tell me the story," said the girl; "then we can speak more
understandingly about it."

The detective selected a packet of papers, one of many which occupied
the end of his table. He slipped from it a rubber band which held the
documents together.

"The first act of the drama, if we may call it so, began at the Duchess
of Chiselhurst's ball."

"The Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball!" echoed Jennie, with a shudder. "Oh,
dear!"

The detective looked up at her.

"Why do you say 'Oh, dear'?" he asked.

"Because," said the girl wearily, "I am tired hearing of the Duchess of
Chiselhurst's ball; there seems to have been nothing else in the papers
for weeks past."

"It has excited a great deal of comment," assented the detective; "and,
by the way, the _Daily Bugle_ had one of the best accounts of it that
was printed in any newspaper."

"So I have heard," said Jennie carelessly, "but I most confess that I
didn't read that copy of the _Bugle_."

"You amaze me! I should have thought that would have been the first part
of the paper to which any lady would turn. However, the report of the
ball has nothing to do with what we have in hand. Now, you remember the
Princess von Steinheimer, at whose castle I first had the pleasure of
meeting you?"

"You had the pleasure of meeting me before that," said Jennie, speaking
without giving thought to what she said.

"Really!" cried the detective, dropping his papers on the table; "and
where was that?"

"Oh, well, as you have just said--it has nothing to do with this
case. Perhaps I was wrong in saying you saw me; it would be more
correct to say that I saw you. You must remember that you are a
public character, Mr. Taylor."

"Ah, quite so," said the detective complacently, turning to his
documents again. "Now, the Princess von Steinheimer was invited to the
Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball, but she did not attend it."

"Are you sure of that?" said the girl. "I thought her name was among the
list of those present."

"It was in the list, and that is just where our mystery begins. Someone
else attended the ball as the Princess von Steinheimer; it is this
person that I wish to find."

"Ah, then you are employed by the Duke of Chiselhurst?"

"No, I am not, for, strangely enough, I believe the Duke thinks it was
actually the Princess who attended the ball. Only one man knows that the
Princess was not present, one man and two women. Of the latter, one is
the Princess von Steinheimer, an