ve calmness.

"No, Your Highness," Tellier replied, simply, quite unconscious of his
danger. "I saw no way of doing that, unfortunately. I thought of
snatching it away, but that would have created a turmoil, which is
always to be avoided if possible. But Your Highness might easily gain
possession of the note--"

The Prince stopped him with a fierce gesture of repugnance.

"Do you know what it is that you have the effrontery to propose to me?"
he demanded.

The Frenchman paused in mid-sentence and swallowed with difficulty, his
face very red.

"I am certain," he said, after a moment, "that those young ladies know
it was Lord Vernon who rescued them. They would no doubt confirm this,
if Your Highness would inquire--"

The Prince strode to the door and flung it open.

"Do not come back till you can speak without insulting me," he said,
sternly.

"One moment, Your Highness!" cried Tellier. "But a moment! I have
another proof. Oh, you are wrong not to believe me! You are wrong to
yield to your anger!"

"The proof!" broke in the Prince, sharply, realising, perhaps, the
justice of the reproach. "The proof! What is it? Speak quickly!"

"It is this, Your Highness," answered the detective, striving
desperately to steady his voice, to speak intelligibly. "But an hour
ago, the secretary of Lord Vernon was in conference with the father of
those young ladies. He approached him in the smoking-room; he introduced
himself; he sat down; he began a conversation. I should have overheard
everything, but that, unfortunately, he was more clever than I thought.
He suspected me. They went together to Monsieur Rushford's apartment--I
followed, I listened at the keyhole; but they went on into an inner
room, and the outer door was locked, so I could not--"

The Prince, who had listened to all this with blazing eyes, suddenly
raised his arm with a furious gesture.

"Glueck!" he shouted.

That faithful servitor appeared on the instant, his face alight with
anticipation.

"But if there should be a plot!" protested Tellier, hesitating, even
yet, on the threshold.

"If there is a plot," said the Prince, sternly, "someone shall suffer
for it, depend upon that! But against gentlemen, the proof must be
conclusive. Glueck, show him out," and he shut the door upon the unhappy
spy.

"It would have been well," observed Glueck, calmly, coming back after a
moment, "to have thrown him out in the first place."

"I agree with you," said his