res came over the side, and slowly followed the first officer
forward. One was a Capuchin monk, bearing himself rigidly; at his side
strode a Bedouin, bedraggled, but erect and military of bearing. The
original Arab turned with a sudden sag of the shoulders and looked
helplessly out at the path of silver that stretched across the water
below, to the moon, now sunk close to the horizon. He waved one hand in
a gesture of submission and despair, and stood silent.

The gipsy girl, standing near, took a sudden step forward and stood
close to him us the others approached.

"They may take me back if they wish to, now," she said, with a suddenly
upflaring defiance. "But they shall find me like this!" And she flung
her arms about his neck and kissed him.

CHAPTER VIII

THE PRINCESS CONSULTS JONESY

The coldness of the moonlight killed the pallor of Karyl's face, but
added a note of stark accentuation to his set chin and labored
self-containment. Von Ritz, despite his bedraggled masquerade was as
composed and expressionless as though he had seen nothing beyond the
expected. With Von Ritz nothing was beyond the expected.

He had to-night counterfeited Benton's disguise; stolen Benton's car;
substituted himself for the American and made a decisive effort to
interrupt the kidnaping of a Queen.

Finding himself checkmated, he had joined forces with the Prince and
brought the pursuit to a successful termination. His manner now was
precisely what it had been last night, when his only excitement had been
a game of billiards. Men who knew him would have told you that his
manner had been the same on a certain red and smoky day when the order
of Takavo had been pinned on his breast, in the reek and noise of a
battlefield.

After a moment of tense silence, Benton took a step forward.

"At any suitable time," he said, in a voice too low for Cara to catch,
"I shall, of course, be entirely at your service."

Pagratide drew a labored breath, but when he raised his head it was to
lift his brows inquiringly.

"For what?" he asked in an equally low tone. "Have I asked any
questions?" In a matter-of-fact voice he added: "It is growing late. If
Miss Carstow has finished the inspection of your yacht, I suggest a
return."

Benton recognized the other's refusal to read his motive. After all that
was the best course; the only course. Pagratide stepped forward.

"Mr. Benton had the pleasure of driving you down--" he suggested, "ma