setting the dust on the stones flying,
"a thousand pardons for this disagreeable intrusion. It was not
officially known that your Highness was here."

"It is nothing," replied the pseudo princess. "Only I desired to remain
incognito for the present."

"And the seals?" purred the official.

"We shall go through that formality the morning after the ball. At
present I do not wish to be disturbed with the turning of the villa
upside down, as would be the case were the seals removed."

"That will require the permission of the crown, your Highness."

"Then you will set about at once to secure this permission."

The air with which she delivered this command was noble enough for any
one. The inspector was overcome. "But as your Highness has never before
occupied the villa, some definite assurance--"

"You will telegraph to Cranford and Baring, in the Corso Umberto Primo,
Rome. They will supply you with the necessary details and information."

The inspector inscribed the address in his notebook, bowed, backed away
and bowed again. The crunch of the gravel under his feet was as a
sinister thunder, and it was the only sound. He spoke to the
_carabinieri_. They saluted, and the trio marched toward the gates.

There remained a tableau, picturesque but tense. Then Kitty began to cry
softly.

"Are you mad?" cried Hillard, his voice harsh and dry.

La Signorina laughed recklessly. "If you call this madness."

"Smith, my boy," said O'Mally, moistening his lips, "you and I this
night will pack up our little suit-cases and--_movimento, moto,
viaggio_, or whatever the Dago word is for move on. I'm out of the game;
the stakes are too high. I pass, signorina."

"How could you do it?" sobbed Kitty.

Merrihew patted her hand and scowled.

"What an ado!" said La Signorina, shrugging. "So you all desert me?"

"Desert you?" O'Mally resumed his seat and carefully loosened the
topmost buttons of his coat. "Of course we shall desert you. We are sane
individuals, at any rate. I have no desire to see the inside of an
Italian jail, not knowing how to get out. What under the sun possessed
you? What excuse have you to offer for pushing us all into the lion's
mouth? You could have easily denied all knowledge of the invitation,
referred them to your princess, wherever she may be, and we could have
cleared out in the morning, poor but honest. And now you've gone and
done it!"

Hillard leaned against a cypress, staring at the stones.

"