the connecting link
between the detective's mind and the seemingly palpable facts. At last
she looked up, the colour coming and going in her cheeks, as Lord Donal
had so accurately described it.

"I don't think I can be of any assistance to you in this crisis, Mr.
Taylor. You have already done everything that human ingenuity can
suggest."

"Yes, I have--everything that _my_ human ingenuity can suggest. But does
nothing occur to you? have you no theory to put forward?"

"None that would be of any practical advantage. Is Lord Donal certain
that it was not the Princess herself whom he met? Are you thoroughly
convinced that there was really an impersonation?"

"What do you mean, Miss Baxter?"

"Well, you met Prince von Steinheimer; what do you think of him?"

"I thought him an overbearing bully, if you ask me. I can't imagine
what English or American girls see in those foreigners to cause them
to marry. It is the titles, I suppose. The Prince was very
violent--practically ordered me out of the Castle, spoke to his
father-in-law in the most peremptory manner, and I could easily see the
Princess was frightened out of her wits."

"A very accurate characterization of his Highness, Mr. Taylor. Now, of
course, the Princess being a woman--and a young woman--would naturally
be very anxious to attend the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball, wouldn't
she?"

"One would think so."

"And, as you have just said, she has a bear of a husband, a good deal
older than herself, who does not in the least care for such functions as
that to which the Princess was invited. Is it not quite possible that
the Princess actually attended the ball, but, for reasons of her own,
desired to keep the fact of her presence there a secret; and you must
remember that Lord Donal Stirling had not seen the Princess for five
years."

"For five years?" said the detective sharply. "How did you learn that,
Miss Baxter?"

"Well, you know," murmured the girl, with a gasp, "he met her last in
Washington, and the Princess has not been in America for five years; so
you see--"

"Oh, I was not aware that he had met her in America at all; in fact,
Lord Donal said nothing much about the Princess--all his talk had
reference to this lady who impersonated her."

Jennie leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes for a moment, and
breathed quickly.

"I am afraid," she said at last, "that I do not remember with sufficient
minuteness the details you have given me, to be