aughtily.

"I think, Your Excellency, that I know who you are--and also why I am
here. Permit me to tell you that you have made a serious blunder. I
am not the Grand Duchess Carlotta."

The Minister smiled again, and started to speak. But Ruth again
interrupted him.

"Pardon me, Your Excellency, but if you insist upon talking to me, I
must again request that you speak a language I can understand. I have
already told you that I do not understand what you say."

The Minister still kept his smile, and still rubbed his hands, but this
time he spoke in English.

"It shall be as Your Highness wishes. It is your privilege to choose
the language of conversation. We will speak in English, although your
own tongue would perhaps be better."

"My own tongue," said Ruth, "is the language that I am using; and again
I must inform Your Excellency that I am not the Grand Duchess. You
have simply been guilty of abduction. You have taken the wrong person."

For answer the Minister went over to the mantel and picked up a
portrait, which he extended toward the girl.

"I know," said Ruth, "I know. Many times in Europe I have been
subjected to annoyance because of the resemblance. I know the Grand
Duchess very well, but my name is Ruth Atheson."

The tolerant smile never left the face of the Minister.

"Your Highness shall have it as you wish. I am satisfied with the
resemblance. Since you left San Sebastian there has been scarcely a
minute that you have not been under surveillance. It is true that you
were lost for a little while in Boston, but not completely. We traced
you to Sihasset. We traced _him_ there also finally--unfortunately for
the poor fellow."

Ruth started: "You have not--"

The Minister looked sad. "Alas! Highness," he said, "he is no
more---an unfortunate accident. We do not even know where his body is.
I fear he may have been drowned, or something worse. At any rate he
will trouble you no more."

The face of the girl showed keen distress. "Poor child!" was all she
could say.

"He was not, Highness, exactly a child, you know," suggested the
Minister.

"I was not referring to _him_."

The Minister's smile returned.

"Then, Highness, perhaps you were referring to the Grand Duchess."

"I was referring to the Grand Duchess."

All this time His Excellency never lost his air of respect, but now a
somewhat more familiar tone crept into his voice.

"Highness," he said, "you will pardon