n von Marhof, as an Austrian
subject, I appeal to you for protection from this man!"

"Monsieur, you shall have all the protection Baron von Marhof cares to
give you; but first I wish to ask you a question--just one. You followed
me to America with the fixed purpose of killing me. You sent a Servian
assassin after me--a fellow with a reputation for doing dirty work--and
he tried to stick a knife into me on the deck of the _King Edward_. I
shall not recite my subsequent experiences with him or with you and
Monsieur Durand. You announced at Captain Claiborne's table at the Army
and Navy Club in Washington that I was an impostor, and all the time,
Monsieur, you have really believed me to be some one--some one in
particular."

Armitage's eyes glittered and his voice faltered with intensity as he
uttered these last words. Then he thrust his hand into his coat pocket,
stepped back, and concluded:

"Who am I, Monsieur?"

Chauvenet shifted uneasily from one foot to another under the gaze of the
five people who waited for his answer; then he screamed shrilly:

"You are the devil--an impostor, a liar, a thief!"

Baron von Marhof leaped to his feet and roared at Chauvenet in English:

"Who is this man? Whom do you believe him to be?"

"Answer and be quick about it!" snapped Claiborne.

"I tell you"--began Chauvenet fiercely.

"_Who am I_?" asked Armitage again.

"I don't know who you are--"

"You do not! You certainly do not!" laughed Armitage; "but whom have you
believed me to be, Monsieur?"

"I thought--"

"Yes; you thought--"

"I thought--there seemed reasons to believe--"

"Yes; and you believe it; go on!"

Chauvenet's eyes blinked for a moment as he considered the difficulties
of his situation. The presence of Baron von Marhof sobered him. America
might not, after all, be so safe a place from which to conduct an Old
World conspiracy, and this incident must, if possible, be turned to his
own account. He addressed the Baron in German:

"This man is a designing plotter; he is bent upon mischief and treason;
he has contrived an attempt against the noble ruler of our nation--he is
a menace to the throne--"

"Who is he?" demanded Marhof impatiently; and his eyes and the eyes of
all fell upon Armitage.

"I tell you we found him lurking about in Europe, waiting his chance, and
we drove him away--drove him here to watch him. See these things--that
sword--those orders! They belonged to the Archduke Karl. Look