“ My assumption of indifference appealed to what little sense of humour the German police routine training had allowed Dormund to retain, for he burst into a quite human laugh as he lighted a cigar. "Need we pretend any longer, Herr Bastable?" he asked.
"Not unless you like," I replied, as grave as a judge. "But what about?"
"The very charming young lady who has just left us."
"Bessie? My sister, I mean," I said, as if genuinely perplexed.
He waved his hand impatiently. "Ah, her name is von Ringheim. We know that." ”

“ Eagerness to learn the result of my visit to Chalice had brought him together with the desire to tell me he had found out that the arrest was not ordered by the Kaiser, who knew nothing about it. I told him what had passed between Chalice and myself.
"I was afraid of it; but of course she must have her own way," he declared feebly.
"Do you think she has the right to ruin Fräulein Althea, then?"
"It is most perplexing, baffling. I do not see what to do."
"Not to tell the truth is simply cowardly," I said with some warmth.
"Herr Bastable!" and he drew himself up to his full height. ”

“ She is wonderful," said Althea.
"There is just no trouble at all," declared Bessie, coming toward me with a light of pleasure dancing in her eyes. "It is the most ridiculous mistake, Paul; and all this bother to-day appears to be the result of it. Shall I tell him?" Althea nodded. "About the Prince von Graven. It isn't Althea he cares for at all. It's Chalice. Althea has let every one believe it, lest Chalice's prospects should be injured."
I started and caught my breath in surprise and almost fierce delight at this wonderful news. ”

“ Herr von Felsen must give us a little time in which to think. I have still influence, and I must go and see what I can do."
"If you leave the house it will be to go straight to prison," he declared with a sneer.
Althea winced again at this. "You see, I must do it."
"You coward," I cried to him. Then I started as if an idea had just occurred to me. "I can stop you. I had forgotten. You are pledged to marry Fräulein Ziegler. She shall know of this at once"; and I turned as if to hurry from the room.
"Stop," he shouted. "Leave this room and that instant I will call in those outside." ”

“ She saw all this in a flash, and her eyes shone with the light of ambitious desire. "Oh, Herr Bastable! But do you think it could be done?"
"Shall I make some inquiries? I have friends on whom I can rely."
"Oh, you would be the best friend a poor lonely girl could have in the world. But we must be quite certain first, mustn't we?"
"You would lose the man you love, remember."
She sighed and cast down her eyes, a picture of beautiful resignation. "It would be terrible," she murmured. "But there is dear Althea to think of, isn't there? It is, perhaps, my duty." ”

“ She fixed her eyes on me with an expression of bewilderment. "She can't help you to escape; and of all houses in Berlin this is the last you should have come to."
"For Heaven's sake do give me an answer. Can't you see I am on fire with impatience? Every minute may mean ruin to her."
She bent toward me and came a step or two forward. "Do you mean you don't know? You must not stay here. It will ruin me if you are found here. Do you mean that you don't know?
"Know what?" I cried angrily in my exasperation.
"Good heavens! Why, that you are accused of the murder of Hagar Ziegler's father!" ”

“ Then I gave another little start and shot a furtive, cunning glance at him.
"You said just now you didn't want me in the room," I said slowly.
He looked at me very searchingly. "You stop here. I can read your thought easily enough, but you won't fool me. Neither you nor any one here will leave this house until Fräulein Althea is my wife. Understand that."
I did not reply, but sat down and began to finger my moustache, moving my eyes about as if thinking of some means to outwit him. ”

“ Her brows puckered in doubt, as if she were not disposed to trust my indiscretion any longer. "Had you not better tell me?" she asked nervously.
"For one thing I hope to go to Herr Borsen to-morrow with the news about Chalice's decision, and I shall tell him then about the Ziegler affair."
"No, no," she cried hastily. "You must not do that. That marriage may yet be prevented in some way."
"Not if the Jew has his way," I answered with a grim smile at the recollection of his frenzy of rage.
"You must not breathe a word to Herr Borsen. That would shut out all hope." ”

“ You know better than that, Ziegler, don't you?"
"I would trust you with my life," he exclaimed grandiloquently. "But it would smooth things if you were to do as I suggest. Secrecy is everything to us; and there are some among us who would go to any extreme if they thought there was treachery anywhere."
I paused to take breath and think.
"This matter could not be arranged otherwise," he put in, seeing me hesitate.
"Very well. You can assure them I am in full sympathy in this particular matter anyhow, and I'll meet any one of them when you please. But von Felsen must know nothing." ”

