaperoffice, always with an absorbing mystery on hand to solve. It must belike being the editor of a puzzle department. I wish you would let mehelp you next time you have anything important to do. Will you promise?

"When you write again, please send your letter to Vienna, as we aregoing into residence there, my husband having been unexpectedly calledto the capital. He holds an important position in the Government, asperhaps you remember. "

Jennie was delighted to know that all inquiry had ceased, and she wrotea long letter of gratitude to the Princess. She concluded her epistle bysaying: "It is perfectly absurd of you to envy one who has to work ashard as I. You are the person to be envied. It is not all beer andskittles in a newspaper office, which is a good thing, for I don't likebeer, and I don't know what skittles is or are. But I promise you thatthe next time I have an interesting case on hand I shall write andgive you full particulars, and I am sure that together we shall beinvincible. "

But one trouble leaves merely to give place to another in this life. Jennie was disturbed to notice that Mr. Hardwick was becoming more andmore confidential with her. He sat down by her desk whenever there wasa reasonable excuse for doing so, and he consulted her on mattersimportant and on matters trivial. An advance of salary came to her, and she knew it was through his influence with the board of directors. Although Mr. Hardwick was sharp and decisive in business matters, heproved an awkward man where his affections were concerned, and he oftencame and sat by the girl's desk, evidently wishing to say something, andyet quite as evidently having nothing to say; and thus the situationbecame embarrassing. Jennie was a practical girl and had no desire tocomplicate the situation by allowing her employer to fall in love withher, yet it was impossible to go to him and ask that his attentionsmight be limited strictly to a business basis. The crisis, however, was brought on by Mr. Hardwick himself. One day, when they were alonetogether, he said abruptly, --

"That romance in high life which you were investigating with Mr. CadburyTaylor did not come to anything?"

"No, Mr. Hardwick. "

"Then don't you think we might enact a romance in high life in this veryroom; it is high enough from the street to entitle it to be called aromance in high life, " and the editor grinned uneasily, like an unreadyman who hopes to relieve a dilemma by a poor joke. 

Jennie, however, did not laugh and did not look up at him, but continuedto scribble shorthand notes on the paper before her. 

"Ah, Mr. Hardwick!" she said with a sigh, "I see you have discovered mysecret, although I had hoped to conceal it even from your alert eyes. I am, indeed, in the situation of _Ralph Rackstraw_ in 'Pinafore, ' 'Ilove, and love, alas! above my station, ' and now that you know half, youmay as well know all. It arose out of that unfortunate ball given by theDuchess of Chiselhurst which will haunt me all the rest of my life, Ifear, " said Jennie, still without looking up. Mr. Hardwick smothered anejaculation and was glad that the girl's eyes were not upon him. Therewas a pause of a few moments' duration between them. He took the pathwhich was left open to him, fondly flattering himself that, while hehad stumbled inadvertently upon her romance, he had kept his own secretsafe. 

"I--I have no right to intrude on your confidences, Miss Baxter, "he said finally with an effort, "and I hope you will excuse mefor--for------"

"Oh! I have been sure for some days you knew it, " interrupted the girl, looking up, but not at him. "I have been neglecting my work, I fear, andso you were quite right in speaking. "

"No, your work is all right; it wasn't that exactly--but never mind, wewon't speak of this any more, for I see it embarrasses you. "

"Thank you, Mr. Hardwick, " said Jennie, again bending her eyes on thedesk before her. 

The man saw the colour come and go in her cheeks, and thought he hadnever beheld anyone so entrancing. He rose quickly, without makingfurther attempt at explanation, and left the room. One or two tear dropsstained the paper on which the girl was scribbling. She didn't likegiving pain to anyone, but could not hold herself to blame for whathad happened. She made up her mind to leave the _Daily Bugle_ and seekemployment elsewhere, but next day Mr. Hardwick showed no trace ofdisappointment, and spoke to her with that curt imperiousness which hadheretofore been his custom. 

"Miss Baxter, " he said, "have you been reading the newspapers with anydegree of attention lately?"

"Yes, Mr. Hardwick. "

"Have you been watching the drift of foreign politics?"

"Do you refer to that speech by the Prime Minister of Austria a week ortwo ago?"

"Yes, that is what I have in my mind. As you know, then, it amountedalmost to a declaration of war against England--almost, but not quite. It was a case of saying too much or of not saying enough; however, itwas not followed up, and the Premier has been as dumb as a graven imageever since. England has many enemies in different parts of the world, but I must confess that this speech by the Austrian Premier came as asurprise. There must have been something hidden, which is not visiblefrom the outside. The Premier is too astute a man not to know exactlywhat his words meant, and he was under no delusion as to the manner inwhich England would take them. It is a case, then, of, 'When I was soquickly done for, I wonder what I was begun for'--that is what allEurope is asking. "

"Is it not generally supposed, Mr. Hardwick, that his object was toconsolidate Austria and Hungary? I understood that local politics wereat the bottom of his fiery speech. "

"Quite so, but the rousing of the war spirit in Austria and Hungary wasuseless unless that spirit is given something to do. It needs a war, nota threat of war, to consolidate Austria and Hungary. If the speech hadbeen followed up by hostile action, or by another outburst that wouldmake war inevitable, I could understand it. The tone of the speechindicates that the Prime Minister meant business at the time he gaveutterance to it. Something has occurred meanwhile to change thesituation, and what that something is, all the newspapers in Europe havebeen trying to find out. We have had our regular Vienna representativeat work ever since the words were uttered, and for the past two weekshe has been assisted by one of the cleverest men I could send him fromLondon; but up to date, both have failed. Now I propose that you goquietly to Vienna; I shall not let either of the men know you areinvestigating the affair at which they have laboured with such littlesuccess; for both are good men, and I do not want to discourage eitherof them; still, above all things, I wish to have the solution of thismystery. So it occurred to me last night that you might succeed whereothers had failed. What do you think of it?"

"I am willing to try, " said Miss Baxter, as there flashed across hermind an idea that here was a case in which the Princess von Steinheimercould be of the greatest assistance to her. 

"It has been thought, " went on the editor, "that the Emperor isextremely adverse to having trouble with England or any other country. Still, if that were the case, a new Cabinet would undoubtedly have beenformed after this intemperate address of the Premier; but this man stillholds his office, and there has been neither explanation nor apologyfrom Court or Cabinet. I am convinced that there is something behind allthis, a wheel within a wheel of some sort, because, the day after thespeech, there came a rumour from Vienna that an attempt had been made onthe life of the Emperor or of the Premier; it was exceedingly vague, butit was alleged that a dynamite explosion had taken place in thepalace. This was promptly contradicted, but we all know what officialcontradictions amount to. There is internal trouble of some kind atthe Court of Vienna, and if we could publish the full details, such anarticle would give us a European reputation. When could you be ready tobegin your journey, Miss Baxter?"

"I am ready now. "

"Well, in an affair like this it is best to lose no time; you can goto-morrow morning, then?"

"Oh, certainly, but I must leave the office at once, and you should getsomeone to finish the work I am on. "

"I will attend to that, " said the editor. 

Thus relieved, Jennie betook herself to a telegraph office. She knewthat if she wrote a letter to the Princess, who was now in Vienna, shewould probably herself reach that city as soon as her note, so shetelegraphed that something important was on hand which would take her toVienna by next day's Orient express, and intimated that it was a matterin which she might need the assistance of the Princess. Then shehastened to her rooms to pack up. That evening there came an answeringtelegram from Vienna. The Princess asked her to bring her ball dress andall the rest of her finery. The lady added that she herself would be atthe railway station, and asked Jennie to telegraph to her, _en route_, the time of her arrival. It was evident that her Highness was quiteprepared to engage in whatever scheme there was on hand, and this factencouraged Jennie to hope that success perhaps awaited her. 

CHAPTER XII. JENNIE TOUCHES THE EDGE OF A GOVERNMENT SECRET. 

True to her promise, the Princess von Steinheimer was waiting at theimmense railway station of Vienna, and she received her friend withgushing effusion. Jennie left the train as neat as when she had enteredit, for many women have the faculty of taking long journeys withoutshowing the dishevelled effect which protracted railway travelling seemsto have upon the masculine, and probably more careless, portion ofhumanity. 

"Oh, you dear girl!" cried the Princess; "you cannot tell how glad I amto see you. I was just yearning for someone to talk English to. I am sotired of French and German, although they flatter me by saying that Ispeak those two languages extremely well; yet English is my own tongue, and it is so delightful to talk with one who can understand everyblessed word you say, which you can easily see those who pretend tospeak English in Vienna do not. What long chats we shall have! And nowcome this way to the carriage. There is a man here to look after yourluggage. You are coming right home with me and are going to stay with meas long as you are in Vienna. Don't say, 'No, ' nor make any excuse, nortalk of going to an hotel, for a suite of rooms is all ready for you, and your luggage will be there before we are. Now let us enter thecarriage, for I am just pining to hear what it is you have on hand. Somedelicious scandal, I hope. "

"No, " answered Jennie; "it pertains to Government matters. "

"Oh, dear!" cried the Princess; "how tiresome! Politics are so dull. "

"I don't think this case is dull, " said Jennie; "because it has broughtAustria and England to the verge of war. "

"What a dreadful idea! I hadn't heard anything of it. When did thishappen?"

"Less than a month ago, " and Jennie related the whole circumstance, giving a synopsis of the Premier's speech. 

"But I see nothing in that speech to cause war, " protested the Princess. "It is as mild as new milk. "

"I don't pretend to understand diplomacy, " continued Jennie, blushingslightly as she remembered Lord Donal; and it seemed that the samethought struck the Princess at the same moment, for she lookedquizzically at Jennie and burst out into a laugh. 

"You may laugh, " cried the girl; "but I tell you that this is a seriousbusiness. They say it only needed a second 'new milk' speech from thePremier to have England answer most politely in words of honey, and nextinstant the two countries would have been at each other's throats. "

"Suppose we write to Lord Donal in St. Petersburg, " suggested thePrincess, still laughing, "and ask him to come to Vienna and help us? Heunderstands all about diplomacy. By the way, Jennie, did Lord Donal everfind out whom he met at the ball that night?"

"No, he didn't, " answered Miss Baxter shortly. 

"Don't you ever intend to let him know? Are you going to leave theromance unfinished, like one of Henry James's novels?"

"It isn't a romance; it is simply a very distressing incident which Ihave been trying to forget ever since. It is all very well for you tolaugh, but if you ever mention the subject again I'll leave you and goto an hotel. "

"Oh, no, you won't, " chirruped the Princess brightly; "you daren't. Youknow I hold all the trump cards; at any time I can send a letter toLord Donal and set the poor young man's mind at rest. So you see, MissJennie, you will have to talk very sweetly and politely to me and notmake any threats, because I am like those dreadful persons in thesensational plays who possess the guilty secrets of other people andblackmail them. But you are a nice girl, and I won't say anything youdon't want to hear said. Now, what is it you wish to find out about thispolitical crisis?"

"I want to discover why the Premier did not follow up his speech withanother. He must have known when he spoke how his words would be takenin England; therefore it is thought that he had some plans whichunforeseen circumstances intervening have nullified. I want to know whatthose unforeseen circumstances were, and what these plans were. For thepast fortnight the _Daily Bugle_ has had two men here in Vienna tryingto throw some light on the dark recesses of diplomacy. Up to date theyhave failed, but at any moment they may succeed; it was because theyfailed that I am sent here. Now, have you anything to suggest, Madame laPrincesse?"

"I suggest, Jennie, that we put our heads together and learn all thatthose diplomatists wish to hide. Have you no plans yourself?"

"I have no very definite plan, but I have a general scheme. These menI spoke of are trying to discover what other men are endeavouring toconceal. All the officials are on their guard; they are highly placed, and are not likely to be got at by bribery. They are clever, alert menof the world, so hoodwinking them is out of the question; therefore Ithink my two fellow journalists have a difficult task before them. "

"But it is the same task that you have before you; why is it not asdifficult for you, Jennie, as for them?"

"Because I propose to work with people who are not on their guard, andthere is where you can help me, if you are not shocked at my proposal. Each official has a wife, or at least most of them have. Some of thesewives, in all probability, possess the information that we would like toget. Women will talk more freely with women than men will with men. Now, I propose to leave the officials severely alone and to interview theirwives. "

The Princess clapped her hands. 

"Excellent!" she cried. "The women of Vienna are the greatest gossipsyou ever heard chattering together. I have never taken any interest inpolitics, otherwise I suppose I might have become possessed of someimportant Government secrets. Now, Jennie, I'll tell you what I proposedoing. I shall give a formal tea next Thursday afternoon. I shall inviteto that tea a dozen, or two dozen, or three dozen wives of influentialofficials about the Court. My husband will like that, because he isalways complaining that I do not pay enough attention to the ladies ofthe political circle of Vienna. He takes a great interest in politics, you know. If we discover nothing at the first tea-meeting, we will haveanother, and another, and another, until we do. We are sure to invitethe right woman on one of those occasions, and when we find her I'llwarrant the secret will soon belong to us. Ah, here we are at home, andwe will postpone the discussion of our delightful conspiracy until youhave had something to eat and are rested a bit. "

The carriage drew up at the magnificent palace, well known in Vienna, which belongs to the Prince von Steinheimer; and shortly afterwardsJennie Baxter found herself in possession of the finest suite of roomsshe had ever beheld in her life. Jennie laughed as she looked round herapartment and noted its luxuriant appointments. 

"These are not exactly what we should call 'diggings' in London, arethey?" she said to the Princess, who stood by her side, delighted at thepleasure of her friend. "We often read of poor penny-a-liners in theirgarrets; but I don't think any penny-a-liner ever had such a garret asthis placed at his disposal. "

"I knew you would like the rooms, " cried the Princess gaily. "I likethem myself, and I hope they will help to induce you to stay in Viennaas long as you can. I have given you my own maid Gretlich, and I assureyou it isn't every friend I would lend her to; she is a model servant. "

"Oh, but you mustn't do that, " said Jennie. "I cannot rob you of yourmaid and also be selfish enough to monopolize these rooms. "

"You are not robbing me; in fact, I am, perhaps, a little artful ingiving you Gretlich, for she is down in the dumps this last week or two, and I don't know what in the world is the matter with her. I suspect itis some love affair; but she will say nothing, although I have askedher time and again what is the trouble. Now, you are such a cheery, consoling young woman that I thought if Gretlich were in your servicefor a time she might brighten up and be her own self again. So yousee, instead of robbing me, I am really taking advantage of your goodnature. "

"I am afraid you are just saying that to make it easier for me to beselfish; still, you are so generous, Princess, that I am not going toobject to anything you do, but just give myself up to luxury while Istay in Vienna. "

"That is right. Ah, here is Gretlich. Now, Gretlich, I want you to helpmake Miss Baxter's stay here so pleasant that she will never want toleave us. "

"I shall do my best, your Highness, " said the girl, with quietdeference. 

The Princess left the two alone together, and Jennie saw that Gretlichwas not the least ornamental appendage to the handsome suite of rooms. Gretlich was an excellent example of that type of fair women for whichVienna is noted; but she was, as the Princess had said, extremelydowncast, and Jennie, who had a deep sympathy for all who worked, spokekindly to the girl and endeavoured to cheer her. There was something ofunaccustomed tenderness in the compassionate tones of Jennie's voicethat touched the girl, for, after a brief and ineffectual effort atself-control, she broke down and wept. To her pitying listener shetold her story. She had been betrothed to a soldier whose regiment wasstationed in the Burg. When last the girl saw her lover he was to bethat night on guard in the Treasury. Before morning a catastrophe ofsome kind occurred. The girl did not know quite what had happened. Somesaid there had been a dreadful explosion and her lover had lost hislife. Neither the soldier's relatives nor his betrothed were allowed tosee him after the disaster. He had been buried secretly, and it appearedto be the intention of the authorities to avoid all publicity. Therelatives and the betrothed of the dead soldier had been warned to keepsilence and seek no further information. It was not till several daysafter her lover's death that Gretlich, anxious because he did not keephis appointment with her, and not hearing from him, fearing that he wasill, began to make inquiries; then she received together the informationand the caution. 

In the presence of death all consolers are futile, and Jennie realizedthis as she endeavoured as well as she could to comfort the girl. Herheart was so much enlisted in this that perhaps her intellect was theless active; but here she stood on the very threshold of the secret shehad come to Vienna to discover, and yet had not the slightest suspicionthat the girl's tragedy and her own mission were interwoven. Jennie hadwondered at the stupidity of Cadbury Taylor, who failed to see whatseemed so plainly before him, yet here was Jennie herself come athousand miles, more or less, to obtain certain information, and here asobbing girl was narrating the very item of news that she had come sofar to learn--all of which would seem to show that none of us are sobright and clever as we imagine ourselves to be. 

In the afternoon the Princess entered Jennie's sitting-room carrying inher hand a bunch of letters. 

"There!" she cried, "while you have been resting I have been working, and we are not going to allow any time to be lost. I have writtenwith my own hand invitations to about two dozen people to our tea onThursday; among others, the wife of the Premier, Countess Stron. Iexpect you to devote yourself to that lady and tell me the result ofthe conversation after it is over. Have you been talking consolation toGretlich? I came up here half an hour ago, and it seemed to me I heardthe sound of crying in this room. "

"Oh, yes, " said Jennie, "she has been telling me all her trouble. Itseems she had a lover in the army, and he has been killed in someaccident in the Treasury. "

"What kind of an accident?"

"Gretlich said there had been an explosion there. "

"Dear me! I never heard of it. It is a curious thing that one must comefrom London to tell us our own news. An explosion in the Treasury! andso serious that a soldier was killed! That arouses my curiosity, so Ishall just sit down and write another invitation to the wife of theMaster of the Treasury. "

"I wish you would, because I should like to know something further aboutthis myself. Gretlich seems to have had but scant information regardingthe occurrence, and I should like to know more about it so that I mighttell her. "

"We shall learn all about it from madame, and I must write that note atonce for fear I forget it. "

CHAPTER XIII. JENNIE INDULGES IN TEA AND GOSSIP. 

On Thursday afternoon there was a brilliant assemblage in the spacioussalon of the Princess von Steinheimer. The rich attire of the ladiesformed a series of kinetographic pictures that were dazzling, forViennese women are adepts in the art of dress, as are their Parisiansisters. Tea was served, not in cups and saucers, as Jennie had beenaccustomed to seeing it handed round, but in goblets of clear, thinVenetian glass, each set in a holder of encrusted filigree gold. Therewere all manner of delicious cakes, for which the city is celebrated. The tea itself had come overland through Russia from China and had notsuffered the deterioration which an ocean voyage produces. The decoctionwas served clear, with sugar if desired, and a slice of lemon, andJennie thought it the most delicious brew she had ever tasted. 

"I am so sorry, " whispered the Princess to Jennie when an opportunityoccurred, "but the Countess Stron has sent a messenger to say that shecannot be present this afternoon. It seems her husband, the Premier, is ill, and she, like a good wife, remains at home to nurse him. Thisrather upsets our plans, doesn't it?"

"Oh, I don't know, " replied Jennie. "It is more than likely that thewife of the Premier would be exceedingly careful not to discuss anypolitical question in this company. I have counted more upon the wife ofa lesser official than upon the Countess Stron. "

"You are right, " said the Princess, "and now come with me. I want tointroduce you to the wife of the Master of the Treasury, and from her, perhaps, you can learn something of the accident that befell the loverof poor Gretlich. "

The wife of the Master of the Treasury proved to be a garrulous old ladywho evidently prided herself on knowing everything that was taking placeabout her. Jennie and she became quite confidential over their gobletsof tea, a beverage of which the old lady seemed inordinately fond. Asthe conversation between them drifted on, Jennie saw that here was aperson who would take a delight in telling everything she knew, andthe only question which now arose was whether she knew anything Jenniewished to learn. But before she tried her on high politics the girldetermined to find out more about the disaster that had made such anabrupt ending to Gretlich's young dream. 

"I have been very much interested, " she said, "in one of the maids herewho lost her lover some weeks ago in an accident that occurred in theTreasury. The maid doesn't seem to know very much about what happened, and was merely told that her lover, a soldier who had been on guardthere that night, was dead. "

"Oh, dear, yes!" whispered the old lady, lowering her voice, "what adreadful thing that was, four men killed and eight or nine now in thehospital. My poor husband has had hardly a wink of sleep since theevent, and the Premier is ill in bed through the worry. "

"Because of the loss of life?" asked Jennie innocently. 

