Then you think that the King himself had no part in this abominable
crime?'

'I think decidedly not.'

'I am glad of that,' said Racksole simply. 'And now, the name of your
immediate employer.'

'He was merely an agent. He called himself Sleszak--S-l-e-s-z-a-k. But
I imagine that that wasn't his real name. I don't know his real name. An
old man, he often used to be found at the Hotel Ritz, Paris.'

'Mr Sleszak and I will meet,' said Racksole.

'Not in this world,' said Jules quickly. 'He is dead. I heard only last
night--just before our little tussle.'

There was a silence.

'It is well,' said Racksole at length. 'Prince Eugen lives, despite all
plots. After all, justice is done.'

'Mr Racksole is here, but he can see no one, Miss.' The words came
from behind the door, and the voice was the commissionaire's. Racksole
started up, and went towards the door.

'Nonsense,' was the curt reply, in feminine tones. 'Move aside
instantly.'

The door opened, and Nella entered. There were tears in her eyes.

'Oh! Dad,' she exclaimed, 'I've only just heard you were in the hotel.
We looked for you everywhere. Come at once, Prince Eugen is dying--'
Then she saw the man sitting on the bed, and stopped.

Later, when Jules was alone again, he remarked to himself, 'I may get
that hundred thousand.'

Chapter Twenty-Eight THE STATE BEDROOM ONCE MORE

WHEN, immediately after the episode of the bottle of Romanee-Conti in
the State dining-room, Prince Aribert and old Hans found that Prince
Eugen had sunk in an unconscious heap over his chair, both the former
thought, at the first instant, that Eugen must have already tasted
the poisoned wine. But a moment's reflection showed that this was not
possible. If the Hereditary Prince of Posen was dying or dead, his
condition was due to some other agency than the Romanee-Conti. Aribert
bent over him, and a powerful odour from the man's lips at once
disclosed the cause of the disaster: it was the odour of laudanum.
Indeed, the smell of that sinister drug seemed now to float heavily
over the whole table. Across Aribert's mind there flashed then the true
explanation. Prince Eugen, taking advantage of Aribert's attention being
momentarily diverted; and yielding to a sudden impulse of despair, had
decided to poison himself, and had carried out his intention on the
spot.

The laudanum must have been already in his pocket, and this fact went
to prove that the unfortunate Prince had