“ The fact is I was robbed in the street here in Berlin, and the scoundrels took me off in a motor-car. I found myself early this morning miles and miles away--I suppose there must have been a smash up or something; I had been unconscious evidently--and when I reached a station the man sent for the police, who shoved me into a cell and kept me there all day." I laughed as if the thing were the merest joke.
"You are not hurt?" asked Althea.
"Not a scratch, thank goodness."
"I hope you would know the scoundrels, Herr Bastable?" said von Felsen. ”

“ Nice for Althea, that. The Kaiser can be hard when he likes."
"It is unjust! Infamous!" she exclaimed vehemently. "Poor Althea! But you don't think that really? The Kaiser likes him too well."
"He has done it before, remember." Jealousy plays odd pranks with a man. Here was I finding a sort of morbid delight in drawing this gloomy picture, when in reality I wished Althea all the happiness in the world. But the smart of my disappointment was so fresh that I felt positively spiteful for the moment.
Chalice cast her eyes down, and in the pause a partner came to look for her. ”

“ Her face was a mask of troubled perplexity as she pressed her hands tightly together. She shot a look of appeal at me.
"You needn't look at him. He can't help you."
I jumped up with a heavy sigh, made as if to rush out of the room, remembered myself, and went to the window and stared out. Von Felsen laughed.
"I agree," said Althea in a low, trembling tone.
I groaned, and von Felsen laughed again. As if stung by the laugh to a last protest, I turned round. "How do you know that this man will keep his word?" I cried desperately to Althea. ”

“ Beside, would you have me, the leader of the whole movement, shirk the danger now that the hour has come?"
"It may get to be known that you were at Herr Ziegler's house last night."
"I went to prevent violence, child. That is surely no crime."
"And you are placing Herr Bastable in danger by remaining here."
"Is it not his duty to run risks in the cause? Is he to be the only man to venture nothing for our country? Danger, indeed," he cried indignantly. "Have we not all suffered? What of my own sufferings?" and he was off again on his favourite topic when I interrupted him. ”

“ It was a novel experience to listen to the plans for one's own murder; and I found it sufficiently depressing. I knew that the fellow was quite capable of making his words good; and that when we two did meet, it would be a question of which of us was the handier with his weapon.
That the others were against the violence he threatened with such sinister bluntness, would not help me in the least. He would not let their reluctance stand in the way of his purpose. He had persuaded himself that I was the traitor who had baulked their plans; and was fully set upon taking my life in revenge. ”

“ That I should be in a condition of abject fear about myself appeared natural enough to him, no doubt.
"Fräulein Althea!" I exclaimed, as she did not reply at once.
"He has pledged his word, Herr Bastable."
"His word! what is that worth?"
"You needn't let yourself be scared out of your wits, at any rate," he said with another sneer. He was enjoying his triumph intensely, and the sight of my fear was the best part of it, apparently. "If the Baron and Althea are pardoned, who's going to hurt you? You'll be all right," he declared contemptuously. ”

“ If I escaped with my life, I should have reason to be thankful. I had already had ample proof that the men whom von Felsen employed were quite capable of going to any extreme. My life had been attempted more than once; and at the time of the previous abduction, when I had not been nearly so dangerous to him as now, I had only escaped death by the narrowest of margins.
Yet it was not for myself that I was mainly afraid now. Von Felsen had so planned things that Althea had been persuaded of my arrest; and I could not doubt for an instant that she would at once agree to do anything he demanded. ”

“ I wouldn't have dear Althea get into any trouble on my account for the world!"
"Then of course you will let the truth as to the Prince be known at once."
"Herr Bastable!" Eyes, expression, voice, gestures, everything eloquent of indignant surprise at the suggestion. "Why, then they might arrest me!"
"On the contrary, the Prince is eager to marry you at once."
"But my voice. My début! You don't understand. Herr Grumpel declares that I shall make such a reputation as----" She threw up her hands as though it were impossible to estimate the fame awaiting her. "How can you be so cruel? ”

“ If some one does not go to him and take care that he is placed in safety, he will do some mad thing and then you will be ruined."
"But what can I do? He would not come with me. Oh, you are cruel. You know how helpless I am. No one thinks of me. Althea should be here."
"You can go out and stay with him, paying the people there to look after him until I can arrange something else."
"Stay with him! Are you mad? My concert! My practising! Herr Grumpel!"
"There will be no concert for you if he breaks loose. There will be a prison instead for you as well as for the rest of us." ”