"Oh, no, no! the loss of life wouldn't matter; it is the loss of themoney that is the serious thing, and how they are going to replace it oraccount for its disappearance I am sure I don't know. The deficiency issomething over two hundred million florins. Was it not awful?"

"Was the building shattered to such an extent?" inquired Jennie, who didnot stop to think that such a sum would replace any edifice in Vienna, even if it had been wiped off the face of the earth. 

"The Treasury was damaged, of course, but the cost of repairs will notbe great. No, my child, it is a much more disturbing affair than thedestruction of any state house in the Empire. What has made the Premierill, and what is worrying my poor husband into an untimely grave, isnothing less than the loss of the war chest. "

"The war chest!" echoed Jennie, "what is that?"

"My dear, every great nation has a war chest. England has one, so hasFrance, Germany, Russia--no matter how poor a nation may be, or howdifficult it is to collect the taxes, that nation must have a warchest. If war were to break out suddenly, even with the most prosperouscountry, there would be instant financial panic; ready money would bedifficult to obtain; a loan would be practically impossible; and whatwar calls for the very instant it is declared is money--not promisesof money, not paper money, not silver money even, but gold; therefore, every nation which is in danger of war has a store of gold coin. Thisstore is not composed mainly, or even largely, of the coins of thenation which owns the store; it consists of the sovereigns of England, the louis of France, the Willems d'or of Holland, the eight-florinpieces of Austria, the double-crown of Germany, the half-imperials ofRussia, the double-Frederics of Denmark, and so on. All gold, gold, gold! I believe that in the war chest of Austria there were depositedcoins of different nations to the value of something like two hundredmillion florins. My husband never told me exactly how much was there, but sometimes when things looked peaceable there was less money in thewar chest than when there was imminent danger of the European outbreakwhich we all fear. The war chest of Austria was in a stone-vaulted room, one of the strongest dungeons in the Treasury. The public are admittedinto several rooms of the Treasury, but no stranger is ever allowed intothat portion of the building which houses the war chest. This room iskept under guard night and day. For what happened, my husband feels thathe is in no way to blame, and I don't think his superiors are inclinedto charge him with neglect of duty. It is a singular thing that the daybefore the disaster took place he of his own accord doubled the guardthat watched over the room and also the approaches to it. The war chestwas at its fullest. Never, so he tells me, was there so much money inthe war chest as at that particular time. Something had occurred that inhis opinion called for extra watchfulness, and so he doubled the guard. But about midnight there was a tremendous explosion. The strong doorcommunicating with the passage was wrenched from its hinges and flungoutwards into the hallway. It is said that dynamite must have been used, and that in a very large quantity. Not a vestige of the chest remainedbut a few splintered pieces of iron. The four soldiers in the room wereblown literally to pieces, and those in the passage-way were stunned bythe shock. The fact that they were unconscious for some minutes seemsto have given the criminal, whoever he was, his chance of escape. For, although an instant alarm was sent out, and none but those who had aright to be on the premises were allowed out of or in the Treasury, yetno one was caught, nor has anyone been caught up to this day. "

"But the gold, the gold?" cried Jennie eagerly. 

"There was not a florin of it left. Every piece has disappeared. It isat once the most clever and the most gigantic robbery of money that hastaken place within our knowledge. "

"But such a quantity of gold, " said Jennie, "must have been of enormousweight. Two hundred million florins! Why, that is twenty million pounds, isn't it? It would take a regiment of thieves to carry so much away. Howhas that been done? And where is the gold concealed?"

"Ah, my child, if you can answer your own questions the AustrianGovernment will pay you almost any sum you like to name. The police arecompletely baffled. Of course, nothing has been said of this giganticrobbery; but every exit from Vienna is watched, and not only that, buteach frontier is guarded. What the Government wants, of course, is toget back its gold, the result of years of taxation, which cannot veryeasily be re-levied. "

"And when did this robbery take place?" asked Jennie. 

"On the night of the 17th. "

"On the night of the 17th, " repeated the girl, more to herself than tothe voluble old woman; "and it was on the 16th that the Premier made hiswar speech. "

"Exactly, " said the old lady, who overheard the remark not intendedfor her ears; "and don't you think there was something striking in thecoincidence?"

"I don't quite understand. What coincidence?"

"Well, you know the speech of the Premier was against England. It wasnot a speech made on the spur of the moment, but was doubtless theresult of many consultations, perhaps with Russia, perhaps with Germany, or with France--who knows? We have been growing very friendly withRussia of late; and as England has spies all over the world, doubtlessher Government knew before the speech was made that it was coming; sothe police appear to think that the whole resources of the BritishGovernment were set at the task of crippling Austria at a criticalmoment. "

"Surely you don't mean, madame, that the Government of England woulddescend to burglary, robbery--yes, and murder, even, for the poorsoldiers who guarded the treasure were as effectually murdered as ifthey had been assassinated in the street? You don't imagine that theBritish Government would stoop to such deeds as these?"

The old lady shook her head wisely. 

"By the time you are my age, my dear, and have seen as much of politicsas I have, you will know that Governments stop at nothing to accomplishtheir ends. No private association of thieves could have laid such plansas would have done away with two hundred millions of florins in gold, unless they had not only ample resources, but also a master brain todirect them. Nations hesitate at nothing where their interests areconcerned. It was to the interest of no other Empire but England todeplete Austria at this moment, and see how complete her machinationsare. No nation trusts another, and if Austria had proof that England isat the bottom of this robbery, she dare not say anything, because herwar chest is empty. Then, again, she cannot allow either Germany orRussia to know how effectually she has been robbed, for no one couldtell what either of these nations might do under the circumstances. TheGovernment fears to let even its own people know what has happened. Itis a stroke of vengeance marvellous in its finality. Austria iscrippled for years to come, unless she finds the stolen gold on her ownterritory. "

The old lady had worked herself up into such a state of excitementduring her recital that she did not notice that most of her companionvisitors had taken their leave, and when the Princess approached thetwo, she arose with some trepidation. 

"My dear Princess, " she said, "your tea has been so good, and thecompany of your young compatriot has been so charming, that I have donenothing but chatter, chatter, chatter away about things which shouldonly be spoken of under one's breath, and now I must hurry away. May Iventure to hope that you will honour me with your presence at one of myreceptions if I send you a card?"

"I shall be delighted to do so, " replied the Princess, with thatgracious condescension which became her so well. 

The garrulous old lady was the last to take her leave, and when thePrincess was left alone with her guest, she cried, --

"Jennie, I have found out absolutely nothing, what have you discovered?"

"Everything!" replied the girl, walking up and down the floor inexcitement over the unearthing of such a bonanza of news. 

"You don't tell me so! Now do sit down and let me know the fullparticulars at once. "

When Jennie's exciting story was finished she said, --

"You see, this robbery explains why the Premier did not follow up hiswarlike speech. The police seem to think that England has had a hand inthis robbery, but of course that is absurd. "

"I am not so sure of that, " replied the Princess, taking as she spoke, the Chicago point of view, and forgetting for the moment her positionamong the aristocracy of Europe. "England takes most things it can getits hands on, and she is not too slow to pick up a gold mine here andthere, so why should she hesitate when the gold is already minted forher?"

"It is too absurd for argument, " continued Jennie calmly, "so we won'ttalk of that phase of the subject. I must get away to England instantly. Let us find out when the first train leaves. "

"Nonsense!" protested the Princess; "what do you need to go to Englandfor? You have seen nothing of Vienna. "

"Oh, I can see Vienna another time; I must get to England with thisaccount of the robbery. "

"Won't your paper pay for telegraphing such an important piece of news?

"Oh, yes; there would be no difficulty about that, but I dare not trusteither the post or the telegraph in a case like this. The police are onthe watch. "

"But couldn't you send it through by a code? My father always used to dohis cabling by code; it saved a lot of money and also kept other peoplefrom knowing what his business was. "

"I have a code, but I hesitate about trusting even to that. "

"I'll tell you what we'll do, " said the Princess. "I want you to stay inVienna. "

"Oh, I shall return, " said Jennie. "I've only just had a taste of thisdelightful city. I'll come right back. "

"I can't trust you to do anything of the kind. When you get to Londonyou will stay there. Now here is what I propose, and it will have theadditional advantage of saving your paper a day. We will run downtogether into Italy--to Venice; then you can take along your code andtelegraph from there in perfect safety. When that is done you willreturn here to Vienna with me. And another thing, you may be sure youreditor will want you to stay right here on the spot to let him know ofany outcome of this sensational _dénouement_. "

"That isn't a bad idea, " murmured Jennie. "How long will it take us toget to Venice?"

"I don't know, but I am sure it will save you hours compared with goingto London. I shall get the exact time for you in a moment. "

Jennie followed the suggestion of the Princess, and together the twowent to the ever-entrancing city of Venice. By the time they reachedthere, Jennie had her account written and coded. The long message washanded in at the telegraph office as soon as the two arrived in Venice. Jennie also sent the editor a private despatch giving her address inVenice, and also telling him the reason for sending the telegram fromItaly rather than from Austria or Germany. In the evening she receiveda reply from Mr. Hardwick. "This is magnificent, " the telegram said. "Idoubt if anything like it has ever been done before. We will startlethe world to-morrow morning. Please return to Vienna, for, as you havediscovered this much, I am perfectly certain that you will be able tocapture the robbers. Of course all the police and all the papers ofEurope will be on the same scent, but I am sure that you will prove amatch for the whole combination. "

"Oh, dear!" cried Jennie, as she handed the message to her friend. "Whata bothersome world this is; there is no finality about anything. Onepiece of work simply leads to another. Here I thought I had earned atleast a good month's rest, but, instead of that, a further demand ismade upon me. I am like the genii in fairy tales: no sooner is oneapparently impossible task accomplished than another is set. "

"But what a magnificent thing it would be if you could discover therobber or robbers. "

"Magnificent enough, yes; but that isn't to be done by inviting a lot ofold women to tea, is it?"

"True, so we shall have to set our wits together in another direction. I tell you, Jennie, I know I have influence enough to have you made amember of the special police. Shall I introduce you as from America, andsay that you have made a speciality of solving mysteries? An appointmentto the special police would allow you to have unrestricted entrance tothe secret portion of the Treasury building. You would see the roomsdamaged by the explosion, and you would learn what the police havediscovered. With that knowledge to begin with, we might then dosomething towards solving the problem. "

"Madame la Princesse, " cried Jennie enthusiastically, "you are inspired!The very thing. Let us get back to Vienna. " And accordingly the twoconspirators left Italy by the night train for Austria. 

CHAPTER XIV. JENNIE BECOMES A SPECIAL POLICE OFFICER. 

When Jennie returned to Vienna, and was once more installed in herluxurious rooms at the Palace Steinheimer, she received in due timea copy of the _Daily Bugle_, sent to her under cover as a registeredletter. The girl could not complain that the editor had failed to makethe most of the news she had sent him. As she opened out the paper shesaw the great black headlines that extended across two columns, and thenews itself dated not from Venice, but from Vienna, was in type muchlarger than that ordinarily used in the paper, and was double-leaded. The headings were startling enough:--

 PHANTOM GOLD. 

 THE MOST GIGANTIC ROBBERY OF MODERN TIMES. 

 THE AUSTRIAN WAR CHEST DYNAMITED. 

 TWENTY MILLION POUNDS IN COIN LOOTED. 

 APPALLING DISASTER AT THE TREASURY IN VIENNA. 

 FOUR MEN KILLED, AND SIXTEEN OTHERS MORE OR LESS SERIOUSLY INJURED. 

"Dear me!" the Princess cried, peering over Jennie's shoulder at theseamazing headings, "how like home that looks. The _Bugle_ doesn't at allresemble a London journal; it reminds me of a Chicago paper's account ofa baseball match; a baseball match when Chicago was winning, of course, and when Anson had lined out the ball from the plate to the lake front, and brought three men in on a home run at a critical point in the game. "

"Good gracious!" cried Jennie, "what language are you speaking? Is itslang, or some foreign tongue?"

"It is pure Chicagoese, Jennie, into which I occasionally lapse evenhere in prim Vienna. I would like to see a good baseball match, with theChicago nine going strong. Let us abandon this effete monarchy, Jennie, and pay a visit to America. "

"I'll go with pleasure if you will tell me first who robbed the warchest. If you can place your dainty forefinger on the spot that concealstwo hundred million florins in gold, I'll go anywhere with you. "

"Oh, yes, that reminds me. I spoke to my husband this morning, and askedhim if he could get you enrolled as a special detective, and he saidthere would be some difficulty in obtaining such an appointment for awoman. Would you have any objection to dressing up as a nice young man, Jennie?"

"I would very much rather not; I hope you didn't suggest that to thePrince. "

The Princess laughed merrily and shook her head. 

"No, I told him that I believed that you would solve the mystery ifanyone could, and, remembering what you had done in that affair ofmy diamonds, my husband has the greatest faith in your powers as aninvestigator; but he fears the authorities here will be reluctantto allow a woman to have any part in the search. They have veryold-fashioned ideas about women in Austria, and think her proper placeis presiding over a tea-table. "

"Well, if they only knew it, " said Jennie archly, "some things have beendiscovered over a teacup within our own memories. "

"That is quite true, " replied the Princess, "but we can hardly give theincident as a recommendation to the Austrian authorities. By the way, have you noticed that no paper in Vienna has said a single word aboutthe robbery of the war chest?"

"It must have been telegraphed here very promptly from London, and yetthey do not even deny it, which is the usual way of meeting the truth. "

While they were talking, a message came from his Highness, asking ifhe might take the liberty of breaking in upon their conference. A fewmoments after, the Prince himself entered the apartment and bowed withcourtly deference to the two ladies. 

"I have succeeded, " he said, "beyond my expectations. It seems that anewspaper in London has published an account of the whole affair, andthe police, who were at their wits end before, are even more flusterednow that the account of the robbery has been made public. By the way, how did you learn anything about this robbery? It did not strike me atthe time you spoke about Miss Baxter's commission this morning, but Ihave been wondering ever since. "

"Jennie received a paper from London, " said the Princess hurriedly, "which said the war chest of Austria had been robbed of two hundredmillion florins, but there is nothing about it in the Vienna Press. "

"No, " replied the Prince; "nor is there likely to be. The robbery is nowknown to all the world except Austria, and I imagine nothing will besaid about it here. "

"Is there, then, any truth in the report?" asked the Princessinnocently. 

"Truth! It's all truth; that is just where the trouble is. There islittle use of our denying it, because this London paper is evidentlywell informed, and to deny it we should have to publish something aboutthe robbery itself, which we are not inclined to do. It is known, however, who the two correspondents of this London paper are, and Ibelieve the police are going to make it so interesting for those twogentlemen that they will be glad to leave Vienna, for a time at least. Of course, nothing can be done openly, because Englishmen make such afuss when their liberties are encroached upon. One of the young men hasbeen lured across the frontier by a bogus telegram, and I think theauthorities will see that he does not get back in a hurry; the other weexpect to be rid of before long. Of course, we could expel him, but ifwe did, it would be thought that we had done so because he had found outthe truth about the explosion. "

"How did you learn of the explosion?" asked the Princess. 

"Oh, I have known all about the affair ever since it happened. "

The Princess gave Jennie a quick look, which said as plainly as words, "Here was the news that we wanted in our household, and we neversuspected it. " "Why didn't you tell me?" cried the Princess indignantly. 

"Well, you see, my dear, you never took much interest in politics, and Idid not think the news would have any attraction for you; besides, " headded, with a smile, "we were all cautioned to keep the matter as secretas possible. "

"And wonderfully well you have managed it!" exclaimed the Princess. "That shows what comes of trusting a secret to a lot of men; here it is, published to all the world. "

"Not quite all the world my dear. As I have said, Austria will knownothing regarding it. "

"The Princess tells me, " said Jennie, "that you were kind enough toendeavour to get me permission to make some investigation into thismystery. Have you succeeded?"

"Yes, Miss Baxter, as I said, I have succeeded quite beyond myexpectations, for the lady detective is comparatively an innovation inVienna. However, the truth is, the police are completely in a fog, andthey are ready to welcome help from whatever quarter it comes. Here is awritten permit from the very highest authority, which you do not need touse except in a case of emergency. Here is also an order from the Chiefof Police, which will open for you every door in Vienna; and finally, here is a badge which you can pin on some not too conspicuous portionof your clothing. This badge, I understand, is rarely given out. It ispartly civil and partly military. You can show it to any guard, whowill, on seeing it, give you the right-of-way. In case he does not, appeal to his superior officer, and allow him to read your policepermit. Should that fail, then play your trump card, which is thishighly important document. The Director of the Police, who is a veryshrewd man, seemed anxious to make your acquaintance before you beganyour investigation. He asked me if you would call upon him, but seemedtaken aback when I told him you were my wife's friend and a guest at ourhouse, so he suggested that you would in all probability wish first tosee the scene of the explosion, and proposed that he should call herewith his carriage and accompany you to the Treasury. He wished to knowif four o'clock in the afternoon would suit your convenience!"

"Oh, yes!" replied Jennie. "I am eager to begin at once, and, of course, I shall be much obliged to him if he will act as my guide in the vaultsof the Treasury, and tell me how much they have already discovered. "

"You must not expect much information from the police--in fact, I doubtif they have discovered anything. Still, if they have, they are morethan likely to keep it to themselves; and I imagine they will holda pretty close watch on you, being more anxious to learn what youdiscover, and thus take the credit if they can, than to furnish you withany knowledge of the affair they may happen to possess. "

"That is quite natural, and only what one has a right to expect. I don'twish to rob the police of whatever repute there is to be gained fromthis investigation, and I am quite willing to turn over to them anyclues I may happen to chance upon. "

"Well, if you can convince the Director of that, you will have all theassistance he can give you. It wouldn't be bad tactics to let him knowthat you are acting merely in an amateur way, and that you have nodesire to rob the police of their glory when it comes to the solving ofthe problem. " Promptly at four o'clock the Director of the Police putin an appearance at the Palace Steinheimer. He appeared to be a mostobsequious, highly decorated old gentleman, in a very resplendentuniform, and he could hardly conceal his surprise at learning that thelady detective was a woman so young and so pretty. Charmed as he wasto find himself in the company of one so engaging, it was neverthelessevident to Jennie that he placed no very high estimate on the assistanceshe might be able to give in solving the mystery of the Treasury. Thistrend of mind, she thought, had its advantages, for the Director wouldbe less loth to give her full particulars of what had already beenaccomplished by the police. 

Jennie accompanied the Director to that extensive mass of buildings ofwhich the Treasury forms a part. The carriage drew up at a doorway, andhere the Director and his companion got out. He led the way into theedifice, then, descending a stair, entered an arched corridor, at thedoor of which two soldiers stood on guard, who saluted as the Chiefpassed them. 

"Does this lead to the room where the explosion took place?" askedJennie. "Yes. " "And is this the only entrance?" "The only entrance, madame. " "Were the men on guard in this doorway injured by theexplosion?" "Yes. They were not seriously injured, but were renderedincapable for a time of attending to their duties. " "Then a person couldhave escaped without their seeing him?" "A whole regiment of personsmight have escaped. You will understand the situation exactly if Icompare this corridor to a long cannon, the room at the end being thebreech-loading chamber. Two guards were inside the room, and two othersstood outside the door that communicated with this corridor. These fourmen were killed instantly. Of the guards inside the room not a vestigehas been found. The door, one of the strongest that can be made, somewhat similar to the door of a safe, was flung outward and crushed tothe floor the two guards who stood outside it in the corridor. Betweenthe chamber in which the chest lay and the outside entrance were sixteenmen on guard. Every one of these was flung down, for the blast, if I maycall it so, travelled through this straight corridor like the chargealong the inside of the muzzle of a gun. The guards nearest the treasurechamber were, of course, the more seriously injured, but those furtherout did not escape the shock, and the door by which we entered thiscorridor, while not blown from its hinges, was nevertheless forcedopen, its strong bolts snapping like matches. So when you see the greatdistance that intervened between the chamber and that door, you willhave some idea of the force of the explosion. "

"There is no exit, then, from the treasure chamber except along thiscorridor?"

