harm in my going to the shop to look at a lot of rings and
knick-knacks he has for sale?"

"Not in the least. Confine yourself to knick-knacks, that's all."

"Isn't Spantz above suspicion?"

"No one is in my little world. By the way, I am very fond of your
father. He is a most excellent gentleman and a splendid shot."

Truxton stared harder than ever. "What's that?"

"I know him quite well. Hunted wild boars with him five years ago in
Germany. And your sister! She was a beautiful young girl. They were at
Carlsbad at the time. Was she quite well when you last heard?"

"She was," was all that the wondering brother could say.

"Well, come in and see me at the tower. I am there in the mornings. Come
as a caller, not as a prisoner, that's all." The Baron cackled at his
little jest. "_Au revoir!_ Till we meet again." They were shaking hands
in the friendliest manner. "Oh, by the way, you were good enough to
change your mind to-day about the personal attractiveness of our ladies.
Permit me to observe, in return, that not a few of our most
distinguished beauties were good enough to make inquiries as to your
identity."

He left the American standing at the head of the steps, gazing after his
retreating figure with a look of admiration in his eyes.

Truxton fared forth into the streets that night with a greater zest in
life than he had ever known before. Some thing whispered insistently to
his fancy that dreariness was a thing of the past; he did not have to
whistle to keep up his spirits. They were soaring of their own accord.

He did not know, however, that a person from the secret service was
watching his every movement. Nor, on the other hand, is it at all likely
that the secret service operative was aware that he was not the only
shadower of the blithe young stranger.

A man with a limp cigarette between his lips was never far from the side
of the American--a man who had stopped to pass the time of day with
William Spantz, and who, from that hour was not to let the young man out
of his sight until another relieved him of the task.

CHAPTER IV

TRUXTON TRESPASSES

He went to bed that night, tired and happy. To his revived spirits and
his new attitude toward life in its present state, the city had suddenly
turned gay and vivacious. Twice during the evening he passed Spantz's
shop. It was dark, upstairs and down. He wondered if the unhappy Olga
was looking at him from behind the darkened shutters. But e