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the secret of the silver car, further adventuresof anthony trent, master criminal by wyndham martyn their father dedicates these further adventuresof anthony trent to phyllis and cynthia but not without a guilty feeling that there musthave been something lacking in the ethical training of these estimable children sincethey take such interest in the career of a master criminal chapter onethe puzzling passenger "stop him," the second officer yelled, "he'sgoing to jump overboard!" the man who dashed past him and through agroup of passengers waving hands at friends

on the deck below, was too quick for thosewho sought to stay him. he balanced himself for a moment on the rail and then jumped tenfeet down to the pier. the gangplanks had already been withdrawnand the great liner bound for new york was too mighty a piece of momentum to pause now.furthermore her commander was going down the river on a favoring tide and nothing shortof a signal from the port authorities would have made him put back for a passenger whohad chosen such a singular moment for a leap into the dark. an hour or so later in the smoking room thedisappearance was discussed with fervor. a collar manufacturer of troy, named colliver,was holding his group for the reason he had

been standing by the rail when the young manjumped and had even sought to restrain him. "he was too quick for me," colliver declared."i surely thought he'd hurt himself jumping ten feet down." "what did he do after he jumped?" a man demanded. "picked himself up and looked around as ifhe expected to see someone. the last i saw of him was going from group to group of peopleasking something i couldn't hear." "very mysterious," another passenger commented."i don't believe he was crazy. i believe he jumped off just at the right moment-forhim. i believe we shall find he took some loot with him. the purser is making an investigationnow."

"i've got a theory," another smoker asserted."i was just going to ask him for a light when he began that run down the deck to the railand believe me he can sprint. just as i was about to open my mouth i saw his face suddenlychange. evidently he had seen or heard something that frightened him." "so he ran away from danger?" colliver added."that might be. i tell you on a big boat like this we are surrounded by crooks, male andfemale, and they look on us as their lawful prey. he might have been a gambler who spotteda victim he was afraid of." "or a murderer," a harvard theologian repliednervously. "i never feel really safe on a great liner like this. we all have to takeone another on trust. i have been introduced

to you gentlemen as a professor of pastoraltheology. i may be a professional murderer for all you know. mr. colliver here isn'tknown to me personally and he may be a really high class bank robber for all i can tell." mr. colliver took the suggestion sourly. "everybody in troy knows me," he replied withdignity. "exactly," the theologian answered. "but troyis not on the ship's passenger lists to any such extent as to corroborate your statement.there may be harvard men on board who know me by name but for all they know i may bemade up to represent professor sedgely so as to gain your confidence and rob you."

"my collars encircle the necks of more menthan those of any other maker," said colliver quoting one of his advertisements. "my nameis known everywhere. no man is perfectly dressed without my collars. i presented a swimmingpool to troy and there isn't a man or woman in the city but would resent any slur on me." "my dear sir," said the professor smiling,"i am not attacking your good name or your city's fame. i am only saying that if youwere crossing with the idea of making a killing at games of chance i should not benefit becauseyou assumed the name of one who ornaments the cervical vertebrae of perfectly dressedmen. i only meant that anything can take place on a ship such as this is and that this manwho escaped tonight may have done so to avoid

capture and possible imprisonment or evendeath." "the purser had a wireless sent to the company'soffice and no doubt has a reply by this time," another passenger broke in. "he is probably in prison now," professorsedgely remarked. "you certainly have a cheerful mind," collivercommented. "i read for mental relaxation the lightestforms of fiction," the professor answered, "and i am prepared for anything. i maintainthat every passenger on a fast ship like this is regarded as a possible victim by the cleverestcriminals in existence. for myself i have nothing of value, being poorly paid, but ourfriend there who has so finely benefitted

his home city wears a diamond pin of greatvalue. furthermore there is a sapphire set in platinum on his finger which might welltempt the professional robber." "say," said colliver a little uneasily, "you'reobservant all right. anything else you saw?" "that you have a gold cigar case with initialsin emeralds. i have," the professor said modestly, "trained my powers of observation. i do itto protect myself." he rose from his chair and bowed a courteousgoodnight to the immediate group and then went on deck. "i don't trust that man," said the manufacturer."i never trust any man on a ship who wears smoked glasses. he wanted to conceal his eyes.i'll bet he never saw harvard except on a

picture postal. damn it!" colliver cried peevishly,"why can't a man wear a passable ring and stickpin without it attracting the attentionof other people?" the harvard theologian had sown seeds of suspicion.colliver, as amiable a manufacturer of collars as any in troy, looked over at myers irvingwho ran an advertising agency in new york and suspected him of being a confidence man. "it's a pretty good looking ring," irvingsaid heartily. he wished he had one like it. now that he knew who colliver was he thirstedafter his account. his overtures were accepted with marked reserve and a gloom fell uponthe party until the entrance of the genial purser.

"who was the mysterious man?" colliver asked. "his name was anthony trent," said the purser. a man in the uniform of a captain in the unitedstates army who had been playing solitaire and had taken no part in this talk, lookedup with such sudden interest at the name that the purser turned to him. "do you know anthony trent?" he demanded. "yes," said captain sutton, "i do." "can you think of any reason why he shouldjump ashore just as we were starting for the hudson river?"

"he might have been saying goodbye to hisbest girl and taken no heed of the warning to go ashore." "that won't do," the purser declared. "allhis kit is in his stateroom and he had already seen his table steward and arranged abouthis seat. he went off on the impulse of the moment and i'd like to know what that impulsewas." "has anyone missed anything?" colliver asked. "don't know," the purser said. "haven't heardof anything so far. i wirelessed the office and the pier superintendent and they havelost all trace of him. the last they heard of him was that he was seen offering a taxicabdriver double fare to drive fast."

"he saw someone on the ship he was afraidof," colliver said with the air of one called upon to solve a deep mystery. the purser was determined not to let captainsutton get back to his solitaire. "i'm afraid i'll have to ask you more aboutyour friend," he said smiling, "the whole thing is so unusual that the old man wantsa thorough investigation. in confidence, is there anything fishy about this anthony trent?" "in confidence, i may tell you," captain suttonanswered, "but my confidence will be in the captain's cabin and not here." "do you think we'd say anything to anyoneabout it?" colliver demanded. he feared he

was to be robbed of interesting details. "i'm a lawyer by profession," captain suttonreturned, "and i know how people talk even when they mean to be silent. anthony trentis a friend of mine and i shall constitute myself his counsel. he served under me inthe war, was recommended for a commission, and won the croix de guerre. he is an americanwith enough money to play golf and flyfish for trout all he wants to. he was in a hospitalin the isle of wight for three months after being wounded and i had a letter from himsaying he would come over on this ship. i came by liverpool just because i wanted tosee him; and when i didn't see him at dinner i thought he had changed his plans. i cangive no reason why he should have left the

boat in the manner he did but as a lawyeri can assure the company that it is his affair and not theirs." the purser was skilled in the ways of humanbeings. he had not straightened out difficulties for his company on half a thousand trips acrossthe atlantic for nothing. he could see plainly enough that captain sutton knew somethingabout anthony trent that he would not tell the captain or anyone else unless processof law compelled. there had been a quick look of fear on his face when he realized trentwas the man of whom the group about him had been speaking. whether captain sutton knewthe reason why his friend had leapt from the ship's rail was doubtful; but that the acthad conjured up sudden fear gave the purser

food for thought. "the company certainly does not want to bringsuit against a passenger who has paid for a high priced state room and a number of excellentmeals and refuses to benefit by them. the old man was annoyed that everyone was talkingabout it at his table and he wasn't able to get off his little crop of chestnuts as usual.he'd appreciate it if you would tell him what you know about mr. trent." "if i see him it will be as mr. trent's lawyer,"sutton retorted. the purser looked at him keenly. "so you admit," he said genially, "that thismysterious anthony trent needs a defender?"

"i admit nothing of the sort," sutton repliedquickly. but he felt he had not conducted the affair with his usual skill. "there'sbeen a lot of hot air talked about crimes on board ship and i'm not going to have myfriend's name linked with that sort of thing." "of course not," the purser agreed. "i canunderstand why you come to the rescue; still there is bound to be some misunderstandingabout a man who leaves all his baggage behind and takes a desperate jump as he did." "he saw someone on this ship he was afraidof," colliver insisted. "it might have been you for all i know." "what do you mean by that?" sutton demandedand flushed dusky red.

colliver was amazed at the sudden heat. thepurser was more interested than ever. he would have been even more amazed if he had knownthat captain sutton honestly believed that it was because anthony trent had seen himface to face that he had escaped. the letter of which he had spoken was non-existent. hehad lied because of the man whom he had, for the first time, claimed as his friend. sutton had been the officer; trent the enlistedman and the discipline of the service prevented a friendship that would have been possiblein other days and, now war was finished, might again become practicable. the space of anhour was the time the officer had been with the man and yet he was determined to fightfor his interests. and he suddenly realized

that he had begun his fight by antagonizinga very shrewd purser. "my dear sir," the purser said gently, "iam sure you are taking this too much to heart. nobody is accusing your client of anythingmore serious than risking a broken leg which, after all, is more his affair than even hiscounsel's. captain kingscote will ask you a few questions which you must understand,as a lawyer, a ship's commander ought to ask. there is such a thing as a log and it hasto be written correctly. tomorrow morning perhaps? you will be offered an excellentcigar and a drink that you can't get in all the length and breadth of your native land." "any time at all," sutton answered with aneffort to be as genial as the purser. "i only

resented the idle chatter that centred arounda man who fought very gallantly." "if you mean me by that reference," colliversaid angrily, "i'd like to say that i have as much right to talk as anyone on board." "certainly," said myers irving, "and i can'tsee why anyone wants to get excited about it. it was that professor who began it. mr.colliver what do you say to a little smile?" colliver looked at the card irving handedto him. he did not like advertising men as a rule but he felt this debonair head of abig agency was an exception. he had come to the aid of big business. "it must be the salt in the air," he confessed,"i don't mind if i do."

left to himself sutton closed his eyes andlived over again those moments in france when anthony trent had been brought before himas adjutant on extraordinary charges. once or twice he had seen private trent andhad been vaguely reminded of a forgotten face. it was only when anthony trent had been recommendedfor promotion and had declined it that he remembered the name. trent had been the dartmouthfootball captain in that historic year when harvard was humbled. sutton, a graduate often years previously, had shouted himself hoarse at the great run by which trent hadpassed the crimson score. private trent had been chosen on very dangerousbusiness and the adjutant had no chance to speak to him as he had determined to do. anthonytrent was one of those who volunteered to

clean up machine gun nests left behind toharass the advancing troops of the allies. he had done so well that captain sutton wasproud of him for the sake of the old college in hanover. he remembered the shock he had when lieutenantdevlin, a former detective in new york and a man to whom he was not drawn, declared thatthis same anthony trent was the most famous criminal of the day, a master craftsman whohad never been in police toils. sutton laughed at the very suggestion. itwas absurd. devlin's answer to this made the soldier-lawyer less confident. devlin saidthat dr. trent had left his son but a few hundred dollars and a rambling mortgaged homeamong new hampshire hills. young trent had

come to new york and settled down to writingdetective and criminal stories for the lesser magazines. then, suddenly, an australian relativehad died and left him a fortune. this was a lie, devlin declared. there was no suchrelation. it was done to explain his sudden giving up of writing and living in a far betterstyle. trent owned, so the detective asserted, abeautiful camp on kennebago lake in maine, two automobiles and sundry other aids to acomfortable existence which his writings would never have gained for him. still disbelieving, captain sutton was shownthe dying depositions of an english soldier who had been butler to a new york millionairewhose house had been robbed. austin, the butler,

had seen trent and assumed him to be a friendof his employer. he had recognized him when british and american troops were brigadedside by side and had told only devlin a detective who had worked on the case. evidence at last seemed conclusive. devlin,dying in hospital wished for the downfall of a man who had beaten him in three big cases.the adjutant remembered well one case when the dangerfield ruby worth almost two hundredthousand dollars was taken. private trent seemed quite calm. he assuredhis officer that these charges were preposterous. "what else could they be?" he had asked. "they might be the truth," sutton had saidgravely.

he remembered the visit to the hospital wheredevlin lay dying but eager to sign the testimony he had woven about his enemy. the ending ofthe incident was very curious. it made him like devlin after all. when devlin knew hisend was come and the last rites of his church had been administered he had given up hisplans for revenge. he had looked into the fearless eyes of the master criminal and hehad seen there an unconquerable spirit which he admired. and so, with his last effort hehad torn up the written evidence and declared that anthony trent was not the man; that itwas all a mistake. sutton remembered the relief with which hehad put his hand on the shoulder of the younger man and that he had said, "trent, you werein luck this time. don't take a chance again."

after the signing of peace he had determinedto look up the old athlete and see if he could not offer him such opportunities that he couldgo straight. sutton was a man of immense wealth and had mining properties in south americawhich needed supervision. and now to find that trent was aboard theship and at the last moment had risked a broken limb in order to escape. it was not likelythat a man who feared detection so much dare rely on the generosity of a man who knew hissecret. there were probably rewards for his capture which, in the aggregate, offered immenseinducement to deliver anthony trent to justice. how was trent to know that sutton the adjutantwas financially secure enough to make the sacrifice? undoubtedly he had seen suttonand made the desperate leap.

sutton determined to safeguard his interests.the baggage for instance, that should not be searched. there might be in it evidenceas damaging as that which the brothers of joseph put into the younger's sack. it wouldbe far better to see the captain and make a friend of him. why had not trent been abetter reader of character and recognized that in captain sutton he had a friend? sutton did not know that long ago trent hadseen that in the rich lawyer there was one whom he need not fear. few were more skilledthan the master criminal in the reading of those signs by which men reveal for a secondor so the depths of their natures. anthony trent had not jumped from the railsof the big ship because he had seen sutton.

he had no idea his old adjutant was on board.he had not jumped ashore because of any person on the liner. he took his reckless leap becauseamong those who waited on the pier he heard the voice of the one man he feared, the manhe had been trying to find since that day in france when death seemed at last to haveclaimed him. chapter twothe man in the dark one day late in october when the allies weremoving with such speed against the enemy private trent had been struck with a piece of shrapnel.there was the recognized noise of the flying fragments and then a sudden flaming pain inhis left arm followed by black unconsciousness. he came back very slowly to the realizationthat he was not seriously hurt. his wounded

arm was bandaged. he was still rather weakand lay back for some moments before opening his eyes. then he opened them to meet onlya wall of unrelieved night. "i'm blind!" he thought. groping about him he felt dank earth, theearth he had been accustomed to in the trenches, slimy, sweating clay. with his undamaged handhe felt the bandages that were about his head. there was no wound near his eyes; but thatwould not be necessary, for he had seen so many cases of blindness due to the burstingof high explosives. it might be temporary blindness or it might be permanent. there was a great silence about him. gonewere the myriad sounds of war that had enveloped

him before his injury. perhaps he was deaf,too. "my god!" he groaned thinking of this new infliction and then grew a little lessmiserable when he recognized the sound of his own voice. well, blindness was enough!never again to see the green earth or the morning sun stealing down the lake where hishome was. at a little past thirty to see only through the eyes of others. no more golf,no more hunting and fishing trips, and of course no more of those taut-nerved nightswhen he, a single human being, pitted his strength and intelligence against the forcesof organized society-and won. there was small consolation in thinking that now, atall events, anthony trent, master criminal would not be caught. he would go down in policehistory as the most mysterious of those criminals

who have set the detectives by the heels. a little later he told himself he would ratherbe caught, sentenced to a term of life imprisonment if only he might see a tiny ribbon of bluesky from his cell window, than condemned to this eternal blackness. then the miracle happened. a few yards fromhim came a scratching sound and then a sudden flame. and in that moment he could see theprofile of a man bending over a cigarette. he was not blind! "who are you?" anthony trent cried not yetable to comprehend this lifting of what he felt was a sentence imposed. "where am i?"

the man who answered spoke with one of thosecultivated english voices which trent had once believed to be the mark of decadenceor effeminacy, a belief the bloody fields of france had swept from him. "well," said the man slowly, "i really don'tsee that it matters much now to anyone what my name may be." "the only thing that matters to me," trentcried with almost hysterical fervor, "is that i'm not blind as i thought i was." the answer of the unknown man was singular;but trent, who was not far from hysteria on account of bodily pain and the mental anguishthrough which he had been, did not take note

of it. "i don't think that matters much either,"the voice of the man in the dark commented. "then where are we?" trent demanded. "there again i can't help you much," the unknownanswered. "this was a common or garden dug-out." "was," trent repeated, "what is it now?" "a tomb," the stranger told him puffing athis cigarette. "i found you bleeding to death and i bandaged your arm. i was knocked outmyself and your men and mine had gone on and there was never a red cross man or anyoneelse in sight so i carried you into this dug-out. all of a sudden some damned h. e. blockedup the opening. when the dust settled i explored

with my few matches. our tomb is sealed up-absolutely.i've often heard of it happening before. it looks as if a house had been lifted up andplanted right on this dug-out." "so that's why you said it didn't matter muchif i could see or not?" "does it?" the man asked shortly. "have you another match?" trent asked presently."i'd like to explore." "no good," the other retorted. "i've beenall round the damned place and there isn't a chance, except that the thing may collapseand bury us." "then we are to starve to death without aneffort?" "we shall asphyxiate, we shan't starve. don'tyou notice how heavy the air is? presently

we shall get drowsy. already i feel lightheaded and inclined to talk." "then talk," trent said, "anything is betterthan sitting here and waiting. the air is heavy; i notice it now. i suppose i'm goingto be delirious. talk, damn you, talk. why not tell me your name? what difference canit make to you now? are you afraid? have you done things you're ashamed of? why let thatworry you since it only proves you're human." "i'm not ashamed of what i've done," the otherdrawled, "it's my family which persists in saying i've disgraced it." anthony trent was in a strange mood. ordinarilysecretive to a degree and fearful always of dropping a hint that might draw suspicionto his ways of life, he found himself laughing

in a good humored way that this english soldiershould imagine he must conceal his name for fear of disgrace. why the man was a child,a pigmy compared with anthony trent. he had perhaps disobeyed an autocrat father or possiblymarried a chorus girl instead of a blue blooded maiden. "you've probably done nothing," said trent."it may be you were expelled from school or university and that makes you think you area desperate character." there was silence for a moment or so. "as it happens," the unknown said, "i wasexpelled from harrow and kicked out of trinity but it isn't for that. i'm known in the armyas private william smith of the 78th battalion,

city of london regiment." "i thought you were an officer," trent said.private smith had the kind of voice which trent associated with the aristocracy. "i'm just a plain private like you," smithsaid, "although the lowly rank is mine for probably far different reasons." "i'm not so sure of that," trent said, a triflenettled. "i could have had a commission if i wanted it." "i did have one," smith returned, "but i didn'tmean what i said offensively. i meant only that i dare not accept a commission."

anthony trent waited a moment before he answered. "i'm not so sure of that," he said again. the reasons for which trent declined his commissionand thereby endured certain hardships not unconnected with sleeping quarters and noisycompanionship were entirely to his credit. always with the fear of exposure before hiseyes he did not want to place odium on the status of the american officer as he wouldhave done had screaming headlines in the papers spoken of the capture by police authoritiesof lieutenant anthony trent the cleverest of modern crooks. but he could not bring himselfto speak of this even in his present unusual mood.