"No, madame. The walls at the outside of the chamber are of enormousstrength, because, of course, it was expected that if an attempt atrobbery were ever made, it would be made from the outside, and it isscarcely possible that even the most expert of thieves could succeed inpassing two guards at the door, sixteen officers and soldiers along thecorridor, two outside the Treasury door, and two in the chamber itself. Such a large number of soldiers were kept here so that any attempt atbribery would be impossible. Among such a number one or two were sureto be incorruptible, and the guards were constantly changed. Seldom waseither officer or man twice on duty here during the month. With such alarge amount at stake every precaution was taken. "

"Are there any rooms at the right or left of this corridor in which thethieves could have concealed themselves while they fired the mine?"

"No, the corridor leads to the treasure chamber alone. "

"Then, " said Jennie, "I can't see how it was possible for a number ofmen to have made away with the treasure in such circumstances as existhere. "

"Nevertheless, my dear young lady, the treasure is gone. We think thatthe mine was laid with the connivance of one or more officers on dutyhere. You see the amount at stake was so large that a share of it wouldtempt any nine human beings out of any ten. Our theory is that the trainwas laid, possibly electric wires being used, which would be unnoticedalong the edge of the corridor, and that the bribed officer exploded thedynamite by bringing the ends of the wires into contact. We think theexplosion was a great deal more severe than was anticipated. Probably, it was expected that the shock would break a hole from the treasurechamber to the street, but so strong were the walls that no impressionwas made upon them, and a cabman who was driving past at the time heardnothing of the sound of the explosion, though he felt a trembling of theground, and thought for a moment there had been a shock of earthquake. "

"You think, then, that the thieves were outside?"

"That seems the only possible opinion to hold. "

"The outside doors were locked and bolted, of course?"

"Oh, certainly; but if they had a confederate or two in the largehallway upstairs, these traitors would see to it that there was notrouble about getting in. Once inside the large hallway, with guardsstunned by the shock, the way to the treasure chamber was absolutelyclear. "

"There were sentries outside the building, I suppose?"

"Yes. "

"Did they see any vehicle driving near the Treasury?"

"No, except the cab I spoke of, and the driver has accountedsatisfactorily for his time that night. The absence of any conveyanceis the strange part of it; and, moreover, the sentries, although pacingoutside the walls of this building, heard nothing of the concussionbeyond a low rumble, and those who thought of the matter at all imaginedan explosion had occurred in some distant part of the city. "

"Then the outside doors in the large hall above were not blown open?"

"No; the officer reports that they were locked and bolted when heexamined them, which was some minutes, of course, after the disaster hadtaken place; for he, the officer in charge, had been thrown down andstunned, seemingly by the concussion of air which took place. "

As Jennie walked down the corridor, she saw more and more of theevidences of the convulsion. The thick iron-bound door lay where it hadfallen, and it had not been moved since it was lifted to get the two menfrom under it. Its ponderous hinges were twisted as if they had beenmade of glue, and its massive bolts were snapped across like bits ofglass. All along the corridor on the floor was a thick coating of dustand _débris_, finely powdered, growing deeper and deeper until they cameto the entrance of the room. There was no window either in corridor orchamber, and the way was lit by candles held by soldiers who accompaniedthem. The scoria crunched under foot as they walked, and in the chamberitself great heaps of dust, sand and plaster, all pulverized into minuteparticles, lay in the corners of the room, piled up on one side higherthan a man's head. There seemed to be tons of this _débris_, and, asJennie looked up at the arched ceiling, resembling the roof of a vaulteddungeon, she saw that the stone itself had been ground to fine dust withthe tremendous force of the blast. 

"Where are the remnants of the treasure chest?" she asked. 

The Director shook his head. "There are no remnants; not a vestige of itis to be found. "

"Of what was it made?"

"We used to have an old treasure chest here made of oak, bound withiron; but some years ago, a new receptacle being needed, one wasespecially built of hardened steel, constructed on the modern principlesof those burglar-proof and fire-proof safes. "

"And do you mean to say that there is nothing left of this?"

"Nothing that we have been able to discover. "

"Well, I have seen places where dynamite explosions have occurred, butI know of nothing to compare with this. I am sure that if dynamite hasbeen used, or any explosive now generally obtainable, there would havebeen left, at least, some remnant of the safe. Hasn't this pile ofrubbish been disturbed since the explosion?"

"Yes, it has been turned over; we made a search for the two men, but wefound no trace of them. "

"And you found no particles of iron or steel?"

"The heap throughout is just as you see it on the surface--a fine, almost impalpable dust. We had to exercise the greatest care insearching through it, for the moment it was disturbed with a shovelit filled the air with suffocating clouds. Of course we shall have itremoved by-and-by, and carted away, but I considered it better to allowit to remain here until we had penetrated somewhat further into themystery than we have already done. "

Jennie stooped and picked up a handful from the heap, her action causeda mist to rise in the air that made them both choke and cough, andyet she was instantly struck by the fact that her handful seemedinordinately heavy for its bulk. 

"May I take some of this with me?" she asked. 

"Of course, " replied the Director. "I will have a packet of it put upfor you. "

"I would like to take it with me now, " said Jennie. "I have curiosity toknow exactly of what it is composed. Who is the Government analyst? orhave you such an official?"

"Herr Feltz, in the Graubenstrasse, is a famous analytical chemist; youcannot do better than go to him. "

"Do you think he knows anything about explosives?"

"I should suppose so, but if not, he will certainly be able to tell youwho the best man is in that line. "

The Director ordered one of the soldiers who accompanied him to find asmall paper bag, and fill it with some dust from the treasure chamber. When this was done, he handed the package to Jennie, who said, "Ishall go at once and see Herr Feltz. "

"My carriage is at your disposal, madame. "

"Oh, no, thank you, I do not wish to trouble you further. I am very muchobliged to you for devoting so much time to me already. I shall take afiacre. "

"My carriage is at the door, " persisted the Director, "and I willinstruct the driver to take you directly to the shop of Herr Feltz; thenno time will be lost, and I think if I am with you, you will be moresure of attention from the chemist, who is a very busy man. "

Jennie saw the Director did not wish to let her out of his sight, andalthough she smiled at his suspicion, she answered politely, --

"It is very kind of you to take so much trouble and devote so muchof your time to me. I shall be glad of your company if you are quitecertain I am not keeping you from something more important. "

"There is nothing more important than the investigation we have onhand, " replied the Chief grimly. 

CHAPTER XV. JENNIE BESTOWS INFORMATION UPON THE CHIEF OF POLICE. 

A few minutes after leaving the Treasury building the carriage ofthe Chief stopped in front of the shop of Herr Feltz in the wideGraubenstrasse. The great chemist himself waited upon them and conductedthem to an inner and private room. 

"I should be obliged to you if you would tell me the component partsof the mixture in this package, " said Jennie, as she handed the filledpaper bag to the chemist. 

"How soon do you wish to know the result?" asked the man of chemicals. 

"As soon as possible, " replied Jennie. 

"Could you give me until this hour to-morrow?"

"That will do very nicely, " replied Jennie, looking up at the Directorof Police, who nodded his head. 

With that the two took their leave, and once more the Director of Policepolitely handed the girl into his carriage, and they drove to the PalaceSteinheimer. Here she again thanked him cordially for his attentionsduring the day. The Director answered, with equal suavity, that his dutyhad on this occasion been a pleasure, and asked her permission to callat the same hour the next afternoon and take her to the chemist. To thisJennie assented, and cheerily bade him good-evening. The Princess waswaiting for her, wild with curiosity to know what had happened. 

"Oh, Jennie!" she cried, "who fired the mine, and who robbed theGovernment?"

Jennie laughed merrily as she replied, --

"Dear Princess, what a compliment you are paying me! Do you think thatin one afternoon I am able to solve a mystery that has defied thecombined talents of all the best detectives in Austria? I wish theDirector of Police had such faith in me as you have. "

"And hasn't he, Jennie?"

"Indeed he has not. He watched me every moment he was with me, as if hefeared I would disappear into thin air, as the treasure had done. "

"The horrid man. I shall have my husband speak to him, and rid you ofthis annoyance. "

"Oh, no, Princess, you mustn't do anything of the kind. I don't mind itin the least; in fact, it rather amuses me. One would think he had somesuspicion that I stole the money myself. "

"A single word from the Prince will stop all that, you know. "

"Yes, I know. But I really want to help the Director; he is so utterlystupid. "

"Now, Jennie, take off your hat and sit down here, and tell me everyincident of the afternoon. Don't you see I am just consumed withcuriosity? I know you have discovered something. What is it?"

"I will not take off my hat, because I am going out again directly; but, if you love me, get me a cup of that delicious tea of yours. "

"I shall order it at once, but dinner will be served shortly. You aresurely not going out alone to-night?"

"I really must. Do not forget that I have been used to taking care ofmyself in a bigger city than Vienna is, and I shall be quite safe. Youwill please excuse my absence from the dinner-table to-night. "

"Nonsense, Jennie! You cannot be allowed to roam round Vienna in thatBohemian way. "

"Then, Princess, I must go to an hotel, for this roaming round isstrictly necessary, and I don't want to bring the Palace Steinheimerinto disrepute. "

"Jennie, I'll tell you what we will do; we'll both bring it intodisrepute. The Prince is dining at his club to-night with some friends, so I shall order the carriage, and you and I will roam round together. You will let me come, won't you? Where are you going?"

"I am going to the Graubenstrasse to see Herr Feltz. "

"Oh, I know Herr Feltz, and a dear old man he is; he will do anythingfor me. If you want a favour from Herr Feltz, you had better take mewith you. "

"I shall be delighted. Ah, here comes the tea! But what is the use ofordering the carriage? we can walk there in a very few minutes. "

"I think we had better have the carriage. The Prince would be wild if heheard that we two went walking about the streets of Vienna at night. So, Jennie, we must pay some respect to conventionality, and we will takethe carriage. Now, tell me where you have been, and what you have seen, and all about it. " Over their belated decoction of tea Jennie relatedeverything that had happened. 

"And what do you expect to learn from the analysis at the chemist's, Jennie?"

"I expect to learn something that will startle the Director of Police. "

"And what is that? Jennie, don't keep me on tenterhooks in thisprovoking way. How can you act so? I shall write to Lord Donal and tellhim that you are here in Vienna, if you don't mind. "

"Well, under such a terrible threat as that, I suppose I must divulgeall my suspicions. But I really don't know anything yet; I merelysuspect. The weight of that dust, when I picked up a handful of it, seemed to indicate that the gold is still there in the rubbish heap. "

"You don't mean to say so! Then there has been no robbery at all?"

"There may have been a robbery planned, but I do not think any thief gota portion of the gold. The chances are that they entirely underestimatedthe force of the explosive they were using, for, unless I am very muchmistaken, they were dealing with something a hundred times more powerfulthan dynamite. "

"And will the chemical analysis show what explosive was used?"

"No; it will only show of what the _débris_ is composed. It will settlethe question whether or not the gold is in that dust-heap. If it is, then I think the Government will owe me some thanks, because theDirector of Police talked of carting the rubbish away and dumping it outof sight somewhere. If the Government gets back its gold, I suppose thequestion of who fired the mine is merely of academic interest. "

"The carriage is waiting, your Highness, " was the announcement made tothe Princess, who at once jumped up, and said, --

"I'll be ready in five minutes. I'm as anxious now as you are to hearwhat the chemist has to say; but I thought you told me he wouldn't havethe analysis ready until four o'clock to-morrow. What is the use ofgoing there to-night?". 

"Because I am reasonably certain that the Director of Police will seehim early to-morrow morning, and I want to get the first copy of theanalysis myself. "

With that the Princess ran away and presently reappeared with her wrapson. The two drove to the shop of Herr Feltz in the Graubenstrasse, andwere told that the chemist could not be seen in any circumstances. Hehad left orders that he was not to be disturbed. 

"Disobey those orders and take in my card, " said the Princess. 

A glance at the card dissolved the man's doubts, and he departed to seekhis master. 

"He is working at the analysis now, I'll warrant, " whispered thePrincess to her companion. In a short time Herr Feltz himself appeared. He greeted the Princess with most deferential respect, but seemedastonished to find in her company the young woman who had called on hima few hours previously with the Director of the Police. 

"I wanted to ask you, " said Jennie, "to finish your analysis somewhatearlier than four o'clock to-morrow. I suppose it can be done?"

The man of science smiled and looked at her for a moment, but did notreply. "You will oblige my friend, I hope, " said the Princess. 

"I should be delighted to oblige any friend of your Highness, " answeredthe chemist slowly, "but, unfortunately, in this instance I have ordersfrom an authority not to be disputed. "

"What orders?" demanded the Princess. 

"I promised the analysis at four o'clock to-morrow, and at that hour itwill be ready for the young lady. I am ordered not to show the analysisto anyone before that time. "

"Those orders came from the Director of Police, I suppose?" The chemistbowed low, but did not speak. 

"I understand how it is, Jennie; he came here immediately after seeingyou home. I suppose he visited you again within the hour after he leftwith this young lady--is that the case, Herr Feltz?"

"Your Highness distresses me by asking questions that I am under pledgenot to answer. "

"Is the analysis completed?"

"That is another question which I sincerely hope your Highness will notpress. "

"Very well, Herr Feltz, I shall ask you a question or two of which youwill not be so frightened. I have told my friend here that you would doanything for me, but I see I have been mistaken. "

The chemist made a deprecatory motion of his hands, spreading them outand bowing. It was plainly apparent that his seeming discourtesycaused him deep regret. He was about to speak, but the Princess wentimpetuously on. 

"Is the Director of Police a friend of yours, Herr Feltz? I don't meanmerely an official friend, but a personal friend?"

"I am under many obligations to him, your Highness, and besides that, like any other citizen of Vienna, I am compelled to obey him when hecommands. "

"What I want to learn, " continued the Princess, her anger visibly risingat this unexpected opposition, "is whether you wish the man well ornot?"

"I certainly wish him well, your Highness. "

"In that case know that if my friend leaves this shop without seeing theanalysis of the material she brought to you, the Director of Police willbe dismissed from his office to-morrow. If you doubt my influence withmy husband to have that done, just try the experiment of sending us awayunsatisfied. "

The old man bowed his white head. 

"Your Highness, " he said, "I shall take the responsibility of refusing toobey the orders of the Director of Police. Excuse me for a moment. "

He retired into his den, and presently emerged with a sheet of paper inhis hand. 

"It must be understood, " he said, addressing Jennie, "that the analysisis but roughly made. I intended to devote the night to a more minutescrutiny. "

"All I want at the present moment, " said Jennie, "is a rough analysis. "

"There it is, " said the chemist, handing her the paper. She read, ----

 Calcium 29 Iron 4 Quartz ] Feldspar ] 27 Mica ] Gold 36-1/2 Traces of other substances 3-1/2 ------- Total 100

Jennie's eyes sparkled as she looked at the figures before her. Shehanded the paper to the Princess saying, --

"You see, I was right in my surmise. More than one-third of that heap ispure gold. "

"I should explain, " said the chemist, "that I have grouped the quartz, feldspar, and mica together, without giving the respective portions ofeach, because it is evident that the combination represents granite. "

"I understand, " said Jennie; "the walls and the roof are of granite. "

"I would further add, " continued the chemist, "that I have never metgold so finely divided as this is. "

"Have you the gold and other ingredients separated?"

"Yes, madame. "

"I shall take them with me, if you please. "

The chemist shortly after brought her the components, in little glassvials, labelled. 

"Have you any idea, Herr Feltz, what explosive would reduce gold to suchfine powder as this?"

"I have only a theoretical knowledge of explosives, and I know ofnothing that would produce such results as we have here. PerhapsProfessor Carl Seigfried could give you some information on that point. The science of detonation has been his life study, and he stands headand shoulders above his fellows in that department. "

"Can you give me his address?"

The chemist wrote the address on a sheet of paper and handed it to theyoung woman. 

"Do you happen to know whether Professor Seigfried or his assistantshave been called in during this investigation?"

"What investigation, madame?"

"The investigation of the recent terrible explosion. "

"I have heard of no explosion, " replied the chemist, evidentlybewildered. 

Then Jennie remembered that, while the particulars of the disaster inthe Treasury were known to the world at large outside of Austria, noknowledge of the catastrophe had got abroad in Vienna. 

"The Professor, " continued the chemist, noticing Jennie's hesitation, "is not a very practical man. He is deeply learned, and has made somegreat discoveries in pure science, but he has done little towardsapplying his knowledge to any everyday useful purpose. If you meet him, you will find him a dreamer and a theorist. But if you once succeed ininteresting him in any matter, he will prosecute it to the very end, quite regardless of the time he spends or the calls of duty elsewhere. "

"Then he is just the man I wish to see, " said Jennie decisively, andwith that they took leave of the chemist and once more entered thecarriage. 

"I want to drive to another place, " said Jennie, "before it gets toolate. "

"Good gracious!" cried the Princess, "you surely do not intend to callon Professor Seigfried to-night?"

"No; but I want to drive to the office of the Director of Police. "

"Oh, that won't take us long, " said the Princess, giving the necessaryorder. The coachman took them to the night entrance of the centralpolice station by the Hohenstaufengasse, and, leaving the Princess inthe carriage, Jennie went in alone to speak with the officer in charge. 

"I wish to see the Director of Police, " she said. 

"He will not be here until to-morrow morning. He is at home. Is itanything important?"

"Yes. Where is his residence?"

"If you will have the kindness to inform me what your business is, madame, we will have pleasure in attending to it without disturbing HerrDirector. "

"I must communicate with the Director in person. The Princess vonSteinheimer is in her carriage outside, and I do not wish to keep herwaiting. " At mention of the Princess the officer bestirred himself andbecame tremendously polite. 

"I shall call the Director at once, and he will be only too happy towait upon you. "

"Oh, have you a telephone here? and can I speak with him myself withoutbeing overheard?"

"Certainly, madame. If you will step into this room with me, I will callhim up and leave you to speak with him. "

This was done, and when the Chief had answered, Jennie introducedherself to him. 

"I am Miss Baxter, whom you were kind enough to escort through theTreasury building this afternoon. "

"Oh, yes, " replied the Chief. "I thought we were to postpone furtherinquiry until to-morrow. "

"Yes, that was the arrangement; but I wanted to say that if my plans areinterfered with; if I am kept under surveillance, I shall be compelledto withdraw from the search. "

A few moments elapsed before the Chief replied, and then it was withsome hesitation. 

"I should be distressed to have you withdraw; but, if you wish to do so, that must be a matter entirely for your own consideration. I have myown duty to perform, and I must carry it out to the best of my poorability. "

"Quite so. I am obliged to you for speaking so plainly. I rathersurmised this afternoon that you looked upon my help in the light of aninterference. "

"I should not have used the word interference, " continued the Chief;"but I must confess that I never knew good results to follow amateurefforts, which could not have been obtained much more speedily andeffectually by the regular force under my command. "

"Well, the regular force under your command has been at work severalweeks and has apparently not accomplished very much. I have devoted partof an afternoon and evening to the matter, so before I withdraw I shouldlike to give you some interesting information which you may impart tothe Government, and I am quite willing that you should take all thecredit for the discovery, as I have no wish to appear in any way as yourcompetitor. Can you hear me distinctly?"

"Perfectly, madame, " replied the Chief. 

"Then, in the first place, inform the Government that there has been norobbery. "

"No robbery? What an absurd statement, if you will excuse me speaking soabruptly! Where is the gold if there was no robbery?"

"I am coming to that. Next inform the Government that their loss willbe but trifling. That heap of _débris_ which you propose to cart awaycontains practically the whole of the missing two hundred millionflorins. More than one-third of the heap is pure gold. If you want todo a favour to a good friend of yours, and at the same time confer abenefit upon the Government itself, you will advise the Government tosecure the services of Herr Feltz, so that the gold may be extractedfrom the rubbish completely and effectually. I put in a word for HerrFeltz, because I am convinced that he is a most competent man. To-nighthis action saved you from dismissal to-morrow, therefore you should begrateful to him. And now I have the honour to wish you good-night. "

"Wait--wait a moment!" came in beseeching tones through the telephone. "My dear young lady, pray pardon any fault you have to find with me, andremain for a moment or two longer. Who, then, caused the explosion, andwhy was it accomplished?"

