Perceval Gibbon

“ Most people, in fact, have a lot of happiness."
"Have they?" said the Princess. "But that is strange."
Food and a glass of wine had helped Miss Gregory back to optimism.
"You won't find it strange soon," she declared. "Only let us get word to Mr. Van Cuyp, and your happiness will begin, too."
The Princess blinked like a puzzled child.
"Ah, Daniel!" she said. "Yes, if I could find Daniel——"
"You must eat something," said Miss Gregory. "You need it. And drink some of this wine. And then we'll go and see if Daniel has arrived. No; we can't go till you have eaten something." ”

“ There is a special fate whose function it is to misguide the adventurous and see that their powers do not run to waste for lack of material to work upon. Miss Gregory had turned her back upon the East and arrived in Germany, where life is ordered by rule; yet, within a week of her advent, she found herself, as if by design, moving in the midst of the matter that sowed the newspapers with large head-lines and kept Mrs. Seton-Howe talking. ”

“ She stood on the pavement, staring down the long street at the leisurely prosperous people who throng Berlin when the lamps are lighted, and the hand with which she touched Miss Gregory's arm trembled. ”

“ Mr. Van Cuyp? Of course I knew him," answered Mrs. Seton-Howe. "He had a beard. I didn't like him. But—why!"
She turned to Miss Gregory.
"You were in Paris when the Czar was there?" she said. "Of course you were. Then you must remember Mr. Van Cuyp, too?"
"Van Cuyp!" repeated Miss Gregory. "A Dutchman?"
"No; an American. Don't you remember him?"
"It's so long ago," said Miss Gregory apologetically.
Mrs. Seton-Howe looked at her thoughtfully. "Yes," she said. "And did n't you accompany your brother, the General, on that mission to the Kronberg Court? You must have seen her too?" ”

“ It was not merely a woman of uncertain intelligence whom she had to steer through a labyrinth of difficulties to a refuge: it was a woman bred and trained to regard herself as immune from the small exigencies which have so large a part in most people's lives. ”

“ Well, have you ever heard of a gentleman, an American, named Van Cuyp?"
The Princess uttered a surprised exclamation. The thief shook his head.
"Van Kipe?" suggested Miss Gregory. "Van Koop? Van Kape? No? Well, this gentleman that I speak of has automobiles, and keeps them in a garage somewhere."
"Ah!" The thief seemed to see light.
"You can find that garage—not? Perhaps you have friends who can help you. What do you think?"
"What if I find it?"
"Then you arc to give a message. Mr. Van Cuyp is to come with a car to—" She hesitated and thought. "He is to come here, where we are now, and wait. ”

“ It was not the imminent danger of discovery and arrest that disturbed her; it was the rapidly growing groups that looked on, and the bulging self-satisfaction of the fat policeman who had done it all. To his machine-like salute the Princess returned her formal little bow. Miss Gregory could have beaten her in rage and impatience.
"Now we 'll be followed," she whispered, as they reached the opposite pavement and turned toward the vast arch of the Brandenburg Gate. "Every loafer in the street will hang at our heels till we are tracked down and taken!" ”

“ It was when they were already at the beginning of Unter den Linden that a man, who had observed them for some minutes, came forward as if to pass them, and managed to brush against Miss Gregory. For such as he the spot is favourable; the trees intercept the lights, and a quick-fingered practitioner can turn the fact to advantage. ”

“ None stayed them as they passed forth from the station and came out to the lively street opposite the great station, with its rows of lighted hotels staring down over the pavement.
Miss Gregory was not sure of her next step.
"The difficulty is," she explained, "that the hotel where I am staying is just the place where you are most likely to be recognized."
"I will not go to a hotel," said the Princess quickly. ”

“ The Princess had found her way from the house cleared for her; men had been bought wholesale, and one, so far as Miss Gregory could gather, had been beaten about the head; but Daniel, who was to have been in waiting with a motor-car, had not turned up. The Princess and her maid had found themselves at the appointed place with none to meet them; and, after waiting as long as was safe, they had walked through a belt of pine woods to the station. Their joint money barely afforded them tickets to Berlin ”

“ The fat policeman did not understand why royal-looking ladies should go on foot through the evening streets, but he did understand that they must not be followed. For such exercise of intelligence fatter men than he had received promotion and other rewards. A brief uproar, that made Miss Gregory look back anxiously, was caused by his methods of turning back those who would have come after them. ”

“ While he stood where she had thrust him, she put her hand into her pocket and brought forth the purse he would have stolen, a comfortable morocco-leather pouch with a gold clasp. She held it loosely in her hand. A more mettlesome robber than the creature before her would have snatched it and made good his escape easily enough ”