"it doesn't matter now very much," smith saidlaughing a little, "we shall both be called missing and the prison camps will be searchedfor us. in the end my family may revere my memory and yours call you its chief glory." "i haven't a family," trent said. "i usedto be sorry for it. i'm glad now." he stopped suddenly. "do you know," he said later, "youwere laughing just now. you're either crazy or else you must have your nerve with youstill." "i may be crazy," returned private smith,"but i usually make my living by having my nerve with me as you call it. it has beenmy downfall. if i had been a good, moral child, amenable to discipline i might have commandeda regiment instead of being a 'tommy' and

i might be repenting now. by the way you don'tseem as depressed as one might expect. why?" "after a year of this war one doesn't easilylose the habit of laughing at death." "i've had four years of it," smith said. "iwas a ranker when it broke out and saw the whole show from august 1914. on the wholewhat is coming will be a rest. i don't know how they manage these things in your countrybut in england when a man has been, well call it unwise, there is always a chance of feelinga heavy hand on one's shoulder and hearing a voice saying in one's ear, 'i arrest youin the king's name!' very dramatic and impressive and all that sort of thing, but wearing onthe nerves-very." private smith laughed gently, "i'm afraid you are dying in ratherbad company."

"we have something in common perhaps," trentsaid. he grinned to himself in the covering blackness as he said it. "tell me, did youever hear of anthony trent?" "never," private smith returned quickly. "sorry!i suppose i ought to know all about him. what has he done?" "he wrote stories of super-crookdom for onething." "that explains it," smith asserted, "you seethose stories rather bore me. i read them when i was young and innocent but now i knowhow extremely fictional they are; written for the greater part, i'm informed, by blamelesswomen in boarding houses. i like reading the real thing."

"what do you mean by that?" "reports of actual crimes as set forth inthe newspapers. cross-examinations of witnesses and all that, summing up of the judges andcoroners' inquests. was this trent person really good?" "you shall judge," said the american. "hewrote of crimes and criminals from what such actual practitioners had told him. he wasfor a time a police reporter on a big new york paper and had to hang around mulberrystreet. after that he tried the magazines but as editors are so remote as a rule fromactual knowledge of the world's play and work, he didn't make much money at it. finally hispet editor-a man with some human attributes-said

in effect, 'i can't raise your rates; thepublisher won't stand for it. if i paid decent prices he couldn't buy champagne and entertainhis favorites.' this was in the era before prohibition. the human editor went on givingadvice and wound up by saying, 'why don't you do what your super-crook character doesand relieve the dishonest rich of their stolen bonds? conway parker gets away with it, whyshouldn't you?'" "of course he was rotting?" private smithasked. "yes," the american said, "he didn't reallymean it but the thought germs fell into the right sort of broth. anthony trent wasn'tnaturally a crook but he hated having to live in a cheap boarding house and eat badly cookedmeals and play on a hard-mouthed, hired, upright

piano. some ancestor had dowered him witha love of beautiful things, rugs, pictures, pottery, bronzes, music and a rather secludedlife. also he had dreams about being a great composer. he was a queer mixture. on the wholerather unbalanced i suppose. his father died and left him almost nothing. all he coulddo was newspaper work at first." "you mean he actually followed the editor'sadvice?" "yes. he had certain natural gifts to aidhim. he was a first rate mimic. it's a sort of gift i suppose. he had gone in for amateurtheatricals at his college and done rather well. he pulled off his first job successfullybut the butler saw him and did not forget. that was the trouble the butler remembered.it wasn't a big affair. it didn't make any

such stir as for example as when he took themount aubyn ruby." "i read of that," smith returned eagerly."he knocked out a millionaire surrounded with detectives and got away in an airplane." "he got away but not in an airplane," repliedanthony trent. "on the whole the unknown aviator was rather useful to him but was absolutelyblameless. then there was the case of the apthorpe emerald. did you hear of that?" "haven't i told you," smith returned impatiently,"that i read all about things of that sort? how could i have missed that even though iwas in the trenches when it happened. it was the delight of my hospital life to read aboutit in reynolds journal. it was said a woman

murdered old apthorpe for it." "she did," trent admitted, "and she took theemerald but anthony trent got it from her and fooled them all. his last big job beforethe united states got into the war was getting the blue-white diamond that was known as thenizam's diamond." "a hundred carat stone," smith said reverently."by jove, what a master! as i never heard of him of course he was never caught. theyare all caught in the end, though. his day will come." for a moment the thought that anthony trent'slife was coming to an end before many hours had passed took the narrator from his moodof triumph into a state of depression. to

have to give up everything and die in thedarkness. exit anthony trent for all time! and as he thought of his enemies the policetoiling for the rich rewards that they would never get for apprehending him his black moodpassed and smith heard him chuckle. "they all get caught in the end," smith repeated,"the best of them. the doctrine of averages is against them. your anthony trent is onelone man fighting against so many. he may have the luck with him so far but there'sonly one end to it. they got captain despard and he was a top-hole marauder. they got ourestimable charles peace and they electrocuted regan in your own country only last monthand he was clever, god knows. i think i'd back your trent man against any single opponent,but the odds are too great. the pack will

pull him down and break him up some day." again private smith of the city of londonregiment heard the man he had rescued from danger to present him with death, laugh acurious triumphant laugh. he had seen so much of war's terror that he supposed the man wasgoing mad. it would perhaps be a more merciful end. "no," said the american. "anthony trent willnever be discovered. he will be the one great criminal who will escape to the confusionof the detectives of new york and london. i am anthony trent." chapter threethe beginning of the search

"you?" cried private smith. "ye gods! andi haven't even a match left so i can see you before we go. i die in better company thani know." trent could hear that he raised himself slowly and painfully to his feet. then heheard the soldier's heels click smartly together. "ave caesar-" he began. but the immortalspeech of those gladiators being about to die was not finished. there broke on trent's astonished gaze a flashof sunlight that made him blink painfully. and the terrifying noise of high explosivehurt his ears and that swift dreadful sucking of the air that followed such explosions wasabout him again in its intensity. he had been dug out of his tomb for what?

the doctors thought him a very bad case. ofcourse he was delirious. he stuck to a ridiculous story that he was imprisoned in a tomb withone william smith, a private in the 78th battalion of the city of london regiment and that h.e. had mysteriously disinterred him. h. e. did perform marvels that were seemingly againstknown natural laws but private trent was obviously suffering from shell shock. when he was better and had been removed toa hospital far from the area of fighting he still kept to his story. one of the doctorswho liked him explained that the delusion must be banished. he spoke very convincingly.he explained by latest methods that the unreal becomes real unless the patient gets a gripon himself. he said that trent was likely

to go through life trying to find a non-existentfriend and ruining his prospects in the doing of it. "i'll admit," he said at the end ofhis harangue, "that you choose your friend's name well." "why do you say that?" trent asked. "because the muster roll of the 78th showsno fewer than twenty-seven william smiths and they're all of 'em dead. that battaliongot into the thick of every scrap that started." trent said no more but made investigationson his own behalf. unfortunately there was none to help him. the ambulance that pickedhim up was shelled and he had been taken from its bloody interior the only living soul ofthe crew and passengers. none lived who could

tell him what became of his companion, theman to whom he had revealed his identity, the man who possessed his secret to the full. when he was discharged from the service andwas convalescing in bournemouth he satisfied himself that the unknown smith had died. againluck was with anthony trent. the one man-with the exception of sutton whose lips he wassure were sealed-who could make a clear hundred thousand dollars reward for his capturewas removed from the chance of doing it even as the knowledge was offered him. the wordsthat he would have spoken, "hail caesar, i, being about to die, salute thee!" had cometrue in that blinding flash that had brought anthony trent back to the world.

but even with this last narrow escape to soberhim trent was not certain whether the old excitement would call and send him out topit himself against society. he had no grievance against wealthy men as such. what he had wantedof theirs he had taken. he was now well enough off to indulge in the life, as a writer, hehad wanted. he had taken his part in the great war as a patriot should and was returningto his native land decorated by two governments. again and again as he sat at the balcony ofhis room at the royal bath hotel and looked over the bay to the cliffs of swanage he askedhimself this question-was he through with the old life or not? he could not answer.but he noticed that when he boarded the giant cunarder he looked about him with the oldkeenness, the professional scrutiny, the eagerness

of other days. he tipped the head steward heavily and thenconsulted the passenger list and elected to sit next to a mrs. colliver wife of a troymillionaire. she was a dull lady and one who lived to eat, but he had heard her boastingto a friend on the boat train that her husband had purchased a diamond tiara in bond streetwhich would eclipse anything troy had to offer. mrs. colliver dreaded to think of the dutythat would have to be paid especially as during the war less collars were used than in normaltimes. it was with a feeling of content that anthonytrent paced the deck as the liner began her voyage home. two years was a long time tobe away and he felt that a long lazy month

in his maine camp would be the nearest thingto the perfect state that he could dream of when he heard, distinctly, without a chanceof being mistaken, the voice of private william smith shouting a goodbye from the pier. trent had a curiously sensitive ear. he hadnever, for example, failed to recognize a voice even distorted over telephone wires.william smith had one of those distinctive voices of the same timbre and inflection ofthose of his caste but with a certain quality, that trent could not now stop to analyze,which stamped it as different. all trent's old caution returned to him. itwas possible that the man whom he had supposed dead had come to see the cunarder off withoutknowing anthony trent was aboard. but the

passenger lists could be inspected and evennow the law might have been set in motion that would take him handcuffed from the vesselat quarantine to be locked up in a prison. he was worth a hundred thousand dollars toany informant and he could not doubt that the so-called smith had gone wrong becauseof the lust for money to pay his extravagances. it was inevitably the reason in men of theclass of smith and despard. he was obsessed with the determination tofind out. he would track the man he had known as smith and find out without letting himbe any the wiser. a hundred ideas of disguise flashed across the quick-working brain. hetried to tell himself that it was likely that the voice might have proceeded from an utterstranger. but this was false comfort he knew.

it was smith of the 78th city of london regimentwho was on the pier already growing inch by inch farther away. the second officer tried to stop him and apassenger grasped him by the arm as he climbed the rails but they tried vainly. he droppedas lightly as he could and picked himself up a little dazed and looked around. he couldsee a hundred faces peering down at him from the moving decks overhead. he could see acrowd of people streaming down the pier to the city. and among them was the man he sought. "one moment, sir," said a policeman restraininghim, "what's the meaning of this?" "just come ashore," trent smiled. the policemanloomed over him huge, stolid, ominous. the

man looked from trent in evening dress andwithout hat or overcoat, to the shadowy ship now on her thousand league voyage and he shookhis head. it was an irregular procedure, he told himself and as such open to grave suspicion.but he was courteous. trent was a gentleman and no look of fear came to his face whenthe officer spoke. the man remained close to trent when he approached the few groupsof people still on the pier. to every man in the groups the stranger contrived to aska question. of one he asked the time, of another the best hotel in liverpool. "it may seem very strange," said trent pleasantlyto the perplexed policeman, "but i did an unaccountable thing. i thought i saw a manwho was in the trenches with me in france

during the war and saved my life and i sprangover the side to find him and now he's gone." the policeman waved a white gloved hand tothe people who had already left the landing stage. "your friend may be there, sir," he said. "you don't want to detain me, then?" trentcried. "it's dark, sir," said the policeman, "andi could hardly be expected to remember which way you went." at the end of the short pier was a taxicabstand and a space where private machines might park. anthony trent arrived in time to seea huge limousine driven by a liveried chauffeur

with a footman by his side begin to climbthe step grade to the street. as it passed him he could swear he heard smith's voicefrom within, saying, "it's the most rotten luck that i should be a younger son and notget the chances geoffrey does." trent could not see the number plate of thebig machine. he could note only a coat of arms on the door surmounted by a coronet.he had no time to ask if any of the dock laborers knew the occupants. he sprang into the soletaxi that occupied the stand and commanded the driver to overtake the larger car. soeager was the man to earn the double fare that he was halted by a policeman outsidethe atlantic riverside station. the time taken up by explanations permitted the coronettedlimousine to escape.

in so big a city as liverpool a car couldbe lost easily but the sanguine taxi driver, certain at least of getting his fare, persistedin driving all over the city and its suburbs until he landed his passenger tired and disappointedat the midland hotel. on the whole anthony trent had rarely spentsuch unprofitable hours. he had paid a premium for his state room on a fast boat and wasnow stranded in a strange city without baggage. and of course he was worried. he had believedhimself alone to have been rescued when the high explosive had taken the roof from histomb. now it seemed probable that the british soldier, smith, had also made his escape. although it was quite possible trent was followinga stranger whose voice was like that of private

smith, he had yet to find that stranger andmake sure of it. trent was not one to run away from danger. as he sat in the easy chair before the windowhe told himself again and again that it was probable the voice he identified with theunknown smith was like that of a thousand other men of his class. he had acted stupidlyin jumping from a ship's rails and risking his limbs. and how much more unwisely hadhe acted in that black silence when he was led to cast aside his habitual silence andtalk freely to a stranger. in effect he had put himself in the keeping of another manwithout receiving any confidence in return. he blamed the wound, the shock and a thousandphysical causes for it but the fact was not

to be banished by that. smith knew anthonytrent as a master criminal while anthony trent only knew that smith has enlisted under anothername because he had disgraced his own. it might easily be that this unknown smith waslike a hundred other "gentlemen rankers" who could only be accused of idleness and instability.but anthony trent stirred uneasily when he recalled the eagerness with which smith spokeof some of those crimes anthony trent had committed. smith knew about them, admiredthe man who planned them. trent on thinking it over for the hundredth time believed smithwas indeed a crook and as such dangerous to him. few men believe in intuition, guess work or"hunches" as do those who work outside the

law. again and again anthony trent had foundhis "hunches" were correct. once or twice he had saved himself by implicitly actingon them in apparent defiance of reason. at the end of many hours during which he triedto tell himself he was mistaken and this voice owned by someone else, he gave it up. he knewit was smith. to find out by what name the smith of thedug-out went by in his own country must be the first step. the second would be to shadowhim, observe his way of life and go through his papers. so far all he had to go upon wasa quick glance at an automobile of unknown make upon whose panels a coat of arms wasemblazoned surmounted by a crown. had he possessed a knowledge of heraldry he could have toldat a glance whether the coronet was that of

a baron, viscount, earl, marquis or duke andso narrowed down the search. and had he observed the coat of arms and motto he could have madecertain, for all armorial bearings are taxable and registered. to try to comb the counties of lancashireand cheshire for the occupants of an unknown car would take time and might lead to policeinterest in his activities. before he retired to his bed a courteous agentof the cunard company had called upon him to inquire at what he was dissatisfied thathe left the ship so suddenly. to this agent he told the same story-the true one-thathe had told the policeman. the purser was able to inform the group inthe smoking room ere it retired.

"i don't believe that for a moment," colliverdeclared. "why not?" asked the harvard professor, "don'tyou know that truth in the mouth of an habitual liar is often a potent and confounding weapon?" "maybe," colliver said dryly, "but i'm anhonest man and i'd like to know why you think that man trent was an habitual liar." "i don't know," the professor answered amiably."i always think in terms of crime on board ship." "there's no need to on this ship," the pursersaid testily. "i hope not," said the professor, "but comingback from the far east last year on another

line i made friends with a man much of thebuild of mr. colliver here. i did not like him very much. he had only prejudices andno opinions. a typical successful man of business i presume." "thank you," said mr. colliver finding oneof his own neck adornments growing tight. "he was murdered," the theologian went on,"because he carried some diamonds for his wife in a pocket. some thieves found it out." "what thieves?" colliver demanded. "it is one of the undiscovered murders onthe high seas," the professor said placidly. "mighty awkward for you," colliver said, stillangry.

