ted from various sources," Inspector
Jacks continued, "leads me to believe that the person who committed this
murder was a foreigner."

"What you call an alien," the Prince suggested. "There is much
discussion, I gather, concerning their presence in this country
nowadays."

"The evidence which I possess," the detective proceeded, "points to the
murderer belonging to the same nationality as Your Highness."

The Prince raised his eyebrows.

"A Japanese?" he asked.

The Inspector assented.

"I am sorry," the Prince said, with a touch of added gravity in his
manner, "that one of my race should have committed a misdemeanor in
this country, but if that is so, your way, of course, is clear. You must
arrest him and deal with him as an ordinary English criminal. He is here
to live your life, and he must obey your laws."

"In time, sir," Inspector Jacks said slowly, "we hope to do so, but over
here we may not arrest upon suspicion. We have to collect evidence, and
build and build until we can satisfy any reasonable individual that the
accused person is guilty."

The Prince sighed sympathetically.

"It is not for me," he said, "to criticize your methods."

"I come now," Inspector Jacks said slowly, "to the object of my call
upon Your Highness. Following upon what I have just told you, certain
other information has come into my possession to this effect--that not
only was this murderer a Japanese, but we have evidence which seems to
suggest that he was attached in some way to your household."

"To my household!" the Prince repeated.

"To this household, Your Highness," the detective repeated.

The Prince shook his head slowly.

"Mr. Jacks," he said, "you are, I am sure, a very clever man. Let me ask
you one question. Has it ever fallen to your lot to make a mistake?"

"Very often indeed," the Inspector admitted frankly.

"Then I am afraid," the Prince said, "that you are once more in that
position. I have attached to my household fourteen Japanese servants, a
secretary, a majordomo, and a butler. It may interest you, perhaps, to
know that during my residence in this country not one of my retinue,
with the exception of my secretary, who has been in Paris for some
weeks, has left this house."

The Inspector stared at the Prince incredulously.

"Never left the house?" he repeated. "Do you mean, sir, that they do not
go out for holidays, for exercise, to the theatre?"

The Prince shook his head.

"Such things