ngloss?" asked Anguish, stepping into
a small room and stopping suddenly in the presence of the short, fierce
man they had seen the day before. The American spoke in French.

"It is, gentlemen. Of what service can I be to Messieurs Lorry and
Anguish?" responded the grim little Chief, politely rising from beside
his desk. The visitors looked at one another in surprise.

"If he knows our names on such short notice, he'll certainly know the
Guggenslockers," said Anguish to his friend, in English.

"Ah, you are looking for some one named Guggenslocker?" asked the
Chief, smiling broadly and speaking excellent English. "You must not be
surprised, gentlemen. I speak many languages. I heard last night that
you were inquiring about one Caspar Guggenslocker, and I have racked
my brain, searched my books, questioned my officers, and I am sorry to
inform you that there is no such person in Edelweiss."

"I was so well assured of it, Baron Dangloss," Lorry said.

"The name is totally unknown to me, sir. May I ask why you are searching
for him?"

"Certainly. I met Mr. Guggenslocker, his wife and his niece last spring
in the United States. They invited me to come and see them if I ever
happened to be in this part of the world. As my friend and I were near
here I undertook to avail myself of their invitation."

"And they said they lived in Edelweiss, Graustark?"

"They did, and I'll humbly confess I did not know much of the
principality of Graustark."

"That is certainly complimentary, but, then, we are a little out of the
beaten path, so it is pardonable. I was at first under the impression
that you were American detectives with extradition papers for criminals
bearing the name you mention."

"Oh!" gasped Anguish. "We couldn't find ourselves if we should be
separated, Captain."

The grizzly-bearded Captain laughed lightly with them, and then
asked Lorry if he would object to giving him the full story of his
acquaintanceship with the alleged Graustarkians. The bewildered and
disheartened American promptly told all he knew about them, omitting
certain tender details, of course. As he proceeded the Chief grew more
and more interested, and, when at last Lorry came to the description of
the strange trio, he gave a sudden start, exposed a queer little
smile for a second or so, and then was as sphynxlike as before. The
ever-vigilant Anguish observed the involuntary start and smile, quick as
the Chief had been to recover himself,