, but
had found no sign of them.

"Did you find bloody water in which hands had been washed?" asked
Anguish.

"No," responded one of the guards. "There was nothing to be found in
the bowls and jars except soapy water. There is not a blood stain in the
room, Captain."

"That shakes your theory a little, eh?" cried Anguish, triumphantly.
"Examine Mr. Lorry's hands and see if there is blood upon them." Lorry's
hands were white and uncontaminated. Dangloss wore a pucker on his blow.

Shortly afterward a crowd of Axphain men came to the prison gates and
demanded the person of Grenfall Lorry, departing after an ugly show of
rage. Curious Edelweiss citizens stood afar off, watching the walls and
windows eagerly.

"This may cost Edelweiss a great deal of trouble, gentlemen, but there
is more happiness here this morning than the city has known in months.
Everybody believes you killed him, Mr. Lorry, but they all love you for
the deed," said Dangloss, returning at noon from a visit to the hotel
and a ride through the streets. "The Prince's friends have been at the
castle since nine o'clock, and I am of the opinion that they are having
a hard time with the High Priestess."

"God bless her!" cried Lorry.

"The town is crazy with excitement. Messengers have been sent to old
Prince Bolaroz to inform him of the murder and to urge him to hasten
hither, where he may fully enjoy the vengeance that is to be wreaked
upon his son's slayer. I have not seen a wilder time in Edelweiss since
the close of the siege, fifteen years ago. By my soul, you are in a
bad box, sir. They are lurking in every part of town to kill you if
you attempt to leave the Tower before the Princess signs an order to
restrain you legally. Your life, outside these walls, would not be worth
a snap of the fingers."

Captain Quinnox, of the Princess's bodyguard, accompanied by a half
dozen of his men, rode up to the prison gates about two o'clock and was
promptly admitted. The young captain was in sore distress.

"The Duke of Mizrox has sworn that you are the murderer, Mr. Lorry,
and stakes his life," said he, after greetings. "Her highness has just
placed in my hands an order for your arrest as the assassin of Prince
Lorenz."

Lorry turned as pale as death. "You--you don't mean to say that she has
signed a warrant--that she believes me guilty," he cried, aghast.

"She has signed the warrant, but very much against her inclination.
Count Halfont informed me t