ation.

CHAPTER II

At Charing Cross station a strange thing happened. The Continental train
arrived whilst I was sauntering about the platform, and out of it,
within a few feet of me, stepped Feurgeres. He was pale and haggard, and
he leaned heavily upon the arm of his servant as he stepped out of his
carriage. When he saw me, however, he held out his hand and smiled.

"You expected me, then?" he exclaimed.

"Not I," I answered. "You have taken my breath away."

"I had your telegram at Brussels," he explained. "I wired St. Petersburg
at once, and turned back. Any news?"

"None," I answered.

"What are you doing here?"

I told him in a few rapid words. He listened intently, nodding his head
every now and then.

"The Archduchess has her," he said, "and if only one of us had the ghost
of a legal claim upon the child our difficulties would end. She is an
unscrupulous woman, but there are things which even she dare not do.
What are they doing over there?"

He pointed to the next platform. I took him by the arm and dragged him
along.

"It is the special!" I exclaimed. "We must see them start."

Red drugget was being stretched across the platform, and to my dismay
the barricades were rolled across. The luggage was already in the van,
and the guard was looking at his watch. Then a small brougham drove
rapidly up and stopped opposite to the saloon. Baron von Leibingen
descended, and was immediately followed by the Archduchess. Together
they helped from the carriage and across the platform a dark, tall girl,
at the first sight of whom my heart began to beat wildly. Then I
remembered the likeness between the cousins and what I had heard of the
Princess Adelaide's indisposition. She was almost carried into the
saloon, and at the last moment she looked swiftly, almost fearfully,
around her. I could scarcely contain myself. The likeness was
marvellous! As the train steamed out of the station Feurgeres pushed
aside the barricade and walked straight up to the station-master.

"I want a special," he said, "to catch the boat. I am Feurgeres, and I
am due at Petersburg Wednesday."

The station-master shook his head.

"You can have a special, sir, in twenty minutes, but you cannot catch
the boat. The one I have just sent off would never do it, but the boat
has a Royal command to wait for her."

"Can't you give me an engine which will make up the twenty minutes?"
Feurgeres asked.

"It is impossible, sir," the