ered the fellow to gallop to the office of the
Chief of Police. I told my story, and the ass in charge asked me to calm
myself, and wanted to take notes. I told him this was no time for taking
notes, but for doing something. He got wrathy at that, and I demanded
to be taken at once to his Chief. The Chief, he said, was very busy, and
could not see me. So I showed him my silver greyhound. In eleven years I
had never used it but once before. I stated in pretty vigorous language
that I was a Queen's Messenger, and that if the Chief of Police did not
see me instantly he would lose his official head. At that the fellow
jumped off his high horse and ran with me to his Chief,--a smart young
chap, a colonel in the army, and a very intelligent man.

"I explained that I had been robbed in a French railway carriage of a
diamond necklace belonging to the Queen of England, which her Majesty
was sending as a present to the Czarina of Russia. I pointed out to him
that if he succeeded in capturing the thief he would be made for life,
and would receive the gratitude of three great powers.

[Illustration: 12 Threw everything in the dressing-case out on the floor]

"He wasn't the sort that thinks second thoughts are best. He saw Russian
and French decorations sprouting all over his chest, and he hit a bell,
and pressed buttons, and yelled out orders like the captain of a penny
steamer in a fog. He sent her description to all the city gates, and
ordered all cabmen and railway porters to search all trains leaving
Marseilles. He ordered all passengers on outgoing vessels to be
examined, and telegraphed the proprietors of every hotel and pension to
send him a complete list of their guests within the hour. While I was
standing there he must have given at least a hundred orders, and sent
out enough commissaires, sergeants de ville, gendarmes, bicycle police,
and plain-clothes Johnnies to have captured the entire German army.
When they had gone he assured me that the woman was as good as arrested
already. Indeed, officially, she was arrested; for she had no more
chance of escape from Marseilles than from the Chateau D'If.

"He told me to return to my hotel and possess my soul in peace. Within
an hour he assured me he would acquaint me with her arrest.

"I thanked him, and complimented him on his energy, and left him. But I
didn't share in his confidence. I felt that she was a very clever woman,
and a match for any and all of us. It was all ve