f-bantering question.

"Indeed," he said, "I think that you do. You remind me of my country
itself--of the things that wait for me across the ocean."

The Prince's servant had entered the dining room and whispered in the
ear of the butler who was superintending the service of dinner. The
latter came over at once to the Prince.

"Your Highness," he said, "some one is on the telephone, speaking from
London. They ask if you could spare half a minute."

The Prince rose with an interrogative glance at his hostess, and the
Duchess smilingly motioned him to go. Even after he had left the room,
when he was altogether unobserved, his composed demeanor showed no signs
of any change. He took up the receiver almost blithely. It was Soto, his
secretary, who spoke to him.

"Highness," he said, "the man Jacks with a policeman is here in the hall
at the present moment. He asks permission to search this house."

"For what purpose?" the Prince asked.

"To discover some person whom he believes to be in hiding here," the
secretary answered. "He explains that in any ordinary case he would have
applied for what they call a search warrant. Owing to your Highness'
position, however, he has attended here, hoping for your gracious
consent without having made any formal application."

"I must think!" the Prince answered. "Tell me, Soto. You are sure that
the English doctor has had no opportunity of communicating with any
one?"

"He has had no opportunity," was the firm reply. "If your Highness says
the word, he shall pass."

"Let him alone," the Prince answered. "Refuse this man Jacks permission
to search my house during my absence. Tell him that I shall be there at
three o'clock tomorrow afternoon and that at that hour he is welcome to
return."

"It shall be done, Highness," was the answer.

The Prince set down the receiver upon the instrument and stood for a
moment deep in thought. It was a strange country, this,--a strange end
which it seemed that he must prepare to face. He felt like the man who
had gone out to shoot lions and returning with great spoil had died of
the bite of a poisonous ant!

CHAPTER XXXI. GOODBYE!

The Prince on his return from the library intercepted Penelope on her
way across the hall.

"Forgive me," he said, "but I could not help overhearing some sentences
of your conversation with Sir Charles Somerfield as we sat at dinner.
You are going to talk with him now, is it not so?"

"As soon as he come