vered with patterns of cloth; he had spent an exciting afternoon with
the representative of his tailor. But it was not of sartorial
magnificence that he was thinking.

He stretched out his legs comfortably towards his reflection, and
smiled.

"Yes," he said, as though answering some secret thought, and he and the
reflection nodded to one another as though they had reached a complete
understanding.

Presently he pushed the bell and his valet appeared.

"Has the Grand Duke gone?" he asked.

"Yes, Excellency," replied the man.

"And the Grand Duchess?"

"Yes, Excellency."

"Good!" Serganoff nodded.

"Is your Excellency's headache better?" asked the man.

"Much better," replied the Chief of Police. "Go to their Highness's
suite, and tell their servant--what is the man's name?"

"Boolba, Excellency," said the valet.

"Yes, that is the fellow. Ask him to come to me. The Grand Duke
mentioned a matter which I forgot to tell Boolba."

Boolba made his appearance, a suave domestic, wearing the inconspicuous
livery of an English butler rather than the ornate uniform which
accompanied his office in Kieff.

"That will do." Serganoff dismissed his valet. "Boolba, come here."

The man approached him and Serganoff lowered his voice.

"You have made a fool of me again, Boolba."

"Excellency," pleaded the man urgently, "I have done all that was
possible."

"You have placed my fortune and my life in the hands of an American
criminal. If that is your idea of doing all that is possible, I agree
with you," said Serganoff. "Be careful, Boolba! The arm of the Bureau is
a very long one, and greater men than you have disappeared from their
homes."

"Illustrious Excellency," said the agitated man, "I swear to you I did
all that you requested. There were many reasons why I should not entrust
this matter to the men of the secret society."

"I should like to hear a few," said Serganoff, cleaning his nails
delicately.

"Excellency, the Grand Duke stands well with the society. He had never
oppressed them, and he is the only popular member of the Imperial House
with our--their society."

"Our society, eh?" said Serganoff, noticing the slip. "Go on."

"Besides, Excellency," said Boolba, "it was necessary not only to kill
the Grand Duke, but to shoot down his assassin. Our plan was to get this
American to shoot him in the park, where he walks in the morning, and
then for one of the society to shoot the American. That was a g