"fortunately i had an alibi," said the other,"i was violently ill of mal de mer." "mighty convenient," colliver commented. later he asked the purser's private opinionof the professor. myers irving joined with colliver in resenting the professor's attackon business men. "ordinarily," colliver said, "i don't likeadvertising men, but you're different. they're like vultures after my account as a rule." "you'd have to force your account on me,"said myers irving seriously. "i'm not an ordinary business or advertising man. primarily i'ma business builder. i leave nothing to underlings. i direct everything personally. i take fewaccounts. if my clients don't make good on

their end of it i give them up. i make moneyfor my clients. i have no other ambition. i believe in advertising. it might be thatfellow trent jumped ashore for some publicity stunt. supposing he said he did it becausehe forgot to order some special dish at the adelphi or midland? such a dish would getmore publicity than you could shake a stick at. but i'm not here to talk shop." colliver watched the trim advertising mansaunter off. "a bright boy," commented the troy magnate,"maybe he'll be surprised before this trip is over. maybe he'll have to talk shop." captain sutton listened to the purser's explanationas though they were entirely reasonable. but

all the time he said to himself, "why needhe have been afraid of me?" anthony trent bought himself a suit of clothesin the city and set out for london on the ten o'clock train. an army list showed himthe names of the officers of the city of london regiment. he decided to call upon the adjutant,a captain edgell. it took him little time to find out that edgell had resumed his formeroccupation of stock broker and was living with his family at banstead in surrey. edgell was a golfer of distinction and beforethe war had been a scratch man at the club on the downs. five years absence had senthis handicap up a bit but he was engaged in pulling it down when a golfing stranger fromthe united states giving the name of trent

who had the club's privileges for the dayasked him if he could introduce him to a member for a round of golf. it so happened that mostof the men waiting to play were ruddy faced gentlemen with handicaps of from twelve upto twenty-four. they did not excite edgell. "glad to," he said heartily. he had been brigadedwith americans and liked them. "do you play a strong game?" "i have a two handicap at wykasol," trentsaid. "good business," cried edgell, "we'll playtogether." they played. they became intimate during thegame and edgell learned with regret that trent was not one of the many american businessmen engaged in their work in london. trent

beat the stockbroker on the twenty-third hole. "if i could only putt like that," said edgell,"i'd have a chance for the open championship." "i wish i could drive a ball the length youdo," trent said not to be outdone. "of course you'll have dinner with us," thestockbroker said. "we don't dress for it any more since the war so you've no excuse. ilearned to make cocktails from some of your fellows in france so you ought to feel athome." "as home used to be," trent corrected. "i'dlove to come if i'm not putting you out." edgell's home was a half-timbered house standingin an acre of lawn and flower garden. it was thoroughly comfortable. there seemed to bea number of children but they did not obtrude.

trent could see them playing in differentparts of the garden, the little ones with their nurse and the elder playing clock golfon a perfect green in front of the house. always the quiet secure atmosphere of a homesuch as this brought to anthony trent a vision of what he had lost or rather of what he couldnever obtain. little six-year old marjorie edgell likedtrent on sight and liking him announced it openly. she told him what a great man herfather was and how he had medals and things. finally she asked the visitor whether he wouldnot like to have medals. it was the opportunity for which trent had been looking. ordinarilyaverse to talking of himself, he wanted to get on to the subject of the war with thelate adjutant of the seventy-eighth.

"i have," he told little marjorie. "daddy," she shrieked in excitement, "mr.trent has medals too." "so you were in the big thing?" edgell asked."honestly wouldn't you rather play golf? i can get all the excitement i want on the stockexchange to last me the rest of my life. i enlisted in a city regiment as a private andi left it as adjutant after four years and i'm all for the piping ways of peace. my battalionwas the 78th and we always had the luck with us. whenever we got anywhere something started." "the seventy-eighth battalion," trent commented,"i had a pal in your battalion, a pal who saved my life. i'm going to look him up nextweek. curious that i should be talking to

his adjutant. william smith was his name.i wonder if you knew him?" "i wonder if you know how many william smithsand john smiths are lying in france and flanders with little wooden crosses over them?" "this one came through all right," trent said. "at least ten william smiths came through,"edgell asserted. "i think i remember them all. which was your man? describe him." trent lighted his cigarette very deliberately.to be asked to describe a man he had claimed as a pal and yet had never seen face to facewas not easy. "i think you would recognize my william smith,"trent answered, "if i told you he was not

really william smith at all but a man whohad assumed that name as a disguise." "i understand," edgell exclaimed, "a slightblond man very erect and rather supercilious with what the other men called a lah-de-dahvoice. i remember him well. i had him up before me for punishment many times. little infractionsof discipline which he constantly committed. used to rile me by his superior airs. quitea mysterious person. saved your life did he? well, he had all the pluck a man need have." "i want to thank him for it," trent said,"but i've only known him as william smith. the war office people tell me he was demobilizedthree months back and they have no address. if you'll tell me, in confidence, his realname i can find him out."

"but my dear chap," said captain edgell, "idon't know it. none of us knew it. my sergeant-major swore he'd been a regular and an officer butthat's mere conjecture. he was a regular now i come to think of it and sent to us whenhis own regiment was wiped out in the autumn of 1914." "who would be able to tell me?" trent askedeagerly. "the colonel knew," edgell declared, "i senthim up to the old man for punishment once. the colonel looked at him as if he could notbelieve his eyes. 'you are down here as william smith,' he said." "'that is my name, sir,' said smith."

"then the colonel knew him?" trent asked. "undoubtedly. i was told to leave them alone.i should like to have asked colonel langley but he is one of those men it's hard to approach.doesn't mean to be standoffish but gives that impression. one of those very tall men whoseem to be looking through you and taking no interest whatsoever in the proceeding." "i want to find out," trent said, "could yougive me a letter of introduction?" "glad to," edgell replied, "but he's likethat native song bird of yours, the clam. he is a silent fighter. the men respectedhim and went to their deaths for him but they would have felt it disrespectful to love him.he lives at a place called dereham old hall

in norfolk. a great county swell with magnificentshooting. one of those places royalty stays every year for a week at the partridges. alwaysthought it a funny thing he was given the command of a lot of cockneys considering hewas sandhurst and tenth hussars till he married and chucked the service, but he made goodas you fellows say." while captain edgell was writing the lettertrent had leisure to reflect that the identity of private william smith might remain permanentlyveiled in obscurity if colonel langley refused to talk. if the colonel was not to be luredto disclose what trent needed to know, the american would be left in a very unpleasantposition. until he knew whether his "hunch" was right or wrong he could never again sleepin peace with the name anthony trent as his

own. he was in danger every minute. smithmight have tracked him to the liner to have him arrested in america. that he had leftthe boat might easily be known. therefore in order to win twenty thousand sovereignsenglish money, or a half million francs in the coinage of the country where the two hadspent weary months, smith had only to start the hue and cry in england. the ports wouldbe watched. in the end they would get him. there was no escape over the borders to mexicoor dash to safety over the canadian frontier as he had planned to do under similar conditionsof peril in his own country. here on an island they had got him. he was weaving evidencethat could be used against him by making this display of interest in private smith. captainedgell could give testimony that would not

help his case. "here you are," said edgell genially, "i'vetaken the liberty of calling you an old golfing pal. i've done all i could but colonel langleyis not easy of approach. i'm not at all hopeful." "it isn't really serious," trent explainedafter thanking him, "but i'd like to see him again. he did undoubtedly save my life andcarried me into safety. quite a physical feat for one of his weight. what do you supposehe weighs?" "about ten stone seven," the other answered. that was one hundred and forty-seven pounds.trent was gradually building up a portrait of the man he feared.

"and about five feet seven in height?" hehinted. "that's the man," edgell asserted. "quitea good looking chap, too, if you care for the type. rather too effeminate for me although,god knows, he is a man." it was not easy to see colonel langley, d.s.o.trent knew that county magnates such as he was did not see everyone who desired an interview.he stayed at a good hotel in norwich and enclosed captain edgell's letter in one of his own. the answer came back in the third person.it was favorable and punctiliously polite. colonel langley would be happy to see mr.anthony trent at eleven o'clock on a certain morning. dereham old hall was a dozen milesfrom norwich, city of gardens, city of norman

cathedrals and many quaintly named parishchurches. trent hired a motor car and drove through the leafy norfolk lanes. colonel langley's residence was the work ofinigo jones and a perfect example of the renaissance style. it stood at least a mile from the highroad. the lodge keeper telephoned to the house and trent's driver was permitted to drivethrough the deer park and pull up before the great front doors. the room in which anthony trent waited forthe colonel was evidently a sort of smoking room. trophies of the chase adorned the walls.it was evident langley was a hunter of great game and had shot in all parts of the globefrom alaska to africa.

he was a man of six feet four in height, grizzledand wore a small clipped military moustache. it was not a hard face, trent noted, but thatof a man who had always been removed from pursuits or people who wearied him. therewas a sense of power in the face and that inevitable keenness of eye which a man whocommanded a regiment could not fail to have acquired. he bowed his visitor to a seat. he did notoffer to shake hands. "you have come," he said politely, "from myformer adjutant to ask a question concerning the regiment which he writes he could nottell you. i can think of nothing to which this would apply. he had every thread of thebusiness in his hands."

"captain edgell could not tell me the realname of one of his men who enlisted under the name of william smith." there was no change of expression on the rathercold face of the lord of broad acres. "and what made captain edgell assume i couldhelp you, sir?" "i don't know all the particulars but he wascertain you knew his real identity." "if i do," colonel langley returned, "i shallkeep that knowledge to myself. i regret that you have had this trouble for nothing." "william smith," trent told the other, "savedmy life. i want to thank him for it. is there anything odd in that? you alone can help meso i come to you. i want to help william smith.

i have money which i should not have beenable to enjoy but for him." "you imagine, then, that william smith ispenniless, is that it?" "he told me he was," trent answered promptly."i can offer him an opportunity to make good money in new york." he looked at colonel langley as he said it.if smith was indeed of a great family the idea of being offered money and a job mustamuse the one who knew his real name and estate. sure enough a flicker of a smile passed overthe landowner's face. "i am happy to inform you," he said, "thatmr. smith is living at home with his family financially secure enough not to need youraid."

"that," said trent deliberately, "is morethan you can say." "i am not in the habit of hearing my worddoubted," the older man said acidly. "i am not doubting it," trent said suavely,"i mean merely to remind you that he may need my aid although it may not be monetary aid.you will remember that there have been passages in mr. smith's life which have not been entirelycreditable." "are you claiming to be friend or accomplice?"langley snapped. "let us say friend and confidant," trent smiled."perhaps he made certain confessions to me-" "to you also?" langley cried. in that moment he had said too much. duringthat hour when edgell left the private alone

with his commanding officer the officer hadobtained his confidence and very likely a confession. he saw the soldier throw a quickglance at one of those old safes which disguised themselves as necessary articles of furniture.trent's eyes dwelt on it no longer than the owner's did, but he saw enough. colonel langleyhad told him plainly that the confession was locked in the safe which looked like a blackoak sideboard on which decanters and a humidor were arranged. "to me also," trent repeated, "and it is becauseof it that i knew he did what he did for the reason he needed more money than a youngerson could expect. colonel langley, i only want his real name. i want to help him. that'swhy i spoke of offering him money."

"you will be glad to know," the colonel answered,"that mr. smith is at present in no need of money." "you mean," trent said sharply, "that youwill not give me his real name and address?" "i cannot tell you," colonel langley answered."if you like i will write and say you have called and give him the opportunity to doas he pleases." trent reflected for a moment. if smith werenot already aware of his presence in england it would be very unwise to advertise it. hewas beginning to see he had been less than cautious in calling upon edgell and colonellangley under his own name. "i need not trouble you to do that," he said,"if you wish to conceal his name it is no

doubt your privilege and he will do well enoughwithout my thanks." he made his chauffeur drive home at a temperatespeed. the man knew all about the langleys and was glad to tell the affable stranger.as they passed through the gates several carriages laden with men and some station carts filledwith baggage passed into the gravelled drive. "gentlemen come for the shooting," the chauffeurvolunteered. "tomorrow is september the first when partridge shooting commences. the colonelis a great shot and the king comes here often and the german emperor has shot over thoseturnips in the old days. this is supposed to be the best partridge shoot in the kingdomand the birds are fine and strong this year-not too much rain in the spring."

"i suppose there'll be a regular banquet tonight,"said trent. "tomorrow night's the night," said the chauffeurgrinning, "tonight they all go to bed early so as to be up to an early breakfast and havetheir shooting eyes. the colonel's terrible man if any of the guns only wound their birds.they've got to shoot well tomorrow if they want to come here again. i know because myuncle is one of the keepers." the man was surprised at the tip his americanpassenger handed him when they reached the maids' head hotel, and charmed with his affability.he told his fellows that trent was a real gentleman. he did not know that his unsolicitedconfidence had given the american a hint upon which he would be quick to act.

as trent had been driven along the derehamroad approach to norwich he had seen a little cycle shop where gasoline was sold and repairsmade. the war had sent english people of moderate circumstances back to the bicycle again andonly the wealthy could keep cars or buy petrol at seventy-five cents a gallon. in his drivehe had seen several people of seemingly good position pedalling cheerfully through thelanes. the chauffeur had touched his hat to one and spoken of him as rector of a nearbyparish. cycles were to be hired everywhere and the prevailing rate seemed to be sixpencean hour or three and six for the day. after dinner anthony trent found his way backto the little shop in the dereham road. "the wensum garage" it proudly called itself. herehe said he wished to hire a bicycle for a

day. as dusk fell he was pedalling along todereham old hall. few people were about and those he passed evinced no curiosity. avoidingthe main road which passed in front of the lodge and gates by which he had entered, hehid his wheel between two hay stacks which almost touched. then he made his way throughthe kitchen gardens to the rear of the house. it was now ten o'clock and the servants' partof the big house seemed deserted. already the lights in the upper stories were evidencethat some guests were retiring to rest well before the "glorious first." from the shelter of the rose garden he couldsee a half score of men and women on the great terrace in front of the splendid house. hecould see that they were all in evening dress.

in a mosquitoless country this habit of walkingup and down the long stone terraces was a common practice after dinner. trent came sonear to the guests that he could hear them talking. the conversation was mainly aboutto-morrow's prospects. he learned there was little disease among the birds, that theywere phenomenally strong on the wing and hadn't been shot over to any extent since 1914. someguests deplored the fact that dancing was taboo on this night of nights but it was thelangley tradition and they must bend to it. "think of it," he heard a woman say, laughing,"lights out at twelve! how primitive and delightful." she yawned a little. "i'm looking forwardto it; we all stay up too late." "good night, duchess," he heard the man say."sleep well and pray i may be in form."

"duchess!" in the old days anthony trent wouldhave thrilled at the title for it meant invariably jewels of price and the gathering of the veryrich. but he was waiting outside the masterpiece of inigo jones not for any of those preciousglittering stones for which he had sacrificed all his prospects of fame and honor but forthe documents which he believed were hidden in the iron box, that ridiculous "pete" coveredwith black english oak. it was another of the "hunches" which had come to him. he hadnever been more excited about any of the many jobs he had undertaken. as he sat among the roses waiting for timeto pass he reflected that the few failures that had been his had not been attended byany danger. he had lost the pearls that were

wont to encircle the throat of a great operasinger because her maid had chosen an awkward hour to prosecute her amour with a chauffeur.the diamonds of the mexican millionaire's lady were lost to him because the house tookfire while he was examining the combination of the safe. but they would wait. he wouldyet have them both. the booty for which he had come tonight was more precious than anythinghe had ever tried for. it was probably the key to safety that he sought. trent did notdoubt that there was a document in the safe which would enable him to hold something overthe head of private william smith. he waited until twelve had struck from thestable clock and the terrace had been deserted a half-hour. to open the doors leading fromthe terrace was simple. anthony trent always

carried with him on business bent two stripsof tool steel with a key-blade at each end. with these two "t" and "v" patterns he couldopen the world's locks. a nine inch jimmy was easy to secrete. this was of the highestquality of steel and looked to the uninitiated very much like a chisel. but it differed froma chisel by having at its other end two brass plates set at right angles to one another.these could be adjusted to what angles were needed by turning countersunk screw bolts.it was the ideal tool for yale spring locks. he did not need it here. the doors openedat will with the "v" pattern skeleton key. great oriental rugs deadened sound and theboards of the house were old, seasoned and silent. he found his way to the room in whichthe colonel had received him with little difficulty.

first of all he opened the window and sawthat he could spring clear out of it at a bound and land in a bed of flowers only threefeet below. then he came to the antiquated safe. the combinations were ridiculously easy.his trained ear caught the faint sounds as he turned the lever easily. these told himexactly the secret of the combination. it was not two minutes work to open the doors.an inner sheeting of steel confronted him but was opened by his jimmy. it was not safeto turn on the electric lights. in so big an establishment with so many outdoor servantsthere might be many to remark an unexpected illumination. his little torch showed himall he wanted to know. colonel langley had the soldiers' neatness.there were few valuables in the safe. they

would be presumably in his banker's strongboxes. there were packets of letters tied up and one long envelope. on it was inscribed,"not to be opened. in case of my death this must be destroyed by my heir, reginald langley."on the envelope was the date, july 27, 1918, and the single word, "ladigny." ladigny was a little village in france forevermemorable by the heroic stand of the city of london regiment when it lost so terriblyand refused to retreat. trent opened the envelope in such a way that no trace of the operationwas seen. then for ten minutes he read steadily. almost a half hour was expended in copyingpart of it in a note book. then the envelope was resealed and the safe closed. as he hadworn gloves there was no fear of incriminating

finger prints. he did not think anyone wouldnotice that a jimmy had been used. then he closed the safe and its outer doors of blackoak. he permitted himself the luxury of a cigarette.he had done a good night's work. if private william smith had sufficient evidence to placeanthony trent behind the bars the master criminal had sufficient certain knowledge now to shutthe mouth of the man he was tracking. who would have thought a man reared in such afamily would have fallen so low! it is a human failure to make comparisons whereby othersinvariably shine with a very weak light, but anthony trent was saying no more than thetruth when he told himself that with smith's opportunities he would never have taken tohis present calling.

with smith's opportunities he would be sittingin a big room like this and sitting in it without fear of interruption. the strain ofthe last few days had not been agreeable and this strain must grow in intensity as he grewolder. it was always in such peaceful surroundings as these that trent felt the bitterness ofcrime even when successful. he stopped suddenly short in his musing andcrushed the bright tip of his cigarette into blackness beneath his foot. someone was fumblingwith the doorhandle, very quietly as though anxious not to disturb him. he cursed thecarelessness that had allowed him to leave it unlocked. he had not behaved in a professionalway at all. very cautiously he rose to his feet, meaning to leave by the open windowwhen the door opened. trent sank back into

the shadow of the big chair. to make a dashfor the window would mean certain detection. to stay motionless might mean he could escapelater. similar immobility had saved him ere this. the intruder closed the door and his sharpears told him it was locked. then a soft-treading form moved slowly through the dim light andclosed the window, shut off his avenue of escape, and pulled across it two curtainswhich shut out all light. there were two other high windows in the room and across each onewas pulled the light-excluding curtains. then there was a click and the room sprang intobrilliance. anthony trent saw the intruder at the samemoment the intruder stared into his face.

