r of curiosity."

He stopped short.

"You have heard nothing! It is not possible?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"No, but I know you, and I know him. I am quite prepared to hear that
you are outwitted. Indeed, to judge from your appearance there can be no
doubt about it. Remember I warned you."

The Prince was pale with fury.

"No one could foresee this," he exclaimed. "He has walked into the
lion's den."

"Then," Lady Carey said, "I am quite prepared to hear that he tamed the
lion."

"If there was one person living whom I could have sworn that this man
dared not visit, it was our Emperor," the Prince said. "It is only a few
years since, through this man's intrigues, Germany was shamed before the
world."

"And yet," Lady Carey said sweetly, "the Emperor has received him."

"I have private intelligence from Berlin," Saxe Leinitzer answered.
"Mr. Sabin was in possession of a letter written to him by the Emperor
Frederick, thanking him for some service or other; and the letter was a
talisman."

"How like him," Lady Carey murmured, "to have the letter."

"What a pity," the Prince sneered, "that such devotion should remain
unrewarded."

Lady Carey sighed.

"He has broken my heart," she replied.

The Prince threw out his hands.

"You and I," he cried, "why do we behave like children! Let us start
afresh. Listen! The Emperor has summoned me to Berlin."

"Dear me," Lady Carey murmured. "I am afraid you will have a most
unpleasant visit."

"I dare not go," the Prince said slowly. "It was I who induced the
Emperor to become the titular head of this cursed Order. Of course he
knew nothing about the second or third degree members and our methods.
Without doubt he is fully informed now. I dare not face him."

"What shall you do?" Lady Carey asked curiously.

"I am off to South America," he said. "It is a great undeveloped
country, and there is room for us to move there. Muriel, you know what I
want of you."

"My good man," she answered, "I haven't the faintest idea."

"You will come with me," he begged. "You will not send me into exile so
lonely, a wanderer! Together there may be a great future before us. You
have ambition, you love intrigue, excitement, danger. None of these can
you find here. You shall come with me. You shall not say no. Have I not
been your devoted slave? Have--"

She stopped him. Her lips were parted in a smile of good-natured scorn.

"Don't be absurd, Saxe Leinitzer. It is true