nt; destination,
Constantinople."

Alec smiled. The humor of it was steeling him against the canker of
Joan's untimely disappearance. "I don't look much like a Greek," he said
to himself; "but the 'Alexandre' sounds well as an omen. I'm not so
sorry now. This business would tickle Joan to death."

So, on the whole, it was a resigned if not light-hearted adventurer who
disposed himself and his belongings in the Orient Express, after
experiencing the singular good luck of securing a section in the
sleeping car returned by a Viennese banker at the last moment. He went
about the business of buying his ticket and passing the barrier with a
careless ease that would have excited the envy of a Russian Terrorist.
Sharp eyes attend the departure of every international train from Paris;
but never a spy gave more than casual scrutiny to this broad shouldered
youth strolling down the platform, the latest passenger to arrive, and
the least flurried.

He neither saw nor looked for Stampoff. Having a minute to spare, he
obtained a newspaper, took a seat voucher for the first dinner, lighted
a cigarette, entered his reserved compartment, arranged his luggage, and
burnt General Stampoff's scrawl just as the train moved out of the
station.

Then he read an account of the Delgratz crime,--for it was only a crime,
a brutal and callous murder, not worthy to be dignified by the mantle of
political hate. The unhappy King and Queen of Kosnovia were dining in
company with the Queen's brother and the Minister of Ways and
Communications when the regiment on duty in the palace burst in on them.
King Theodore was shot down while endeavoring to protect the Queen. She
too fell riddled with bullets, and both corpses were flung into a
courtyard. The unhappy guests were wounded, and still remained prisoners
in the hands of the regicides, who vaunted that they had "saved" the
country, and meant to restore the ancient sovereignty.

Beliani's summary of subsequent events was accurate; but it struck Alec
at once that he had said nothing of the minister nor of Sergius
Vottisch, Queen Helena's brother, who was mainly instrumental in
defeating Beliani's half-forgotten revolt. Did he know of their
presence? How peculiar that he should utter no word of triumph
concerning Vottisch!

Alec threw aside the paper. He was sick at heart. He loathed the thought
that the first step toward his throne lay across the body of a woman.

"Nice guards, the noble Seventh