it was a girl in evening dress, a beautifulgirl with chestnut hair and a delicious profile. she wore an elaborate evening gown of a delicateblue and carried in her hand a fan made of a single long ostrich plume. her hair waselaborately coiffured. she was, in fine, a woman of the beau monde, a fitting guest insuch a house as this. but what was she doing in this room at one o'clock at night whenthe rest of the household had long been abed? the girl saw a slender but strongly builtman of something over thirty with a pale, clean-shaven face, shrewd almost hard eyesand a masterful nose. he looked like a rising english barrister certain at some time tobe a judge or at the least a king's counsel. he was dressed in a well cut suit of darkblue with a pin stripe. he wore brown shoes

and silk socks. she noted he had long slenderhands perfectly kept. he rose to his feet and smiled at her a littlequizzically. "really," he said, "you almost frightenedme. i was sitting in the dark making plans for the glorious 'first,' which has been herealmost an hour, when i heard you trying to open the door." there was no doubt in her mind but that hewas one of the guests who had arrived from london on the late train and had not changedto evening dress. there was a train due at thorpe station at half past ten and the motortrip would take forty minutes more. "i had no idea anyone was here," she saidtruthfully, "or i shouldn't have come. you

see one can't sleep early even if one is sentto bed as we all were tonight." she glanced at the clock. "i'm not shooting tomorrow butif you are why don't you turn in? you know colonel langley is a fearful martinet wherethe shooting is concerned and insists that every bird is killed cleanly." it was plain that she wished to get rid ofhim. trent was frankly puzzled. the girl had shown no fear or nervousness. ordinarily theconventions would have had their innings and she would have hesitated at the possibilityof being found alone with a good looking man at such an hour. she would have excused herselfand left him in the belief that he was a guest she would meet tomorrow at dinner and dancewith after it. but she showed no such intention.

he knew enough about women to see that shehad no intention of waiting for the pleasure of a friendly chat. she had rather a haughtytype of face and spoke with that quick imperious manner which he had observed in british womenof rank or social importance. "i have neuralgia," he said amiably, "andi prefer to sit here than go to bed. perhaps you left something here? can i help you tofind it?" "i came for a book. colonel langley was talkingabout some african hunting story your mr. roosevelt wrote." so she knew him for an american. well, shewould find the american not easily to be gulled. there came to him the memory of another nightin fifth avenue when a woman who seemed to

be of fashion and position had so completelyfooled him and had been left in possession of a large sum of currency. he moved toward a bookcase in which were acollection of books on fishing and shooting. "'african game trails,'" he said, "here itis." there was no doubt in his mind that the lookshe threw at him was not one of complete amiability. she wanted him to go. he asked himself why.it would have been easy for her to go and leave him, and the best way out of the difficulty,unless she had come for one specific purpose. if she had come for something concealed inthe room and needed it badly enough she would try and wait until he went. trent was certainshe had no suspicion as to his own mission.

in so big a house as dereham old hall fiftyguests could be entertained easily and it was unlikely she should know even half ofthem. he had observed that it was not the fashion in england to introduce indiscriminatelyas in his own country. guests were introduced to their immediate neighbors; but that appallingcustom whereby one unfortunate is expected to memorize the names of all present at agulp was not popular. because she did not know him would not lead to suspicion. he wasin no danger. even a servant coming in would see in him only a friend of his employer. "thank you," she said, taking the book withan appearance of interest. "do you know i never thought to see americans at derehamold hall with the single exception of reginald's

old friend conington warren. colonel langleyis so conservative but the war has broadened everyone hasn't it and stupid national prejudicesare breaking down." "conington warren here?" he asked. "he lives in england now," she told him, "hisphysicians warned him that prohibition would kill him so they simply prescribed a countrywhere he could still take this cocktail. you know him of course?" "a little," he said; she wondered why he smiledso curiously. he wondered what this beautiful girl would say if she knew it was at coningtonwarren's mansion in fifth avenue that he had started his career as a criminal. so thatgreat sportsman, owner of thoroughbreds and

undeniable shot, was in this very house! afterall it was not a strange coincidence. the well known americans who love horse and houndwith the passion of the true sportsman are to be seen in the great houses of englandmore readily than the mushroom financier. "what other people are there here you know?"she demanded. "i can't tell you till tomorrow," he returned,"i only said a word or two to the duchess. she deplored having to go to bed so earlyand was disappointed at not being able to dance." "she is one of my dearest friends," the girlanswered. "which means you see her every fault," helaughed.

"isn't your neuralgia better?" she asked aftera pause. anthony trent shook his head. "i shan't sleep all night," he said despondently."going to bed would only make it worse." she was obviously put out at this statement. "then you'll stop here all night?" "at all events until it gets light. it's onlytwo o'clock now. if you are keen on big game hunting you won't sleep if you begin thatbook." "you'll frighten the servants in the morning,"she said later. "i'll tip them into confidence," he assuredher.

the girl was growing nervous. there were ahundred symptoms from the tapping of her little feet on the rug to the fidgeting with thebook and the meaningless play with her fan. she started when a distant dog bayed the moonand dropped her book. it rolled under a table and trent picked it up. but when he handedit back to her there was an air of excitement about him, an atmosphere of triumph whichpuzzled her. "you look as though you enjoyed hunting forbooks under tables." "i enjoy any hunting when i get a reward formy trouble." "and what did you find?" she asked "a littlemouse under the chair?" "i found a key," he said.

"someone must have dropped it," she said idly. "not a door key," he returned, "but the keyto a mystery. being a woman you are interested in mysteries that have a beautiful societygirl as their heroine of course?" "i really must disappoint you," she said rathercoldly, "and i don't quite understand why you are not quick to take the many hints ihave dropped. can't you see i want to sit here alone and think? your own room will bejust as comfortably furnished. in a sense this is a sort of second home to me. mrs.langley and i are related and this room is an old and favorite haunt when i'm depressed.is it asking very much that you leave me here alone?"

"under ordinary conditions no," he said suavely. "these are ordinary conditions," she persisted. "i'm not sure," he retorted. "tell me thisif you dare. why have you the combination to a safe written on a little piece of mauvepaper and concealed in the book on your lap?" she turned very pale and the look she gavehim turned his suspicion into a desire to protect her. the woman of the world air droppedfrom her and she looked a frightened pathetic and extraordinarily lovely child. "what shall i do?" she cried helplessly. "youare a detective?" "not yet," he said smiling, "although lateri intend to be. but i'm not here even as a

great amateur. consider me merely a notoriouslygood shot suffering equally from neuralgia and curiosity. you have the combination ofa safe concealed in this room and you want me to go to bed so that you may take out wadsof bank notes and pay your bridge debts. is that right so far?" "you are absolutely wrong," she cried withspirit. "i need no money and have no debts. there are no jewels in the safe." "letters of course," he said easily. she did not speak for a moment. he could seeshe was wondering what she dare tell him. she could not guess that he knew of the threepackages of letters each tied with green ribbon.

it was, he supposed, the old story of compromisingletters. innocent enough, but letters that would spell evil tidings to the jealous fiancã©.they might have been written to colonel langley. men of that heroic stamp often appealed tosentimental school girls and the colonel was undeniably handsome in his cold superior way.his heart ached for her. she was suffering. what had seemed so easy was now become a taskof the greatest difficulty. "yes," she said deliberately, "letters. lettersi must have." "do you suppose i can stand by and see myhost robbed?" "if you have any generosity about you youcan in this instance. i only want to destroy one letter because if it should ever be discoveredit will hurt the man i love most in the world."

anthony trent groaned. he had guessed aright.there was some man of her own class and station who did not love her well enough to overlooksome little silly affectionate note sent to the beau sabreur langley perhaps a half dozenyears before. it was a rotten thing to keep such letters. he looked at the girl againand cursed his luck that she was already engaged. then he sighed and remembered that even wereshe free it could never be his lot to marry unless he confessed all. and he knew thatto a woman of the type he wanted to marry this confession would mean the end of confidencethe beginning of despair. "i shall not stop you," he said. she looked at him eagerly.

"and you'll never tell?" "not if they put me through the third degree." "but ... oughtn't you to tell?" she asked. "of course," he admitted, "but i won't. ican see you are wondering why. i'll tell you. i've been in just such a position-and idid what you are going to do." without another word she went swiftly to theconcealed safe and began to manipulate the lock. for five minutes she tried and thenturned to him miserably. "it won't open," she wailed. "i'll have a shot at it," he said gaily, andwent down on his knees by her side. he soon

found out why it remained immovable. it wasan old combination. she did not understand his moves as he went through the same procedurewhich had opened it before. she only saw that the doors swung back. she did not see himpry the iron sheathing back with the jimmy. it was miraculously easy. then he crossed the room to his chair andlighted another cigarette. "help yourself," he cried and picked up the book which hadheld the combination. the girl's back was to him and he could notsee what she was doing. he heard the scratch of a match being lighted and saw her stoopingover the stone fireplace. she was burning her past. then he heard her sigh with relief.

"i shall never forget what you have done forme," she said holding out her hand. "it was little enough," he said earnestly. "you don't know just how much it was," thegirl returned, "or how grateful i shall always be to you. if i hadn't got that letter! ishouldn't have got it but for you. and to think that tomorrow we shall be introducedas one stranger to another. i'm rather glad i don't know your name or you mine. it willbe rather fun won't it, being introduced and pretending we've never met before. if youare not very careful the duchess will suspect we share some dreadful secret." "the duchess is rather that way inclined,isn't she?" he said.

he held the hand she offered him almost uncomfortablylong a time. she would look for him tomorrow in vain. he supposed she would begin by askingif there were any other americans there except conington warren. after a time she would findhe was not a guest of the langleys. she would come at last to know what he was. and withthis knowledge there would come contempt and a deliberate wiping his image from her mind.anthony trent had no sentimental excuses to offer. he had chosen his own line of country. he looked at her again. it would be the lasttime. perhaps there was a dangerously magnetic quality about his glance for the girl droppedher eyes. "faustus," he said abruptly, "sold his soulfor a future. i think i'd be willing to barter

mine for a past." "au revoir," she said softly. when she had closed the door he walked acrossthe room to shut the safe. what secrets of hers, he wondered, had been shut up thereso long. he found himself in a new and strange frame of mind. why should he be jealous ofwhat she might have written in the letter that was now ashes? she had probably thoughthero-worship was love. she had a splendid face he told himself. high courage, loyaltyand breeding were mirrored in it. he wondered what sort of a man it was who had won her. he looked at the neatly-tied bundle of letters.it seemed as though they had hardly been touched.

suddenly he turned to the compartment wherethe long letter had lain, the letter from which he had made so many extracts, the letterit was imperative colonel langley should believe to be intact. it was gone. in the hearth there were stillsome burned pages. he could recognize the watermark. anthony trent had amiably assisted an unknowngirl to destroy a letter whose safety meant a great deal to him. if colonel langley wereto discover the loss it would be easy enough to put the blame upon the bicycle-riding americanwho had pretended to be a friend of private william smith.

as he thought it over anthony trent saw thatthe girl in blue had not lied to him, had not sought to entrap him by gaining his sympathyas the "countess" had succeeded in doing before another open safe in new york. he had assumedone thing and she had meant another. what was william smith to this unknown beauty?trent gritted his teeth. he was going to find out. at all events he now knew the real nameof the private soldier who had shared the dug-out with him. the next thing was to findout where he lived. chapter foura lady interrupts anthony trent told the obliging manager ofthe maids' head hotel that he was interested mainly in the study of cathedral churchesand since he had now studied the magnificent

norwich cathedral would push on to ely. he found england an exceedingly easy placeto shake off pursuers despite its small size. there were always junctions where he couldchange from one line to another without incurring suspicion. he started for ely but was soonlost among the summer crowds which thronged the university city of cambridge. the convenientsystem of merely claiming one's baggage and ordering a porter to take it to car or taxirendered the tracking of it by baggage checks almost impossible. while it was true he was not pursued, so faras he knew, he wanted to be careful. it was not likely langley would charge him with thetheft of the ladigny confession but it was

quite probable that the colonel might suspectthe writer of the confession. he might think that smith had hired a clever american safebreaker to win for him what was very necessary for his freedom of action. and smith, if hedid not already know it, would find the man over whom he held many years in american prisonsalmost within his clutches. it was necessary that anthony trent shouldsee smith first and make a bargain with him. it was imperative that he meet the man aloneand where he could place the cards on the table and talk freely. in a room of the quaint half-timbered hostelryin norwich trent had come across some useful books of reference. there were, for example,such guides to knowledge as "crockford's clerical

directory"; "hart's army list"; the "courtdirectory of london" and "lodge's peerage and baronetage." the name for which trentsought diligently was that of arthur spencer jerningham grenvil. by these names privatewilliam smith had the legal right to be known. by these names he had signed a confession. a. s. j. grenvil had admitted forging a checkfor two hundred pounds. the signature he had skilfully imitated was that of reginald langleyof dereham old hall in the county of norfolk. there was a copy of a letter written by colonellangley to grenvil dated six years before. on the whole it was a letter which impressedtrent favorably. it was written from rather a lofty altitude by a man to whom family honorand the motto noblesse oblige meant a whole

code of chivalry. "until you went to sandhurst you were a creditto your name and the great family from which you spring," he read. "suddenly, without anywarning, your habits altered and you became a gambler. well, many of your race have gambled,but at least they played fair and paid what they owed. you did not even do that. it waswith great difficulty that your father was able to get you your commission in my oldregiment. we hoped you would feel that in the presence of so many men of birth and breedingthat you must alter your habits and wear with credit your sovereign's uniform. and now youare a common forger. of course the signature you forged will be honored. but i requirethis of you: that you will confess to me your

guilt; that you will leave the regiment; thatyou will do some honest work and re-establish yourself in my eyes. i will see to it thatwork of a not unpleasing kind is found for you in australia. on my part i will undertaketo keep your secret so long as you keep away from england. remember, arthur, there areother discreditable things i could bring to your notice if i chose. i am anxious thatmy kinsman, your father, should not suffer any more from your escapades. on receipt ofthis letter proceed to my lawyers whose address you know. they have instructions what to do." it was plain that the father of the man hehad known as william smith was of rank. the fact that he was a kinsman of colonel langleymight be explained by reference to the fifth

book on the shelf at the maids' head-"debrett'slanded gentry of gt. britain." he turned to langley of dereham old hall.langley's mother, it seemed, was the lady dorothea grenvil daughter of the ninth, andsister of the present earl of rosecarrel. grenvil, therefore, was the family name ofthe earls of rosecarrel. in the peerage all the particulars concerningthe grenvils were laid bare. the tenth earl, who had been british ambassador to turkey,was a knight of the garter, etc., etc., had married elizabeth only daughter of admiral,lord arthur jerningham and had issue: first the heir, viscount st. just, major inthe royal horse guards, v.c.g.c.b. second and third, two sons killed in the great war.fourth, arthur spencer jerningham grenvil

of whom no particulars were given. fifth camethe lady rhona elizabeth onslow married to the duke of ontarlier in the peerage of franceand last the lady daphne villiers grenvil, unmarried. trent reckoned out that she wouldbe a girl of twenty-one. private smith would be twenty-six. the town house of the earls of rosecarrelwas in grosvenor place and their country seats were alderwood hall in cambridgeshire androsecarrel castle in cornwall. alderwood hall was six miles from the universitycity and the house could be seen on one of the small hills to the west of the town. aguide book informed trent that the house was thrown open to visitors on thursdays at asmall fee which went to the local hospital.

there were to be seen some notable examplesof the "norwich school" works by crome, cotman, vincent and stark. the butler was distressed by the heat of earlyseptember and dismissed the visitors as soon as possible. but he regarded the americantourist in a different light for trent had slipped him a half sovereign. "i want to take my time," said trent, "i likepictures and i want to examine these more closely." "certainly, sir," said the butler. "anythingi can do to help you i shall be proud to do." anthony trent, who had a wide knowledge ofpaintings of the outdoors and possessed one

of the world's missing masterpieces, noneother than the venetian masque of giorgione which he had taken from a vulgar and unappreciativemillionaire, looked at the fresh, simple landscapes with joy. "is the family in residence?" he asked whenhe had finished. "the earl always spends the summer at rosecarrel,"the man answered. "he keeps his yacht in fowey harbour. i'm afraid his lordship is failing.you see the loss of master gervase and master bevil was a terrible shock. we lost sevenout of our twelve gardeners here and two of them that came back won't ever be much good." "what about mr. arthur grenvil?" trent askedidly. "i used to know him."

"he's back," the butler said. but the lookof affection which the old family servant had shown when he spoke of the two who hadfallen was gone. "i'll say this for master arthur, he fought too and got wounded. there'snone that can say aught against his pluck." "he is cool enough," trent said, and thoughtof the scene in the dug-out when he and arthur grenvil waited for death and did not giveway to terror. "he's down in cornwall with the earl, i suppose?" "and lady daphne," the butler added. "sincethe death of the countess she looks after everything." trent visualized one of those managing domineeringyoung women who rule tenants relentlessly

but after all exercise benevolent despotismin bucolic matters. "was he badly hurt?" trent asked before heleft. "i hardly knew him," the butler said. "i giveyou my word i was fair shocked at the difference; isn't for the likes of me to question theways of providence but why mr. arthur was left and the others taken i don't understand." anthony trent wondered, too. it would havesaved him a great deal of worry if things had been reversed. on the whole this mauvaissujet, of an ancient family was a consistent trouble maker. a bradshaw's time table showed trent thatas lord rosecarrel's yacht was at fowey he

would be wise to make a trip to the delectableduchy, as a fowey author has termed cornwall, and disguise himself as a tourist and thuspave the way for a meeting with private william smith. he purchased a large scale automobile mapof cornwall and when he reached the quaint seaport had a fair idea of the locality. rosecarrelcastle lay some ten miles away on the moorland. the local guidebook told him all about it.it was the great house of the neighbourhood, a granite built fastness which had sufferedsiege many times. the grenvils were a cornish family of distinction and happier in theirown west countree than on the cambridge estates. trent had always found the consultation oflocal newspapers a great help toward knowledge

of a community and he immediately solacedhimself with what fowey had to offer. a perusal of the advertising columns gave him a goodidea of what he could do to pass his time in a manner that would seem logical to thecountryfolk. since he was not a painter, and fowey had no golf links, his occupation inthe absence of a sailing or power boat was merely that of a sightseer and he felt outof his element in this innocent guise. the local paper showed him that there wereseveral "rough shootings" that he might rent for the season. these were tracts of farmand moorland where partridges, hares, woodcock and an occasional pheasant might be found.one in the parish of st. breward on the moors particularly attracted him. the local agentcommended him on his wisdom. he did not know

anthony trent had selected this desolate tractof granite strewn moor because rosecarrel castle was but a half dozen miles distant. trent had been less than a week in cornwallwhen he was installed in a farmhouse, the owner of a spaniel of great local repute,and regarded simply as one of those sportsmen who took the shooting every year and as suchwas above suspicion. mr. nicholls, the loquacious agent who had rented him the shooting andhad driven him over to view it, talked a great deal of the great earl of rosecarrel. he regrettedthat since the death of the countess few guests stayed within the castle. there had been bravedays a few years back when lord st. just the son and heir had been master of the northcornwall foxhounds.

