mped with the name and address of its sellers in Chicago. That she
came by the Great Western is shown by the fact that 'Chester' appears
on still another label. That she has special business in England we may
well believe, otherwise she would have crossed on the French line direct
from New York to Havre. So you see, my dear boy, these are all matters
of observation, and quite patent to anyone who cares to use his eyes."

"Yes, it all seems very simple now that you have explained it," growled
Smith.

"I should be a much more mysterious person than I am," remarked the
detective complacently, "if I did not explain so much. This explanation
habit is becoming a vice with me, and I fear I must abandon it."

"I hope for my sake you won't," said Smith more good-naturedly, "for if
left to myself I never could find out how you arrive at your wonderful
conclusions. Do you expect the Austrian diamond mystery to prove
difficult?"

"Difficult? Oh, dear no! To tell the truth, I have solved it already,
but in order to give the American a run for his money--and surely he
ought not to object to that, because he is a millionaire who has made his
fortune by giving other people runs for their money, being a railway
man--I am now on my way to Vienna. If I solved the problem off-hand for
him in London, he would have no more appreciation of my talent than you
had a moment ago when I explained why I knew this French girl came from
Chicago."

"You mustn't mind that, Cadbury," said Smith contritely. "I confess I
was irritated for a moment because it all seemed so simple."

"My dear fellow, every puzzle in this world is simple except one, and
that is to find any problem which is difficult."

"Then who stole the diamonds? The lieutenant?"

The detective smiled and gazed upwards for a few tantalizing moments at
the roof of the carriage.

"Here we have," he said at last, "an impecunious prince who marries an
American heiress, as so many of them do. The girl begins life in Austria
on one million dollars, say two hundred thousand pounds, and a case
of diamonds said to be worth another two hundred thousand at
least--probably more. Not much danger of running through that very
speedily, is there, Smith?"

"No, I should think not."

"So the average man would think," continued the detective. "However, I
have long since got out of the habit of thinking; therefore I make sure.
The first problem I set to myself is this: How much money have the
Pr