of Royalty. Inside, Peter Ruff, a
little breathless, was leaning forward, tying his white cravat with the
aid of the little polished mirror set in the middle of the dark green
cushions. At his right hand was Lady Mary, watching his proceedings with
an air of agonised impatience.

"Let me tell you--" she begged.

"Kindly wait till I have tied this and put my studs in," Peter Ruff
interrupted. "It is impossible for me to arrive at a ball in this
condition, and I cannot give my whole attention to more than one thing
at a time."

"We shall be there in five minutes!" she exclaimed. "What is the good,
unless you understand, of your coming at all?"

Peter Ruff surveyed his tie critically. Fortunately, it pleased him.
He began to press the studs into their places with firm fingers. Around
them surged the traffic of Piccadilly; in front, the gleaming arc of
lights around Hyde Park Corner. They had several narrow escapes. Once
the brougham swayed dangerously as they cut in on the wrong side of an
island lamp-post. A policeman shouted after them, another held up his
hand--the driver of the brougham took no notice.

"I am ready," Peter Ruff said, quietly.

"My younger brother--Maurice," she began, breathlessly--"you've never
met him, I know, but you've heard me speak of him. He is private
secretary to Sir James Wentley--"

"Minister for Foreign Affairs?" Ruff asked, swiftly.

"Yes! Maurice wants to go in for the Diplomatic Service. He is a dear,
and so clever!"

"Is it Maurice who is in trouble?" Peter Ruff asked. "Why didn't he come
himself?"

"I am trying to explain," Lady Mary protested. "This afternoon he had an
important paper to turn into cipher and hand over to the Prime Minister
at the Duchess of Montford's dance to-night. The Prime Minister will
arrive in a motor car from the country at about two o'clock, and the
first thing he will ask for will be that paper. It has been stolen!"

"At what time did your brother finish copying it, and when did he
discover its loss?" Ruff asked, with a slight air of weariness. These
preliminary enquiries always bored him.

"He finished it in his own rooms at half-past seven," Lady Mary
answered. "He discovered its loss at eleven o'clock--directly he had
arrived at the ball."

"Why didn't he come to me himself?" Peter Ruff asked. "I like to have
these particulars at first hand."

"He is in attendance upon Sir James at the ball," Lady Mary answered.
"There is trouble in th