simple. He was conscious,
too, of a sentiment which rarely intruded itself into his affairs. He
was conscious of a strong liking for this debonair, pleasant-faced young
man, who treated him not only as an equal, but as an equal in whose
society he found an especial pleasure.

"I have the time to spare, sir, certainly," he admitted.

The Prince smiled gayly.

"Inspector Jacks," he said, "you are a wonderful man. Even now you are
asking yourself, 'What does he want to say to me--Prince Maiyo? Is he
going to ask me questions, or will he tell me things which I should like
to hear?' You know, Mr. Inspector Jacks, between ourselves, you are just
a little interested in me, is it not so?"

The detective was dumb. He stood there patiently waiting. He had the air
of a man who declines to commit himself.

"Just a little interested in me, I think," the Prince murmured, smiling
at his companion. "Ah, well, many of the things I do over here, perhaps,
must seem very strange. And that reminds me. Only a short time ago you
were asking questions about the man who travelled from Liverpool to
London and reached his destination with a dagger through his heart. Tell
me, Mr. Inspector Jacks, have you discovered the murderer yet?"

"Not yet," the detective answered.

"I have heard you speak of this affair," the Prince continued, "and
before now I expected to read in the papers that you had put your hand
upon the guilty one. If you have not done so, I am very sure that there
is some explanation."

"It is better sometimes to wait," the detective said quietly.

The Prince bowed as one who understands.

"I think so," he assented, "I think I follow you. On the very next day
there was another tragedy which seemed to me even more terrible. I mean
the murder of that young fellow Vanderpole, of the American Embassy. Mr.
Inspector Jacks, has it ever occurred to you, I wonder, that it might be
as well to let the solution of one await the solution of the other?"

Inspector Jacks shrugged his shoulders.

"Occasionally," he admitted reluctantly, "when one is following up a
clue, one discovers things."

"You are wonderful!" the Prince declared. "You are, indeed! I know what
is in your mind. You have said to yourself, 'Between these two murders
there is some connection. They were both done by the hand of a master
criminal. The victims in both cases were Americans.' You said to
yourself, 'First of all, I will discover the motive; then, perhaps,