the
same object as I am, the object which the Kaiser has declared to me with
his own lips is nearest to his heart--to cement the bonds of friendship
between Germany and England."

"You believe, sir, that that is possible?"

"I am convinced of it," was the earnest reply. "I do not know what the
exact nature of your work over here is to be, but I am glad to have
an opportunity of putting before you my convictions. I believe that
in Berlin the character of some of the leading statesmen here has been
misunderstood and misrepresented. I find on all sides of me an earnest
and sincere desire for peace. I have convinced myself that there is not
a single statesman in this country who is desirous of war with Germany."

Dominey was listening intently, with the air of one who hears unexpected
things.

"But, your Excellency," he ventured, "what about the matter from our
point of view? There are a great many in our country, whom you and I
know of, who look forward to a war with England as inevitable. Germany
must become, we all believe, the greatest empire in the world. She must
climb there, as one of our friends once said, with her foot upon the
neck of the British lion."

"You are out of date," the Ambassador declared earnestly. "I see now why
they sent you to me. Those days have passed. There is room in the world
for Great Britain and for Germany. The disintegration of Russia in the
near future is a certainty. It is eastward that we must look for any
great extension of territory."

"These things have been decided?"

"Absolutely! They form the soul of my mission here. My mandate is one of
peace, and the more I see of English statesmen and the more I understand
the British outlook, the more sanguine I am as to the success of my
efforts. This is why all this outside espionage with which Seaman is so
largely concerned seems to me at times unwise and unnecessary."

"And my own mission?" Dominey enquired.

"Its nature," the Prince replied, "is not as yet divulged, but if, as I
have been given to understand, it is to become closely connected with my
own, then I am very sure you will presently find that its text also is
Peace."

Dominey rose to his feet, prepared to take his leave.

"These matters will be solved for us," he murmured.

"There is just one word more, on a somewhat more private matter,"
Terniloff said in an altered tone. "The Princess Eiderstrom is
upstairs."

"In this house?"

"Waiting for a word with you