shment, at the
intrusion. It passed, and the hand of the man who had done the talking
darted out, seized the compact, and held it behind him.

"If you will be good enough to give that to me, your Highness,"
suggested Mr. Grimm quietly.

For half a minute the masked man stared straight into the listless eyes
of the intruder, and then:

"Mr. Grimm, you are in very grave danger."

"That is beside the question," was the reply. "Be good enough to give me
that document."

He backed away as he spoke, kicked the door closed with one heel, then
leaned against it, facing them.

"Or better yet," he went on after a moment, "burn it. There is a lamp in
front of you." He paused for an answer. "It would be absurd of me to
attempt to take it by force," he added.

XXIII

THE PERCUSSION CAP

There was a long, tense silence. The cowled figures had risen ominously;
Miss Thorne paled behind her mask, and her fingers gripped her palms
fiercely, still she sat motionless. Prince d'Abruzzi broke the silence.
He seemed perfectly calm and self-possessed.

"How did you get in?" he demanded.

"Throttled your guard at the front door, took him down cellar and locked
him in the coal-bin," replied Mr. Grimm tersely. "I am waiting for you
to burn it."

"And how did you escape from--from the other place?"

Mr. Grimm shrugged his shoulders.

"The lamp is in front of you," he said.

"And find your way here?" the prince pursued.

Again Mr. Grimm shrugged his shoulders. For an instant longer the prince
gazed straight into his inscrutable face, then turned accusing eyes on
the masked figures about him.

"Is there a traitor?" he demanded suddenly. His gaze settled on Miss
Thorne and lingered there.

"I can relieve your mind on that point--there is not," Mr. Grimm assured
him. "Just a final word, your Highness, if you will permit me. I have
heard everything that has been said here for the last fifteen minutes.
The details of your percussion cap are interesting. I shall lay them
before my government and my government may take it upon itself to lay
them before the British government. You yourself said a few minutes ago
that this compact was not possible before this cap was invented and
perfected. It isn't possible the minute my government is warned against
its use. That will be my first duty."

"You are giving some very excellent reasons, Mr. Grimm," was the
deliberate reply, "why you should not be permitted to leave this room
a