hirty. I had a
time of it!"

"Did you mention my name

"No. I went roundabout. I also obtained his promise to say nothing to
Herbeck till the interview was over. Again he demurred, but his
curiosity saved the day. Now, Hans, the full story."

Grumbach spread out on the bed the contents of the bundle.

"Look at these and tell me what you see, Captain."

Carmichael inspected the little yellow shoes. He turned them over and
over in his hand. He shook out the folds of the little cloak, and the
locket fell on the bed.

"When did you get this?" he cried excitedly. "It is her highness'!"

"So it is, Captain; but I have carried it about me all these years."

"What?"

"Yes, Captain. Count von Herbeck is a great statesman, but he made a
terrible mistake this time. Listen. As sure as we are in this room
together, I believe that she whom we call the princess is not the
daughter of the grand duke."

Carmichael sat down on the edge of the bed, numb and without any clear
idea where he was. From the stony look on his face, Grumbach might have
carried the head of Medusa in his hand. The blood beat into his head
with many strange noises. But by and by the world became clearer and
brighter till all things took on the rosal tint of dawn. Free! If she
was not a princess, she was free, free!

The duke allowed the quartet to remain standing for some time. He strode
up and down before them, his eyes straining at the floor, his hands
behind his back. He was in fatigue-dress, and only the star of
Ehrenstein glittered on his breast. He was never without this order. All
at once he whirled round, and as a sailor plunges the lead into the
sea, so he plumbed the very deeps of their eyes as if he would see
beforehand what strange things were at work in their souls. "I do not
recognize any of these persons," he said to Carmichael.

"Your highness does not recognize me, then?" asked the clock-mender.

"Come closer," commanded the duke. The clock-mender obeyed. "Take off
those spectacles." The duke scanned the features, and over his own came
the dawn of recollection. "Your eyes, your nose--Arnsberg, here and
alive? Oh, this is too good to be true!" The duke reached out toward the
bell, but Carmichael interposed.

"Your highness will remember," he warned.

"Ha! So you have trapped me blindly? I begin to understand. Who is this
fellow Grumbach? Did I offer immunity to him?"

"I am Hans Breunner, Highness, and I ask for nothing."

"Bre