t says there that I was their daughter."

"Well, we'll not quibble. Legally you may have been, but actually you
were their adopted child."

"Yis?" said Marie Louise. "And where did they find me? Had you
heard?"

"Since you force me to it, I must say that it is generally believed
that you were the natural daughter of Sir Joseph."

Marie Louise was tremendously relieved by having something that she
could deny. She laughed with a genuineness that swung the credulity
all her way. She asked:

"And who was my mother--my natural mother, could you tell me? I really
ought to know."

"She is believed to have been a--a native of Australia."

"Good Heavens! You don't mean a kangaroo?"

"An actress playing in Vienna."

"Oh, I am relieved! And Sir Joseph was my father--yes. Do go on."

"Whether Sir Joseph was your father or not, he was born in Germany and
so was his wife, and they took a false oath of allegiance to his
Majesty. All the while they were loyal only to the Kaiser. They worked
for him, spied for him. It is said that the Kaiser had promised to
make Sir Joseph one of the rulers over England when he captured the
island. Sir Joseph was to have any castle he wanted and untold
wealth."

"What was I to have?" Marie Louise was able to mock her. "Wasn't I to
have at least Westminster Abbey to live in? And one of the crown
princes for a husband?"

Lady Clifton-Wyatt lost her temper and her bearings.

"Heaven knows what you were promised, but you did your best to earn
it, whatever it was."

Mrs. Prothero lost patience. "Really, my dear Lady Clifton-Wyatt, this
is all getting beyond me."

Lady Clifton-Wyatt grew scarlet, too. She spoke with the wrath of a
Tisiphone whipping herself to a frenzy. "I will bring you proofs. This
creature was a paid secret agent, a go-between for Sir Joseph and the
Wilhelmstrasse. She carried messages. She went into the slums of
Whitechapel disguised as a beggar to meet the conspirators. She
carried them lists of ships with their cargoes, dates of sailing,
destinations. She carried great sums of money. She was the paymaster
of the spies. Her hands are red with the blood of British sailors and
women and children. She grew so bold that at last she attracted the
attention of even Scotland Yard. She was followed, traced to Sir
Joseph's home. It was found that she lived at his house.

"One of the spies, named Easling or Oesten, was her lover. He was
caught and met his deserts before a fir