"but there's only the honourable arthur grenvilthere now," said nicholls, "and lady daphne. lord st. just is military attachã© at washington." "since when?" trent demanded. "within a few weeks," said the agent. that was the reason why the younger brotherhad been to see him off at liverpool. it was quite likely that private smith assumed anthonytrent to be dead. or he might have thought him boasting of another's deeds. but trentwas going to find out if possible. this time he had materials for a compromise. suddenlynicholls pointed out a figure on horseback fully a half mile distant.

"like enough," said the agent, "that's thehonourable arthur. he rides about on the moors a lot. all this land as far as you can seebelongs to the earl." trent could see that the rider was canteringalong narrow paths inaccessible to vehicles. well, the meeting would wait. some morninghe would rein in his horse beside that of private smith and see recognition dawn inthe eye of the man when the visitor announced himself as anthony trent. then covetousnesswould follow and the thought of rich reward hearten the ex-private. trent chuckled tohimself as he thought of how the man's face would fall when he outlined his past historyand showed him he was in possession of secrets which, once public, must bring him into theclutches of the inexorable, passionless law

of the realm. "where can i get a horse?" he asked nicholls. "john treleaven over to st. kew has a goodhunting horse he wants to sell. it will be a bargain at sixty pounds mr. trent. i'lltell him to ride it over tomorrow if you like." "all right," trent said, "and i want saddleand bridle and so on." so anthony trent added treleaven's stout horseto his possessions and when he was not shooting, rode over the moorlands purple with cornishheather and yellow with gorse. nearly always he rode near the castle of rosecarreland was often annoyed to find his pilgrimage shared by archaeologists and other visitors.rosecarrel castle had begun as a fortress;

when cannon rendered masonry useless it hadbecome a castellated mansion and now it showed the slow changes of the long centuries andwas a delightful residence. the moat was a flower garden and the keeps were now greenwith grass and bright with roses. admission was by presentation of a visitingcard on a certain day. it was no part of trent's purpose to send the name in which might remindarthur grenvil of that memorable talk in the dark. when he disclosed himself it would beman to man and he was not able yet to satisfy his curiosity about the great building. he was gratified to find that the river camelrunning through part of the shooting he rented was a notable salmon and trout stream. thetrout were small but the sea-run salmon went

as high as thirty pounds. in kennebago wherehis maine camp was the land-locked variety seldom went to more than seven pounds. directlyhe had secured his license, and the equipment he wired to london for had arrived, he clambereddown the steep hill side to the river. but he fished very little that afternoon for ashe climbed over one of the granite stiles he came face to face with two other anglers,a man and girl. the girl was none other than the mysteriouslady in blue for whom he had opened colonel langley's safe. she came forward hand outstretchedwhen she saw him. that she was a little confused he was certain,and perhaps a trifle fearful that he might make some allusion to the oddity of the circumstancesunder which they had first met. the man was

almost a hundred feet from her. he was castingand too interested to look at anything but the deep pool in which salmon were wont tolie. "i was never able to thank you for that, thatnight at dereham," she began, "but my father had one of his attacks and i had to leavethe very next day just before luncheon. i hope you had good sport." "unusually good," he said. it was a greatpiece of luck that she still assumed him to be of the house party. but what was she doinghere? when he asked she said, "we live near here." she looked around to see her companioncoming toward her and the stranger. "this is my brother," she said, "arthur grenvil.arthur this gentleman was staying at dereham

old hall when i was there. mr.?" she lookedat him pleadingly, "i'm so stupid about names." the stranger seemed to be looking at her whenhe answered, but his eyes were upon arthur grenvil. "anthony trent," he said urbanely. "how do you do," grenvil said without betrayingany emotion. "had any luck?" "not yet," anthony trent said still lookinghard at him. things were happening rather more quickly than he liked. too many discoverieswere disconcerting. first this girl was of course lady daphne grenvil. and she had notany other motive in view in abstracting the confession than of helping her renegade brother.anthony trent felt himself absurdly pleased

to know that. he had thought of her constantlyand pitied her because he assumed her to be under the domination of a handsome heartlessscamp like the honourable arthur. it was grenvil's attitude which puzzled theamerican. the name had apparently aroused no suspicion. it proved the man was more dangerousthan he supposed if he were able to master his emotions with such ease. as they stoodthere chatting about flies and the size of the salmon anthony trent had time to studygrenvil's appearance. assuredly he differed from the mental picture he had formed of him. to begin with there seemed nothing viciousabout him. he was a very handsome man with small regular features, finely formed noseand engaging blue eyes. anthony trent thought

of the confession he had seen and rememberedthe talk in the dug-out. he called to mind the hints that the alderbrook butler had letdrop and the lack of enthusiasm the agent nicholls had shown in speaking of him. fromall accounts arthur spencer jerningham grenvil should be a very highly polished scoundrelbut coarsened somewhat from his experiences in the ranks for so many years. and here he was with a sister he plainly adored,looking with a sort of shy good nature at the stranger. "it's so jolly to meet another keen fisherman,"he said amiably, "i know the camel so well that i can show you the best pools if you'dcare about it."

"that would be very kind of you," anthonytrent returned. he did not know what to make of the man he had first known as private smith.there might be a mistake and yet, if there had been, why should lady daphne have riskeddisgrace in breaking open a safe for his sake. and the voice, the unmistakable voice, wasthat of the man to whom he had confided all his dangerous, deadly secrets. "i haven'tfished the river for almost seven years," the younger man went on. "my brother has been in the army for morethan five years," the girl said, "and he hadn't much chance then. he was badly wounded andwe are making him well again." "i'm being horribly spoiled, mr. trent," grenvilsmiled, "and i rather like it. did you get

in the big show by any chance?" "as long as i could be after my country declaredwar," trent said looking at him hard. "we must exchange experiences." "please don't," the girl begged, "arthur'snerves can't stand it. the doctors say he must live outdoors and forget everything." "and are you able to forget-everything?"trent asked him. arthur grenvil frowned a little. it was asthough the memory of something unpleasing had lingered for a moment. "most things," said the other.

"is it wise?" trent demanded. this refusingeven by a look or a smile to acknowledge that he remembered the memorable talk was disturbing. "perhaps not," grenvil admitted, "but wisdomand i never got on very well together." the sound of a motor horn broke the silence. "the car," said arthur grenvil to his sister."we have to run away because people are coming over from the barracks to lunch. i hope ishall meet you again mr. trent." he nodded pleasantly. "come on daphne." "goodbye, mr. trent," she said brightly. "ihope you'll land a monster fish." anthony trent flung himself on the grass atthe edge of the pool and lighted his pipe.

lordly salmon were no temptation to him atthe moment. private william smith had beaten him so far. private smith had looked as innocentas a babe. he had been polite and gracious but had refused to acknowledge any formeracquaintance. again and again in the few minutes trent had telegraphed to him plainly, "well,here i am, the master criminal you were proud to know, what are you going to do?" and everytime private smith had said, "i do not know you. i never saw you before." it was wellenough to postpone the conversation until they were alone, but trent resented the utterindifference of the younger man to his appeal. a man dare only do that who had no fear. thatmust be the reason. grenvil had made only general statements in his half confession,statements which could not convict him. he

felt he held the whip hand over the master.there would be a different expression on his face when trent dropped a hint as to the dangersof forging. at the farm house where he was living trenthad little difficulty in getting side lights on the grenvil family. he had never heardsuch disapprobation showered on a single member of any family as was the case with the farmerand his wife when they spoke of arthur grenvil. they said his scandalous life had killed hismother. it was all bad companionship and drink, mrs. bassett the farmer's wife contended.he was all right till he left school to go into the army. he was cruel to animals andfalse to his friends. "he doesn't look it," trent said slowly.

"the devil gives his own a mask to fool therighteous," mrs. bassett contended. she was a pious soul. "i ought to know. i was a nursemaidat the castle before i married john bassett." never in all his career as a breaker of lawsand an abstractor of the valuable property of others had trent been so apprehensive ashe was in quiet, beautiful cornwall far from cities. in new york he had schooled himselfto look unconcerned at the police he met on every corner. here there seemed to be no policeand yet he looked anxiously at every stranger who passed by the moorland farm. he told himselfit was the effect of his war hardships, his wounds and shell shock. but he knew his nerveswere steady, his muscles strong as ever and his health magnificent. he was forced to admitthat he was on edge because of this meeting

with arthur grenvil. "this has got to end," he said after breakfastnext morning, "i've had enough uncertainty." a few minutes later he was on horseback andon his way to rosecarrel castle. it might not be easy to see grenvil in his home surroundedby servants but he would make the attempt. he had no reasonable excuse for infringingthe etiquette of the occasion. he had not been invited to call and he knew no commonfriends of the family. it would be a business call. he would send in his card and say hedesired to see mr. arthur grenvil on a matter of importance. he was within two miles of the castle whenhe saw the man he had come to see mounted

on a chestnut polo pony cantering along anddriving a white polo ball over the stretch of firm turf. grenvil pulled up as he saw the american. "trying to get my eye back," he said smiling."corking game, polo, ever play it, mr. trent?" "i've had to work too hard," trent snapped. "much better for you i've no doubt," saidgrenvil idly, "if one may ask it, what sort of work did you do?" "you've no idea i suppose?" grenvil looked at him mildly.

"how can i have any idea?" he asked. anthony trent from his bigger horse lookeddown at the man on the polo pony sourly. there was that bland look of irritating innocencethat would have convinced any judge and jury. but it did not sway him. in just such a pleasantly modulated voice,and with no doubt just such an ingratiating smile private smith had feared anthony trentwas dying in very bad company. "you said you were not able to forget everything.i supposed that my work might be one of the things you still remembered." at length trent was able to observe that arthurgrenvil looked less confident.

"i'm afraid i don't quite understand whatyou mean, mr. trent." "the name anthony trent calls nothing to mind?" "sorry," grenvil retorted, "i suppose i oughtto know all about you." "that's what you said before!" trent exclaimed. "before?" there was no doubt now as to grenvil'sperturbation. "cut that out," trent commanded angrily. "youdid it very well, but i'm sick and tired of fencing. what are you going to do about it?" he was sure now that the other was frightened.that the emotion of fear did not bring anger in its train amazed trent.

"leave you to realize your mistake," grenvilsaid after a pause. then with a sharp stroke he sent the willow root ball spinning in thedirection of the castle, and followed it on his swift mount. the horse that trent had bought from johntreleaven the farmer was a half bred, a good, weight-carrying nag, a fine jumper, but notequal to the task of overtaking the chestnut thoroughbred. there was nothing to do butpursue grenvil into the castle grounds or give up the chase. angry because he couldnot judge in what degree of peril if any, he stood, anthony trent rode back to the farm. chapter fivethe man who denied

thinking things over that night as he walkedalong the camel banks and disturbed the otters at play, anthony trent determined to callupon arthur grenvil and force him to acknowledge that he had not forgotten the conversation,the confidence that was so fully given, in the dug-out. footmen and a butler barred his ingress. theywere polite and filled with regrets but the facts remained that mr. arthur grenvil bydoctor's orders saw none. the lady daphne was engaged. the men-servants could offerhim no hope. he was able to see at close range some advantages of the many servants the richwere able to employ to hedge them about with privacy. the rosecarrel butler was less urbanethan his brother at alderwood and the opportunity

for private conversation was lacking. trentsaw in this rebuff another move in the subtle game private arthur smith was playing. the next two days were spent in riding overthe moors but not a glimpse of lady daphne or her brother did he get. he was certainthey were avoiding him deliberately. the idea possessed trent that arthur grenvil was notsatisfied to obtain merely the rewards that were offered for his apprehension. if he followedthe great thefts of the world he would know that four of its most famous stones were stillmissing. and from trent's confession he would guess the master criminal still held them.they were even now in trent's maine camp ornamenting a brass benares lamp as though they were merelythe original pieces of glass that had occupied

the spaces when trent purchased it. trentcould sell through discreet sources the loot that was hidden in kennebago for not lessthan half a million dollars. if arthur grenvil chose to command him to do so and share theproceeds what could he do? the hold he had on the other man was slight. langley mighthave extorted the confession more as a warning than an instrument to use against a relative.in the two other cases to which arthur grenvil had confessed his creditors were those whohad been his friends. he had embezzled the mess funds of his regiment. it was unlikelythat a cavalry regiment which had fought from dettingen to mons would like a story of thatsort to get abroad. on the morning of the third day after hisrebuff at the hands of the footmen trent made

up his mind. he would see arthur grenvil andsee him at once. "if he thinks he can keep me out," said trent his mouth tightening toa narrow line, "he holds me too cheap." it happened that arthur grenvil knew nothingof the attempt of anthony trent to see him. the doctors had indeed ordered him rest. ladydaphne when she heard of trent's insistence said nothing but wondered why it was thathe should make the attempt. she still thought uneasily of that night at dereham when hehad discovered her with the combination to her host's safe. there was such a thing asblackmail and, after all what did she know of the american except that he had been aguest of the langleys. in itself this should have been enough to vouch for his positionin life.

she found herself more interested in anthonytrent than in any man she had ever met. and it was because of this concern that in a letterto alicia langley she asked about him. alicia's letter was astonishing. "i can'timagine, my dear daphne to whom you refer. there was no anthony trent here on the first.the only american was mr. conington warren who was wafted to our shores permanently onthe waves of prohibition. i think you knew personally every other man except the dukeof valladolida. he is, of course, a grandee of spain, short, slight and bald, but a firstrate shot, reginald says, and plays polo for the madrid team. certainly there was no tall,clean-shaven, good-looking man here whom you don't know quite well." alicia langley invariablyadded postscripts. this time it interested

the reader more than the letter. "i showedyour letter to reginald and he was almost excited. he said an anthony trent had motoredover from norwich and wanted to learn particulars of a private in his regiment. as the privatein question was arthur you may draw your own inferences if you can. reginald refused tospeak so this trent man of yours doesn't know arthur's nom de guerre from anything he haslearned here. reginald wants you to tell him where you met the man. please do as he seemsto think it very serious." while lady daphne read this communication,not without agitation, her brother was dressing for dinner. some people were coming over frompencarrow. he occupied two splendid rooms facing west and was looking over the moorlandto the sea when the handle of the room leading

to a large upper hall was opened noiselesslyand admitted anthony trent. when grenvil remembered he had not long to make the change from flannelsinto evening dress, he turned about to see the american sitting in a comfortable chair. "please don't try and ring for the servants,"trent advised smoothly, "because i am nearest to the bell and i shall not permit it." if he expected an outbreak of anger he wasdisappointed. instead there was that puzzled expression which could only arise from innocenceof trent's identity or the most finished art. "don't think i am a housebreaker," trent wenton equably, "i am not. this is visitors day if you remember and after paying my shillingi looked at the state rooms, pictures and

autograph letters and fell asleep. when iwoke up i entered this room by mistake." "and you want to find your way out?" grenvilreturned. "if you will ring the bell i will have you shown." "not until i have had the opportunity of talkinga little to you. in our first conversation i was indiscreet. you will admit that, won'tyou?" "were you?" grenvil answered vaguely. "i reallydon't remember mr. trent." "then you deny ever having seen me until wemet by the salmon pool a few days ago?" trent looked at him like a hawk. "i do," grenvil retorted.

"then if you do, why don't you resent my buttingin like this? why don't you call some men-servants and have me flung out for a damned nuisance?say i threatened you, say anything an innocent man could and would say. your attitude doesn'tfool me in the least. you are playing a deep game but i can play a deeper." grenvil shrugged his shoulders with a gestureof weariness. "there are many things i cannot explain," he said. "you are going to begin right now," trentsaid. he was not in a mood to be trifled with. he firmly believed that this man was planningto send him to gaol for a period of years so long that he would come out a whitehairedbroken man.

he looked round frowning as steps soundedalong the corridor and a tap came on the door. "let me in arthur," he heard lady daphne say,"i've had a most extraordinary letter from aunt alicia. i must see you about it." she rattled the locked door impatiently. herbrother walked over to it. trent could offer no objection. he was confused and annoyedthat at a moment such as this the girl must interrupt. to anthony trent she was as oneabove and apart. there was no use in concealing that he himself was a crook no matter howdifferently he pursued the profession from the lesser lights whom he despised. and arthurgrenvil was as crooked as he with less excuse for it.

lady daphne stopped short when she saw trentrise from his chair and bow. her greeting was so wholly different from the friendlymanner she had shown ere this, that he was at loss to understand it. he did not knowthat mrs. langley was the aunt alicia. he could only suppose her brother had hintedthat he was not what he seemed. "i was not told you were here," she said. "i'm glad you've come," arthur grenvil said.trent could see that he only spoke the truth. from what did he expect his sister to protecthim. "mr. trent here has an idea i'm deliberately pretending not to know who he is." "i assure mr. trent," she said haughtily,"that at all events i know what he is."

trent looked at her a little quizzically. "i wonder if you really do," he commented. "i shall be very glad to prove it," she answered,"but i am not anxious that my brother should have to listen. i hoped you understood thathe is under the doctors' orders and must not be worried. as dinner is almost ready andi have several things to do will you be kind enough to put this discussion off until tomorrowmorning?" "just as you please," he said. "when and where?" "you are staying at the bassetts i think.very well i will drive over there tomorrow at half past ten."

he flushed. the inference was plain. he wasnot permitted to meet her within the castle. the servant who showed him out seemed to feeldifferently today. he felt outcast. there was a little apple orchard behind thebassetts' stone built barns where each day anthony trent used to practise short approacheswith a favorite mashie. he held it as an axiom that if a golfer kept his hand in with shortmashie practise he would never be off his game. he was industriously trying to approachover a tall spreading tree when he heard the sound of wheels outside. it was not yet timefor his appointment with lady daphne but he could see from the higher ground of the orchardthat it was she. she was driving a dashing pair of chestnuts to a mail phaeton. by herside sat a man with a powerful unscrupulous

face who was evidently amusing her by hisconversation. trent supposed he was a guest at the castle, some man who had the rightto meet her by reason of being on the right side of the law. almost jealously anthony trent saw him helpher to alight. he was a heavily built man but not an ungraceful one and he was exceedinglywell dressed. trent judged him to be five and forty and used to dominating men. he hadnoticed often that men most ruthless with their fellows have the most charming wayswith women. "i shan't be very long," lady daphne saidlaughing, "you will be able to smoke just two cigarettes, mr. castoon."

castoon. of course it was rudolph castoonthe banker, the english born member of the great continental firm of bankers and financiers.one of the brothers was a leader among new york capitalists. it was said that each castoonwas loyal to the country where it had been arranged he should be born. it was in the sweet smelling sitting roomof the bassetts that trent found her. she was standing up and refused to be seated.her enmity now was hardly concealed. "i find," she began, "that you have deceivedme. you claimed to be one of the guns at colonel langley's shoot." "i permitted you to assume it," he corrected,"but that is not an excuse."

