Chief
of Police, which will open for you every door in Vienna; and finally,
here is a badge which you can pin on some not too conspicuous portion
of your clothing. This badge, I understand, is rarely given out. It is
partly civil and partly military. You can show it to any guard, who
will, on seeing it, give you the right-of-way. In case he does not,
appeal to his superior officer, and allow him to read your police
permit. Should that fail, then play your trump card, which is this
highly important document. The Director of the Police, who is a very
shrewd man, seemed anxious to make your acquaintance before you began
your investigation. He asked me if you would call upon him, but seemed
taken aback when I told him you were my wife's friend and a guest at our
house, so he suggested that you would in all probability wish first to
see the scene of the explosion, and proposed that he should call here
with his carriage and accompany you to the Treasury. He wished to know
if four o'clock in the afternoon would suit your convenience!"

"Oh, yes!" replied Jennie. "I am eager to begin at once, and, of course,
I shall be much obliged to him if he will act as my guide in the vaults
of the Treasury, and tell me how much they have already discovered."

"You must not expect much information from the police--in fact, I doubt
if they have discovered anything. Still, if they have, they are more
than likely to keep it to themselves; and I imagine they will hold
a pretty close watch on you, being more anxious to learn what you
discover, and thus take the credit if they can, than to furnish you with
any knowledge of the affair they may happen to possess."

"That is quite natural, and only what one has a right to expect. I don't
wish to rob the police of whatever repute there is to be gained from
this investigation, and I am quite willing to turn over to them any
clues I may happen to chance upon."

"Well, if you can convince the Director of that, you will have all the
assistance he can give you. It wouldn't be bad tactics to let him know
that you are acting merely in an amateur way, and that you have no
desire to rob the police of their glory when it comes to the solving of
the problem." Promptly at four o'clock the Director of the Police put
in an appearance at the Palace Steinheimer. He appeared to be a most
obsequious, highly decorated old gentleman, in a very resplendent
uniform, and he could hardly conceal his surprise at learning