y effort to
prevent the box from falling into our hands. Gratz and the others would
invite suspicion at once. The fellow they have chosen to handle the
matter is unknown to the French police. He will attract no attention.
The plan appears to be perfect."

The doctor nodded slowly, chewing on his cigar. "I hope you are right,
Mayer," he said, and looked at his watch.

As he finished speaking, Grace heard someone approaching her from
behind, but she paid no attention. In a moment the attendant touched her
lightly on the arm. She turned, gazing at the woman with staring,
unseeing eyes. The latter looked at her keenly, then began to lead her
along the bridge toward the main building.

When they reached her bedroom, the nurse turned on the lights suddenly,
glancing at Grace's face as she did so. The girl did not dare even to
blink her eyes. "Sit down," the woman commanded, sharply. Grace sank
upon the edge of the bed. "Take off your shoes," the nurse went on, in a
stern voice. The girl had slipped on a pair of bedroom slippers--she
proceeded to remove them mechanically, fumbling with them as though
trying to unfasten the laces of a pair of shoes. "Now your dress," the
nurse ordered. Grace began awkwardly to remove the dressing-gown she had
thrown about her. When the woman told her sharply to get into bed, she
did so without a word, apparently quite unconscious of what she was
doing. It was a splendid piece of acting, and she did it so well that if
the nurse had any doubts as to the reality of her somnambulistic
condition they were at once dispelled. As soon as the girl placed her
head upon the pillows, she pretended to be sound asleep, her eyes
closed, her breathing regular and slow. After a time, the attendant put
out the light and left the room.

The girl lay still for hours, wondering what there was in the strange
conversation she had overheard that could help Richard in his efforts to
recover the stolen snuff box. That it had been stolen she knew; that it
had not yet been delivered to Dr. Hartmann she also knew. Perhaps
Richard might have succeeded in recovering it before now; if not, the
messenger bringing it to the doctor's office would undoubtedly arrive
the next day. She determined to rise early, in order that she might, if
possible, send word of what she had heard to Brussels by means of the
young man who drove the delivery wagon.

CHAPTER VI

When Richard Duvall left Dufrenne, the curio dealer, in Pi