brated for its chocolate. Nevertheless Nella replied
enthusiastically, 'Nor I.'

Then there was a silence, and Nella, feeling possibly that she had been
too ecstatic, remarked in a very matter-of-fact tone: 'I must telegraph
to Papa instantly.'

Thus it was that Theodore Racksole received the telegram which drew him
away from Detective Marshall.

Chapter Sixteen THE WOMAN WITH THE RED HAT

'THERE is one thing, Prince, that we have just got to settle straight
off,' said Theodore Racksole.

They were all three seated--Racksole, his daughter, and Prince
Aribert--round a dinner table in a private room at the Hotel Wellington.
Racksole had duly arrived by the afternoon boat, and had been met on the
quay by the other two. They had dined early, and Racksole had heard the
full story of the adventures by sea and land of Nella and the Prince. As
to his own adventure of the previous night he said very little, merely
explaining, with as little detail as possible, that Dimmock's body had
come to light.

'What is that?' asked the Prince, in answer to Racksole's remark.

'We have got to settle whether we shall tell the police at once all that
has occurred, or whether we shall proceed on our own responsibility.
There can be no doubt as to which course we ought to pursue. Every
consideration of prudence points to the advisability of taking the
police into our confidence, and leaving the matter entirely in their
hands.'

'Oh, Papa!' Nella burst out in her pouting, impulsive way. 'You surely
can't think of such a thing. Why, the fun has only just begun.'

'Do you call last night fun?' questioned Racksole, gazing at her
solemnly.

'Yes, I do,' she said promptly. 'Now.'

'Well, I don't,' was the millionaire's laconic response; but perhaps he
was thinking of his own situation in the lift.

'Do you not think we might investigate a little further,' said the
Prince judiciously, as he cracked a walnut, 'just a little further--and
then, if we fail to accomplish anything, there would still be ample
opportunity to consult the police?'

'How do you suggest we should begin?' asked Racksole.

'Well, there is the house which Miss Racksole so intrepidly entered last
evening'--he gave her the homage of an admiring glance; 'you and I, Mr
Racksole, might examine that abode in detail.'

'To-night?'

'Certainly. We might do something.'

'We might do too much.'

'For example?'

'We might shoot someone, or get ourselves mistaken