ility that Jimmie _was_ telling the truth
the prince did not even consider. He was not used to the truth, and as
to the motives of Jimmie in inviting him to break the law he already had
made his guess. It was that Jimmie must be a detective setting a trap
which later would betray him to the police. And the prince had no desire
to fall in with the police nor to fall out with them. All he ever asked
of those gentlemen was to leave him alone. And, since apparently they
would not leave him alone, he saw, deep down in the crystal globe, a way
by which not only could he avoid their trap, but might spring it to his
own advantage.

Instead of the detective denouncing him, he would denounce the
detective. Of the police he would become an ally. He would call upon
them to arrest a man who was planning to blackmail Mrs. James Blagwin.

Unseen by Jimmie, in the arm of his throne he pressed an electric
button, and in the front room in the ear of the blonde a signal buzzed.
In her turn the blonde pushed aside the curtains that hid the door to
the front hall.

"Pardon, Highness," she said, "a certain party in Wall Street"--she
paused impressively, and the prince nodded--"wants to consult you about
his Standard Oil stock."

"He must wait," returned the prince.

"Pardon, Highness," persisted the lady; "he cannot wait. It is a matter
of millions."

Of this dialogue, which was the vehicle always used to get the prince
out of the audience-chamber and into the front hall, undoubtedly the
best line was the one given to the blonde--"it is a matter of millions!"

Knowing this, she used to speak it slowly and impressively. It impressed
even Jimmie. And after the prince had reverently deposited his globe
upon a velvet cushion and disappeared, Jimmie sat wondering who in Wall
Street was rich enough to buy Standard Oil stock, and who was fool
enough to sell it.

But over such idle questions he was not long left to meditate. Something
more personal demanded his full attention. Behind him the prince
carefully had closed the door to the front hall. But, not having his
crystal globe with him, he did not know it had not remained closed, and
as he stood under the hall stairs and softly lifted the receiver from
the telephone, he was not aware that his voice carried to the room in
which Jimmie was waiting.

"Hello," whispered the prince softly. His voice, Jimmie noted with
approval, even over a public telephone was as gentle as a cooing dove.