us anything you have forgotten?"

There was a peculiar emphasis upon the last words which did not escape
the secretary, though in that first moment he did not understand what
was meant.

"No," he answered, quite simply, returning his chief's look with perfect
calmness. "I do not believe he can tell anything more. I will call him."

"By all means. There is the bell," said the ambassador. Paul rang, and
sent the servant to call his kavass, who had been waiting, and appeared
immediately, looking very ill and exhausted with the fatigue of the
night. He trembled visibly, as he stood before the table and made his
military salute, bringing his right hand quickly to his mouth, then to
his forehead, and letting it drop again to his side. Count Ananoff
cross-examined him with short, sharp questions. The man was very pale,
and stammered his replies, but the extraordinary accuracy with which he
recounted the details already given by Patoff did not escape the
diplomatist.

"Have you anything more to tell?" asked the ambassador, at last.

"It was not my fault, Effendim," said the kavass, in great agitation.
"Paul Effendi and I were looking at the people, and when we turned
Alexander Effendi was gone, and we could not find him. I had warned him
beforehand not to separate himself from us"----

"Do you think he can be found?" inquired Ananoff, cutting short the
man's repetitions.

"Surely, the Effendi can be found," returned the kavass. "But it may
take time."

"Why should it take time? Unless he is injured or imprisoned somewhere,
he ought to find his way to Pera to-day."

"Effendim, he may have strayed into the dark streets. If the _bekji_
found him without a lantern, he would be arrested, according to the
law."

"He had our lantern," said Paul. "We could not find it."

"That is true," answered the kavass, in dejected tones. "There is the
Persian ambassador, Effendim," he said, with a sudden revival of hope.

"What can he do?" asked the count.

"He is lord over all the donkey-drivers in Stamboul, Effendim. The
Sultan allows him to exact tribute of them, which is the most part of
his fortune.[2] Perhaps if he gave orders that they should all be
beaten unless they found Alexander Effendi, they would find him. They go
everywhere and see everybody."

[Note 2: Fact.]

"That is an idea," said the ambassador, hardly able to repress a grim
smile. "I will send word to his excellency at once. I have no doubt but
that he will