ney is settled on me most securely."

"In trust?"

"Yes, I have trustees, an English banker and a clergyman."

"But, if they are men of good standing, they ought to have protected
you from undue interference."

"An earl is of good standing, too, in my country, and Count Vassilan
claims royal rank in Hungary. I loathe the man, yet every one of my
friends and relatives urged me to accept him."

"Why?"

"Because he has a chance of obtaining a throne when the
Austro-Hungarian Empire breaks up, and my wealth will help his cause
materially."

Steingall allowed himself to appear surprised.

"Is your income so large, then?" he said.

"Yes, I suppose so. My trustees tell me that I am worth nearly a
hundred thousand a year."

"Dollars?"

"No--pounds sterling."

They were conversing in subdued tones, yet the detective behaved like a
commonplace mortal in giving a rabbit-peep sideways to ascertain if the
girl's astounding statement had been overheard by the others. But the
members of the Curtis family of honest men and true women had withdrawn
purposely to the far side of the room, and Devar was laboring to
convince his friend that he had acted wisely in placarding his name and
fame throughout the United States.

"To your knowledge, Lady Hermione, is any other person in New York
aware that you are several times a millionaire?"

"I think not. Poor Jean de Courtois may have had some notion of the
fact, but I lived so unostentatiously in Paris that he would
necessarily be inclined to minimize the amount of my fortune. Tell me,
Mr. Steingall, do you really think he----"

The detective shook his head, and laughed with official dryness.

"Forgive me, Lady Hermione," he said, "but I must not advance any
theories, at present. Now, as to Count Vassilan--how long have you
known him?"

"About a year."

"Has he been your suitor practically all that time?"

"Yes. The first day we met I was told by my father that I ought to be
proud if he chose me as his wife. So I hated him from the very
beginning."

"You took a dislike to him, I suppose?"

"Yes, an instant and violent dislike. But that is not all. There are
things I cannot mention, though they are the common property of anyone
who has mixed in Parisian society during the past twelve months.
Surely you will be able to find men and women in this great city who
can supply enough of Paris gossip to show you clearly what manner of
man this Hungarian prince re