."

She wiped her eyes.

"Have I not always told you," she said, "that intrigue in this country
was a sheer impossibility? You may lay your plans ever so carefully, but
you cannot foresee such a contretemps as this."

"Idiot!" the Prince cried. "Oh, the dolt! Why, even his wife was
amazed."

"He may be all those pleasant things," Lady Carey, said, "but he is a
gentleman."

He stopped short. The footman was standing by the side of Lady Carey's
victoria with a rug on his arm.

"Lucille," he said thoughtfully, "is locked in the morning-room. She is
prostrate with fear. If the Duke sees her everything is over. Upon
my word, I have a good mind to throw this all up and cross to Paris
to-night. Let England breed her own revolutions. What do you say,
Muriel? Will you come with me?"

She laughed scornfully.

"I'd as soon go with my coachman," she said.

His eyebrows narrowed. A dull, purple flush crept to his forehead.

"Your wit," he said, "is a little coarse. Listen! You wish our first
plan to go through?"

"Of course!"

"Then you must get Lucille out of that house. If she is left there she
is absolutely lost to us. Apart from that, she is herself not safe.
Our plan worked out too well. She is really in danger from this Duson
affair."

The laughter died away from Lady Carey's face. She hesitated with her
foot upon the step of her carriage.

"You can go back easily enough," the Prince said. "You are the Duke's
cousin, and you were not included in his tirade. Lucille is in the
morning-room, and here is the key. I brought it away with me. You must
tell her that all our plans are broken, that we have certain knowledge
that the police are on the track of this Duson affair. Get her to your
house in Pont Street, and I will be round this afternoon. Or better
still, take her to mine."

Lady Carey stepped back on to the pavement. She was still, however,
hesitating.

"Leave her with the Duke and Duchess," the Prince said, "and she will
dine with her husband to-night."

Lady Carey took the key from his hand.

"I will try," she said. "How shall you know whether I succeed?"

"I will wait in the gardens," he answered. "I shall be out of sight, but
I shall be able to see you come out. If you are alone I shall come
to you. If she is with you I shall be at your house in an hour, and I
promise you that she shall leave England to-night with me."

"Poor Brott!" she murmured ironically.

The Prince smiled.

"He will