d not see her until many years afterward?"

"No."

"And then you met her in Paris?"

"Yes."

"Was Donetti her married name?"

"I have every reason to believe it was an assumed name. I firmly believe
she eloped with some man of high family, even though he may not have
been a nobleman, but I believe he was a nobleman."

"You say Madam Donetti was a handsome young lady?"

"Very handsome--a beautiful woman and refined, also highly educated.
There was a mystery about her while she was acting as my governess."

"Governess to whom--yourself?"

"No, an older sister of Alice."

"She was a Frenchwoman?"

"I always believed so, but as she assumed the name of Donetti it is
possible she may have been Italian, or her parents may have been Italian
people."

"She spoke Italian?"

"She did indeed. She spoke all the continental languages, also English,
and her son is a splendid linguist."

"Madam, that note came from Alphonse Donetti."

"And what does it portend?"

The detective meditated a few moments and then said:

"I can only theorize."

"And what is your theory?"

"I fear Alphonse has gotten into bad company. I fear he is associating
with thieves. He may have learned that there was a scheme on foot to rob
you. He did not dare warn you fully, but sent you this missive, and the
fact that he sent you this note would indicate that no matter how bad a
man he has become he still possesses the quality of gratitude. A very
rare quality, madam; few possess it. Forgetfulness and selfishness
prevail as a rule."

"What are we to do?"

"Will you leave the decision with me?"

"Certainly."

"We will guard against a robbery, and in the meantime I will hunt up
this young man Donetti; if he is in New York I will find him."

Mrs. Frewen meditated a few moments in turn and then said:

"I do not know as I wish to renew his acquaintance, especially as he has
probably become a criminal."

Oscar smiled, but the smile on his face vanished as he caught an
expression on the face of the niece Alice as she said:

"Aunty, we have no reason to assume that Al--I mean the young man has
become a criminal."

The girl started to say Alphonse but checked herself and said, "the
young man."

Oscar was a regular mind-reader, and he remarked in a tone indicating a
forgetfulness that the question had once been answered:

"So you never had the pleasure of seeing this young man, Miss Alice?"

The girl blushed and appeared restless an