The Princess Dehra

en his lips. With the main facts he was already familiar, as was every Embassy in Dornlitz, but much of the small

me what the police

n beyond a hidden panel, and sounding every wall and floor in the Pa

added; "why should he conceal it, w

them take another le

ent them away-and away they stay; in another day

r find the Book was not to search for it," Armand laughed

rincess exclaimed. "And remem

ng after you left him th

replied. "I'm quite sure he wo

Adolph say a

r four days prior to Frede

at?" the Princes

d the C

e night I did-the last night;-he came to the doo

match and carefull

Adolph?"

back to Fra

ok at Armand, which the latter miss

t him in the paper-grief and so forth. At the time, I infe

him back," sh

"His body was found behind the hedge under the King's

n to France?"

" said Courtney dryly; "they are very

ng died; a dagger wound in the

be the fact; or is

as only yesterday I learned of it a

I assume, has not

and proceeded to explain the m

k, now?" Dehra de

le crept into

ves the police from utter imbecility is their not knowing t

to tap the table, and the little

Chief down hard yesterday, only to have him tell me it was the ancient and rigid custom never, except by special order, to investigate a cri

or the Book of Laws," the Princess insis

h had nothing to do with

between their rotten theories and custo

suming that no one but His Majesty and Her Highness could open th

t was locked when I got it, and A

have had a

ith a most complicated arrangement, and to make a

ng under the King's own hand, on the table in his library, with the open box beside it; and that the latter was found, closed and locked and empty, in its place in the vault, while the most thorough search for the Book has been ineffectual except,

e motive?" the Pr

would be far toward finding the Book; yet he

stole the La

cloud shooting upwar

idn't steal them, he knows who did; h

th?" the Arc

nother smoke ring

isted Arman

r shook

or stealing the Book-to sell it to-Some-one, who would have every reason to conceal or even to destro

ke of Lotzen?" s

led, but mad

ut at least you can tell us

ter, in view of the decree, is a knowing valet, and a ready buyer; yet the latter was not in Dornlitz, when the Book was stolen, nor has my most careful investigation disclosed any co

of Adolph's dea

ll the details as

very few details missed when C

othesis that Adolph is the thief, which appears most prob

t outside the Palace, between the time he left the Council and the discovery of his dead body b

ast time I ever sa

the Palace; I had that matter looked into yesterday. The Council rose about

ph was found?" the Princess asked. "Mightn't he have been killed in the

went to his impe

"and the nature of the wound supports it; it was a noisele

he left the Council before it adj

Mightn't he have remained and killed Adolph-som

k; and every moment of his time, until Adolph was found, has been accounted for; so, even assuming he didn't leave the Palace immediately, he w

assume he did kill Adolph, in the King's library, during that very half hou

se Adolph knew too much concerning it,"

the Book or he knows where it is.... Am I no

Highness-accordin

admit the

improbable-and the f

don't care a rap for facts. Lotzen k

stness and evident faith in their truth. It was, of course, just another case of woman's intuition, that begged every question and tore logic

und the great marble pergola; and so they did not see the man in undress cavalry uniform, who came slowly along the terrace, and, descending the steps, too

the hedge. First she frowned, then a quizzical smile s

ill doubt?

, looked at her a mom

a man and intuitionle

ficer passed the hedge

Princess cal

d about sharply, then d

s spoke?" he

r hand, and studied him a bit, while the

rted that you killed Adolph and have

chair; even Courtney's studied immobility of

s lips, lingered unabated, while the hand that rested on his sword hilt was as steady as the cold, blue eyes which gave back the Princess' gaze. Then, gradually, the sm

e Regent of Valeria," he said-and with a

, but in silence, chin still on h