"colonel langley is very anxious to know whereit was i saw you and under what circumstances." "you will hardly inform him as to that," saidtrent smiling. "if it becomes necessary i shall," she replied."at all events i was in the house of a relative while you were there-" "as a thief in the night. thank you." "you were there as a detective." she had never seen him lose his calm before.he flushed red and a look of hatred came over his face. "a detective! i? if you knew how i loathedthem you would never suspect me of being that."

"if not why are you down here hounding mybrother?" "hasn't he told you?" "he says you persist in pretending to knowhim." "lady daphne," trent said earnestly. "wasyour brother a private william smith, a gentleman ranker in the seventy-eighth battalion ofthe city of london regiment?" "yes," she answered. "and wasn't this same man under his own nameexpelled from harrow school and trinity college, cambridge." "then you are a detective!" she cried.

"on my honor, no," he exclaimed. "lady daphne,your brother saved my life, and when i wanted to speak about the very terrible and unusualexperience he denied knowing me." "you are not telling me everything," she saidafter a pause, "i am glad you are not a detective even though you may be not what i thoughtyou, but is it reasonable you should try to force yourself on a man who quite evidentlywants to be alone with his thoughts just to thank him for doing something every soldierwas glad to do for any other allied soldier?" "there was something else," he admitted. "imay as well tell you what. we were, as we had every reason to think, dying. we toldeach other part of our past lives. why i don't pretend to understand. nerves i suppose andthe feeling that nothing mattered in the least.

i told him part of my past which in effectput a club in his hand to use over me. when i got better i assumed he was killed. i foundhe wasn't and followed him here to ask what he was going to do with his knowledge. youwondered what errand i had at dereham old hall. it was to read through the confessionwhich you burned. i had read it and replaced it before you came in." "then you know all about him?" she gasped. "i know what was written there," he answered."i wanted to know so that i could tell him i, too, had a weapon with which to fight.i am not his enemy, far from it." "you mean you don't want to threaten him orhold your knowledge of what he did over us?"

he looked at her gloomily. to think that thiswas the impression she had of him hurt. "so that's what you think of me," he saidslowly. "indeed it isn't," she answered quickly. "ididn't think it in the beginning and i don't want to do so now, but what was one to think?" "it was your brother's behaviour that puzzledme," he said, "and still puzzles me. don't you see i only want to be sure that he won'tuse what i told him?" lady daphne looked at him curiously. herewas a man whose manners were perfect, who seemed to have the same sports and occupationof the kind of men she knew hinting that he had done things of whose consequence he wasafraid. she supposed there were many temptations

into which a man might fall, lapses of whichhe might repent and still go in fear of discovery. "i don't wonder you were bewildered," shesaid presently, "and i understand far better than you how it was. mr. trent you need neverbe afraid that the man who was private smith will ever say a word to any living souls ofwhat you said to him." "how can i be certain?" he demanded. "youdon't know the rewards that a man might gain for speaking the truth about me." "private william smith and my brother arthurare two different people." he looked at her in astonishment. was theweary chase, the long uncertainty to begin again? there was never a doubt in his mindbut that what she told him was true even if

it was hard to be believed. "then where is private smith?" he asked. "whereis the man who knows the real me?" "at the castle," she said. he made a gesture of despair. "it is incomprehensible." "i am going to tell you about them-aboutthe two utterly different men." she said nothing for a full minute. then she went to the doorand called mrs. bassett into the room. "please tell mr. castoon i shall have to keep himwaiting rather longer than i thought." "certainly, my lady," mrs. bassett said. latershe told her husband that mr. castoon looked

very black at the news. "he's not the kindto like being kept waiting," she explained. "princes of the blood ought to be glad towait for lady daphne," the tenant farmer cried. "you learned somehow that arthur was expelledfrom harrow. it is true. he managed to get into trinity but lasted only a term. thencame sandhurst and a commission finally and black disgrace. mr. rudolph castoon who isa friend of my eldest brother took pity on him and made him one of his secretaries-he'sin parliament you know-but even he couldn't do anything. then a little while in australiaand failure there. the last thing he did was to enlist just before the war broke out. colonellangley was given the command of a london regiment and found arthur under the name youknew."

"but you said he wasn't private smith," trentbroke in eagerly. "you will see later what i mean. how did youmeet him?" trent explained in a few words. but what confessionsor boasts he had been betrayed into making he said nothing about. "my brother was expelled from harrow whenhe was eighteen. until he was seventeen he was one of the sweetest natured boys you couldimagine. he was full of fun and mischief but all his tutors loved him and there wasn'ta particle of vice in him. suddenly he seemed possessed of devils. he drank, he gambled-andcheated-he was insolent to his teachers. it broke my mother's heart. it helped to makemy father the silent broken man he is today.

it was the same when he went up to trinityand the same when he was at sandhurst...." there was a long pause. trent could see shewas struggling against tears. there welled up in him an almost divine pity. he wantedto soothe her, comfort her and let her cry on his shoulder. it was in this moment that anthony trent knewhe loved her and would always love her. those passing affections of adolescence were pale,wan emotions compared with this. and it was an hour of grief to him. he realized thathis ways of life had cut him off irremediably from marriage with such a woman as this. "what happened," she said at last, "when youcame to after being blown from that dug-out?"

"i was badly hurt," he answered, wonderingly,"those high explosives play the strangest tricks with one." "this is what happened to my brother. he wasunconscious for a very long time and his head was fearfully mangled. when he came out ofether he said very distinctly. 'oh bingo, how rottenly clumsy of you.'" "who was bingo?" trent asked. "at the time nobody knew. arthur's uniformwas torn off in the explosion and his regiment unknown." "he could have told them," trent asserted.

she shook her head. "you are mistaken. he could not tell them.they thought he was, what's the word, malingering. they thought he wanted to be sent back andget out of the fighting. then he complained of the dreadful noise. by degrees they foundthat he did not even know of the war. they thought of course he was pretending. my fatherheard of the wound and although he had disowned him he had him brought to our house in grosvenorplace. we had specialists, those new sorts of doctors who don't depend on medicines.arthur thought he was still at harrow eight years or more ago. then i remembered a boywho shared a study with him there, a boy who had stayed here, a son of sir willoughby hoskenwho has a place near penzance. bingo was somewhere

in the struma valley with his battery andin answer to a letter said that the only act of clumsiness he could call to mind was whenhe accidentally hit arthur with an indian club in the gym at school. "one of the doctors went over to harrow andfound arthur had been hit like this and was in the infirmary for three days. mr. trent,it was after that accident he altered entirely." "i've heard of such cases," trent said quickly."pressure of some sort on the brain they call it. there was quite an epidemic of such incidentsin america a few years ago. it was supposed to be a cure for bad boys. then you think-" "i know," she said emphatically. "he is nowexactly as he was when he was a boy, gentle,

thoughtful and clean. our specialists sawthe army surgeons and they supposed that in dressing his dreadful wounds they removedthe portions of depressed bone and so made this extraordinary cure. they say the warhas proved this sort of thing again and again." the news which spelled salvation to anthonytrent seemed too tremendous to believe. there was no miracle about it. it was a simple factdemonstrated by surgery and accepted now by the laity. the years in which arthur grenvilhad sown wild oats and disrupted friendships and relationships was wiped from his consciousness.trent now understood the half diffident, almost shy manner so inexplicable in a man of thetype william smith had been. "my father thinks," the girl went on, "thatas he will have to find out some of the things

he did it will be as well to prepare him forit and shield him against consequences." "consequences?" he hazarded. "i'm afraid," she said gravely, "that it willnot be easy. his creditors for example have learned that my father has forgiven him andthey are coming down on him. fortunately my father can afford to pay but there is alwaysthe dread of some adventurer turning up and letting us into some dreadful secrets." "men like me," he asked. "you know i didn't mean that," she said. "ithink it most wonderful that you are here, because you will be able to tell him somethingabout the good part of his life you know.

he is always hoping that his memory will comeback but the doctors say it won't." she hesitated a little. "poor arthur is very much depressedat times. could you try and remember as much about him as possible?" "surely," said anthony trent. "as it happensi met a man out there who knew him well and said he was a good soldier." "i wish my father could know that," she said."i'm going to ask you to luncheon tomorrow and to meet a man whose life arthur savedwould cheer him enormously. we shall be alone." she frowned. "i'd forgotten mr. castoon whois probably furious at being kept waiting. i promised him i'd be back in two cigarettestime. i was going to drive in to camelford

but i don't think i will. i feel almost thati want to cry." she held out her hand impulsively. "forgive me for what i thought about you andcome to luncheon at one tomorrow." "you don't know how i'd like to," he saidwistfully, "but you have forgotten about my past; and i had no such excuse as your brother." "you are exaggerating it," she said more brightly."anyhow it's all over." exaggerating! and even were it all over, whichhe doubted, a blacker past remained than ever she dreamed of. "i don't want mr. castoon to see that i'vegot tears in my eyes. please tell him to wait a little longer while i talk to mrs. bassett.au revoir."

anthony trent watched her go and then sighed.and he told himself that had he met her ten years before he would have had the strengthto win a fortune honestly and not take the lower road. he went outside to where rudolph castoon wassitting in the phaeton. the two horses were champing at their bits, a little groom attheir heads trying to soothe their high tempers. he approached the financier with no personalfeeling of any sort. in the beginning he expected to admire the man as he did all such forcefulcharacters. he often suspected there was more kinship between him and the ruthless financiertype that castoon represented than the world comprehended.

rudolph castoon looked at him sourly. "well?" he snapped. anthony trent looked at him and knew instantlythat he would always share the hate he saw in the capitalist's face. for a moment hewas at a loss to understand the reason. then he saw that it was jealousy, furious, dynamicjealousy. lady daphne had come to see mrs. bassett. instead castoon found she had cometo see a younger and better looking man. trent did not fall into the error of underratingcastoon. in the event of a contest of any kind between them he would walk warily. buthe never expected to see the man again and his peremptory way of speaking angered him.

"well?" castoon demanded again. "thank you," said trent urbanely, "i findthe air of these moorlands of great benefit to me. formerly i slept poorly but now i sleepas soon as my head touches the pillow. and my appetite is better. i eat three eggs forbreakfast every morning. do you sleep well?" "i did not come here to sleep," castoon frowned. "but if you are here for long you must," trentsaid pleasantly. "i am not in the least interested in yourhealth or how many eggs you can eat for breakfast." castoon's manner was frankly rude. "i wantto know where lady daphne grenvil is." "she said she had forgotten you," trent answered,"she also said you would probably be furious

at being kept waiting." "i am," castoon asserted. "would it be toomuch to ask the reason?" "i expected you to," trent said affably. thetime he took to select a cigarette from his case and the meticulous manner in which helighted it added to the other man's ill temper just as anthony trent intended it should. "if you are quite finished, sir," castooncried, "i should be glad to hear." "as an american," trent began airily, "i likethe old family servant tradition. lady daphne is talking over her childhood days with mrs.bassett. my mother was from the southern states and i suppose i inherit a liking for thatsort of thing."

"will you come to the point, sir?" castoonexclaimed. "i thought i told you that lady daphne wastalking over nursery reminisences with an old servant." "she may be doing that now, but what was shedoing before? i'll tell you; she was talking to you. do you deny it?" "my dear man," trent cried in apparent surprise,"deny it? i boast about it! it is the only thing i hope will be printed in my obituarynotices." "i'm not sure i should be desolated at readingyour obituary notices," castoon said keeping his temper back. he could say no more forlady daphne came hurrying along the hydrangea-bordered

path to the gate. "i'm dreadfully sorry, mr. castoon," she cried. "i can forget everything now that you arehere," he returned gallantly, "even the humour of this young man whose name i don't know." "mr. anthony trent of new york," she toldhim. "you'll meet him at luncheon tomorrow." "that will make it a very pleasant function,"the financier said grimly. he could say no more because the horses reared impatientlyand for a moment there was danger. "that off horse nearly came over backward,"castoon said when the team had settled down a little and the farm was a half mile behind.

"but it didn't," lady daphne said calmly,"so why worry?" "it would have been his fault," castoon saidvenomously. "you don't seem to like him," she said smiling. "i hate any man who looks at you as he does." "how does he look?" she asked with an airof innocence. "he looks at you as if he was in love withyou, and i hate any man to do that." "you have no right to resent it mr. castoon,"she said coldly. "i have told you a hundred times that you concern yourself far too muchwith my affairs." "i'm going to marry you," he said doggedly."i never fail. look at my life history and

see where i have been beaten. i know you don'tcare for me yet. you'll have to later." "my father doesn't care for you either." rudolph castoon sniffed impatiently. "his type is dying out. he still remains ignorantthat money has displaced birth." "it's the one thing money won't buy, though,"she reminded him. "birth can't buy power," the financier saidquickly, "and money means power. your father has had both. it would have been easier forme to marry daphne, daughter of the earl of rosecarrel, viscount st. just, baron wadebridge,knight of the garter, and ambassador to turkey, and all the rest of it, than it will be tomarry you now your father has abandoned his

career." "that sounds merely silly to me," she exclaimed. "someday i will explain to you how very sensibleit is. you will understand exactly." "do you mean you are so inordinately vainyou would rather marry an ambassador's daughter than the daughter of a man who isn't a powerpolitically any more?" "at least i can say i don't mean that. i amvain, that's true, but i wish you were one of the daughters of a tenant farmer on thesepurple moors instead of being an earl's daughter." he sighed a little. then the recollectionof anthony trent came back. "who is this man trent?" he demanded.

"a delightful man," she said, "an americanwho knows how to behave. i met him at a houseparty somewhere or other. he used to know arthur." castoon could not keep back a sneer. "that vouches for him of course." "at least he wouldn't say anything as underbredas that," she cried angrily, and touched one of her high-mettled chestnuts with a lash.castoon hung on to the seat as the pair tried to get away. "you'll kill yourself some day driving suchhorses as these," he said later. he was not a coward; but unnecessary risk always seemeda childish thing to create and he believed

himself heir to a great destiny. chapter sixfresh fields if anthony trent thought he was to be theguest at a small luncheon party where he could meet arthur under friendlier circumstancesand talk to daphne intimately, he was mistaken. castoon was staying at the castle and a numberof people motored over from falmouth as well as the owner of a big yacht lying for thetime in the fowey river. lord rosecarrel was very amiable. he seemedintensely grateful that trent gave up a morning's shooting to attend a luncheon. there was notrace of suspicion about him. he had been told that mr. trent, an american of means,had been a guest at dereham old hall. his

daughter had not informed him of alicia langley'sletter. but he was most interested to know that hisson had saved the visitor's life. it was the one good act in the black years which hadgiven him so much sorrow. also daphne had told him that arthur likedtrent and would be a good companion. the physicians who were watching arthur's case recommendedthat he should be kept interested. they desired that the apathy which threatened to take holdon him should be banished. the earl was growing more and more to leave things to the girl.the death of his two sons had been a terrible blow and he was beginning to find in solitaryyachting and fishing trips a certain refreshing solace.

from the deference that most of the peoplepaid to rudolph castoon it was evident that he was a man of great influence and promise. trent sat next to a rather pretty dark girl,a miss barham, who had come over from her father's yacht. "everybody seems to hang on his words," hesaid. "why?" "he's phenomenally rich," she answered, "andhe has a career. he'll probably be chancellor of the exchequer in the next cabinet. financeis bred in the bone of his sort. hasn't he a brother in your country?" "a great power in wall street," trent toldher, "but we suspect a capitalist; and while

rudolph may get a title and much honor, alfredin america couldn't get a job as dog catcher." "of course you've seen he's simply mad aboutdaphne?" miss barham said later. "i've seen his side of it," trent said frowninga little, "but what about lady daphne?" "power is always attractive," miss barhamsaid wisely, "and we english women love politics. one can never tell. i think the earl wouldbe furious but daphne always gets her way and after all mr. castoon is a great catchwhichever way you look at it. there's nothing financially shady about him and if daphneshould ever get bitten with the idea of making a salon, he's the man to marry." "what a brutal way to look at it," he saidgloomily.

"are you young enough to believe in thosedelightful love matches, mr. trent?" the girl asked. "i did till i was almost fifteen." anthony trent should have been amused to findhimself on the side of the angels. as a rule life had provoked cynicism in him and herehe was fighting for ideals. "i talked like that until i was fifteen,"he smiled, "and i meant it." ada barham turned her dark brilliant eyeson him. she rather envied the girl who had captured him. she felt it was a lover talking. "of course you are in love," she retorted."i always meet the really nice men too late. dare you confess it?"

"i admit it," he said a little confused. "american girls are very charming," miss barhamdeclared. "i stayed at newport a month last year. of course you know newport?" "fairly well," he admitted. oddly enough the recollection of his newporttriumphs was not as pleasing as usual. he had made some of his richest hauls in therhode island city. what an amazing thing, he reflected, thathe was here as a guests among people on whom, as a class, he had looked as his lawful prey.castoon with his millions was the sort of man he would like to measure his wit against.when castoon looked across the table at him

with a kind of innocent stare he decided thatit would be a delightful duel. he knew english women wore little jewelryduring the day so he could not estimate the value of what they owned at a luncheon, buthe was certain miss barham's mother, who was addressed as lady harriet, had family jewelsworth the risk of seeking to get. a woman whose husband owned a two-hundred feet steamyacht was distinctly among those whom in former days he had been professionally eager to meet. before the luncheon lady daphne had explainedthat her brother would not be at the table. the family was anxious that he should notbe subjected to the confusion of professing ignorance of some man or event which he oughtto know. by degrees he was getting his bearings

and reading through files of old newspapersthe main events of the years that had been wiped from his mind. anthony trent was taken to the big room bya footman, the same room he had entered unannounced. "you must have thought me awfully rude," arthurgrenvil said cordially, "but my sister had told you the reason. she says i used to knowyou." grenvil looked at him wistfully, "i think she said i had saved your life." "you did," trent answered promptly. and then,because he was sorry for the ex-"tommy" but more because he loved the other's sister,he plunged into a stirring account of the incident omitting the part of the exchangeof confidences.

