u can want at your
finger-ends," said the Duke, in an admiring tone.

"I suppose I know the life of Paris as well as anybody," said Guerchard.

They were silent for a while. Then Germaine's maid, Irma, came into the
room and said:

"If you please, your Grace, Mademoiselle Kritchnoff would like to speak
to you for a moment."

"Oh? Where is she?" said the Duke.

"She's in her room, your Grace."

"Oh, very well, I'll go up to her," said the Duke. "I can speak to her
in the library."

He rose and was going towards the door when Guerchard stepped forward,
barring his way, and said, "No, your Grace."

"No? Why?" said the Duke haughtily.

"I beg you will wait a minute or two till I've had a word with you,"
said Guerchard; and he drew a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and
held it up.

The Duke looked at Guerchard's face, and he looked at the paper in his
hand; then he said: "Oh, very well." And, turning to Irma, he added
quietly, "Tell Mademoiselle Kritchnoff that I'm in the drawing-room."

"Yes, your Grace, in the drawing-room," said Irma; and she turned to go.

"Yes; and say that I shall be engaged for the next five minutes--the
next five minutes, do you understand?" said the Duke.

"Yes, your Grace," said Irma; and she went out of the door.

"Ask Mademoiselle Kritchnoff to put on her hat and cloak," said
Guerchard.

"Yes, sir," said Irma; and she went.

The Duke turned sharply on Guerchard, and said: "Now, why on earth? ...
I don't understand."

"I got this from M. Formery," said Guerchard, holding up the paper.

"Well," said the Duke. "What is it?"

"It's a warrant, your Grace," said Guerchard.

"What! ... A warrant! ... Not for the arrest of Mademoiselle
Kritchnoff?"

"Yes," said Guerchard.

"Oh, come, it's impossible," said the Duke. "You're never going to
arrest that child?"

"I am, indeed," said Guerchard. "Her examination this afternoon was in
the highest degree unsatisfactory. Her answers were embarrassed,
contradictory, and in every way suspicious."

"And you've made up your mind to arrest her?" said the Duke slowly,
knitting his brow in anxious thought.

"I have, indeed," said Guerchard. "And I'm going to do it now. The
prison van ought to be waiting at the door." He looked at his watch.
"She and Victoire can go together."

"So ... you're going to arrest her ... you're going to arrest her?"
said the Duke thoughtfully: and he took a step or two up and down the
room, still thi