ve one or two matters of importance to look into
just at present. Your majesty will, of course, stay in London for the
present?"

"Certainly. You will find me at the Langham, under the name of the Count
von Kramm."

"Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress."

"Pray do so; I shall be all anxiety."

"Then, as to money?"

"You have _carte blanche_."

"Absolutely?"

"I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom to have
that photograph."

"And for present expenses?"

The king took a heavy chamois-leather bag from under his cloak, and laid
it on the table.

"There are three hundred pounds in gold, and seven hundred in notes," he
said.

Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his notebook, and handed it
to him.

"And mademoiselle's address?" he asked.

"Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood."

Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he, thoughtfully.
"Was the photograph a cabinet?"

"It was."

"Then, good-night, your majesty, and I trust that we shall soon have
some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," he added, as the
wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. "If you will be
good enough to call to-morrow afternoon, at three o'clock, I should like
to chat this little matter over with you."

II

At three o'clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not yet
returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the house shortly
after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire, however,
with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be. I was
already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was surrounded
by none of the grim and strange features which were associated with the
two crimes which I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case
and the exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own.
Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which my friend had
on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp of a situation, and
his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study
his system of work, and to follow the quick subtle methods by which he
disentangled the most inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his
invariable success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased
to enter into my head.

It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken-looking
groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inf