est
references. It is for these reasons that we have failed. Now an
opportunity presents itself for you, mademoiselle, to accomplish that
which the police cannot accomplish. You are an American girl, of
prominent family, of wealth, of position. I am informed that your aunt,
by her second marriage, was the Countess d'Este. Should you apply to Dr.
Hartmann for treatment, you will have no difficulty in obtaining
admission, for he could not, by any chance, think that Miss Grace
Ellicott, of New York, was in the employ of the French secret police.
You observe, mademoiselle, Monsieur the Prefect's object in sending you
to Brussels?"

Grace nodded. She was beginning to feel a keen interest in the matter.
"But I am not ill," she said, with a laugh. "How can I ask Dr. Hartmann
to treat me?"

"We have thought of that. The matter has been under consideration ever
since we were advised, early this afternoon, that you were coming. We
have thought it best that you represent yourself to the doctor as a
somnambulist."

"A sleep walker?"

"Precisely. It is a form of nervous trouble which is by no means
infrequent. We are informed that Dr. Hartmann has treated several such
cases in the past. There are not symptoms, except a state of nervousness
on the part of the patient which in your case it is probable the
excitement of the enterprise will supply, and, of course, the tendency
to walking in the sleep. This latter you must assume."

"Assume?"

"Yes. You must pretend to be a somnambulist. You must get up, each
night, at some hour, and wander about the house--pretending to be
oblivious of all about you. You are not normally conscious. You are in a
walking dream. Your eyes are fixed ahead--seeing no one. It will not be
difficult for you to pretend all this--and naturally, by wandering about
in this way, you may--we hope you will--have excellent opportunities to
observe what goes on within the doctor's walls."

"Is that all I am to do--just watch?"

"I think not. If we are unable, by other means, to prevent the stolen
box from being delivered to Dr. Hartmann, it must be recovered from him,
at any cost--at any cost whatever--" the woman repeated, significantly.
"Even life itself cannot be spared, in this case. The box _must be
recovered_, no matter what the price we pay--so we are informed by
Monsieur Lefevre."

"Then if it should pass into his possession, I may have to steal it? Is
that what you mean?"

"Undoubtedly, and at th