"That I must leave for you to find out, Herr Director. You see, I amgiving you the results of merely a few hours' inquiry, and you cannotexpect me to discover everything in that time. I don't know how theexplosion was caused, neither do I know who the criminals are or were. It would probably take me all day to-morrow to find that out; but as Iam leaving the discovery in such competent hands as yours, I must curbmy impatience until you send me full particulars. So, once again, good-night, Herr Director. "

"No, no, don't go yet. I shall come at once to the station, if you willbe kind enough to stop there until I arrive. "

"The Princess von Steinheimer is waiting for me in her carriage outside, and I do not wish to delay her any longer. "

"Then let me implore you not to give up your researches. "

"Why? Amateur efforts are so futile, you know, when compared with thelabours of the regular force. "

"Oh, my dear young lady, you must pardon an old man for what he said ina thoughtless moment. If you knew how many useless amateurs meddle inour very difficult business you would excuse me. Are you quite convincedof what you have told me, that the gold is in the rubbish heap?"

"Perfectly. I will leave for you at the office here the analysis made byHerr Feltz, and if I can assist you further, it must be on the distinctunderstanding that you are not to interfere again with whatever I maydo. Your conduct in going to Herr Feltz to-night after you had left me, and commanding him not to give me any information, I should hesitateto characterize by its right name. When I have anything further tocommunicate, I will send for you. "

"Thank you; I shall hold myself always at your command. " This telephonicinterview being happily concluded, Jennie hurried to the Princess, stopping on her way to give the paper containing the analysis to theofficial in charge, and telling him to hand it to the Director when hereturned to his desk. This done, she passed out into the night, with thecomfortable consciousness that the worries of a busy day had not beenwithout their compensation. 

CHAPTER XVI. JENNIE VISITS A MODERN WIZARD IN HIS MAGIC ATTIC. 

When Jennie entered the carriage in which her friend was waiting, theother cried, "Well, have you seen him?" apparently meaning the Directorof Police. 

"No, I did not see him, but I talked with him over the telephone. I wishyou could have heard our conversation; it was the funniest interview Iever took part in. Two or three times I had to shut off the instrument, fearing the Director would hear me laugh. I am afraid that before thisbusiness is ended you will be very sorry I am a guest at your house. Iknow I shall end by getting myself into an Austrian prison. Just thinkof it! Here have I been 'holding up' the Chief of Police in thisImperial city as if I were a wild western brigand. I have beenterrorizing the man, brow-beating him, threatening him, and he theperson who has the liberty of all Vienna in his hands; who can have medragged off to a dungeon-cell any time he likes to give the order. "

"Not from the Palace Steinheimer, " said the Princess, with decision. 

"Well, he might hesitate about that; yet, nevertheless, it is too funnyto think that a mere newspaper woman, coming into a city which containsonly one or two of her friends, should dare to talk to the Chief ofPolice as I have done to-night, and force him actually to beg that Ishall remain in the city and continue to assist him. "

"Tell me what you said, " asked the Princess eagerly; and Jennie relatedall that had passed between them over the telephone. 

"And do you mean to say calmly that you are going to give that man theright to use the astounding information you have acquired, and allow himto accept complacently all the _kudos_ that such a discovery entitlesyou to?"

"Why, certainly, " replied Jennie. "What good is the _kudos_ to me? Allthe credit I desire I get in the office of the _Daily Bugle_ in London. "

"But, you silly girl, holding such a secret as you held, you could havemade your fortune, " insisted the practical Princess, for the principleswhich had been instilled into her during a youth spent in Chicago hadnot been entirely eradicated by residence in Vienna. "If you had gone tothe Government and said, 'How much will you give me if I restore to youthe missing gold?' just imagine what their answer would be. "

"Yes, I suppose there was money in the scheme if it had really been asecret. But you forget that to-morrow morning the Chief of Police wouldhave known as much as he knows to-night. Of course, if I had gone aloneto the Treasury vault and kept my discovery to myself, I might, perhaps, have 'held up' the Government of Austria-Hungary as successfully as I'held up' the Chief of Police to-night. But with the Director watchingeverything I did, and going with me to the chemist, there was nopossibility of keeping the matter a secret. "

"Well, Jennie, all I can say is that you are a very foolish girl. Hereyou are, working hard, as you said in one of your letters, merely tomake a living, and now, with the greatest nonchalance, you allow afortune to slip through your fingers. I am simply not going to allowthis. I shall tell my husband all that has happened, and he will makethe Government treat you honestly; if not generously. I assure you, Jennie, that Lord Donal--no, I won't mention his name, since you protestso strenuously--but the future young man, whoever he is, will not thinkthe less of you because you come to him with a handsome dowry. But herewe are at home; and I won't say another word on the subject if it annoysyou. "

When Jennie reached her delightful apartments--which looked even moreluxuriantly comfortable bathed in the soft radiance that now floodedthem from quiet-toned shaded lamps than they did in the more garishlight of day--she walked up and down her sitting-room in deepmeditation. She was in a quandary--whether or not to risk sending acoded telegram to her paper was the question that presented itself toher. If she were sure that no one else would learn the news, she wouldprefer to wait until she had further particulars of the Treasurycatastrophe. A good deal would depend on whether or not the Director ofPolice took anyone into his confidence that night. If he did not, hewould be aware that only he and the girl possessed this importantpiece of news. If a full account of the discovery appeared in the nextmorning's _Daily Bugle_, then, when that paper arrived in Vienna, oreven before, if a synopsis were telegraphed to the Government, as it wasmorally certain to be, the Director would know at once that she was thecorrespondent of the newspaper whom he was so anxious to frighten outof Vienna. On the other hand, her friendship with the Princess vonSteinheimer gave her such influence with the Chief's superiors, that, after the lesson she had taught him, he might hesitate to make any moveagainst her. Then, again, the news that to-night belonged to two personsmight on the morrow come to the knowledge of all the correspondents inVienna, and her efforts, so far as the _Bugle_ was concerned, would havebeen in vain. This consideration decided the girl, and, casting off allsign of hesitation, she sat down at her writing table and began thefirst chapter of the solution of the Vienna mystery. Her openingsentence was exceedingly diplomatic: "The Chief of Police of Vienna hasmade a most startling discovery. " Beginning thus, she went on to detailsof the discovery she had that day made. When her account was finishedand codified, she went down to her hostess and said, --

"Princess, I want a trustworthy man, who will take a long telegram tothe central telegraph office, pay for it, and come away quickly beforeanyone can ask him inconvenient questions. "

"Would it not be better to call a Dienstmanner?"

"A Dienstmanner? That is your commissionaire, or telegraph messenger?No, I think not. They are all numbered and can be traced. "

"Oh, I know!" cried the Princess; "I will send our coachman. He will beout of his livery now, and he is a most reliable man; he will not answerinconvenient questions, or any others, even if they are asked. "

To her telegram for publication Jennie had added a private despatch tothe editor, stating that it would be rather inconvenient for her if hepublished the account next morning, but she left the decision entirelywith him. Here was the news, and if he thought it worth the risk, he might hold it over; if not, he was to print it regardless ofconsequences. 

As a matter of fact, the editor, with fear and trembling, held the newsfor a day, so that he might not embarrass his fair representative, butso anxious was he, that he sat up all night until the other papers wereout, and he heaved a sigh of relief when, on glancing over them, hefound that not one of them contained an inkling of the informationlocked up in his desk. And so he dropped off to sleep when the day wasbreaking. Next night he had nearly as much anxiety, for although the_Bugle_ would contain the news, other papers might have it as well, andthus for the second time he waited in his office until the other sheets, wet from the press, were brought to him. Again fortune favoured him, andthe triumph belonged to the _Bugle_ alone. 

The morning after her interview with the Director of Police, Jennie, taking a small hand-satchel, in which she placed the various bottlescontaining the different dusts which the chemist had separated, wentabroad alone, and hailing a fiacre, gave the driver the address ofProfessor Carl Seigfried. The carriage of the Princess was always atthe disposal of the girl, but on this occasion she did not wish to beembarrassed with so pretentious an equipage. The cab took her into astreet lined with tall edifices and left her at the number she hadgiven the driver. The building seemed to be one let out in flats andtenements; she mounted stair after stair, and only at the very top didshe see the Professor's name painted on a door. Here she rapped severaltimes without any attention being paid to her summons, but at last thedoor was opened partially by a man whom she took, quite accurately, to be the Professor himself. His head was white; and his face deeplywrinkled. He glared at her through his glasses, and said sharply, "Younglady, you have made a mistake; these are the rooms of Professor CarlSeigfried. "

"It is Professor Carl Seigfried that I wish to see, " replied the girlhurriedly, as the old man was preparing to shut the door. 

"What do you want with him?"

"I want some information from him about explosives. I have been toldthat he knows more about explosives than any other man living. "

"Quite right--he does. What then?"

"An explosion has taken place producing the most remarkable results. They say that neither dynamite nor any other known force could have hadsuch an effect on metals and minerals as this power has had. "

"Ah, dynamite is a toy for children!" cried the old man, opening thedoor a little further and exhibiting an interest which had, up to thatmoment, been absent from his manner. "Well, where did this explosiontake place? Do you wish me to go and see it?"

"Perhaps so, later on. At present I wish to show you some of itseffects, but I don't propose to do this standing here in thepassageway. "

"Quite right--quite right, " hastily ejaculated the old scientist, throwing the door wide open. "Of course, I am not accustomed to visitsfrom fashionable young ladies, and I thought at first there had beena mistake; but if you have any real scientific problem, I shall bedelighted to give my attention to it. What may appear very extraordinaryto the lay mind will doubtless prove fully explainable by scientists. Come in, come in. "

The old man shut the door behind her, and led her along a dark passage, into a large apartment, whose ceiling was the roof of the building. At first sight it seemed in amazing disorder. Huge as it was, it wascluttered with curious shaped machines and instruments. A twistedconglomeration of glass tubing, bent into fantastic tangles, stood ona central table, and had evidently been occupying the Professor'sattention at the time he was interrupted. The place was lined withshelving, where the walls were not occupied by cupboards, and everyshelf was burdened with bottles and apparatus of different kinds. Whatever care Professor Seigfried took of his apparatus, he seemed tohave little for his furniture. There was hardly a decent chair in theroom, except one deep arm-chair, covered with a tiger's skin, in whichthe Professor evidently took his ease while meditating or watching theprogress of an experiment. This chair he did not offer to the younglady; in fact, he did not offer her a seat at all, but sank down onthe tiger's skin himself, placed the tips of his fingers together, andglared at her through his glittering glasses. 

"Now, young woman, " he said abruptly, "what have you brought for me?Don't begin to chatter, for my time is valuable. Show me what you havebrought, and I will tell you all about it; and most likely a very simplething it is. "

Jennie, interested in so rude a man, smiled, drew up the least decrepitbench she could find, and sat down, in spite of the angry mutteringsof her irritated host. Then she opened her satchel, took out the smallbottle of gold, and handed it to him without a word. The old manreceived it somewhat contemptuously, shook it backward and forwardwithout extracting the cork, adjusted his glasses, then suddenly seemedto take a nervous interest in the material presented to him. He rose andwent nearer the light. Drawing out the cork with trembling hands, hepoured some of the contents into his open palm. The result was startlingenough. The old man flung up his hands, letting the vial crash into athousand pieces on the floor. He staggered forward, shrieking, "Ah, meinGott--mein Gott!"

Then, to the consternation of Jennie, who had already risen in terrorfrom her chair, the scientist plunged forward on his face. The girl haddifficulty in repressing a shriek. She looked round hurriedly for a bellto ring, but apparently there was none. She tried to open the door andcry for help, but in her excitement could neither find handle nor latch. It seemed to be locked, and the key, doubtless, was in the Professor'spocket. She thought at first that he had dropped dead, but the continuedmoaning as he lay on the floor convinced her of her error. She bent overhim anxiously and cried, "What can I do to help you?"

With a struggle he muttered, "The bottle, the bottle, in the cupboardbehind you. "

She hurriedly flung open the doors of the cupboard indicated, and founda bottle of brandy, and a glass, which she partly filled. The old manhad with an effort struggled into a sitting posture, and she held theglass of fiery liquid to his pallid lips. He gulped down the brandy, andgasped, "I feel better now. Help me to my chair. "

Assisting him to his feet, she supported him to his arm-chair, when heshook himself free, crying angrily, "Let me alone! Don't you see I amall right again?"

The girl stood aside, and the Professor dropped into his chair, hisnervous hands vibrating on his knees. For a long interval nothing wassaid by either, and the girl at last seated herself on the bench she hadformerly occupied. The next words the old man spoke were, "Who sent youhere?"

"No one, I came of my own accord. I wished to meet someone who had alarge knowledge of explosives, and Herr Feltz, the chemist, gave me youraddress. "

"Herr Feltz! Herr Feltz!" he repeated. "So he sent you here?"

"No one sent me here, " insisted the girl. "It is as I tell you. HerrFeltz merely gave me your address. "

"Where did you get that powdered gold?"

"It came from the _débris_ of an explosion. "

"I know, you said that before. Where was the explosion? Who caused it?"

"That I don't know. "

"Don't you know where the explosion was?"

"Yes, I know where the explosion was, but I don't know who caused it. "

"Who sent you here?"

"I tell you no one sent me here. "

"That is not true, the man who caused the explosion sent you here. Youare his minion. What do you expect to find out from me?"

"I expect to learn what explosive was used to produce the result thatseemed to have such a remarkable effect on you. "

"Why do you say that? It had no effect on me. My heart is weak. I amsubject to such attacks, and I ward them off with brandy. Some day theywill kill me. Then you won't learn any secrets from a dead man, willyou?"

"I hope, Professor Seigfried, that you have many years yet to live, andI must further add that I did not expect such a reception as I havereceived from a man of science, as I was told you were. If you have noinformation to give to me, very well, that ends it; all you have to dois to say so. "

"Who sent you here?"

"No one, as I have repeated once or twice. If anyone had, I would givehim my opinion of the errand when I got back. You refuse, then, to tellme anything about the explosive that powdered the gold?"

"Refuse? Of course I refuse! What did you expect? I suppose the man whosent you here thought, because you were an engaging young woman and Ian old dotard, I would gabble to you the results of a life's work. Oh, no, no, no; but I am not an old dotard. I have many years to live yet. "

"I hope so. Well, I must bid you good morning. I shall go to someoneelse. "

The old man showed his teeth in a forbidding grin. 

"It is useless. Your bottle is broken, and the material it contained isdissipated. Not a trace of it is left. "

He waved his thin, emaciated hand in the air as he spoke. 

"Oh, that doesn't matter in the least, " said Jennie. "I have severalother bottles here in my satchel. "

The Professor placed his hands on the arms of his chair, and slowlyraised himself to his feet. 

"You have others, " he cried, "other bottles? Let me see them--let me seethem!"

"No, " replied Jennie, "I won't. "

With a speed which, after his recent collapse, Jennie had not expected, the Professor ambled round to the door and placed his back againstit. The glasses over his eyes seemed to sparkle as if with fire. Histalon-like fingers crooked rigidly. He breathed rapidly, and wasevidently labouring under intense excitement. 

"Who knows you came up to see me?" he whispered hoarsely, glaring ather. 

Jennie, having arisen, stood there, smoothing down her perfectly fittingglove, and answered with a calmness she was far from feeling, --

"Who knows I am here? No one but the Director of Police. "

"Oh, the Director of Police!" echoed the Professor, quite palpablyabashed by the unexpected answer. The rigidity of his attitude relaxed, and he became once more the old man he had appeared as he sat in a heapin his chair. "You will excuse me, " he muttered, edging round towardsthe chair again; "I was excited. "

"I noticed that you were, Professor. But before you sit down again, please unlock that door. "

"Why?" he asked, pausing on his way to the chair. 

"Because I wish it open. "

"And I, " he said in a higher tone, "wish it to remain locked until wehave come to some understanding. I can't let you go out now; but I shallpermit you to go unmolested as soon as you have made some explanation tome. "

"If you do not unlock the door immediately I shall take this machine andfling it through the front window out on the street. The crashing glasson the pavement will soon bring someone to my rescue, Professor, and, asI have a voice of my own and small hesitation about shouting, I shallhave little difficulty in directing the strangers where to come. "

As Jennie spoke she moved swiftly towards the table on which stood thestrange aggregation of reflectors and bent glass tubing. 

"No, no, no!" screamed the Professor, springing between her and thetable. "Touch anything but that--anything but that. Do not disturb it aninch--there is danger--death not only to you and me, but perhaps to thewhole city. Keep away from it!"

"Very well, then, " said Jennie, stepping back in spite of her endeavourto maintain her self-control; "open the door. Open both doors andleave them so. After that, if you remain seated in your chair, Ishall not touch the machine, nor shall I leave until I make theexplanations you require, and you have answered some questions thatI shall ask. But I must have a clear way to the stair, in case youshould become excited again. "

"I'll unlock the doors; I'll unlock both doors, " replied the old mantremulously, fumbling about in his pockets for his keys. "But keep awayfrom that machine, unless you want to bring swift destruction on usall. "

With an eagerness that retarded his speed, the Professor, constantlylooking over his shoulder at his visitor, unlocked the first door, thenhastily he flung open the second, and tottered back to his chair, wherehe collapsed on the tiger skin, trembling and exhausted. 

"We may be overheard, " he whined. "One can never tell who may sneakquietly up the stair. I am surrounded by spies trying to find out what Iam doing. "

"Wait a moment, " said Jennie. 

She went quickly to the outer door, found that it closed with a springlatch, opened and shut it two or three times until she was perfectlyfamiliar with its workings, then she closed it, drew the inner doornearly shut, and sat down. 

"There, " she said, "we are quite safe from interruption, ProfessorSeigfried; but I must request you not to move from your chair. "

"I have no intention of doing so, " murmured the old man. "Who sent you?You said you would tell me. I think you owe me an explanation. "

"I think you owe me one, " replied the girl. "As I told you before, no one sent me. I came here entirely of my own accord, and I shallendeavour to make clear to you exactly why I came. Some time ago thereoccurred in this city a terrific explosion--"

"Where? When?" exclaimed the old man, placing his hands on the arms ofhis chair, as if he would rise to his feet. 

"Sit where you are, " commanded Jennie firmly, "and I shall tell you allI can about it. The Government, for reasons of its own, desires to keepthe fact of this explosion a secret, and thus very few people outsideof official circles know anything about it. I am trying to discover thecause of that disaster. "

"Are you--are you working on behalf of the Government?" asked the oldman eagerly, a tremor of fear in his quavering voice. 

"No. I am conducting my investigations quite independently of theGovernment. "

"But why? But why? That is what I don't understand. "

"I would very much rather not answer that question. "

"But that question--everything is involved in that question. I must knowwhy you are here. If you are not in the employ of the Government, inwhose employ are you?"

"If I tell you, " said Jennie with some hesitation, "will you keep what Isay a secret?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" cried the scientist impatiently. 

"Well, I am in the service of a London daily newspaper. "

"I see, I see; and they have sent you here to publish broadcast overthe world all you can find out of my doings. I knew you were a spy themoment I saw you. I should never have let you in. "

"My dear sir, the London paper is not even aware of your existence. Theyhave not sent me to you at all. They have sent me to learn, if possible, the cause of the explosion I spoke of. I took some of the _débris_ toHerr Feltz to analyze it, and he said he had never seen gold, iron, feldspar, and all that, reduced to such fine, impalpable grains as wasthe case with the sample I left with him. I then asked him who in Viennaknew most about explosives, and he gave me your address. That is why Iam here. "

"But the explosion--you have not told me when and where it occurred!"

"That, as I have said, is a Government secret. "

"But you stated you are not in the Government employ, therefore it canbe no breach of confidence if you let me have full particulars. "

"I suppose not. Very well, then, the explosion occurred after midnighton the seventeenth in the vault of the Treasury. "

The old man, in spite of the prohibition, rose uncertainly to his feet. 

Jennie sprang up and said menacingly, "Stay where you are!"

