hought he wished it, or cared for her, I would make inquiry, and
soon find out all about her; but otherwise, it's no use taking the
trouble," replied the courier.

"Well, then, will you give me your hand, and promise to serve
faithfully, if I tell you all I know about the matter?"

"By the blessed Saint Nicholas, I do!" replied Dimitri; "you may trust
me."

"Well, then, it's my opinion that my master's over head and ears in love
with her, and has come here for no other purpose."

"Well, I'm glad you told me that; it will satisfy the police."

"The police; why murder and Irish! you're not going to inform the
police, you villain?"

"Not with whom he is in love, most certainly, but that he has come here
on that account; it will satisfy them, for they have no fear of a man
that's in love, and he will not be watched. Depend upon it, I cannot do
a better thing to serve our master."

"Well, then, perhaps you are right. I don't like this champagne--get a
bottle of Burgundy, Dimitri. Don't look so hard--it's all right. The
captain dines out every day, and has ordered me to drink for the honour
of the house."

"He's a capital master," replied Dimitri, who had begun to feel the
effects of the former bottles.

As soon as the third bottle was tapped, McShane continued--

"Now, Dimitri, I've given my opinion, and I can tell you, if my master
has, as I suspect, come here about this young lady, and succeeds in
obtaining her, it will be a blessed thing for you and me; for he's as
generous as the day, and has plenty of money. Do you know who she is?"

"To be sure I do; she is an only daughter of the late Prince
Czartorinski, and now a sort of ward under the protection of the
Emperor. She inherits all the estates, except one which was left to
found an hospital at Warsaw, and is a rich heiress. It is supposed the
emperor will bestow her upon one of his generals. She is at the palace,
and a maid of honour to the empress."

"Whew!" whistled McShane; "won't there be a difficulty."

"I should think so," replied the courier, gravely.

"He must run away with her," said McShane, after a pause.

"How will he get to see her?"

"He will not see her, so as to speak with her, in the palace; that is
not the custom here; but he might meet her elsewhere."

"To be sure, at a party or a ball," said McShane.

"No, that would not do; ladies and gentlemen keep very apart here in
general company. He might say a word or two when d