t much!"

"You--_you_--!" the prince burst out suddenly. "_You_ aided me to
escape?"

Miss Thorne was staring, staring at them with her eyes widely distended,
and her red lips slightly parted.

"_Why_ did you assist him?" she demanded.

"Details are tiresome, Miss Thorne," replied Mr. Grimm with the utmost
courtesy. "There is one other thing I know--that the Latin compact will
not be signed in the United States."

The prince's eyes met Miss Thorne's inquiringly, and she shook her
head. The sneer was still playing about his mouth.

"Anything else of special interest that you know?" he queried.

"Yes, of interest to both you and Miss Thorne. That is merely if the
Latin compact is signed anywhere, the English-speaking countries of the
world might construe it as a _casus belli_ and strike soon enough, and
hard enough, to put an end to it once for all."

Again there was silence for a little while. Slowly the prince's eyes
were darkening, and a shadow flitted across Miss Thorne's face. The
prince rose impatiently.

"Well, what is the meaning of all this? Are you going to take me back to
prison?"

"No," said Mr. Grimm. He glanced at his watch. "I will give each of you
one-half hour to pack your belongings. We must catch a train at one
o'clock."

"Leave the city?" gasped Miss Thorne.

"Impossible!" exclaimed the prince.

"One-half hour," said Mr. Grimm coldly.

"But--but it's out of the question," expostulated Miss Thorne.

"One-half hour," repeated Mr. Grimm. He didn't dare to meet those
wonderful blue-gray eyes now. "A special car with private compartments
will be attached to the regular train, and the only inconvenience to you
will be the fact that the three of us will be compelled to sit up all
night. Half a dozen other Secret Service men will be on the train with
us."

And then the prince's entire manner underwent a change.

"Mr. Grimm," he said earnestly, "it is absolutely necessary that I
remain in Washington for another week--remain here even if I am locked
up again--lock me up again if you like. I can't sign compacts in
prison."

"Twenty-five minutes," replied Mr. Grimm quietly.

"But here," exclaimed the prince explosively, "I have credentials which
will insure my protection in spite of your laws."

"I know that," said Mr. Grimm placidly. "Credentials of that nature can
not be presented at midnight, and you will not be here to-morrow to
present them. The fact that you have those credentials,