few steps down, and the man followed; but before the landing
was reached, he turned sharply round, and began to ascend rapidly.

The man still followed close to his elbow, and in this way the second
floor was reached, where the door of Frank's bedroom lay a little to the
right.

The last time he was up there he was in company with his father in the
dark, on the night of the escape, and a faint thrill of excitement ran
through him as he recalled all that had passed.

He turned sharply to the spy, and said indignantly:

"Look here, fellow, this is my bedroom;" and he pointed to the door.

"Yes, I know," said the man coolly; "but it's a long time since you
slept there."

"And what's that to you? Go down. You are not coming in there."

"I have the warrant of his Majesty's Minister to go where I please on
secret service, sir," said the man blandly; "and you, as one of the
Prince's household, dare not try to stop me."

"Oh!" ejaculated the boy fiercely; and seizing the door knob he turned
it quickly, meaning to rush in, bang the door in the fellow's face, and
lock him out.

"Let him do his worst," thought Frank, who was now beside himself with
rage; but he did not carry out his plan, for the door did not yield. It
was locked, and as he rattled the knob his fingers rubbed against the
handle of the key.

Perhaps it was the friction against the steel which sent a flash of
intelligence to his brain; but whether or no the flash darted there, and
lit up that which the moment before was very dark with something akin to
despair.

He rattled the handle to and fro several times; and uttering an
ejaculation full of anger, he threw himself heavily against the door,
but it did not of course yield.

"Pooh!" he cried; and letting go of the door knob, he seized the handle
of the key, and dragged and dragged at it, making it grate and rattle
among the wards, each moment growing more excited, and ended by
snatching his hand away, and stamping furiously on the floor.

"Don't stand staring there, idiot!" he cried, with a flash of anger.
"Can't you see that key won't turn?"

"Not if you drag at it like that," said the man, smiling blandly. "That
is good for locksmiths, not for locks;" and stepping calmly forward, he
took hold of the key, turned it slowly so that the bolt shot back with a
sharp snap; then, turning the knob, he opened the door, walked into the
little bedroom, and stood back a little, holding it so that there wa