how she could best compass her design, he felt
that the time had come to ease the international situation.

With this end in view he went down to Little Deeping. His conviction
that the Twins were responsible for the disappearance of the princess
became certitude when he learned from Mrs. Dangerfield that they were
encamped on Deeping Knoll, and had been there since the day before that
disappearance. But he kept that certitude to himself, since it was his
habit to do things in the pleasantest way possible.

He forthwith set out across the fields and walked through the home wood
and park to Muttle Deeping Grange. He gave his card to the butler and
told him to take it straight to Miss Lambart, with whom he was on terms
of friendship rather than of acquaintance; and in less than three
minutes she came to him in the drawing-room.

She was looking anxious and worried; and as they shook hands he said:
"Is this business worrying you?"

"It is rather. You see, though the Baroness Von Aschersleben was in
charge of the princess, I am partly responsible. Besides, since I'm
English, they keep coming to me to have all the steps that are being
taken explained; and they want the same explanation over and over
again. Since the archduke came it has been very trying. I think that
he is more of an imbecile than any royalty I ever met."

"I'm sorry to hear that they've been worrying you like this. If I'd
known, I'd have come down and stopped it earlier," said Sir Maurice in
a tone of lively self-reproach.

"Stop it? Why, what can you do?" cried Miss Lambart, opening her eyes
wide in her surprise.

"Well, I have a strong belief that I could lead you to your missing
princess. But it's only a belief, mind. So don't be too hopeful."

Miss Lambart's pretty face flushed with sudden hope:

"Oh, if you could!" she cried.

"Put on your strongest pair of shoes, for I think that it will be rough
going part of the way, and order a motor-car, or carriage; if you can,
for the easier part; and we'll put my belief to the test," said Sir
Maurice briskly.

Miss Lambart frowned, and said in a doubtful tone: "I shan't be able to
get a carriage or car without a tiresome fuss. They're very unpleasant
people, you know. Could we take the baroness with us? She'll _have_
to be carried in something."

"Is she very fat?"

"Very."

"Then she'd never get to the place I have in mind," said Sir Maurice.

"Is it very far? Couldn't we walk