argic. Don't move
too quickly. That is what I always preach."

"And we are ready enough to listen to your preaching," answered
Kosmaroff. "You will admit that I came here to-night in obedience to
your opinion that too much secrecy is dangerous because it leads to
misunderstandings. Plain speaking and clear understanding was the
message you sent me--the text of your last sermon."

With his quick smile Kosmaroff touched the rim of the prince's
wineglass, which stood at his elbow, and indicated by a gesture that he
drank his health.

"That was not my text--that was Wanda's," answered the prince.

"Ah!" said Kosmaroff, looking towards Wanda. "Is that so? Then I will
take it. I believe in Wanda's views of life. She has a vast experience."

"I have been to Dresden and to London," answered Wanda, "and a woman
always sees much more than a man."

"Always?" asked Kosmaroff, with his one-sided smile.

"Always."

But Kosmaroff had turned towards the prince in his quick, jerky way.

"By-the-way," he asked, "what is Cartoner doing in Warsaw?"

"Cartoner--the Englishman who speaks so many languages? We met him in
London," answered the prince. "Who is he? Why should he not be here?"

"I will tell you who he is," answered Kosmaroff, with a sudden light in
his eyes. "He is the man that the English send when they suspect that
something is going on which they can turn to good account. He has a
trick of finding things out--that man. Such is his reputation, at all
events. Paul Deulin is another, and he is here. He is a friend of yours,
by-the-way; but he is not dangerous, like Cartoner. There is an American
here, too. His instructions are Warsaw and Petersburg. There is either
something moving in Russia or else the powers suspect that something may
move in Poland before long. These men are here to find out. They must
find out nothing from us."

The prince shrugged his shoulders indifferently. He did not attach much
importance to these foreigners.

"Of course," went on Kosmaroff, "they are only watchers. But, as Wanda
says, some people see more than others. The American, Mangles, who has
ladies with him, will report upon events after they have happened. So
will Deulin, who is an idler. He never sees that which will give him
trouble. He does not write long despatches to the Quai d'Orsay, because
he knows that they will not be read there. But Cartoner is different.
There are never any surprises for the English in matters that Car