"apparently," said grenvil, "it was the onlydecent thing i did during those dreadful forgotten years. if you knew the agony of not knowingwhat i did and dreading every day to learn something more of my career you'd pity me.i couldn't meet castoon. they say i was a sort of secretary to him for six months andhe had to send me away. all i remember of him is that he was my father's private secretarywhen i was a small boy of ten and my father ambassador at constantinople. i'm afraid tosee any of the people who come here." "that will pass," trent said reassuringly,"you'll get a grip on yourself as your health improves." "that's what daphne says," arthur answered,"isn't she splendid?"

"indeed she is," trent said not daring toput the fervor in his voice that he felt. there was almost an uncanny feeling in talkingwith this new arthur grenvil. as a judge of men, and as a man who had met a great numberof criminals and could estimate them accurately, trent had known even in the darkness of thedug-out that private william smith was bad. despite the absence of coarseness from thespeech of the unseen man trent had felt that he was evil and dangerous, a man to watchcarefully. and this same man stripped of his mantle of black deeds was now sitting talkingto him with the deferential air of the junior listening with respect to his superior inyears and his superior in knowledge. what a rã´le for anthony trent, master criminal!but he played it as well as any of the parts

he had set himself to enact. he became theelder brother, the sage counsellor, the arbiter, the physical trainer and the constant companion.in the beginning he cheerfully set out to play the part in order to win daphne's approval.later he really liked arthur. he taught him to drive the high powered lion car that wasseldom used by the earl's chauffeurs and discovered in him an aptitude for mechanics which delightedhis father. "you have done more for my son than i imaginedcould be done by anyone," lord rosecarrel said gratefully. "i owe him no small debt," anthony trent retorted,"and it's a very pleasant way of trying to pay it."

it was not often that he saw the earl. occasionallythey played a game of billiards after dinner but the elder man was constantly occupiedwith reading when he was not aboard his boat. since he had come to cornwall, trent had discoveredwhat an important personage lord rosecarrel had been in the political life of his countryuntil his sudden resignation a year before the war. every now and then trent would seeregret expressed in a london paper or weekly review that he would not place his vast knowledgeof the near east at his country's disposal. there was still considerable trouble centeringabout the balkans; and since the earl had been minister or ambassador at belgrade, bucharestand constantinople he knew the country as few could hope to do without his experience.

the prime minister himself, snatching a fewdays of golf at newquay, motored over to the castle to lunch and asked his host personallyto come from his retirement. it happened that trent was lunching at the castle and heardthe earl's decision not to leave private life. there was an incident in connection with thiswhich made a curious impression on the american. when he had declined to represent his countryfinally, lord rosecarrel looked over the table at his son who was talking gaily and did notobserve the glance. it was a look almost of hate that the earl flashed at him. then itpassed and was succeeded by the melancholy which the old aristocrat's face habituallywore. trent was certain none had seen but he and he had never seen an evidence of itbefore.

he reflected that arthur was never whollyat ease in his father's company. again and again he had caught a certain shamed lookwhen the earl was speaking. of course it was the knowledge of how in the forgotten yearshe had disgraced an honored name. that was understandable. but why should the fatherwho knew all and had forgiven suddenly throw this look of hate over the table at the unconsciousson? "arthur," said trent one day to lady daphne,"looks as if he were still begging forgiveness. why?" "it must be fancy on your part," she saidand changed the subject instantly. he supposed it was some other skeleton, fromthat full closet, whose rattling bones had

not been buried yet. there was something whichstill rankled in the earl's memory. he knew he would never find its origin from daphne. his intimacy with the grenvils began to alarmhim. it was a fellowship which must sooner or later come to an end. he was utterly withoutvanity when it came to his relationship with lady daphne; but his love for her gave himsuch an insight and sympathy with her that he could not but be conscious that of latea softer mood had come to her when they were alone together. he knew that she looked for his presence wherebefore she had been indifferent. sometimes when they touched hands at parting there wasthe faint, lingering hold which said more

than looks or spoken words. it distressedhim to hear that she had defended him valiantly when the wife of a nearby landowner had referredto him as an american adventurer and fortune hunter. daphne had sprung to his rescue ina flash. half the country gossiped about it. it was very loyal of her, he felt, but alsovery unwise. the earl had heard of it and was displeased.but he trusted his daughter and trent was working amazing changes with arthur. it wasonly when the prime minister spoke of the american that lord rosecarrel knew he mustnot ignore the thing any longer. "and who is the good looking lad upon whosewords your daughter hangs?" "a delightful fellow," the earl said, "i don'tknow what arthur would have done without him.

he is reconstructing the poor boy." and indeed the earl was fond of the stranger.but his daughter must marry into her own station in life. his other girl's home was in franceand he wanted daphne to remain in england. it occurred to him as very strange that hehad made so few inquiries into trent's antecedents. he supposed it was the man's personal charmand the fact that he was himself not in good health that had allowed him to be careless.one day at a dinner that came in the week after the prime minister's visit, a dinnerto which trent alone was bidden, he said: "we shall miss you very much when you haveto go, mr. trent, but i suppose your affairs in america call you imperatively."

anthony trent made no answer for the moment.it was as though sentence of death had been passed upon him. he could only admit thatthis was the logical if long-delayed end to the pleasantest days of his life. he had broughtit on himself by his own weakness. for all his strength he was in some ways deplorablyweak. he had been weak to leave the ways of honest men. primarily he had none of thosegrudges against organized society which drive some men to crime. he had fallen because hewas tired of narrow ways of life and a toil which offered few high rewards. and, more than all, he had been weak in thathe had encouraged an intimacy with a family of this type. the lady daphne was not forhim. he called to mind a phrase that miss

barham had said about castoon at this verytable. she had said there was nothing financially shady about him which might prevent marriagebetween him and daphne. no matter how much anthony trent sought to deceive himself abouthis way of crime and comfort himself with the reflection he never despoiled the pooror worthy but inevitably set himself against the rich and undeserving, he knew he stoodcondemned in the eyes of decent men and women. he was aware that daphne and arthur were listeningfor his answer. daphne's face was white. "i shall miss you all, sir," he said, "morethan i can say." "you are not really going?" arthur cried. "i must," he said. "my affairs at home needlooking after and i have lingered on here

forgetting everything." lady daphne said nothing. he did not dareto look at her. he knew she was thinking that but for her father's mention of his leavingshe might not have known until he chose to tell; and he had told another first. because he was grateful that trent had beenquick to take the hint the earl of rosecarrel was particularly gracious to his guest andproposed a game of billiards. it was while the old nobleman was making abreak that daphne dropped into a chair at trent's side. "are you really going?" she asked.

"i ought never to have stayed so long," heanswered. "do you want to go?" "you know i don't," he said passionately. "and is your business so important?" "wait," he said rising to his feet when hisopponent had finished a break of fifty-three. "it's my turn." "i have never," said the earl, chalking hiscue, "seen you miss that particular shot before." anthony trent came to the girl's side. "we can't talk here," he whispered. "the houndsmeet at michaelstowe tomorrow and draw the

trenewth covers. will you be out?" "yes," she said, "but what chance shall wehave to talk there?" "we can lose the field," he said, "and rideback over the moors alone." arthur grenvil had taken the mastership ofthe north cornwall foxhounds and persuaded trent to follow them. the american had addeda couple of better-bred faster horses to his hack and now enjoyed the gallop after a foxas much as any hardened foxhunter of them all. a fox was discovered almost immediately whenthe trenewth covers were drawn and got well away making in a westerly direction for thewadebridge road. daphne and trent made a pretense

of following but soon drew apart from therest. the music of hounds became fainter and they turned back to the moors. "you might have told me," she said reproachfully. "i didn't know," he answered, "i only realizedwhen your father spoke that it was more or less a command." "my father may be the lord-lieutenant of thecounty," she said, "but he has no power to send a man away if the man doesn't want togo." "can you think i want to go?" he demanded. "i only know you are not going to stay."

she touched her horse lightly on the shoulderand put him to a canter. trent saw that she was heading for rough tor, one of the twomountains guarding the moorlands. once or twice they had ridden to its rocky top andlooked at the hamlets through whose chimneys the peat smoke rose, and those strange hutcircles of a prehistoric people. the path along which she went was too narrow to permithim to ride by her side and he was forced to ride in silence for almost an hour. when she dismounted at rough tor and he tetheredthe horses to a short wind shorn tree he could see she was not the same cheerful girl ofyesterday. "why did you stay here so long?" she askedpresently.

"because i love you," he answered. "why do you go away?" "because i love you better than i knew." she looked at him with a faint smile. "that is very hard to understand, tony." it was the first time she had ever calledhim by the name her brother used. he took one of her gauntleted hands and kissed it. "my dear," he said tenderly, "it is crucifixionfor me." she looked at him still with the little wistfulsmile on her face.

"and are you the only one to suffer?" the knowledge that she cared as much as hedid brought a look of misery to his face where only triumph should have reigned. "ada barham told me about the girl in america,"she continued. "of course i imagined there would be a girl somewhere whom you cared forbut i think you might have confided in me. weren't we good friends enough for that?" "there is no girl anywhere," he said. "i toldmiss barham that because i didn't want her to suspect it was you." "then why must you go away?" there was almosta wail in her voice.

"i have told you," he answered, trying desperatelyto keep his voice even, "i must go because i love you better than anything else in life." she laughed a little bitterly. "and so that is how men behave when they arein love!" "when a man really loves a girl he shouldthink first of her happiness." she looked at him simply. there was none ofthe false shame that lesser natures might feel in avowing love. "don't you understand," she said in a lowvoice, "that you are my happiness?" for a moment the devil tempted him even asthe son of man had been tempted upon a mountain

top. why should he think of the future whentoday was so sweet? in the big lion car in the castle garage he could make southamptonin time enough for the white star liner which went out tomorrow. they could be married onboard or at any rate directly they reached america. then with the money he had savedthey could be happy. she was the woman he wanted, the woman he worshipped. then the other side of the picture presenteditself. he saw them married on board and radiantly happy as they approached the land that wasto be her home. then the hard-faced men who showed official badges and informed him hewas wanted for a series of crimes which would keep him away from wife and home and libertyuntil she was an old woman. one ending to

the trip was just as likely as the other.situated as he was he could never be certain of safety. this period in quiet cornwall wasthe first time since he had taken to crime that he had become almost careless. he wouldbreak daphne's heart for she was of the kind who would never love another man. and thedisgrace he would bring upon this kindly family of hers which had suffered enough already.the screeching headlines in the press of the earl's daughter who married a crook. it wasnot to be thought of. "dear," he said softly, "if there were anyobstacles which could be removed by human effort i should not say goodbye like this.please don't ask me to tell you anything more." "you said at dereham that you felt you couldsell your soul for a past. is that it?"

"that is the irrevocable thing," he told her. "pasts can be lived down," she whispered. "not mine," he said dismally. "daphne i havenot been here all this time without knowing you and the sort of people from whom you spring.it is because of your tradition of honor that you felt arthur's misfortunes so much. i canbring upon you and yours a greater disgrace than he could." "i won't believe it," she cried. "i don't want you to," he said gratefully."i remember the thing said about your family, 'the grenvils for loyalty' and i love youfor it, but lady polruan was right when she

called me an unknown adventurer from america.the other countrymen of mine you meet here, like conington warren for instance, have theirplace at home. i haven't. i am without the pale. they don't know me and i can't knowthem. there is that great gulf fixed which you can never understand. i want to go awayleaving you still my friend. if you ask me questions about myself and i answer them trulyi may have to carry away with me the picture of your scorn. be kind, daphne and don't askany more." "i should never scorn you," she cried. he put his arms about her and kissed her. "my dear," he whispered, "my sweet, believealways that there is something god himself

could not alter or i would never give youup like this." "it is very hard," she said presently, "tohave found love and then to know it must only be a little dream that passes." "it is my just punishment," he answered. "when do you go?" "tomorrow." she put her arms about his neck and lookedhim full in the eyes. "darling," she said, "i shall never love anybodybut you. girls always say that, i know, but i have always been a little afraid of loveand its exactions and the sorrow it brings.

you see i was right in being afraid for directlyi find you i must lose you." she leaned forward, one elbow on her knee, and looked at the countrysidespread out at her feet. "i shall probably live here to be an old woman and look afterother old women and see they have tea and warm wraps for the bad weather, and give theold men tobacco. that's all i look forward to. tony, tony, why is it one can't die onthe day when one is killed?" he sat in silence. bitterly as he regrettedhis past which had risen to prevent happiness, he regretted his staying here in cornwalleven more. if he alone had suffered it were well enough, part indeed of the punishmenthe merited. but to have dragged this girl into it and to have made her love a man whocould never marry her was the blackest of

all. perhaps she suspected it for she turnedto him and put her hand on his. "poor tony," she said caressingly, "it's nogood blaming yourself. it had to be. i think i've always loved you. before it is too lateand you are gone away, are you sure this thing that stands between us cannot be banishedor atoned or paid for in money? you know i have a large fortune of my own and it is allyours if you need it. don't let any little thing stand between us. where one loves whollyone can forgive all. i shall not ask you again; but, my dear, if any human agency can giveyou to me let me know." anthony trent thought of the view he oncehad of a great penitentiary in which a man he used to know was serving a life sentence.the prison was set among arid country in sandy

plains. along the top of the stone walls sentrieswere placed at intervals, men with sawed-off shot guns waiting the opportunity to killsuch as sought to escape the dreary days and dreadful nights. his friend made the desperateattempt and died as warders crowded about him and congratulated the guard on his markmanship.it was this place which might at any moment receive the person of anthony trent. he could not think of the law as a human agency.that was one of the differences between the anthony trent, writer and anthony trent, crook.the writer regarded the law and its officers with a certain meed of respect but the criminalhated them. "there is nothing that can help me," he said.

there was silence for a little; then she roseto her feet and pointed out scarlet coated men in the distance and galloping horses.arthur's hounds had lost their fox in tregenna woods and had found another stout dog foxheaded for his earth on the moors. "we can follow after all," she said, withan attempt to be cheerful. they kissed silently and then remounted theimpatient hunters. by devious ways they joined the field again. the moorland was a dangerouscountry to ride. great stone walls divided small fields and there were sunken roads andpaths by which, thousands of years before, the phã…“nicians had taken their way. it was observed with what recklessness theamerican rode.

"he'll break his neck if he isn't careful,"said a rosy faced old "hunting parson," as trent set his horse at a great granite barrier. he was not to know that anthony trent wouldhave welcomed just such an end. chapter seventhe sentence of banishment lord rosecarrel who was out with the houndsthat day was riding ahead of his daughter when she and her escort joined the field.he was a finely built man and looked exceedingly well in hunting costume. he wore a closelytrimmed beard, now almost white, and seemed, so trent thought, more than his sixty-fiveyears. it was a fine, sensitive face, and the earl had all his days until this strangeretirement mixed with the great of the earth

and taken part in the councils of nations.this mystery connected with his withdrawal from public affairs intrigued the american.he believed daphne knew. he was wondering what it was when the earl reined in his horse. "i am told you leave no later than tomorrow,mr. trent, i hope you will dine with us tonight." anthony trent hesitated a moment before answering. "thank you," he said, "i should like to." he knew it would only reopen old wounds butthe temptation to see daphne again was not to be resisted. it would have been a dull dinner but for theearl. whether or not he saw daphne's depression,

the disappointment of his son and the disinclinationof the visitor to talk, he was entertaining and witty. he asked a number of questionsabout the united states where his son and heir was. while he played billiards with arthur,trent and the girl watched them. in truth they paid little attention to the scores orstrokes. it was not easy to get back to the intimacyof the morning. there was a certain reserve in the girl's manner, and a look of sadnessthat immeasurably distressed trent. "ours is a tragic family," she said, whenhe tried to bring her to a brighter mood. "we used to be so happy. my mother was wonderful.she is gone, my two brothers are dead, st. just is away and my father simply pining awayof a dreadful thing that wasn't his fault."

"i wish you would tell me what it is," hesaid. "impossible," she said decisively. "it poisonshis whole life." "it was arthur's fault, wasn't it?" he demanded. "what makes you say that?" she returned. "i know it," he said emphatically, "and whateverhe did can be undone and if it's humanly possible i can do it. is someone blackmailing him?" he could see she was startled. he must havehit on something not far removed from the truth. "not that," she said, looking at where herfather was standing apprehensively. "and i'm

sure you could do nothing." "i can try," he said earnestly. "listen tome, daphne. i feel that there is nothing in life for me but the memory of you. i wantmore than anything else to do something for you to prove my love. i have nothing in alllife to lose. i have no relations, no friends to speak of. my life has been made up of,"he hesitated, "of adventures where i pitted myself against the world and won." she thought of that night in dereham. wasthat one of his adventures? certainly he had given her the impression of great strengthand resolution. of all the men she met rudolph castoon and anthony trent most radiated thisuncommon quality.

she looked across the big room to her father.arthur was making a big break and the earl was not watching him; she knew he was notthinking of the game. he was thinking of that insuperable obstacle which barred him fromthe work he loved, the work in which he was needed. he looked a sad, broken man and remindedtrent of the portrait of julius the second, by raphael, which he had seen in florence. "i dare not tell," she said. "it touches bigthings and would involve many names and would lead you into great peril." "it would not be the peril for me that youthink," he insisted. "i shall know when my hour is to strike. darling, let me try todo something for the woman i love, for the

family where i found such happiness and suchsorrow. i have brought so much trouble on you that i want to feel i did something toatone." he felt for a fleeting moment the warm claspof her hand. "you have often been in danger?" she asked. "it has been my life," he said simply. "i am afraid to tell my father," she confessed. "must he know?" trent asked. "yes. i know the whole hideous thing onlyin the barest outline." "i shall broach the subject," he said confidently,"after all i have nothing to lose. i go tomorrow

anyway." she hesitated a moment. "my father may think you are doing it at aprice." "instead of which i am offering to help youas atonement." the light died from her eyes and the hopeleft her heart. nothing could alter his decision, nothing apparently blot out the past thatheld them asunder. the earl of rosecarrel heard anthony trent'srequest for a private interview with a rather troubled mind. he had no doubt it had to dowith his daughter. he told himself he had been very careless.