"I am not going to touch you. If you are so suspicious of every moveI make, then go yourself and bring me what I want. There is a map ofVienna pinned against the wall yonder. Bring it to me. "

Jennie proceeded in the direction indicated. It was an ordinary map ofthe city of Vienna, and as Jennie took it down she noticed that acrossthe southern part of the city a semi-circular line in pencil had beendrawn. Examining it more closely, she saw that the stationary part ofthe compass had been placed on the spot where stood the building whichcontained the Professor's studio. She paid closer attention to thepencil mark and observed that it passed through the Treasury building. 

"Don't look at that map!" shrieked the Professor, beating the air withhis hands. "I asked you to bring it to me. Can't you do a simple actionlike that without spying about?"

Jennie rapidly unfastened the paper from the wall and brought it to him. The scientist scrutinized it closely, adjusting his glasses the betterto see, then deliberately tore the map into fragments, numerous andminute. He rose--and this time Jennie made no protest--went to thewindow, opened it, and flung the fluttering bits of paper out into theair, the strong wind carrying them far over the roofs of Vienna. Closingthe casement, he came back to his chair. 

"Was--was anyone hurt at this explosion?" he asked presently. 

"Yes, four men were killed instantly, a dozen were seriously injured andare now in hospital. "

"Oh, my God--my God!" cried the old man, covering his face with hishands, swaying from side to side in his chair like a man tortured withagony and remorse. At last he lifted a face that had grown more pinchedand yellow within the last few minutes. 

"I can tell you nothing, " he said, moistening his parched lips. 

"You mean that you _will_ tell me nothing, for I see plainly that youknow everything. "

"I knew nothing of any explosion until you spoke of it. What have I todo with the Treasury or the Government?"

"That is just what I want to know. "

"It is absurd. I am no conspirator, but a man of learning. "

"Then you have nothing to fear, Herr Seigfried. If you are innocent, whyare you so loth to give me any assistance in this matter?"

"It has nothing to do with me. I am a scientist--I am a scientist. AllI wish is to be left alone with my studies. I have nothing to do withgovernments or newspapers, or anything belonging to them. "

Jennie sat tracing a pattern on the dusty floor with the point of herparasol. She spoke very quietly:--

"The pencilled line which you drew on the map of Vienna passed throughthe Treasury building; the centre of the circle was this garret. Why didyou draw that pencilled semi-circle? Why were you anxious that I shouldnot see you had done so? Why did you destroy the map?"

Professor Seigfried sat there looking at her with dropped jaw, but hemade no reply. 

"If you will excuse my saying so, " the girl went on, "you are actingvery childishly. It is evident to me that you are no criminal, yet ifthe Director of Police had been in my place he would have arrested youlong ago, and that merely because of your own foolish actions. "

"The map proved nothing, " he said at last, haltingly, "and besides, bothyou and the Director will now have some difficulty in finding it. "

"That is further proof of your folly. The Director doesn't need to findit. I am here to testify that I saw the map, saw the curved line passingthrough the Treasury, and saw you destroy what you thought was anincriminating piece of evidence. It would be much better if you woulddeal as frankly with me as I have done with you. Then I shall give youthe best advice I can--if my advice will be of any assistance to you. "

"Yes, and publish it to all the world. "

"It will have to be published to all the world in any case, for, if Ileave here without full knowledge, I will simply go to the police officeand there tell what I have learned in this room. "

"And if I do speak, you will still go to the Director of the Police andtell him what you have discovered. "

"No, I give you my word that I will not. "

"What guarantee have I of that?" asked the old man suspiciously. 

"No guarantee at all except my word!"

"Will you promise not to print in your paper what I tell you?"

"No, I cannot promise that!"

"Still, the newspaper doesn't matter, " continued the scientist. "Thestory would be valueless to you, because no one would believe it. Thereis little use in printing a story in a newspaper that will be laughedat, is there? However, I think you are honest, otherwise you would havepromised not to print a line of what I tell you, and then I should haveknown you were lying. It was as easy to promise that as to say you wouldnot tell the Director of Police. I thought at first some scientificrival had sent you here to play the spy on me, and learn what I wasdoing. I assure you I heard nothing about the explosion you speak of, yet I was certain it had occurred somewhere along that line which I drewon the map. I had hoped it was not serious, and begun to believe it wasnot. The anxiety of the last month has nearly driven me insane, and, asyou say quite truly, my actions have been childish. " The old man in hisexcitement had risen from his chair and was now pacing up and down theroom, running his fingers distractedly through his long white hair, andtalking more to himself than to his auditor. 

Jennie had edged her chair nearer to the door, and had made no protestagainst his rising, fearing to interrupt his flow of talk and againarouse his suspicions. 

"I have no wish to protect my inventions. I have never taken out apatent in my life. What I discover I give freely to the world, but Iwill not be robbed of my reputation as a scientist. I want my name to godown to posterity among those of the great discoverers. You talked justnow of going to the police and telling them what you knew. Foolishcreature! You could no more have gone to the central police officewithout my permission, or against my will, than you could go to thewindow and whistle back those bits of paper I scattered to the winds. Before you reached the bottom of the stairs I could have laid Viennain a mass of ruins. Yes, I could in all probability have blown up theentire Empire of Austria. The truth is, that I do not know the limit ofmy power, nor dare I test it. "

"Oh, this is a madman!" thought Jennie, as she edged still nearer to thedoor. The old man paused in his walk and turned fiercely upon her. 

"You don't believe me?" he said. 

"No, I do not, " she answered, the colour leaving her cheeks. 

The aged wizard gave utterance to a hideous chuckle. He took from one ofhis numerous shelves a hammer-head without the handle, and for a momentJennie thought he was going to attack her; but he merely handed themetal to her and said, --

"Break that in two. Place it between your palms and grind it to powder. "

"You know that is absurd; I cannot do it. "

"Why can't you do it?"

"Because it is of steel. "

"That is no reason. Why can't you do it?"

He glared at her fiercely over his glasses, and she saw in his wild eyeall the enthusiasm of an instructor enlightening a pupil. 

"I'll tell you why you can't do it; because every minute particle ofit is held together by an enormous force. It may be heated red-hotand beaten into this shape and that, but still the force hangs on astenaciously as the grip of a giant. Now suppose I had some substance, a drop of which, placed on that piece of iron, would release the forcewhich holds the particles together--what would happen?"

"I don't know, " replied Jennie. 

"Oh, yes you do!" cried the Professor impatiently; "but you are likeevery other woman--you won't take the trouble to think. What wouldhappen is this. The force that held the particles together would bereleased, and the hammer would fall to powder like that gold you showedme. The explosion that followed, caused by the sudden release of thepower, would probably wreck this room and extinguish both our lives. Youunderstand that, do you not?"

"Yes, I think I do. "

"Well, here is something you won't understand, and probably won'tbelieve when you hear it. There is but one force in this world and butone particle of matter. There is only one element, which is the basis ofeverything. All the different shapes and conditions of things that wesee are caused by a mere variation of that force in conjunction withnumbers of that particle. Am I getting beyond your depth?"

"I am afraid you are, Professor. "

"Of course; I know what feeble brains the average woman is possessedof; still, try and keep that in your mind. Now listen to this. I havediscovered how to disunite that force and that particle. I can, witha touch, fling loose upon this earth a giant whose strength isirresistible and immeasurable. "

"Then why object to making your discovery public?"

"In the first place, because there are still a thousand things and moreto be learned along such a line of investigation. The moment a manannounces his discoveries, he is first ridiculed, then, when the truthof what he affirms is proven, there rise in every part of the worldother men who say that they knew all about it ten years ago, and willprove it too--at least, far enough to delude a gullible world; in thesecond because I am a humane man, I hesitate to spread broadcast aknowledge that would enable any fool to destroy the universe. Then thereis a third reason. There is another who, I believe, has discovered howto make this force loosen its grip on the particle--that is Keely, ofPhiladelphia, in the United States--"

"What! You don't mean the Keely motor man?" cried Jennie, laughing. "That arrant humbug! Why, all the papers in the world have exposed hisridiculous pretensions; he has done nothing but spend other people'smoney. "

"Yes, the newspapers have ridiculed him. Human beings have, since thebeginning of the world, stoned their prophets. Nevertheless, he hasliberated a force that no gauge made by man can measure. He has beenboastful, if you like, and has said that with a teacupful of water hewould drive a steamship across the Atlantic. I have been silent, workingaway with my eye on him, and he has been working away with his eye onme, for each knows what the other is doing. If either of us discovershow to control this force, then that man's name will go down toposterity for ever. He has not yet been able to do it; neither have I. There is still another difference between us. He appears to be able toloosen that force in his own presence; I can only do it at a distance. All my experiments lately have been in the direction of makingmodifications with this machine, so as to liberate the force withinthe compass, say, of this room; but the problem has baffled me. Theinvisible rays which this machine sends out, and which will penetratestone, iron, wood, or any other substance, must unite at a focus, andI have not been able to bring that focus nearer me than something overhalf a mile. Last summer I went to an uninhabited part of Switzerlandand there continued my experiments. I blew up at will rocks and boulderson the mountain sides, the distances varying from a mile to half a mile. I examined the results of the disintegration, and when you came in andshowed me that gold, I recognized at once that someone had discoveredthe secret I have been trying to fathom for the last ten years. Ithought that perhaps you had come from Keely. I am now convinced thatthe explosion you speak of in the Treasury was caused by myself. Thismachine, which you so recklessly threatened to throw out of the window, accidentally slipped from its support when I was working here sometime after midnight on the seventeenth. I placed it immediately as yousee it now, where it throws its rays into mid-air, and is consequentlyharmless; but I knew an explosion must have taken place in Viennasomewhere within the radius of half a mile. I drew the pencilledsemi-circle that you saw on the map of Vienna, for in my excitementin placing the machine upright I had not noticed exactly where it hadpointed, but I knew that, along the line I had drawn, an explosion musthave occurred, and could only hope that it had not been a serious one, which it seems it was. I waited and waited, hardly daring to leave myattic, but hearing no news of any disaster, I was torn between theanxiety that would naturally come to any humane man in my positionwho did not wish to destroy life, and the fear that, if nothing hadoccurred, I had not actually made the discovery I thought I had made. You spoke of my actions being childish; but when I realized that I hadmyself been the cause of the explosion, a fear of criminal prosecutioncame over me. Not that I should object to imprisonment if they wouldallow me to continue my experiments; but that, doubtless, they would notdo, for the authorities know nothing of science, and care less. "

In spite of her initial scepticism, Jennie found herself graduallycoming to believe in the efficiency of the harmless-looking mechanism ofglass and iron which she saw on the table before her, and a sensation ofhorror held her spellbound as she gazed at it. Its awful possibilitiesbegan slowly to develop in her mind, and she asked breathlessly, --"Whatwould happen if you were to turn that machine and point it towards thecentre of the earth?"

"I told you what would happen. Vienna would lie in ruins, and possiblythe whole Austrian Empire, and perhaps some adjoining countries wouldbecome a mass of impalpable dust. It may be that the world itself woulddissolve. I cannot tell what the magnitude of the result might be, forI have not dared to risk the experiment. "

"Oh, this is too frightful to think about, " she cried. "You must destroythe machine, Professor, and you must never make another. "

"What! And give up the hope that my name will descend to posterity?"

"Professor Seigfried, when once this machine becomes known to the world, there will be no posterity for your name to descend to. With the presenthatred of nation against nation, with different countries full of thoseunimprisoned maniacs whom we call Jingoes--men preaching the hatred ofone people against another--how long do you think the world will lastwhen once such knowledge is abroad in it?"

The Professor looked longingly at the machine he had so slowly andpainfully constructed. 

"It would be of much use to humanity if it were but benevolentlyemployed. With the coal fields everywhere diminishing, it would supply amotive force for the universe that would last through the ages. "

"Professor Seigfried, " exclaimed Jennie earnestly, "when the Lordpermits a knowledge of that machine to become common property, it is Hiswill that the end of the world shall come. "

The Professor said nothing, but stood with deeply wrinkled brow, gazingearnestly at the mechanism. In his hand was the hammer-head which he hadpreviously given to the girl; his arm went up and down as if he wereestimating its weight; then suddenly, without a word of warning, heraised it and sent it crashing through the machine, whose splinteringglass fell with a musical tinkle on the floor. 

Jennie gave a startled cry, and with a low moan the Professor struggledto his chair and fell, rather than sat down, in it. A ghastly palloroverspread his face, and the girl in alarm ran again to the cupboard, poured out some brandy and offered it to him, then tried to pour it downhis throat, but his tightly set teeth resisted her efforts. She chafedhis rigid hands, and once he opened his eyes, slowly shaking his head. 

"Try to sip this brandy, " she said, seeing his jaws relax. 

"It is useless, " he murmured with difficulty. "My life was in theinstrument, as brittle as the glass. I have--"

He could say no more. Jennie went swiftly downstairs to the office of aphysician, on the first floor, which she had noticed as she came up. 

The medical man, who knew of the philosopher, but was not personallyacquainted with him, for the Professor had few friends, went up thesteps three at a time, and Jennie followed him more slowly. He met thegirl at the door of the attic. 

"It is useless, " he said. "Professor Seigfried is dead; and it is mybelief that in his taking away Austria has lost her greatest scientist. "

"I am sure of it, " answered the girl, with trembling voice; "but perhapsafter all it is for the best. "

"I doubt that, " said the doctor. "I never feel so like quarrelling withProvidence as when some noted man is removed right in the midst of hisusefulness. "

"I am afraid, " replied Jennie solemnly, "that we have hardly reached astate of development that would justify us in criticizing the wisdom ofProvidence. In my own short life I have seen several instances where itseemed that Providence intervened for the protection of His creatures;and even the sudden death of Professor Seigfried does not shake mybelief that Providence knows best. "

She turned quickly away and went down the stairs in some haste. At theouter door she heard the doctor call down, "I must have your name andaddress, please. "

But Jennie did not pause to answer. She had no wish to undergocross-examination at an inquest, knowing that if she told the truth shewould not be believed, while if she attempted to hide it, unexpectedpersonal inconvenience might arise from such a course. She ran rapidlyto the street corner, hailed a fiacre and drove to a distant part of thecity; then she dismissed the cab, went to a main thoroughfare, took atramcar to the centre of the town, and another cab to the Palace. 

CHAPTER XVII. JENNIE ENGAGES A ROOM IN A SLEEPING CAR. 

Jennie had promised Professor Seigfried not to communicate with theDirector of Police, and she now wondered whether it would be breakingher word, or not, if she let that official know the result of herinvestigation, when it would make no difference, one way or the other, to the Professor. If Professor Seigfried could have foreseen his ownsudden death, would he not, she asked herself, have preferred her tomake public all she knew of him? for had he not constantly reiteratedthat fame, and the consequent transmission of his name to posterity, waswhat he worked for? Then there was this consideration: if the Chief ofPolice was not told how the explosion had been caused, his fruitlesssearch would go futilely on, and, doubtless, in the course of policeinquiry, many innocent persons would be arrested, put to inconvenienceand expense, and there was even a chance that one or more, who hadabsolutely nothing to do with the affair, might be imprisoned for life. She resolved, therefore, to tell the Director of the Police all sheknew, which she would not have done had Professor Seigfried been alive. She accordingly sent a messenger for the great official, and just as shehad begun to relate to the impatient Princess what had happened, he wasannounced. The three of them held convention in Jennie's drawing-roomwith locked doors. 

"I am in a position, " began Jennie, "to tell you how the explosion inthe Treasury was caused and who caused it; but before doing so you mustpromise to grant me two favours, each of which is in your power tobestow without inconvenience. "

"What are they?" asked the Director of Police cautiously. 

"To tell what they are is to tell part of my story. You must firstpromise blindly, and afterwards keep your promise faithfully. "

"Those are rather unusual terms, Miss Baxter, " said the Chief; "but Iaccede to them, the more willingly as we have found that all the gold isstill in the Treasury, as you said it was. "

"Very well, then, the first favour is that I shall not be called togive testimony when an inquest is held on the body of Professor CarlSeigfried. "

"You amaze me!" cried the Director; "how did you know he was dead? I hadnews of it only a moment before I left my office. "

"I was with him when he died, " said Jennie simply, which statementdrew forth an exclamation of surprise from both the Princess and theDirector. "My next request is that you destroy utterly a machine whichstands on a table near the centre of the Professor's room. Perhaps theinstrument is already disabled--I believe it is--but, nevertheless, Ishall not rest content until you have seen that every vestige of it ismade away with, because the study of what is left of it may enable someother scientist to put it in working order again. I entreat you toattend to this matter yourself. I will go with you, if you wish meto, and point out the instrument in case it has been moved from itsposition. "

"The room is sealed, " said the Director, "and nothing will betouched until I arrive there. What is the nature of this instrument?"

"It is of a nature so deadly and destructive that, if it got into thehands of an anarchist, he could, alone, lay the city of Vienna inruins. "

"Good heavens!" cried the horrified official, whose bane was theanarchist, and Jennie, in mentioning this particular type of criminal, had builded better than she knew. If she had told him that theProfessor's invention might enable Austria to conquer all thesurrounding nations, there is every chance that the machine would havebeen carefully preserved. 

"The explosion in the Treasury vaults, " continued Jennie, "wasaccidentally caused by this instrument, although the machine at themoment was in a garret half a mile away. You saw the terrible effect ofthat explosion; imagine, then, the destruction it would cause in thehands of one of those anarchists who are so reckless of consequences. "

"I shall destroy the instrument with my own hands, " asserted theDirector fervently, mopping his pallid brow. 

Jennie then went on, to the increasing astonishment of the Princess andthe Director, and related every detail of her interview with the lateprofessor Carl Seigfried. 

"I shall go at once and annihilate that machine, " said the Director, rising when the recital was finished. "I shall see to that myself. Then, after the inquest, I shall give an order that everything in the atticis to be destroyed. I wish that every scientific man on the face of theearth could be safely placed behind prison bars. "

"I am afraid that wouldn't do much good, " replied Jennie, "unless youcould prevent chemicals being smuggled in. The scientists would probablyreduce your prison to powder, and walk calmly out through the dust. "

Mr. Hardwick had told Jennie that if she solved the Vienna mystery shewould make a European reputation for the _Daily Bugle_. Jennie did morethan was expected of her, yet the European reputation which the _Bugle_established was not one to be envied. It is true that the accountprinted of the cause of the explosion, dramatically completed with theProfessor's tragically sudden death, caused a great sensation in London. The comic papers of the week were full of illustrations showing the usesto which the Professor's instrument might be put. To say that any saneman in England believed a word of the article would be to cast anundeserved slight upon the intelligence of the British public. No onepaused to think that if a newspaper had published an account of whatcould be done by the Röentgen rays, without being able to demonstratepractically the truth of the assertions made, the contribution wouldhave been laughed at. If some years ago a newspaper had stated that aman in York listened to the voice of a friend at that moment standing inLondon, and was not only able to hear what his friend said, but couldactually recognize the voice speaking in an ordinary tone, and thenif the paper had added that, unfortunately, the instrument whichaccomplished this had been destroyed, people would have denounced thesensational nature of modern journalism. 

Letters poured in upon the editor, saying that while, as a general rule, the writers were willing to stand the ordinary lie of commerce dailyprinted in the sheet, there was a limit to their credulity and theyobjected to be taken for drivelling imbeciles. To complete thediscomfiture of the _Daily Bugle_, the Government of Austriapublished an official statement, which Reuter and the specialcorrespondents scattered broadcast over the earth. The statement waswritten in that calm, serious, and consistent tone which diplomatistsuse when uttering a falsehood of more than ordinary dimensions. 

Irresponsible rumours had been floating about (the official proclamationbegan) to the effect that there had been an explosion in the Treasuryat Vienna. It had been stated that a large quantity of gold had beenstolen, and that a disaster of some kind had occurred in the Treasuryvaults. Then a ridiculous story had been printed which asserted thatProfessor Seigfried, one of Austria's honoured dead, had in some mannerthat savoured of the Black Art, encompassed this wholesale destruction. The Government now begged to make the following declarations: First, not a penny had been stolen out of the Treasury; second, the so-calledwar-chest was intact; third, the two hundred million florins reposedsecurely within the bolted doors of the Treasury vaults; fourth, the coins were not, as had been alleged, those belonging to variouscountries, which was a covert intimation that Austria had hostile intentagainst one or the other of those friendly nations. The whole coinagein this falsely named war-chest, which was not a war-chest at all, butmerely the receptacle of a reserve fund which Austria possessed, wasentirely in Austrian coinage; fifth, in order that these sensational anddisquieting scandals should be set at rest, the Government announcedthat it intended to weigh this gold upon a certain date, and it invitedrepresentatives of the Press, from Russia, Germany, France, and Englandto witness this weighing. 

