ing at her over his shoulder.

"Please don't stay here, Miss Wellington. This man stole a very
important part of a torpedo that I invented. I am going to make him
return it before he leaves this room."

"He says what is untrue," said Koltsoff. "It is not his property. And
at all events, as I have told him, I do not possess it."

The color had returned to Anne's face. She swayed slightly as a great
wave of light, of knowledge, passed over her mind.

"Oh!" Her lips moved as mechanically as those of an automaton and her
face was as expressionless. "Oh!" Her eyes seemed burning through
Armitage. "And you made me believe--I mean I thought--I--I--"

She bowed her head, trying to stifle tears of shame and indignation.

"Don't, Miss Wellington. Don't misunderstand! Wait until I can
explain--then you will know. In the meantime I must have that torpedo,
that part of it which this Russian spy stole."

"It is not yours. It is mine. And I again inform you, I have n't it."

Prince Koltsoff's sneering smile had returned.

"Wait!" cried Anne, breaking in upon Jack's angry exclamation. She
stepped into the middle of the room. "Prince Koltsoff is right. He
has n't it. I have it." Slowly she drew her hand from behind her back.

"Here it is."

Koltsoff stepped forward.

"It is mine!" he said. "I gave it in trust to you. I command you to
keep it until I ask for it."

"He is lying, Miss Wellington. It is mine. I can prove it."

"Lying!" exclaimed Anne tragically. "Lying! Every one has lied.
Where is there truth in either of you? Where is there chivalry in you
and you--" nodding at Armitage and Koltsoff--"who have ruthlessly used
a household and a woman to your own ends? Ugh, I detest, I hate you
both! As for this," she struck the package with her hand, "I brought
it here to give you, Prince Koltsoff. I could n't keep it longer. But
now I think I can end your dispute for all time." Quickly she stepped
to the open window and raising the bundle high, hurled it out of the
window and over the cliffs.

With a dry howl of rage, Koltsoff flung himself into a chair, tearing
wildly at his hair and beard, while Armitage, his hands thrust deep
into his trousers pockets, stared at Anne. So far as the control was
concerned, while its loss would set his work back several weeks, it at
least was out of Koltsoff's hands and that naturally was the main
thing. It would, in fact, have been a source of deepest joy