pinion of the abilities of his secretary and
requested the Ministry's reasons for their decision. They merely
repeated their former request without explanations. And so the
Ambassador, with a smile, which had a world of meaning, offered Renwick
his passports.

But Renwick had no desire or intention to leave Vienna. He merely
removed his personal belongings to his apartment and stayed. That he had
ventured into deep political currents he was now sure, for though he
moved with great care, he was aware of being followed and once he was
shot at in a quiet street in broad daylight. He made no complaint to the
authorities, but only moved with greater discretion, sure that the
interests that desired his elimination were not among the Austrians.
From the point of view of the Austrian government he was merely a
discredited Englishman, and therefore a person of no importance. That
the Countess Marishka had apparently also reached the same conclusion
was evident, for though he called several times at the apartment of the
Baroness Racowitz, he was not admitted.

With theories of his own as to the probable effect of the Countess
Strahni's bombshell, Renwick began some investigations which he
conducted with great tact and secrecy. The forthcoming visit of the
Archduke Franz to Sarajevo had assumed suddenly a vital importance. One
morning after a night conference with Sir Herbert he took the train for
Belgrade. When he returned a few days later he was again closeted with
the British Ambassador, and when night fell, he went direct to the
apartment of the Baroness Racowitz, succeeding by a handsome bribe to
the servant at the door in sending a note to the Countess Marishka,
which read as follows--

COUNTESS MARISHKA STRAHNI,

A friend of yours is in grave danger, chiefly through your agency.
I pray that you will see me, if only for a moment. In doing so you
will secure for yourself an opportunity of doing a service which
you can never regret.

HUGH RENWICK.

When the servant returned, some moments later, Renwick was shown into
the drawing room, with the word that the Countess Strahni would see him.
She appeared almost immediately, her face a little pallid, her manner
restrained, her accents frigidly polite. But the dark eyes were
luminous, the brows were drawn inward, and her voice trembled slightly
as she spoke his name.

"Herr Renwick, I can hardly believe that you would impose so difficult a
si