The day after this troy-weight function had taken place in Vienna, longtelegraphic accounts of it appeared in the English press, and severalsolemn leading articles were put forward in the editorial columns, which, without mentioning the name of the _Daily Bugle_, deplored thevoracity of the sensational editor, who respected neither the amitywhich should exist between friendly nations, nor the good name of thehonoured and respected dead, in his wolfish hunt for the daily scandal. Nothing was too high-spiced or improbable for him to print. He traded onthe supposed gullibility of a fickle public. But, fortunately, in thelong run, these staid sheets asserted, such actions recoiled upon thehead of him who promulgated them. Sensational journals merited andreceived the scathing contempt of all honest men. Later on, one of thereviews had an article entitled "Some Aspects of Modern Journalism, "which battered in the head of the _Daily Bugle_ as with a sledge hammer, and in one of the quarterlies a professor at Cambridge showed theabsurdity of the alleged invention from a scientific point of view. 

"I swear, " cried Mr. Hardwick, as he paced up and down his room, "that Ishall be more careful after this in the handling of truth; it is a mostdangerous thing to meddle with. If you tell the truth about a man, youare mulcted in a libel suit, and if you tell the truth about a nation, the united Press of the country are down upon you. Ah, well, it makesthe battle of life all the more interesting, and we are baffled to fightbetter, as Browning says. "

The editor had sent for Miss Baxter, and she now sat by his desk whilehe paced nervously to and fro. The doors were closed and locked so thatthey might not be interrupted, and she knew by the editor's manner thatsomething important was on hand. Jennie had returned to London aftera month's stay in Vienna, and had been occupied for a week at her oldroutine work in the office. 

"Now, Miss Baxter, " said the editor, when he had proclaimed his distrustof the truth as a workable material in journalism, "I have a plan to setbefore you, and when you know what it is, I am quite prepared to hearyou refuse to have anything to do with it. And, remember, if you _do_undertake it, there is but one chance in a million of your succeeding. It is on this one chance that I propose now to send you to St. Petersburg--"

"To St. Petersburg!" echoed the girl in dismay. 

"Yes, " said the editor, mistaking the purport of her ejaculation, "it isa very long trip, but you can travel there in great comfort, and I wantyou to spare no expense in obtaining for yourself every luxury that thevarious railway lines afford during your journey to St. Petersburg andback. "

"And what am I to go to St. Petersburg for?" murmured Jennie faintly. 

"Merely for a letter. Here is what has happened, and what is happening. I shall mention no names, but at present a high and mighty personage inRussia, who is friendly to Great Britain, has written a private letter, making some proposals to a certain high and mighty personage in England, who is friendly to Russia. This communication is entirely unofficial;neither Government is supposed to know anything at all about it. As amatter of fact, the Russian Government have a suspicion, and the BritishGovernment have a certainty, that such a document will shortly be intransit. Nothing may come of it, or great things may come of it. Nowon the night of the 21st, in one of the sleeping cars leaving St. Petersburg by the Nord Express for Berlin, there will travel a specialmessenger having this letter in his possession. I want you to takepassage by that same train and secure a compartment near the messenger, if possible. This messenger will be a man in whom the respective partiesto the negotiation have implicit confidence. I wish I knew his name, but I don't; still, the chances are that he is leaving London for St. Petersburg about this time, and so you might keep your eyes open on yourjourney there, for, if you discovered him to be your fellow-passenger, it might perhaps make the business that comes after easier. You see thisletter, " continued the editor, taking from a drawer in his desk a largeenvelope, the flap of which was secured by a great piece of stampedsealing-wax. "This merely contains a humble ordinary copy of to-day'sissue of the _Bugle_, but in outside appearance it might be taken for aduplicate of the letter which is to leave St. Petersburg on the 21st. Now, what I would like you to do is to take this envelope in yourhand-bag, and if, on the journey back to London, you have an opportunityof securing the real letter, and leaving this in its place, you willhave accomplished the greatest service you have yet done for the paper. "

"Oh!" cried Jennie, rising, "I couldn't think of that, Mr. Hardwick--Icouldn't _think_ of doing it. It is nothing short of highway robbery!"

"I know it looks like that, " pleaded Hardwick; "but listen to me. IfI were going to open the letter and use its contents, then you mightcharge me with instigating theft. The fact is, the letter will not bedelayed; it will reach the hands of the high and mighty personage inEngland quite intact. The only difference is that you will be its bearerinstead of the messenger they send for it. "

"You expect to open the letter, then, in some surreptitious way--someway that will not be noticed afterwards? Oh, I couldn't do it, Mr. Hardwick. "

"My dear girl, you are jumping at conclusions. I shall amaze you whenI tell you that I know already practically what the contents of thatletter are. "

"Then what is the use of going to all this expense and trouble trying tosteal it?"

"Don't say 'steal it, ' Miss Baxter. I'll tell you what my motive is. There is an official in England who has gone out of his way to throwobstacles in mine. This is needless and irritating, for generally Imanage to get the news I am in quest of; but in several instances, owingto his opposition, I have not only not got the news, but other papershave. Now, since the general raking we have had over this Austrianbusiness, quite aside from the fact that we published the exact truth, this stupid old official duffer has taken it upon himself to beexceedingly sneering and obnoxious to me, and I confess I want to takehim down a peg. He hasn't any idea that I know as much about thisbusiness as I do--in fact, he thinks it is an absolute secret; yet, ifI liked, I could to-morrow nullify all the arrangements by simplypublishing what is already in my possession, which action on my partwould create a _furore_ in this country, and no less of a _furore_ inRussia. For the sake of amity between nations, which I am accused ofdisregarding, I hold my hand. 

"Now, if you get possession of that communication, I want you totelegraph to me while you are _en route_ for London, and I will meet youat the terminus; then I shall take the document direct to this official, even before the regular messenger has time to reach him. I shall say tothe official, 'There is the message from the high personage in Russia tothe high personage in England. If you want the document, I will giveit to you, but it must be understood that you are to be a little lessfriendly to certain other newspapers, and a little more friendly tomine, in future. '"

"And suppose he refuses your terms?"

"He won't refuse them; but if he does I shall hand him the envelope justthe same. "

"Well, honestly, Mr. Hardwick, I don't think your scheme worth theamount of money it will cost, and, besides, the chance of my gettinghold of the packet, which will doubtless be locked safely within adespatch box, and constantly under the eye of the messenger, is mostremote. "

"I am more than willing to risk all that if you will undertake thejourney. You speak lightly of my scheme, but that is merely because youdo not understand the situation. Everything you have heretofore done hasbeen of temporary advantage to the paper; but if you carry this off, Iexpect the benefit to the _Bugle_ will be lasting. It will give me astanding with certain officials that I have never before succeeded ingetting. In the first place, it will make them afraid of me, and that ofitself is a powerful lever when we are trying to get information whichthey are anxious to give to some other paper. "

"Very well, Mr. Hardwick, I will try; though I warn you to expectnothing but failure. In everything else I have endeavoured to do, I havefelt confident of success from the beginning. In this instance I amas sure I shall fail. "

"As I told you, Miss Baxter, the project is so difficult that yourfailure, if you _do_ fail, will merely prove it to have beenimpossible, because I am sure that if anyone on earth couldcarry the project to success, you are that person; and, furthermore, Iam very much obliged to you for consenting to attempt such a mission. "

And thus it was that Jennie Baxter found herself in due time in thegreat capital of the north, with a room in the Hotel de l'Europeoverlooking the Nevski Prospect. In ordinary circumstances she wouldhave enjoyed a visit to St. Petersburg; but now she was afraid toventure out, being under the apprehension that at any moment she mightmeet Lord Donal Stirling face to face, and that he would recognize her;therefore she remained discreetly in her room, watching the strangestreet scenes from her window. She found herself scrutinizing everyonewho had the appearance of being an Englishman, and she had to confess toa little qualm of disappointment when the person in question proved tobe some other than Lord Donal; in fact, during her short stay at St. Petersburg she saw nothing of the young man. 

Jennie went, on the evening of her arrival, to the offices of theSleeping Car Company, to secure a place in one of the carriages thatleft at six o'clock on the evening of the 21st. Her initial difficultymet her when she learned there were several sleeping cars on thattrain, and she was puzzled to know which to select. She stood there, hesitating, with the plans of the carriages on the table before her. 

"You have ample choice, " said the clerk; "seats are not usually bookedso long in advance, and only two places have been taken in the train, sofar. "

"I should like to be in a carriage containing some English people, " saidthe girl, not knowing what excuse to give for her hesitation. 

"Then let me recommend this car, for one compartment has been taken bythe British Embassy--Room C, near the centre, marked with a cross. "

"Ah, well, I will take the compartment next to it--Room D, isn't it?"said Jennie. 

"Oh, I am sorry to say that also has been taken. Those are the twowhich are bespoken. I will see under what name Room D has been booked. Probably its occupant is English also. But I can give you Room B, on theother side of the one reserved by the Embassy. It is a two-berth room, Nos. 5 and 6. "

"That will do quite as well, " said Jennie. 

The clerk looked up the order book, and then said, --

"It is not recorded here by whom Room D was reserved. As a usual thing, "he continued, lowering his voice almost to a whisper and lookingfurtively over his shoulder, "when no name is marked down, that meansthe Russian police. So, you see, by taking the third room you will notonly be under the shadow of the British Embassy, but also under theprotection of Russia. Do you wish one berth only, or the whole room? Itis a two-berth compartment. "

"I desire the whole room, if you please. "

She paid the price and departed, wondering if the other room had reallybeen taken by the police, and whether the authorities were so anxiousfor the safety of the special messenger that they considered itnecessary to protect him to the frontier. If, in addition to the naturalprecautions of the messenger, there was added the watchfulness of one ortwo suspicious Russian policemen, then would her difficult enterprisebecome indeed impossible. On the other hand, the ill-paid policemenmight be amenable to the influence of money, and as she was wellsupplied with the coin of the realm, their presence might be a helprather than a hindrance. All in all, she had little liking for thetask she had undertaken, and the more she thought of it, the less itcommended itself to her. Nevertheless, having pledged her word to theeditor, if failure came it would be through no fault of hers. 

CHAPTER XVIII. JENNIE ENDURES A TERRIBLE NIGHT JOURNEY. 

Jennie went early to the station on the night of the 21st and enteredthe sleeping car as soon as she was allowed to do so. The conductorseemed unaccountably flustered at her anxiety to get to her room, and heexamined her ticket with great care; then, telling her to follow him, brought her to Room B, in which were situated berths 5 and 6, upper andlower. The berths were not made up, and the room showed one seat, madeto accommodate two persons. The conductor went out on the platformagain, and Jennie, finding herself alone in the carriage, walked up anddown the narrow passage-way at the side, to get a better idea of hersurroundings. 

[Illustration: PLAN OF SLEEPING CAR. ]

Room C, next to her own, was the one taken by the British Embassy. RoomD, still further on, was the one that appeared to have been retained bythe police. She stood for a few moments by the broad plate-glass windowthat lined the passage and looked out at the crowded platform. For atime she watched the conductor, who appeared to be gazing anxiouslytowards the direction from which passengers streamed, as if looking forsomeone in particular. Presently a big man, a huge overcoat belted roundhim, with a stern bearded face--looking, the girl thought, typicallyRussian--strode up to the conductor and spoke earnestly with him. Thenthe two turned to the steps of the car, and Jennie fled to her narrowlittle room, closing the door all but about an inch. An instant laterthe two men came in, speaking together in French. The larger man hada gruff voice and spoke the language in a way that showed it was notnative to him. 

"When did you learn that he had changed his room?" asked the man withthe gruff voice. 

"Only this afternoon, " replied the conductor. 

"Did you bore holes between that and the adjoining compartment?"

"Yes, Excellency; but Azof did not tell me whether you wanted the holesat the top or the bottom. "

"At the bottom, of course, " replied the Russian. "Any fool might haveknown that. The gas must rise, not fall; then when he feels its effectand tumbles down, he will be in a denser layer of it, whereas, if we putit in the top, and he fell down, he would come into pure air, and somight make his escape. You did not bore the hole over the top berth, Ihope?"

"Yes, Excellency, but I bored one at the bottom also. "

"Oh, very well, we can easily stop the one at the top. Have you fastenedthe window? for the first thing these English do is to open a window. "

"The window is securely fastened, your Excellency, unless he breaks theglass. "

"Oh, he will not think of doing that until it is too late. The Englishare a law-abiding people. How many other passengers are there in thecar?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Excellency, the Room B has been taken by anEnglish lady, who is there now. "

"Ten thousand devils!" cried the Russian in a hoarse whisper. "Why didyou not say that before?"

The voices now fell to so low a murmur that Jennie could not distinguishthe words spoken. A moment later there was a rap at her door, and shehad presence of mind enough to get in the further corner, and say in asleepy voice, --

"Come in!"

The conductor opened the door. 

"_Votre billet, s'il vous plaît, madame. "_

"Can't you speak English?" asked Jennie. 

The conductor merely repeated his question, and as Jennie was shakingher head the big Russian looked over the conductor's shoulder and saidin passable English, --

"He is asking for your ticket, madam. Do you not speak French?" Inanswer to this direct question Jennie, fumbling in her purse for herticket, replied, --

"I speak English, and I have already shown him my ticket. " She handedher broad-sheet sleeping-car ticket to the Russian, who had pushed theconductor aside and now stood within the compartment. 

"There has been a mistake, " he said. "Room C is the one that has beenreserved for you. "

"I am sure there isn't any mistake, " said Jennie. "I booked berths5 and 6. See, there are the numbers, " pointing to the metallic plates bythe door, "and here are the same numbers on the ticket. "

The Russian shook his head. 

"The mistake has been made at the office of the Sleeping Car Company. Iam a director of the Company. "

"Oh, are you?" asked Jennie innocently. "Is Room C as comfortable asthis one?"

"It is a duplicate of this one, madam, and is more comfortable, becauseit is nearer the centre of the car. "

"Well, there is no mistake about my reserving the two berths, is there?"

"Oh, no, madam, the room is entirely at your disposal. "

"Well, then, in that case, " said Jennie, "I have no objection to makinga change. "

She knew that she would be compelled to change, no matter what herticket recorded, so she thought it best to play the simple maidenabroad, and make as little fuss as possible about the transfer. She hadto rearrange the car in her mind. She was now in Room C, which had beenfirst reserved by the British Embassy. It was evident that at thelast moment the messenger had decided to take Room A, a four-berthcompartment at the end of the car. The police then would occupy Room B, which she had first engaged, and, from the bit of conversation she hadoverheard, Jennie was convinced that they intended to kill or renderinsensible the messenger who bore the important letter. The police werethere not to protect, but to attack. This amazing complication in theplot concentrated all the girl's sympathies on the unfortunate man whowas messenger between two great personages, even though he travelledapparently under the protection of the British Embassy at St. Petersburg. The fact, to put it baldly, that she had intended to robhim herself, if opportunity occurred, rose before her like an accusingghost. "I shall never undertake anything like this again, " she criedto herself, "never, never, " and now she resolved to make reparation tothe man she had intended to injure. She would watch for him until hecame down the passage, and then warn him by relating what she had heard. She had taken off her hat on entering the room; now she put it onhurriedly, thrusting a long pin through it. As she stood up, there was ajolt of the train that caused her to sit down again somewhat hurriedly. Passing her window she saw the lights of the station; the train was inmotion. "Thank Heaven!" she cried fervently, "he is too late. Thoseplotting villains will have all their trouble for nothing. "

She glanced upwards towards the ceiling and noticed a hole about an inchin diameter bored in the thin wooden partition between her compartmentand the next. Turning to the wall behind her she saw that another holehad been bored in a similar position through to Room B. The car had beenpretty thoroughly prepared for the work in hand, and Jennie laughedsoftly to herself as she pictured the discomfiture of the conspirators. The train was now rushing through the suburbs of St. Petersburg, whenJennie was startled by hearing a stranger's voice say in French, --

"Conductor, I have Room A; which end of the car is that?"

"This way, Excellency, " replied the conductor. Everyone seemed to be"Excellency" with him. A moment later, Jennie, who had again risen toher feet, horrified to learn that, after all, the messenger had come, heard the door of his room click. Everything was silent save the purringmurmur of the swiftly moving train. She stood there for a few momentstense with excitement, then bethought herself of the hole between herpresent compartment and the one she had recently left. She sprang upon the seat, and placing her eye with some caution at the hole, peeredthrough. First she thought the compartment was empty, then noticed therehad been placed at the end by the window a huge cylinder that reachednearly to the ceiling of the room. The lamp above was burning brightly, and she could see every detail of the compartment, except towards thefloor. As she gazed a man's back slowly rose; he appeared to have beenkneeling on the floor, and he held in his hand the loop of a rubbertube. Peering downwards, she saw that it was connected with thecylinder, and that it was undoubtedly pouring whatever gas the cylindercontained through the hole into Room A. For a moment she had difficultyin repressing a shriek; but realizing how perfectly helpless she was, even if an alarm were raised, she fought down all exclamation. She sawthat the man who was regulating the escape of gas was not the one whohad spoken to the conductor. Then, fearing that he might turn his headand see her eye at the small aperture, she reached up and covered thelamp, leaving her own room in complete darkness. The double covering, which closed over the semi-globular lamp like an eyelid, kept every rayof light from penetrating into the compartment she occupied. 

As Jennie turned to her espionage again, she heard a blow given to thedoor in Room A that made it chatter, then there was a sound of a heavyfall on the floor. The door of Room B was flung open, the head of thefirst Russian was thrust in, and he spoke in his own language a singlegruff word. His assistant then turned the cock and shut off the gas fromthe cylinder. The door of Room B was instantly shut again, and Jennieheard the rattle of the key as Room A was being unlocked. 

Jennie jumped down from her perch, threw off her hat, and, with aslittle noise as possible, slid her door back an inch or two. Theconductor had unlocked the door of Room A, the tall Russian standingbeside him saying in a whisper, --

"Never mind the man, he'll recover the moment you open the door andwindow; get the box. Hold your nose with your fingers and keep yourmouth shut. There it is, that black box in the corner. "

The conductor made a dive into the room, and came out with an ordinaryblack despatch-box. 

The policeman seemed well provided with the materials for hisburglarious purpose. He selected a key from a jingling bunch, tried it;selected another; then a third, and the lid of the despatch-box wasthrown back. He took out a letter so exactly the duplicate of the oneJennie possessed that she clutched her own document to see if it werestill in her pocket. The Russian put the envelope between his knees andproceeded to lock the box. His imagination had not gone to any suchrefinement as the placing of a dummy copy where the original had been. Quick as thought Jennie acted. She slid open the door quietly andstepped out into the passage. So intent were the two men on their workthat neither saw her. The tall man gave the box back to the conductor, then took the letter from between his knees, holding it in his righthand, when Jennie, as if swayed by the motion of the car, lurchedagainst him, and, with a sleight of hand that would have made herreputation on a necromantic stage, she jerked the letter from the amazedand frightened man; at the same moment allowing the bogus document todrop on the floor of the car from her other hand. The conductor had justemerged from Room A, holding his nose and looking comical enough as hestood there in that position, amazed at the sudden apparition of thelady. The Russian struck down the conductor's fingers with his righthand, and by a swift motion of the left closed the door of CompartmentA, all of which happened in a tenth of the time taken to tell it. 

"Oh, pardon me!" cried Jennie in English, "I'm afraid a lurch of the carthrew me against you. "

The Russian, before answering, cast a look at the floor and saw thelarge envelope lying there with its seal uppermost. He quietly placedhis huge foot upon it, and then said, with an effort at politeness, --

"It is no matter, madam. I fear I am so bulky that I have taken up mostof the passage. "

"It is very good of you to excuse me, " said Jennie; "I merely came outto ask the conductor if he would make up my berth. Would you be goodenough to translate that to him?"

