me that I found myself upon the brink of an
important discovery. I set six of my first-class men at work: three
being detailed to watch the hotel of the Grand Duke Ivan and three to
watch Zara el-Khala. Two more were employed in watching the Hindu
servant and one in watching my good friend Casimir. Thus, nine clever
men and myself were immediately engaged upon the case.

Why do I speak of a "case" when thus far nothing of apparent
importance had occurred? I will explain. Although the Grand Duke
travelled incognito, his Government knew of the journey and wished to
learn with what object it had been undertaken.

At the time that I made the acquaintance of Casimir the Grand Duke
had been in Paris for three days, and he was--according to my
informant--"like a raging lion." The charming dancer had vouchsafed
no reply to his invitation and he had met with the same reception, on
presenting himself in person, which had been accorded to myself and to
those others who had sought to obtain an interview with Zara el-Khala!

My state of mystification grew more and more profound. I studied the
reports of my nine assistants.

It appeared that the girl had been in Paris for a period of two months.
She occupied a suite of rooms in which all her meals were served.
Except the Hindu who drove the hired car, she had no servant. She
never appeared in the public part of the hotel unless veiled, and then
merely in order to pass out to the car or in from it on returning. She
drove out every day. She had been followed, of course, but her
proceedings were unexceptionable. Leaving the car at a point in the
Bois De Boulogne, she would take a short walk, if the day was fine
enough, never proceeding out of sight of the Hindu, who followed with
the automobile, and would then drive back to her hotel. She never
received visits and never met any one during these daily excursions.

I turned to the report dealing with the Hindu.
He had hired a room high up under the roof of an apartment house where
foreign waiters and others had their abodes. He bought and cooked his
own food, which apparently consisted solely of rice, lentils and fruit.
He went every morning to the garage and attended to the car, called
for his mistress, and having returned remained until evening in his
own apartment. At night, after returning from the theatre, he
sometimes went out, and my agent had failed to keep track of him on
every occasion that he had attempted pursuit. I detac