ght get it without commotion! In an illuminating flash he
remembered the sharp look in the man's eyes yesterday morning in the
train from Budapest when Renwick had taken the note from his pocket.
Linke! He hurried his footsteps, bewailing his own simplicity and
wondering what this new phase of Herr Linke's activities might signify.
Renwick had assumed that the Austrian was an agent of Herr Windt, who
unable to follow him on to Sarajevo had guessed the train upon which he
had left and had sent this man up from Budapest to get into his
carriage. But his most recent accomplishment seemed to leave this
presumption open to doubt. If Herr Linke had stolen the letter in the
belief that it contained secret information which would be of value to
Austrian secret service officials, the mere reading of it would have
convinced him of its innocence in so far as Marishka was concerned. And
if a forgery! Perhaps something in the message which Renwick had
overlooked would put him upon the track of the fellow of the green
limousine. He went along the river bank from the bridge toward the
hotel, the location of which was familiar to him, hurrying his pace. At
any rate the note was gone and with it the mysterious Linke, facts which
clearly indicated one purpose. Herr Linke was bent upon intercepting any
message which might come to the Hotel Europa for the Englishman. And
given that to be his purpose, what was his intention with regard to the
Countess Strahni?

Still puzzling over the mysteries, which gained in elusiveness as he
hurried into Franz Josef Street, he reached the hotel, which was near
the Carsija, and made hurried inquiries of the Turkish porter, who
smiled and professed ignorance, but said to the Excellency that he would
diligently inquire, bringing Renwick at last to the major-domo, who
informed him that a note bearing the name of Herr Renwick had been left
at the hotel an hour before, but that not twenty minutes ago, Herr
Renwick had called and claimed it.

"That is not possible," said Renwick hotly, "since I am Herr Renwick."

The major-domo shrugged and bowed obsequiously. It was most unfortunate,
he said, but of course as Excellency must know, the Hotel Europa was not
a postoffice and could not be held responsible for the proper delivery
of letters when it knew nothing of the identity of those to whom they
were addressed.

Renwick paused a moment, and then said quickly, "To whom was the note
delivered? You saw?"

"Y