The Russian surlily told the conductor to attend to the wants of thelady. The conductor muttered a reply, and that reply the Russiantranslated. 

"He will be at your service in a few moments, madam. He must first makeup the berth of the gentleman in Room A. "

"Oh, thank you very much, " returned Jennie. "I am in no hurry; any timewithin the hour will do. "

With that she retired again into her compartment, the real letterconcealed in the folds of her dress, the bogus one on the floor underthe Russian's foot. She closed the door tightly, then, taking care thatshe was not observed through either of the holes the conductor had boredin the partition, she swiftly placed the important document in a deepinside pocket of her jacket. As a general rule, women have insidepockets in their capes, and outside pockets in their jackets; butJennie, dealing as she did with many documents in the course of herprofession, had had this jacket especially made, with its deep and roomyinside pocket. She sat on a corner of the sofa, wondering what was tobe the fate of the unfortunate messenger, for, in spite of the suddenshutting of the door by the Russian, she caught a glimpse of the manlying face downwards on the floor of his stifling room. She also hadreceived a whiff of the sweet, heavy gas which had been used, thatseemed now to be tincturing the whole atmosphere of the car, especiallyin the long narrow passage. It was not likely they intended to killthe man, for his death would cause an awkward investigation, while hisstatement that he had been rendered insensible might easily be denied. As she sat there, the silence disturbed only by the low, soothing rumbleof the train, she heard the ring of the metal cylinder against thewoodwork of the next compartment. The men were evidently removingtheir apparatus. A little later the train slowed, finally coming to astandstill, and looking out of the window into the darkness, she foundthey were stopping at an ill-lighted country station. Covering the lightin the ceiling again, the better to see outside, herself, unobserved, she noted the conductor and another man place the bulky cylinder on theplatform, without the slightest effort at concealment. The tall Russianstood by and gave curt orders. An instant later the train moved onagain, and when well under way there was a rap at her door. When sheopened it, the conductor said that he would make up her berth now, if itso pleased her. She stood out in the corridor while this was deftlyand swiftly done. She could not restrain her curiosity regarding themysterious occupant of Room A, and to satisfy it she walked slowly upand down the corridor, her hands behind her, passing and repassing theopen door of her room, and noticing that ever and anon the conductorcast a suspicious eye in her direction. 

The door of Room A was partly open, but the shaded lamp in theceiling left the interior in darkness. There was now no trace of theintoxicating gas in the corridor, and as she passed Room A she noticedthat a fresh breeze was blowing through the half open doorway, thereforethe window must be up. Once as she passed her own door she saw theconductor engaged in a task which would keep him from looking into thecorridor for at least a minute, and in that interval she set herdoubts at rest by putting her head swiftly into Room A, and as swiftlywithdrawing it. The man had been lifted on to his sofa, and lay with hisface towards the wall, his head on a pillow. The despatch-box rested ona corner of the sofa, where, doubtless, he had left it. He was breathingheavily like a man in a drunken sleep; but the air of the room was sweetand fresh, and he would doubtless recover. 

Jennie still paced up and down, pondering deeply over what had happened. At first, when she had secured the important document, she had made upher mind to return it to the messenger; but further meditation inducedher to change her mind. The messenger had been robbed by the Russianpolice; he would tell his superiors exactly what had happened, and yetthe letter would reach its destination as speedily as if he had broughtit himself--as if he had never been touched. Knowing the purpose whichMr. Hardwick had in his mind, Jennie saw that the letter now was oftenfold more value to him than it would have been had she taken it fromthe messenger. It was evident that the British Embassy, or the messengerhimself, had suspicions that an attempt was to be made to obtain thedocument, otherwise Room C of the sleeping car would not have beenchanged for Room A at the very last moment. If, then, the editor couldsay to the official, "The Russian police robbed your messenger in spiteof all the precautions that could be taken, and my emissary cozened theRussians; so, you see, I have accomplished what the whole power of theBritish Government was powerless to effect; therefore it will be wisdomon your part to come to terms with me. "

Jennie resolved to relate to Hardwick exactly how she came intopossession of the document, and she knew his alert nature well enough tobe sure he would make the most of the trump card dealt to him. 

"Your room is ready for you, " said the conductor in French. 

She had the presence of mind enough not to comprehend his phrase until, with a motion of his hand, he explained his meaning. She entered hercompartment and closed the door. 

Having decided what disposal to make of the important document, therenow arose in her mind the disquieting problem whether or not it would beallowed to remain with her. She cogitated over the situation and triedto work out the mental arithmetic of it. Trains were infrequent on theRussian railways, and she had no means of estimating when the burlyruffian who had planned and executed the robbery would get back to St. Petersburg. There was no doubt that he had not the right to open theletter and read its contents; that privilege rested with some higherofficial in St. Petersburg. The two men had got off at the firststopping place. It was quite possible that they would not reach thecapital until next morning, when the Berlin express would be well on itsway to the frontier. Once over the frontier she would be safe; but themoment it was found that the purloined envelope merely contained acopy of an English newspaper, what might not happen? Would the Russianauthorities dare telegraph to the frontier to have her searched, orwould the big official who had planned the robbery suspect that she, bylegerdemain, had become possessed of the letter so much sought for? Evenif he did suspect her, he would certainly have craft enough not to admitit. His game would rather be to maintain that this was the veritabledocument found in the Englishman's despatch-box; and it was more thanlikely, taking into consideration the change of room at the last moment, which would show the officials the existence of suspicion in themessenger's mind, or in the minds of those who sent him, the naturalsurmise would be that another messenger had gone with the real document, and that the robbed man was merely a blind to delude the Russian police. In any case, Jennie concluded, there was absolutely nothing to do butto remain awake all night and guard the treasure which good luckhad bestowed upon her. She stood up on her bed, about to stuff herhandkerchief into the hole bored in the partition, but suddenly pausedand came down to the floor again. No, discomforting as it was to remainin a room under possible espionage, she dared not stop the openings, asthat would show she had cognisance of them, and arouse the conductor'ssuspicion that, after all, she had understood what had been said;whereas, if she left them as they were, the fact of her doing so wouldbe strong confirmation of her ignorance. She took from her bag a scarf, tied one end round her wrist and the other to the door, so that it couldnot be opened, should she fall asleep, without awakening her. Beforeentrenching herself thus, she drew the eyelids down over the lamp, andleft her room in darkness. Then, if anyone did spy upon her they wouldnot see the dark scarf which united her wrist with the door. 

In spite of the danger of her situation she had the utmost difficulty inkeeping awake. The rumble of the train had a very somnolent effect, andonce or twice she started up, fearing that she had been slumbering. Onceshe experienced a tightening sensation in her throat, and sprang to thefloor, seeing the rising gas somehow made visible, the colour of blood. The scarf drew her to her knees, and for a moment she thought someoneclutched her wrist. Panting, she undid the scarf and flooded the roomwith light. Her heart was beating wildly, but all was still, save theever-present rumble of the train rushing through the darkness over theboundless plains of Russia. She looked at her tiny watch, it was twoo'clock in the morning. She knew then that she must have fallen asleepin spite of her strong resolutions. The letter was still in the insidepocket of her jacket, and all was well at two in the morning. No eyeappeared at either of the apertures, so she covered up the light oncemore and lay down again, sighing to think how rumpled her dainty costumewould look in the morning. Now she was resolved not to go to sleep, ifforce of will could keep her awake. A moment later she was startled bysomeone beating down the partition with an axe. She sprang up, and againthe scarf pulled her back. She untied it from her wrist and noticedthat daylight flooded the compartment. This amazed her; how could itbe daylight so soon? Had she been asleep again, and was the fanciedbattering at the door with an axe merely the conclusion of a dreamcaused by the conductor's knock? After a breathless pause there came agentle rap on her door, and the voice of the conductor said, --

"Breakfast at Luga, madame, in three-quarters of an hour. "

"Very good, " she replied in English, her voice trembling with fear. Slowly she untied the scarf from the door and placed it in her handbag. She shivered notwithstanding her effort at self-control, for she knewshe had slept through the night, and far into the morning. In agitationshe unbuttoned her jacket. Yes; there was the letter, just where she hadplaced it. She dare not take it out and examine it, fearing still thatshe might be watched from some unseen quarter, but "Thank God, " shesaid to herself fervently, "this horrible night is ended. Once over thefrontier I am safe. " She smoothed and brushed down her dress as well asshe was able, and was greatly refreshed by her wash in cold water, whichis one of the luxuries, not the least acceptable, on a sleeping car. 

CHAPTER XIX. JENNIE EXPERIENCES THE SURPRISE OF HER LIFE. 

At nine o'clock the long train came to a standstill, seventeen minuteslate at Luga, and ample time was allowed for a leisurely breakfast inthe buffet of the station. The restaurant was thronged with numerouspassengers, most of whom seemed hardly yet awake, while many wereunkempt and dishevelled, as if they had had little sleep during thenight. 

Jennie found a small table and sat down beside it, ordering her coffeeand rolls from the waiter who came to serve her. Looking round at thecosmopolitan company, and listening to the many languages, whose clashgave a Babel air to the restaurant, Jennie fell to musing on the strangeexperiences she had encountered since leaving London. It seemed to hershe had been taking part in some ghastly nightmare, and she shuddered asshe thought of the lawlessness, under cover of law, of this great anddespotic empire, where even the ruler was under the surveillance of hissubordinates, and could not get a letter out of his own dominion insafety, were he so minded. In her day-dream she became conscious, without noting its application to herself, that a man was standingbefore her table; then a voice which made her heart stop said, --

"Ah, lost Princess!"

She placed her hand suddenly to her throat, for the catch in herbreath seemed to be suffocating her, then looked up and saw Lord DonalStirling, in the ordinary everyday dress of an English gentleman, aswell groomed as if he had come, not from a train, but from his ownhouse. There was a kindly smile on his lips and a sparkle in his eyes, but his face was of ghastly pallor. 

"Oh, Lord Donal!" she cried, regarding him with eyes of wonder and fear, "what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, " the young man replied, with an attempt at a laugh; "nothing, now that I have found you, Princess. I have been making a night of it, that's all, and am suffering the consequences in the morning. May I sitdown?"

He dropped into a chair on the other side of the table, like a manthoroughly exhausted, unable to stand longer, and went on, --

"Like all dissipated men, I am going to break my fast on stimulants. Waiter, " he said, "bring me a large glass of your best brandy. "

"And, waiter, " interjected Jennie in French, "bring two breakfasts. Isuppose it was not a meal that you ordered just now, Lord Donal?"

"I have ordered my breakfast, " he said; "still, it pleads in my favourthat I do not carry brandy with me, as I ought to do, and so must drinkthe vile stuff they call their best here. "

"You should eat as well, " she insisted, taking charge of him as if shehad every right to do so. 

"All shall be as you say, now that I have the happiness of seeing yousitting opposite me, but don't be surprised if I show a mostunappreciative appetite. "

"What is the matter?" she asked breathlessly. "You certainly look veryill. "

"I have been drugged and robbed, " he replied, lowering his voice. "Iimagine I came to close quarters with death itself. I have spent a nightin Hades, and this morning am barely able to stagger; but the sight ofyou, Princess--Ah, well, I feel once more that I belong to the land ofthe living!"

"Please do not call me Princess, " said the girl, looking down at thetablecloth. 

"Then what am I to call you, Princess?"

"My name is Jennie Baxter, " she said in a low voice. 

"_Miss_ Jennie Baxter?" he asked eagerly, with emphasis on the firstword. 

"Miss Jennie Baxter, " she answered, still not looking up at him. 

He leaned back in his chair and said, --

"Well, this is not such a bad world, after all. To think of meeting youhere in Russia! Have you been in St. Petersburg, then?"

"Yes. I am a newspaper woman, " explained Jennie hurriedly. "Whenyou met me before, I was there surreptitiously--fraudulently, ifyou like; I was there to--to write a report of it for my paper. Ican never thank you enough, Lord Donal, for your kindness to me thatevening. "

"Your thanks are belated, " said the young man, with a visible attempt atgaiety. "You should have written and acknowledged the kindness you aregood enough to say I rendered to you. You knew my address, and etiquettedemanded that you should make your acknowledgments. "

"I was reluctant to write, " said Jennie, a smile hovering round herlips, "fearing my letter might act as a clue. I had no wish to interferewith the legitimate business of Mr. Cadbury Taylor. "

"Great heavens!" cried the young man, "how came you to know about that?But of course the Princess von Steinheimer told you of it. She wrote tome charging me with all sorts of wickedness for endeavouring to findyou. "

"No, Lord Donal, I did not learn it from her. In fact, if you had openedthe door of the inner room at Mr. Cadbury Taylor's a little quicker, youwould have come upon me, for I was the assistant who tried to persuadehim that you really met the Princess von Steinheimer. "

Lord Donal, for the first time, laughed heartily. 

"Well, if that doesn't beat all! And I suppose Cadbury Taylor hasn't theslightest suspicion that you are the person he was looking for?"

"No, not the slightest. "

"I say! that is the best joke I have heard in ten years, " said LordDonal; and here, breakfast arriving, Jennie gave him his directions. 

"You are to drink a small portion of that brandy, " she said, "and thenput the rest in your coffee. You must eat a good breakfast, and thatwill help you to forget your troubles, --that is, if you have any realtroubles. "

"Oh, my troubles are real enough, " said the young man. "When I met youbefore, Princess, I was reasonably successful. We even talked aboutambassadorships, didn't we, in spite of the fact that ambassadors weremaking themselves unnecessarily obtrusive that night? Now you see beforeyou a ruined man. No, I am not joking; it is true. I was given acommission, or, rather, knowing the danger there was in it, I beggedthat the commission might be given me. It was merely to take a letterfrom St. Petersburg to London. I have failed, and when that is said, allis said. "

"But surely, " cried the girl, blushing guiltily as she realized thatthis was the man she had been sent to rob, "you could not be expected toward off such a lawless attempt at murder as you have been the victimof?"

"That is just what I expected, and what I supposed I could ward off. Inmy profession--which, after all has a great similarity to yours, exceptthat I think we have to do more lying in ours--there must be no suchword as fail. The very best excuses are listened to with tolerance, perhaps, and a shrug of the shoulders; but failure, no matter from whatcause, is fell doom. I have failed. I shall not make any excuses. I willgo to London and say merely, 'The Russian police have robbed me. ' Oh, Iknow perfectly well who did the trick, and how it was done. Then I shallsend in my resignation. They will accept it with polite words of regret, and will say to each other, 'Poor fellow, he had a brilliant careerbefore him, but he got drunk, or something, and fell into the ditch. 'Ah, well, we won't talk any more about it. "

"Then you don't despise the newspaper profession, Lord Donal?"

"Despise it! Bless you, no: I look up to it. Belonging myself to aprofession very much lower down in the scale of morality, as I havesaid. But, Princess, " he added, leaning towards her, "will you resignfrom the newspaper if I resign from diplomacy?"

The girl slowly shook her head, her eyes on the tablecloth before her. 

"I will telegraph my resignation, " he said impetuously, "if you willtelegraph yours to your paper. "

"You are feeling ill and worried this morning, Lord Donal, and so youtake a pessimistic view of life. You must not resign. "

"Oh, but I must. I have failed, and that is enough. "

"It isn't enough. You must do nothing until you reach London. "

"I like your word _must_, Jennie, " said the young man audaciously. "Itimplies something, you know. "

"What does it imply, Lord Donal?" she asked, glancing up at him. 

"It implies that you are going to leave the 'Lord' off my name. "

"That wouldn't be very difficult, " replied Jennie. 

"I am delighted to hear you say so, " exclaimed his lordship; "and now, that I may know how it sounds from your dear lips, call me Don. "

"No; if I ever consented to omit the title, I should call you Donal. Ilike the name in its entirety. "

He reached his hand across the table. "Are you willing then, to accept aman at the very lowest ebb of his fortunes? I know that if I were ofthe mould that heroes are made of, I would hesitate to proffer you ablighted life. But I loved you the moment I saw you; and, remembering myfruitless search for you, I cannot run the risk of losing you again; Ihave not the courage. "

She placed her hand in his and looked him, for the first time, squarelyin the eyes. 

"Are you sure, Donal, " she said, "that I am not a mere effigy on whichyou are hanging the worn-out garments of a past affection? You thought Iwas the Princess at first. "

"No, I didn't, " he protested. "As soon as I heard you speak, I knew youwere the one I was destined to meet. "

"Ah, Donal, Donal, at lovers' perjuries they say Jove laughs. I don'tthink you were quite so certain as all that. But I, too, am a coward, and I dare not refuse you. "

Lord Donal glanced quickly about him; the room was still crowded. Eventhe Berlin Express gave them a long time for breakfast, and was in nohurry to move westward. His hurried gaze returned to her and he sighed. 

"What an unholy spot for a proposal!" he whispered; "and yet they callRussia the Great Lone Land. Oh, that we had a portion of it entirely toourselves!"

The girl sat there, a smile on her pretty lips that Lord Donal thoughtmost tantalizing. A railway official announced in a loud voice that thetrain was about to resume its journey. There was a general shuffling offeet as the passengers rose to take their places. 

"Brothers and sisters kiss each other, you know, on the eve of a railwayjourney, " said Lord Donal, taking advantage of the confusion. 

Jennie Baxter made no protest. 

"There is plenty of time, " he whispered. "I know the leisurely nature ofRussian trains. Now I am going to the telegraph office, to send in myresignation, and I want you to come with me and send in yours. "

"No, Lord Donal, " said the girl. 

"Aren't you going to resign?" he asked, in surprise. 

"Yes, all in good time; but _you_ are not. "

"Oh, I say, " he cried, "it is really imperative. I'll tell you all aboutit when we get on the train. "

"It is really imperative that you should not send in your resignation. Indeed, Donal, you need not look at me with that surprised air. You mayas well get accustomed to dictation at once. You did it yourself, youknow. You can't say that I encouraged you. I eluded the vigilant CadburyTaylor as long as I could. But, if there is time, go to the telegraphoffice and send a message to the real Princess, Palace Steinheimer, Vienna. Say you are engaged to be married to Jennie Baxter, and ask herto telegraph you her congratulations at Berlin. "

"I'll do it, " replied the young man with gratifying alacrity. 

When Lord Donal came out of the telegraph office, Jennie said to him, "Wait a moment while I go into the sleeping car and get my rugs andhandbag. "

"I'll go for them, " he cried impetuously. 

"Oh, no, " she said. "I'll tell you why, later. The conductor is avillain and was in collusion with the police. "

"Oh, I know that, " said Lord Donal. "Poor devil, he can't help himself;he must do what the police order him to do, while he is in Russia. "

"I'll get my things and go into an ordinary first class carriage. When Ipass this door, you must get your belongings and come and find me. Thereis still time, and I don't want the conductor to see us together. "

"Very well, " said the young man with exemplary obedience. 

CHAPTER XX. JENNIE CONVERSES WITH A YOUNG MAN SHE THINKS MUCH OF. 

When the train started, they were seated together in a carriage farforward. 

"One of my failings, " said the girl, "is to act first, and thinkafterwards. I am sorry now that I asked you to send that telegram to thePrincess. "

"Why?"

"Because I have a great deal to tell you, and perhaps you may wish towithdraw from the rash engagement you have undertaken. "

"A likely thing!" cried the ardent lover. "Indeed, Miss Princess, if youthink you can get rid of me as easily as all that, you are very muchmistaken. "

"Well, I want to tell you why I did not allow you to resign. "

Slowly she undid the large buttons of her jacket, then, taking it bythe lapel and holding it so that no one else could see, she drew partlyforth from the inside pocket the large envelope, until the stamp of theEmbassy was plainly visible. Lord Donal's eyes opened to their widestcapacity, and his breath seemed to stop. 

"Great heavens!" he gasped at last, "do you mean to say _you_ have it?"

"Yes, " she said, buttoning up her jacket again. "I robbed the robbers. Listen, and I will tell you all that happened. But, first, are youarmed?"

