s; and he
said it with much positiveness.

That pronouncement rather settled their plans for them. It was certainly
a professional triumph for Nella, who, previous to the doctor's arrival,
had told them the very same thing. Considerable argument had passed
before the doctor was sent for. Prince Aribert was for keeping the whole
affair a deep secret among their three selves. Theodore Racksole agreed
so far, but he suggested further that at no matter what risk they should
transport the patient over to England at once. Racksole had an idea that
he should feel safer in that hotel of his, and better able to deal with
any situation that might arise. Nella scorned the idea. In her quality
of an amateur nurse, she assured them that Prince Eugen was much more
seriously ill than either of them suspected, and she urged that they
should take absolute possession of the house, and keep possession till
Prince Eugen was convalescent.

'But what about the Spencer female?' Racksole had said.

'Keep her where she is. Keep her a prisoner. And hold the house against
all comers. If Jules should come back, simply defy him to enter--that is
all.

There are two of you, so you must keep an eye on the former occupiers,
if they return, and on Miss Spencer, while I nurse the patient. But
first, you must send for a doctor.'

'Doctor!' Prince Aribert had said, alarmed. 'Will it not be necessary to
make some awkward explanation to the doctor?'

'Not at all!' she replied. 'Why should it be? In a place like Ostend
doctors are far too discreet to ask questions; they see too much to
retain their curiosity. Besides, do you want your nephew to die?'

Both the men were somewhat taken aback by the girl's sagacious grasp
of the situation, and it came about that they began to obey her like
subordinates.

She told her father to sally forth in search of a doctor, and he went.
She gave Prince Aribert certain other orders, and he promptly executed
them.

By the evening of the following day, everything was going smoothly. The
doctor came and departed several times, and sent medicine, and seemed
fairly optimistic as to the issue of the illness. An old woman had been
induced to come in and cook and clean. Miss Spencer was kept out of
sight on the attic floor, pending some decision as to what to do
with her. And no one outside the house had asked any questions. The
inhabitants of that particular street must have been accustomed to
strange behaviour on the p