“ She was in high spirits about the concert, but in a bad temper about her dress. "I can't see you now, Herr Bastable. I haven't a moment."
"Where is Althea?" I asked.
"Would you believe that she could have been so inconsiderate as to go rushing off at a time like this, when every minute is precious to get my costume perfect for this evening? I could cry with vexation. No one ever thinks about me, and I have to do everything for myself, and for them too. And there isn't the slightest need. ”

“ I walked to the station and started to think things over, but there was one thought which for the time crowded out all others. Althea was not in love with the Prince! Thank Heaven for that. And compared with that, nothing mattered. I would find some way out of the tangle, and in the meantime--well, I could hope again. And then I began dreaming and planning with the sanguine vanity of a man very much in love and once more able to hope for the best.
Dormund was still at the station, and met me as I entered. "Ah, Herr Bastable, going on your journey after all?" ”

“ He had a wholesome fear of my sources of information. He paused, hunched up in his chair, and asked suddenly: "Why did you mention Hugo von Felsen's name to me?"
I had an inspiration and resolved upon a shot. I took out my cigarette case, selected one with great care, and as I lit it, looked across at him. "Your daughter is a very handsome girl, Ziegler."
The shot told instantly. "You mean something. Herr Bastable," he cried, leaning forward in his eagerness. "You are my friend. You must tell me. I love my Hagar. She is the light of my life. Tell me," he repeated. ”

“ I replied vaingloriously, but putting a note of relief into my voice. "But there's the rest of his promise."
"Are you a fool? Do you think I am likely to let my wife be prosecuted as a traitor? You know what Herr Borsen told you. You are only trying to deceive Althea by this rot."
"Your wife? But she will not be your wife when she leaves here. Have the marriage here, as you proposed at first. There will be some guarantee then that you mean to run straight."
"The marriage will be where I say," he answered angrily. ”

“ Her agitation and rage were mounting fast and after a pause she burst out bitterly: "Of course you do. The chief of them slept that night in your house and has been concealed there ever since. Do you dare to deny it?"
"Whom do you mean?" Her lip curled again and she shrugged her shoulders. "You mean Baron von Ringheim? Von Felsen has told you that?"
She gave an impatient gesture. "It is the truth that matters, not how I know it," she retorted. ”

“ I clapped my hand to my pocket feeling for the weapon I had annexed, but instead I felt the bomb I had taken from the old Baron, and raised it high so that all should see it just as the man was thrust to one side.
"I'll send him to hell for that," declared the more daring man.
"Then we'll all go there together," I cried in a ringing voice. "I can do it with this."
One of them fired at once, and that I was not killed was due only to the "general's" terror. He threw up the fellow's arm as he fired.
"For God's sake," he exclaimed. "Are you all mad?"
"You fool," was the reply. ”

“ I knew what he meant. He was not afraid of Hagar as he had been of her father. There would be no marriage if he could avoid it.
"Well, I have given you her message, and if you don't intend to go to her, it's your affair not mine"; and I turned on my heel.
"You haven't told me how it happened," he said quickly.
I turned for an instant. "You'll hear it all from the police and will get their theory; and perhaps when you do hear it, you'll take my view that they are all wrong. I told them so to-night."
I just caught his quick glance of consternation at this as I swung round and went off. ”

“ I waited until they were out of sight before I let myself into the house; and as I closed the door, my sister and Althea came running downstairs.
"Is that you, Paul?" asked Bessie.
"Yes. Everything is as well as we could wish."
Althea laid both her hands in mine. "It has been like a nightmare," she said.
"Von Felsen thought so too, I can assure you. But with a little luck now a few hours will see all righted. Get ready to start, Bess. You must go right through to Brussels. Sew these papers into your dress; or hide them in any way you like, so long as you get them through safely." ”

“ That was the position when, at a dance one night, Hugo von Felsen told me with a grin on his thin long malicious face that the Imperial Marriage was in danger because Prince von Graven had fallen in love with Althea and she with him.
I had always detested von Felsen, and had only tolerated him in my newspaper days because, as the son of a powerful Minister, Count von Felsen, he could sometimes be tapped for valuable information. The fact that this news came from him made it seem even worse than it was.
"You can see for yourself," he added. "There they are, together. All Berlin knows about it. ”