"Yes, " he replied, "I have a trumpery revolver in my pocket; little goodit did me last night. "

"Very well, we shall be across the frontier by noon to-day. If theRussian authorities find before that time how they have been checkmated, and if they have any suspicion that I am the cause of it, is it notlikely that they will have me stopped and searched on some pretence orother?" Lord Donal pondered for a moment. "They are quite capable ofit, " he said; "but, Jennie, I will fight for you against the wholeRussian Empire, and somebody will get hurt if you are meddled with. Thepolice will hesitate, however, before interfering with a messenger fromthe Embassy, or anyone in his charge in broad daylight on a crowdedtrain. We will not go back into that car, but stay here, where some ofour fellow-countrymen are. "

"That is what I was going to propose, " said Jennie. "And now listen tothe story I have to tell you, and then you will know exactly why I cameto Russia. "

"Don't tell me anything you would rather not, " said the young manhurriedly. 

"I would rather not, but it must be told, " answered the girl. 

The story lasted a long time, and when it was ended the young man criedenthusiastically in answer to her question, --

"Blame you? Why, of course I don't blame you in the slightest. It wasn'tHardwick who sent you here at all, but Providence. Providence brought ustogether, Jennie, and my belief in it hereafter will be unshaken. "

Jennie laughed a contented little laugh, and said she was flattered atbeing considered an envoy of Providence. 

"It is only another way of saying you are an angel, Jennie, " remarkedthe bold young man. 

They crossed the frontier without interference, and, once in Germany, Jennie took the object of so much contention and placed it in the handsof her lover. 

"There, " she whispered, with a tiny sigh, for she was giving up thefruits of her greatest achievement, "put that in your despatch box, andsee that it doesn't leave that receptacle until you reach London. I hopethe Russians will like the copy of the _Daily Bugle_ they find in theirenvelope. "

The two chatted together throughout the long ride to Berlin, and when11 p. M. And the Schleischer station came at last, they still seemed onlyto have begun their conversation, so much more remained to be told. 

The telegram from the Princess was handed to Lord Donal at Berlin. 

"I congratulate you most sincerely, " she wired; "and tell Jennie thenext time you see her"--Lord Donal laughed as he read this aloud--"thatthe Austrian Government has awarded her thirty thousand pounds for hershare in enabling them to recover their gold, and little enough I thinkit is, considering what she has done. "

"Now, I call that downright handsome of the Austrian Government, " criedLord Donal. "I thought they were going to fight us when I read thespeech of their Prime Minister, but, instead of that, they are makingwedding presents to our nice girls. "

"Ah, that comes through the good-heartedness of the Princess, and thekindness of the Prince, " said Jennie. "He has managed it. "

"But what in the world did you do for the Austrian Government, Jennie?"

"That is a long story, Donal, and I think a most interesting one. "

"Well, let us thank heaven that we have a long journey for you to tellit and me to listen. "

And saying this, the unabashed, forward young man took the libertyof kissing his fair companion good-night, right there amidst all theturmoil and bustle of the Schleischer Bahnhof in Berlin. 

It was early in the morning when the two met again in the restaurantcar. The train had passed Cologne and was now rushing up thatpicturesque valley through which runs the brawling little river Vesdre. Lord Donal and Jennie had the car to themselves, and they chose a tablenear the centre of it and there ordered their breakfast. The situationwas a most picturesque one. The broad, clear plate glass windows on eachside displayed, in rapid succession, a series of landscapes well worthviewing; the densely wooded hills, the cheerful country houses, theswift roaring stream lashing itself into fleecy foam; now and then aglimpse of an old ruined castle on the heights, and, in the deep valley, here and there a water mill. 

It was quite evident that Jennie had slept well, and, youth being on herside, her rest had compensated for the nightmare of the Russian journey. She was simply but very effectively dressed, and looked as fresh andpretty and cool and sweet as a snowdrop. The enchanted young man foundit impossible to lure his eyes away from her, and when, with a littlelaugh, Jennie protested that he was missing all the fine scenery, heanswered that he had something much more beautiful to look upon; whereatJennie blushed most enticingly, smiled at him, but made no furtherprotest. Whether it was his joy in meeting Jennie, or the result of hisnight's sleep, or his relief at finding that his career was not wrecked, as he had imagined, or all three together, Lord Donal seemed his oldself again, and was as bright, witty, and cheerful as a boy home for theholidays. They enjoyed their breakfast with the relish that youth anda healthy appetite gives to a dainty meal well served. The rolls werebrown and toothsome, the butter, in thick corrugated spirals, was of adelicious golden colour, cold and crisp. The coffee was all that coffeeshould be, and the waiter was silent and attentive. Russia, like an evilvision, was far behind, and the train sped through splendid sceneryswiftly towards England and home. 

The young man leaned back in his chair, interlaced his fingersbehind his head, and gazed across at Jennie, drawing a sigh of deepsatisfaction. 

"Well, this _is_ jolly, " he said. 

"Yes, " murmured Jennie, "it's very nice. I always did enjoy foreigntravel, especially when it can be done in luxury; but, alas! luxurycosts money, doesn't it?"

"Oh, you don't need to mind, you are rich. "

"That is true; I had forgotten all about it. "

"I hope, Jennie, that the fact of my travelling on a _train de luxe_has not deluded you regarding my wealth. I should have told you that Iusually travel third class when I am transporting myself in my privatecapacity. I am wringing this pampered elegance from the reluctantpockets of the British taxpayer. When I travel for the BritishGovernment I say, as _Pooh Bah_ said to _Koko_ in the 'Mikado, ' 'Do itwell, my boy, ' or words to that effect. "

"Indeed, " laughed Jennie, "I am in a somewhat similar situation; thenewspaper is paying all the expenses of this trip, but I shall insiston returning the money to the _Bugle_ now that I have failed in mymission. "

"Dear me, how much more honest the newspaper business is than diplomacy!The idea of returning any money never even occurred to me. The meresuggestion freezes my young blood and makes each particular hair tostand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine. Our motto in theservice is, Get all you can, and keep all you get. "

"But then, you see, your case differs from mine; you did your best tosucceed, and I failed through my own choice; and thus I sit here atraitor to my paper. "

"Well, Jennie, " said the young man, picking up the despatch-box, whichhe never allowed to leave his sight, and placing it on the table, "you've only to say the word, and this contentious letter is in yourpossession again. Do you regret your generosity?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, I would not have it back on any account. Evenlooking at the matter in the most materialistic way, success means farmore to you than it does to me. As you say, I am rich, therefore I amgoing to give up my newspaper career. I suppose that is why women veryrarely make great successes of their lives. A woman's career so often ismerely of incidental interest to her; a man's career is his whole life. "

"What a pity it is, " mused the young man, "that one person's successusually means another person's failure. If I were the generous, whole-souled person I sometimes imagine myself to be, I should refuseto accept success at the price of your failure. You have actuallysucceeded, while I have actually failed. With a generosity that makes mefeel small and mean, you hand over your success to me, and I selfishlyaccept it. But I compound with my conscience in this way. You and I areto be married; then we will be one. That one shall be heir to all thesuccesses of each of us and shall disclaim all the failures of each. Isn't that a good idea?"

"Excellent, " replied Jennie; "nevertheless, I cannot help feeling just alittle sorry for poor Mr. Hardwick. "

"Who is he--the editor?"

"Yes. He _did_ have such faith in me that it seems almost a pity todisappoint him. "

"You mustn't trouble your mind about Hardwick. Don't think of him atall; think of me instead. "

"I am afraid I do, and have done so for some time past; nevertheless, Ishall get off at Liege and telegraph to him that I am not bringing thedocument to London. "

"I will send the telegram for you when we reach there; but, if Iremember rightly what you told me of his purpose, he can't be verydeeply disappointed. I understood you to say that he did not intend topublish the document, even if he got it. "

"That is quite true. He wished to act as the final messenger himself, and was to meet me at Charing Cross Station, secure the envelope, andtake it at once to its destination. "

"I must confess, " said the young man, with a bewildered expression, "that I don't see the object of that. Are you sure he told you thetruth?"

"Oh, yes. The object was this. It seems that there is in the ForeignOffice some crusty old curmudgeon who delights in baffling Mr. Hardwick. This official--I forget his name; in fact, I don't think Mr. Hardwicktold me who he was--seems to forget the _Daily Bugle_ when importantitems of news are to be given out, and Mr. Hardwick says that he favoursone of the rival papers, and the _Bugle_ has been unable, so far, toreceive anything like fair treatment from him; so Mr. Hardwick wantedto take the document to him, and thus convince him there was danger inmaking an enemy of the _Daily Bugle_. As I understood his project, whichdidn't commend itself very much to me, Hardwick had no intention ofmaking a bargain, but simply proposed to hand over the document, and askthe Foreign Office man to give the _Bugle_ its fair share in what wasgoing. "

"Do you mean to say that the official in question is the man to whom Iam to give this letter?"

"Yes. "

"Oh, my prophetic soul, my uncle! Why, that is Sir James Cardiff, theelder brother of my mother; he is a dear old chap, but I can wellunderstand an outsider thinking him gruff and uncivil. If the editorreally means what he says, then there will be no difficulty and nodisappointment. If all that is needed is the winning over of old Jimmyto be civil to Hardwick, I can guarantee that. I am the especial_protégé_ of my uncle. Everything I know I have learned from him. He cannot understand why the British Government does not appoint meimmediately Ambassador to France; Jimmy would do it to-morrow if he hadthe power. It was through him that I heard of this letter, and I believehis influence had a good deal to do with my getting the commission ofspecial messenger. It was the chagrin that my uncle Jimmy would havefelt, had I failed, that put the final drop of bitterness in my cup ofsorrow when I came to my senses after my encounter with the Russianpolice. That would have been a stunning blow to Sir James Cardiff. Weshall reach Charing Cross about 7. 30 to-night, and Sir James will bethere with his brougham to take charge of me when I arrive. Now, whatdo you say to our settling all this under the canopy of Charing CrossStation? If you telegraph Mr. Hardwick to meet us there, I willintroduce him to Sir James, and he will never have any more trouble inthat quarter. "

"I think, " said the girl, looking down at the tablecloth, "that I'drather not have Mr. Hardwick meet us. "

"Of course not, " answered the young man quickly. "What was I thinkingabout? It will be a family gathering, and we don't want any outsidersabout, do we?"

Jennie laughed, but made no reply. 

CHAPTER XXI. JENNIE KEEPS STEP WITH THE WEDDING MARCH. 

They had a smooth and speedy passage across from Calais to Dover, andthe train drew in at Charing Cross Station exactly on time. Lord Donalrecognized his uncle's brougham waiting for him, and on handing theyoung lady out of the railway carriage he espied the old man himselfclosely scrutinizing the passengers. Sir James, catching sight of him, came eagerly forward and clasped both his nephew's hands. 

"Donal, " he cried, "I am very glad indeed to see you. Is everythingright?"

"As right as can be, uncle. "

"Then I am glad of that, too, for we have had some very disquietinghints from the East. "

"They were quite justified, as I shall tell you later on; but meanwhile, uncle, allow me to introduce to you Miss Baxter, who has done me thehonour of promising to be my wife. "

Jennie blushed in the searching rays of the electric light as the oldman turned quickly towards her. Sir James held her hand in his for somemoments before he spoke, gazing intently at her. Then he said slowly, "Ah, Donal, Donal, you always had a keen eye for the beautiful. "

"Oh, I say, " cried the young man, abashed at his uncle's frankness, "Idon't call that a diplomatic remark at all, you know. "

"Indeed, Sir James, " said the girl, laughing merrily, "it is better thandiplomatic, it is complimentary, and I assure you I appreciate it. Thefirst time he met me he took me for quite another person. "

"Then, whoever that person is, my dear, " replied the old man, "I'llguarantee she is a lovely woman. And you mustn't mind what I say; nobodyelse does, otherwise my boy Donal here would be much higher in theservice than the present moment finds him; but I am pleased to tellyou that the journey he has now finished will prove greatly to hisadvantage. "

"Indeed, uncle, that is true, " said the young man, looking at hisbetrothed, "for on this journey I met again Miss Baxter, whom, to mygreat grief, I had lost for some time. And now, uncle, I want you todo me a great favour. Do you know Mr. Hardwick, editor of the _DailyBugle_?"

"Yes, I know him; but I don't like him, nor his paper either. "

"Well, neither do the Russians, for that matter, by this time, and Imerely wish to tell you that if it hadn't been for his action, and forthe promptness of a member of his staff, I should have failed in thismission. I was drugged by the Russian police and robbed. Miss Baxter, who was on the train, saw something of what was going forward, andsucceeded, most deftly, in despoiling the robbers. I was lyinginsensible at the time and helpless. She secured the document and handedit back to me when we had crossed the frontier, leaving in the hands ofthe Russians a similar envelope containing a copy of the _Daily Bugle_;therefore, uncle, if in future you can do anything to oblige Mr. Hardwick, you will help in a measure to cancel the obligation which ourfamily owes to him. "

"My dear boy, I shall be delighted to do so. I am afraid I have beenrather uncivil to him. If you wish it, I will go at once and apologizeto him. "

"Oh, no, " cried Jennie, "you must not do that; but if you can help himwithout jeopardizing the service, I, for one, will be very glad. "

"So shall I, " said Donal. 

The old man took out his card-case, and on the back of his cardscribbled a most cordial invitation to Hardwick, asking him to call onhim. He handed this to Jennie, and said, --

"Tell Mr. Hardwick that I shall be pleased to see him at any time. "

"And now, " said Lord Donal, "you must let us both escort you home in thecarriage. "

"No, no. I shall take a hansom, and will go directly to the office ofthe _Bugle_, for Mr. Hardwick will be there by this time. "

"But we can drive you there. "

"No, please. "

She held out her hand to Sir James and said, with the least bit ofhesitation before uttering the last word, "Good night--uncle. "

"Good night, my dear, " said the old man, "and God bless you, " he addedwith a tenderness which his appearance, so solemn and stately, left oneunprepared for. 

Lord Donal saw his betrothed into a hansom, protesting all the while atthus having to allow her to go off unprotected. 

"What an old darling he is, " murmured Jennie, ignoring his protests. "Ithink if Mr. Hardwick had allowed me to look after the interests of thepaper at the Foreign Office, Sir James would not have snubbed me. "

"If the Foreign Office dared to do such a thing, it would hear ofsomething not to its advantage from the Diplomatic Service; and so, goodnight, my dear. " And, with additions, the nephew repeated thebenediction of the uncle. 

Jennie drove directly to the office of the _Daily Bugle_, and, for thelast time, mounting the stairs, entered the editorial rooms. She foundMr. Hardwick at his desk, and he sprang up quickly on seeing who hisvisitor was. "Ah, you have returned, " he cried. "You didn't telegraph tome, so I suppose that means failure. "

"I don't know, Mr. Hardwick. It all depends on whether or not yourobject was exactly what you told me it was. "

"And what was that? I think I told you that my desire was to getpossession of the document which was being transmitted from St. Petersburg to London. "

"No; you said the object was the mollifying of old Sir James Cardiff, ofthe Foreign Office. "

"Exactly; that was the ultimate object, of course. "

"Very well. Read this card. Sir James gave it to me at Charing CrossStation less than half an hour ago. "

The editor took the card, turned it over in his hands once or twice, andread the cordial message which the old man had scribbled on the back ofit. 

"Then you have succeeded, " cried Hardwick. "You got the document; butwhy did you give it to Sir James yourself, instead of letting me hand itto him?"

"That is a long story. To put it briefly, it was because the messengercarrying the document was Lord Donal Stirling, who is--who is--an oldfriend of mine. Sir James is his uncle, and Lord Donal promised that hewould persuade the old man to let other newspapers have no advantageswhich he refused to the _Daily Bugle_. I did not give the document toSir James, I gave it back to Lord Donal. "

"Lord Donal Stirling--Lord Donal Stirling, " mused the editor. "Wherehave I heard that name before?"

"He is a member of the British Embassy at St. Petersburg, so you mayhave seen his name in the despatches. "

"No. He is not so celebrated as all that comes to. Ah, I remember now. Imet the detective the other night and asked him if anything had come ofthat romance in high life, to solve which he had asked your assistance. He said the search for the missing lady had been abandoned, andmentioned the name of Lord Donal Stirling as the foolish young man whohad been engaged in the pursuit of the unknown. "

Jennie coloured at this and drew herself up indignantly. 

"Before you say anything further against Lord Donal, " she cried hotly, "I wish to inform you that he and I are to be married. "

"Oh, I beg your pardon, " said the editor icily. "Then, having failed tofind the other girl, he has speedily consoled himself by--"

"There was no other girl. I was the person of whom Mr. Cadbury Taylorwas in search. I willingly gave him valuable assistance in the task offailing to find myself. Having only a stupid man to deal with, I hadlittle difficulty in accomplishing my purpose. Neither Mr. Taylor norMr. Hardwick ever suspected that the missing person was in their ownemploy. "

"Well, I'm blessed!" ejaculated Hardwick. "So you baffled Cadbury Taylorin searching for yourself, as you baffled me in getting hold of theRussian letter. It seems to me, Miss Baxter, that where your owninclinations do not coincide with the wishes of your employers, theinterests of those who pay you fall to the ground. "

"Mr. Cadbury Taylor didn't pay me anything for my services as amateurdetective, and he has, therefore, no right to grumble. As for the St. Petersburg trip, I shall send you a cheque for all expenses incurred assoon as I reach home. "

"Oh, you mistake me, " asserted Mr. Hardwick earnestly. "I had no thoughtof even hinting that you have not earned over and over again all themoney the _Daily Bugle_ has paid you; besides, I was longing for yourreturn, for I want your assistance in solving a mystery that has ratherpuzzled us all. Paris is in a turmoil just now over the--"

Jennie's clear laugh rang out. 

"I am going over to Paris in a day or two, Mr. Hardwick, to solve themystery of dressmaking, and I think, from what I know of it already, itwill require my whole attention. I must insist on returning to you thecost of the St. Petersburg journey, for, after all, it proved to berather a personal excursion, and I couldn't think of allowing the paperto pay for it. I merely came in to-night to hand you this card fromSir James Cardiff, and I also desired to tender to you personally myresignation. And so I must bid you good-bye, Mr. Hardwick, " said thegirl holding out her hand; "and I thank you very much indeed for havinggiven me a chance to work on your paper. "

Before the editor could reply, she was gone, and that good man sat downin his chair bewildered by the suddenness of it all, the room lookingempty and dismal, lacking her presence. 

"Confound Lord Donal Stirling!" he muttered under his breath, and then, as an editor should he went on impassively with his night's work. 

 * * * * *

It was intended that the wedding should be rather a quiet affair, butcircumstances proved too strong for the young people. Lord Donal wasvery popular and the bride was very beautiful. Sir James thought itnecessary to invite a great many people, and he intimated to Lord Donalthat a highly placed personage desired to honour the function with hispresence. And thus the event created quite a little flutter in the smartset. The society papers affirmed that this elevated personage had beenparticularly pleased by some diplomatic service which Lord Donal hadrecently rendered him; but then, of course, one can never believe whatone reads in the society press. However, the man of exalted rank wasthere, and so people said that perhaps there might be something inthe rumour. Naturally there was a great turn-out of ambassadors andministers, and their presence gave colour and dignity to the crushat St. George's, Hanover Square. The Princess von Steinheimer made aspecial journey from Vienna to attend, and on this occasion she broughtthe Prince with her. The general opinion was that the bridegroom was avery noble-looking fellow, and that the bride, in her sumptuous weddingapparel, was quite too lovely for anything. 

The Princess was exceedingly bright and gay, and she chatted with herold friends the Ambassadors from Austria and America. 

"I'm _so_ sorry, " she said to the Ambassador from America, "that I didnot have time to speak with you at the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball, but I was compelled to leave early. You should have come to me sooner. The Count here was much more gallant. We had a most delightfulconversation, hadn't we, Count? I was with Lord Donal, you remember. "

"Oh, yes, " replied the aged Austrian, bowing low; "I shall not soonforget the charming conversation I had with your Highness, and I hopeyou, on your part, have not forgotten the cordial invitation you gave meto visit again your castle at Meran. "

"Indeed, Count, you know very well how glad I am to see you at any time, either in Vienna or at Meran. "

The American Ambassador remained silent, and glanced alternately fromthe bride to the Princess with a puzzled expression on his face. 

The mystery of the Duchess of Chiselhurst's Ball proved too much forhim, as the search for the missing lady had proved too much for Mr. Cadbury Taylor. 

THE END