e was not quite sure about
you. But you are right; all of it has rather a dark shade. You may rob
a man of his valuables and give them back; a broken word is not to be
mended. Why did you keep the hiding place so secret? I could have got
those consols, and all this would have been avoided."

"How should I know where they were? It was none of my affair."

"We are trusting you; I might have gone myself. You will return with the
treasure. Why have I not asked your word? Curiosity will bring you back;
curiosity. Besides this, you have an idea that with your presence about,
a flaw in the glass may be found. Yes, you will be back. History is to
be made; when you are old you will glance at the page and say: `Look
there; rather a pretty bit, eh? Well, I helped to make it; indeed, had
it not been for me and my curiosity it would not have been made at all.'
Above all things, do not stop to talk to veiled women."

There was a chuckling sound. "I say, your Englishman is clever now and
then. In the gun barrels! Who would have looked for them there? But why
did he come himself? Why did he not trust to his bankers? Why did he not
turn over the affair to his representative, the British minister? There
were a hundred ways of averting the catastrophe. Why did he not use
a little fore-thought when he knew how anxious we were for his
distinguished person?"

"Why does the moon rise at night and the sun at dawn? I am no Cumaean
Sybil. Perhaps it is the impulse which moves the woman behind the power
behind the throne; they call it fate. Had I been in his place I dare say
I should have followed his footsteps."

Not long after they arrived at the frontier where they were to separate,
to meet again under conditions disagreeable to both. The Colonel gave
him additional instructions.

"Go; return as quickly as possible."

"Never fear; I should not like to miss the finale to this opera bouffe."

"Rail on, my son; call it by any name you please, only do not interrupt
the prompter;" and with this the Colonel waved him an adieu.

Maurice began the journey through the mountain pass, thinking and
planning and scheming. However he looked at the situation, the end
was the same: the Osians were doomed. If he himself played false
and retained the certificates until too late to be of benefit to the
duchess, war would follow; and the kingdom would be soundly beaten....
Would Prince Frederick still hold to his agreement and marry her Royal
Highness,