and had the audacity to ask if I wanted to
add the stranger to my list of victims. Then I asked the Chancellor. You
know he doesn't like girls. He puffed out his cheeks--so, drew down his
brows--like this, and glared. 'Umph, umph,' he blustered and stalked
away. Josef was the only one who would tell anything."

"Well, he could tell you only, as he did me, that they had resumed their
journey."

"O-o-oh," the exclamation was long drawn, indicating that some one had
fibbed. "He told me that the strangers were dangerous. Russian spies, he
said. Do you think they are, Tru? It's perfectly thrilling. And to
think, one actually held you in his arms! Who knows----" she began
mischievously. There was a gurgling sputter of sounds, as if a hand had
been placed over the teasing mouth. Then it was withdrawn and the
offender was permitted to prattle on.

"If they weren't spies, Tru, why should they be put in one of the old
cells?"

"What makes you say that, Natalie? Josef certainly told me they had gone
on with their journey."

"He told me that they were locked up. I saw the auto not five minutes
before coming here. It's under sentry in the courtyard."

"Surely, Natalie, you are mistaken, dear? Josef would not tell me a
deliberate untruth." Carter felt a strong desire to see and expose this
Josef who held such an exalted place in the confidence of Her Grace of
Schallberg. Symptoms threatening a tiff were evident in the Lady
Natalie's voice.

"Really, Your Grace," she said with dignity, "am I to understand that
you'd take his word before mine?"

"Your Grace?--what nonsense! Between you and me! Don't pout, dear. Just
think what chance Krovitch would have for a man to rule her people, and
lead them in their battles if it wasn't for this same loyal,
disinterested Josef? Do you wonder I hold him in such high esteem?"
There was a gentle reproof in the Duchess's tones.

"But why," persisted the somewhat mollified Natalie, "did your paragon
fib so to me?"

"We'll go and see now, dear. Marie has finished my hair."

The listener, assured that they would get a fair trial, arose and, with
Carrick following, made his way back in the direction from which they
had adventured.

There is always a difference, telepathic it may be, in a room which,
then empty, has been entered and vacated by some living thing. Carter
appreciated this as soon as he set his foot in the first cell on their
return journey. Some one had been there since he a