lied. "The station officials selected it. I was thinking of
her--Madame Durrand, I mean--more than the name of the hospital. I don't
even know the street; though it's somewhere in the locality of the
station. It is dreadfully stupid of me, your Excellency, not to
know--but I don't."

"We can remedy that very readily," he said, and pressed a button. His
secretary responded. "Telephone our Consul-General in New York to
ascertain immediately from the railroad officials the hospital to which
Madame Durrand, who broke her ankle and wrist in the Pennsylvania
Station, at ten o'clock on Monday, was taken."

The secretary saluted and withdrew.

"Might not our friends the enemy have bribed someone to suppress Madame
Durrand's letter or wire?" Mrs. Clephane asked.

"Very possibly. It is entirely likely that they wouldn't be apt to stop
with the accident."

"You think they were responsible for Madame Durrand's fall?" she
exclaimed.

"Have you forgotten the man who jostled Madame Durrand?" the Marquis
reminded.

"To be sure! How stupid not to think of it. You see, your Excellency, I
am not accustomed to the ways of diplomacy and to assuming every one's a
rogue until he proves otherwise."

"You have a poor opinion of diplomats!" he smiled.

"Not of diplomats, only of their professional ways. And as they all have
the same ways, it's fair, I suppose, among one another."

"Did you tell Monsieur Harleston your opinion of our vocation?" he
asked.

"I did--somewhat more emphatically."

"And what, if you care to tell, did he say?"

"He quite agreed with me; he even went further."

"Wise man, Harleston!" the Marquis chuckled.

"Implying that he was not sincere?"

The Marquis threw up his hands. "Perish the thought! I imply that he is
a man of rare discrimination and admirable taste."

"Now won't you please tell me, your Excellency, if you credit, no, if
you _believe_, my story--and don't be a diplomat for the telling."

"My dear Madame Clephane, I do believe your tale--it bears the impress
of truth in what you've not done, as well as in what you've done. Had
you ever been in the service you would recognize my meaning. That the
abductors did not triumph was due first to their carelessness, and
second to chance, in the person of Monsieur Harleston. He plays the
game; and is violating no rule of diplomacy by his course in the affair.
Indeed he would be recreant to his country's service were he to do
otherwise. And France