"by all means my dear fellow," he said cordially,"come to my library where we shall be quite alone." never had trent been bidden to this greatbook lined chamber. it was open neither to those who came on visitors' day nor to thecasual guest. it was here the earl and the prime minister were closeted for several hours. "my lord," trent began, "i am going to saysomething that will first of all astonish you and then probably make you angry at whatseems presumption." "i hardly think you will do that," the othersaid urbanely. he was sure now it had to do with lady daphne.

"you have said," trent went on, "that youare grateful to me for my help to your son, arthur." "i am profoundly grateful," the earl saidquickly, "you have made a new man of him." "then promise me you will not interrupt meby ringing for a servant to show me out." "i will promise that blindly," smiled thenobleman. "i owe a debt to your family. arthur savedmy life and i am still a debtor. since i have been here i have found out a great deal aboutyour life work. i found out also that at a moment when the empire most needed you youretired. i know at the present moment your name is being mentioned everywhere as themost suitable for one of the highest offices

under the crown. i know the prime ministermade a golfing trip to newquay the excuse to call on you personally. i know that inthis very room you refused a request from your sovereign." there was no doubting the agitation this statementproduced in the ex-ambassador. but he was mindful of his promise. "i know," the inexorable trent went on, "thatyour refusal has something to do with what your son did when he was irresponsible. isaw you throw a terrible glance at him during the prime minister's talk over the luncheontable. it told me plainly that remotely or not it was because of something he did thatyou remain here eating your heart out. afterwards

you were especially kind to him. it was asthough you repented your momentary anger. my lord, am i right so far?" "i do not pretend to understand how you havelearned these facts," the earl said slowly, "but you have made no error. what happenedis over, dead and done with." "i'm not so sure," trent cried. "perhaps becausethere was a day when i wrote stories of a rather lurid type i can think of half a hundredthings that might seem final to you but which would yield to my type of mind. nothing isfinal to us americans." lord rosecarrel looked at him shrewdly. "what you say is preposterous, mr. trent,but nevertheless it interests me. what causes

could this fertile mind of yours suggest?" "blackmail first of all," trent said. lordrosecarrel did not give any indication whether the shot told or not. "blackmail can be sub-dividedinto many heads." "and is there a remedy for blackmail, then?"the earl asked blandly. "a remedy can always be found for things,"trent said confidently. "it amounts to this," the diplomat continuedcalmly as though he were discussing an interesting phase in another man's life, "that you supposei am held inactive here because of the hold some man or government has on me. admittingfor a moment that this is true, do you not suppose that i should have strained everynerve, called upon my every resource to remove

the obstacle which you admit has a remedy?" "i think you have tried and failed," trentsaid. "it is curious," said the earl still impersonally,"how fiction of the type you used to write has taken possession of the public mind." "i should not fail," trent said steadily. "you still persist in making the imaginaryreal," the earl said good humouredly. "why do you fence with me at a time like this?"trent said making a gesture of despair. "can't you see i am in earnest?" "you rate your powers so highly then?"

"you employed amateurs, my lord, i am a professionaladventurer." "what are you doing in my house?" "living honest hours and learning that a pastcan't be undone. i know very well that you thought i wanted to see you because i loveyour daughter. it is true. i do love her. and it is because i love her that i am going.and it is because i want to prove that i am only truthful when i say that, i offer toundertake anything that may help you." "but the reward?" "to have done something for her is the reward." the earl was silent for a minute. then hepaced the room. trent watched his tall, bent

form wondering what was to be the outcome. "mr. trent," said the earl pausing beforehim, "you are either a scoundrel or else the most chivalrous gentleman i have ever known.for the moment i hardly know what to think, or say, or do. if i give you my confidenceand you abuse it the public will share the knowledge of a disgrace which now only myenemy knows. if you set me free from my bondage you put me under an obligation that i cannever pay. if i let you make the attempt in which two men have given their lives and youfail i shall never forgive myself." "but my lord," trent reminded him, "i am aprofessional. i have never failed. i detest a brawl but i love danger, and life meansless to me than you might suppose. if i fail

you will never be compromised. i shall wantno help nor send any plea for assistance. i work alone-always." the earl did not answer him directly. "the hounds met at michaelstowe this morning,"he said, "and i took the opportunity of sending off a wire in reply to this post card whichcame last night." trent looked at it. it was in a language unknownto him. "it is in hungarian," lord rosecarrel toldhim, "and it says, 'please let me know that the report in today's times that you haveaccepted office is incorrect.' the telegram i sent to the writer said: 'the report iswrong. i have refused.' there you have my

secret. the man who sent the post card, ineffect, threatened me with exposure if i came out of retirement." "then it is blackmail," trent breathed. "i am going to trust you," the earl said suddenly."i am going to think of you as the chivalrous gentleman. the man who wrote the post cardis a very big figure in the politics of what used to be called mittel europa. our interestsclashed. he was on one side and i on the other. it happened that i was usually able to outmanã…“uvre him because my training had been such that no man in public life knew the balkansas i did, and do still, the wheels within wheels, the inner hidden things that makenational sentiment so dangerous at times or

so valuable as the case may be. in time hecame to think me the one man who could comprehend his activities and check them. he set outto ruin me. he believed his ends justified other methods than i used. i was shot at onthe ferencz jozsef rakpart for example and a companion killed." "do you still seem a menace to him?" trentasked. "more than ever if i take the position offeredme in the near east. you see the rumour in the times brings instant recognition. i knewhe was in london." trent looked at the speaker and wondered whatit could be which kept him from the work his country demanded of him. assuredly it wasnot lack of courage.

"he was in london when he obtained the holdover me that keeps me buried here. arthur was at the moment a secretary of rudolph castoon.one night he opened a strong box of mine and took some bank notes to pay a racing debt.it was a terrible blow to think he had fallen so low, but i was more alarmed to find a tentativedraft of a treaty which was never made effective, a document in my own writing, had disappeared.at the time it might have incensed a country since allied with us almost to the point ofa declaration of war. arthur told me it was gibberish to him and he had thrown it on thefire. a month later i was summoned to a cabinet meeting. a friend told me i was to be askedto produce the treaty draft. i called arthur to see me. i told him my honor was involvedand that if he had not destroyed it or was

holding it to sell another power i must know.he gave me his solemn word of honor, uttered in the most convincing manner, that he hadthrown it into the open fire. "when the prime minister asked for the drafti told him i had destroyed it thinking its value gone and fearful of the danger of havingit at my house in grosvenor place. at the moment i was absolutely convinced that myson had been honest with me. it was obvious i could not tell the cabinet i had caughthim stealing money or that he had torn up the draft. i gave the cabinet my word of honorthat it was destroyed and i allowed them to assume that i did it. it was a lie and i donot justify its use, but first and foremost my son's protection seemed necessary. it wasless than three months later that i received

a visit from the man who wrote that post card. "it was in paris where i was staying withmy daughter. he said that at last he had a weapon which would wound me. arthur had soldhim the draft. he had it concealed where none could get it. unless i retired from publiclife and activities he would show it to the same cabinet which had heard me swear i haddestroyed it with my own hands. the inference would be that i had sold it. it was knownthat i had lost money through the failure of a london bank. no matter what the cabinetthought my honor was smirched and i should rightly be considered unfit for high office.there, mr. trent, is the real reason." "do you know where the draft of the treatyis hidden?"

"in his almost inaccessible castle in croatia." "you are certain?" "two men have died so that the knowledge mightbe mine." "i should imagine he would keep it in thedeposit box of a bank where he could get at it quickly." "banks can be broken into easier far thanhis strong room. he lives, despite the changes wrought by the war, in a style almost feudal.he owns and controls twenty square miles of the country where his home is. what chance,i ask you, has a stranger of getting near without incurring suspicion. there are manymen who can speak german or french like natives

but hungarian is a different matter, a non-aryantongue." "it should be done from the inside," trentmused. "one of them was," the earl told him, "theman who tried was skillful, adroit and courageous. he had flirted with death a hundred times,just as you have done mr. trent, but they set a trap for him there which a fool wouldhave passed by; a trap so skillfully baited that only a clever man would have tried touse it to further his cause. yet he failed. you have no idea of the household at thatfantastic castle in the mountains. you have no idea of the imperious temper and powerof the man who owns it, the multitude of servitors who would kill did he but suggest it, themotley company he entertains there."

this mention of many visitors interested trent. "he entertains a great deal then?" "only those he knows, men and women. the lifethere as reported to me reads like a chronicle of medieval days." "the other man who failed-what did he goas?" "a steeple chase jockey. the count kept agreat stud and raced all over continental europe. he owned daliborka the great horsewhich won the grand prix." "the horse that was stolen?" "exactly. daliborka and three other thoroughbredswere missing from the stables. the man who

pretended to be a jockey and was instead aman of lineage and wealth secreted the horses at intervals along the forest road that runsfrom the castle to the coast. it was his idea when he had obtained the draft to make hisway by relays to the nearest harbour. the poor fellows never had the opportunity tothrow a leg across any of them. you see, mr. trent, there is no chance at all." "i will make one," the american said confidently,"i am going to enjoy this." "after what i have said you still persist?" "because of it," laughed anthony trent. hehad forgotten everything but the prospect of coming danger, the duel that was to befought between him and this fabulous magnate.

it was characteristic of trent that he sweptaside all other possible inmates of the lonely castle as beneath his notice. his businesswas with the superior. "how do you know he is still in london?" trentdemanded. "i keep myself informed," the earl said. "anewspaper clipping concern sends me every notice of him." "i want them," the younger man observed, "iwant everything that will help me." he read through the brief notices eagerlyand wished english papers discussed personalities with the detail american periodicals employed.the only item that interested him deeply was a notice that count michael temesvar had visitedthe automobile show at the crystal palace

and seemed interested in the new twelve cylinderlion car. "rather humorous in its way," the earl saidsmiling, "since i own a great deal of stock in that company. that's why i have that inordinatelyhigh powered car in the garage which you and arthur seem to like." "humorous!" trent repeated, "i don't knowthat it isn't more humorous than you know. do you think he has any idea you are interestedin the company?" "few know it," the earl said, "and i don'tsee why he should when even my friends are ignorant." "how much of it do you own?" trent asked eagerly.

"more probably than any one stockholder." "and a letter from you to the manager wouldmake me solid." he explained the slang, "i mean if you wrote a letter to the managerasking that i be given certain powers would he honor it?" "most certainly," the earl answered. "therecan be no doubt about it." chapter eightcount michael temesvar count michael temesvar, when he left behindhim the great estate where he ruled as absolute and tyrannical master and came to the fashionable,pleasure-loving london, was a different man. in london he paid due regard to the conventionsand was entertained at great houses and in

return offered very splendid receptions tohis hosts. meanwhile he kept a skilled finger on the hardening arteries of new internationalaffairs. he knew very well that he was suspected ofintriguing for monarchial restoration and the confusion of the country where he wasso pleasantly entertained, by such men as the earl of rosecarrel. but for the main partengland still clung to her habit of disbelieving that a man who could be so charming in societywould commit the betise of plotting where he had played. he was particularly interested in the springautomobile show at the crystal palace. he had heard a great deal of late of the lionmotor and he wanted one. on his first visit

to the show he told the manager that the silvermodel there exhibited was the one that he would buy. he was annoyed that the firm'srepresentative would not allow it to be taken away until the show finished. on his second visit he was irritated to findthat the manager raised objections about selling it at all. "you see, sir," said the manager, "a car likethis demands careful driving and constant attention. our ordinary model would suit youbetter." "i want this because it is said to be thefastest car in the world," count michael returned. "to me the price is nothing."

"it isn't that at all, sir," the manager said."in confidence it wouldn't do us any good if your own mechanics got it in such a conditionit couldn't do its best work. bad advertisement you understand." "you think i should have a special chauffeurthen? good. send me one. send three if necessary but send me a man who has the nerve to drivealong my mountain roads by day or night at any speed i choose." "that's a tall order, sir," the manager returned. "but i pay. i always pay better than othersbecause i want better work." count michael temesvar beheld a blue-cladmechanic working under a car. he struck him

a sharp blow on the leg with his cane. a grimy-facedman emerged rubbing the bruised limb. "you," said the count peremptorily, "can youdrive a car like this lion?" the man grinned. the idea seemed to ticklehim. he spoke with the cockney accent of his kind. "me drive a lion?" he said. "ask mr. king'ere what i can do." "i couldn't let him go," said mr. king quickly."he is my best demonstrator and a wonder at tuning up an engine." count michael ignored the protesting manager. "what is your wage?"

"i get five pound a week." "i give you ten. you are my man. you leavefor my place in croatia when the show is over. my secretary will see you are looked after.serve me well and you will never regret it. i am generous, when i am pleased." he turnedto his companion. "see that all arrangements are made. if he has a wife and children bringthem if he desires it. if he will be happier without them let them remain here. i musthave him. he has intelligence and industry. look you, he has gone back to his work. heloves his engine as a good groom does his horse." the mechanic had indeed crawled again underthe huge car. the count could have added that

he was cautious for he drew his legs wellinto cover. the count and the secretary went off. thesecretary was to call at the office next day and arrange things. the manager was deferential,but when they had left the glass-roofed hall he permitted himself to laugh. then he crossedto the car and bent down. "it's all right, mr. trent," he said, "they'vegone now; you can come out." anthony trent looked up at him and grinned. "you can always get a job as an actor," hesaid. "your accent is a bit of all right," the managerreturned, gratified. "if it's etiquette for a manager to have adrink with a mere oil-stained mechanic as

i am, lead on to the nearest place." "well," said the manager later, "what do youthink of him?" anthony trent rubbed his leg. "he struck me," said trent in a curious, musingway. there was something in his tone which made the manager look at him quickly. anthonytrent's face was grim and set. "i don't think he meant it that way," mr.king replied. he had visions of assault and battery. "some day i shall give him the opportunityto apologize," said the american. mr. king had received personal instructionsfrom the chairman of the lion motor, ltd.,

to obey mr. anthony trent in every particular.mr. trent was to be allowed to have the run of the shops and the most expert mechanicsin the firm were to put all they knew at his disposal. anthony trent started by giving the managerthe best dinner he had ever eaten. then he coached him in the rã´le of a manager anxiousnot to lose his best demonstrator. king was delighted that count michael walked into thetrap set for him eagerly. he liked trent but thought poorly of his chances in a tusslewith this big girthed foreigner. "must be fifty inches round the chest," heobserved, sipping his drink delicately, "and most of it muscle. one of the most powerfulmen i've ever laid eyes on, mr. trent. built

like a wrestler. about five feet ten i judge,a couple of inches less than you but five stone heavier." "what was the big car on the aisle oppositeus at the show?" trent asked, as king thought, irrelevantly. "the 'amazon,'" king answered scornfully."all varnish and silver plate and upholstery with a motor that isn't worth a tinker's dam." "that's like the count," trent smiled, "champagne,high living and general dissipation have made a shell of him. he looks well enough to theeye, like that amazon car, but call on the motor and you'll see 'em both hang out distresssignals."

"maybe," king conceded, "i'll put my bet onthe lion," he smiled in a friendly fashion at the other, "and the eagle." they fell to talking technicalities and keptit up till the hour when michael, count temesvar went to dine at a house in bruton street.he told his host that as a compliment to this country, his second home, he had just boughtan english car and engaged an english chauffeur. the other guests thought it so broad-mindedof him. he further endeared himself to his company by deploring the retirement of hisold adversary, that eminent diplomat, the earl of rosecarrel. his old adversary's occupation at the momentwould have surprised him. the earl was devising

an ingenious cipher code having, it wouldseem to the uninitiated, the various parts of a lion motor which might need replacingby telegram to the london factory. anthony trent would take a copy with him, carefullyconcealed, and any telegram sent by him to the works would instantly be forwarded tothe code's inventor. "what makes you so cheerful?" his daughterasked as she bade him goodnight. "that amazing american of yours," he answered. "'of mine,'" she repeated. but even in thegrip of her unhappiness she was not sure that the dim future did not hold some alleviation. few people were more careful of appearancesthan anthony trent. he was always dressed

with quiet distinction. in the early daysof a profession where it is not well to be too prominent, he chafed at this restraint.later he saw that it was the sign of sartorial eminence. on assuming the name and characteristics ofalfred anthony he also had to dress the part and talk the part. from the men in the lionshop he had, with his mimic's cleverness, taken on their peculiar intonations and slanguntil he certainly could deceive a foreigner. and since he was thorough he forced himselfto smoke the part. he accompanied his great silver car acrossthe channel to ostend dressed as the men in the shop dressed. and he moved with theirbrisk, perky quickness and he alternated between

shag in a bull-dog pipe and woodbine cigarettes.he was glad that mr. hentzi, the count's secretary observed his altercation at the belgian portwith a customs official who made him pay duty on an excess number of cigarettes. "ah," said mr. hentzi with condescension,"the cigarette of the briteesh tommee!" at ostend, trent superintended the despatchof his charge by fast freight and then took the trans-continental express to budapest.he was to wait for the car and drive it to its new home. during the few days he was forcedto idle in the hungarian capital he deplored the fact that new status prevented him fromgoing to the bristol or the grand hotel royal. he stayed, instead, at an hotel of the secondclass and encountered little friendliness.

english or americans, it seemed, were stillregarded as enemies. he was saved from any violence by hentzi'sannouncement that he must be fitted for the temesvar livery. it was no use to rebel. withincredible swiftness the tailor turned it out. trent looked at himself in the glasswith the utmost distaste. the color scheme was maroon and canary yellow. he likened himselfto those who stood before the fashionable stores on fifth avenue and opened limousinedoors. "with that livery," hentzi said impressively,"you will be safe; you will be respected." anthony trent was too much overwhelmed toanswer him. certainly the anthony trent who stared back at him from the mirror was a stranger.he was wearing his hair longer than usual

and a small moustache was already sprouting.the hawklike look was not evident. he wore, instead, an air of innocence that was chaplinesque.hentzi took this look of scrutiny to be one of pride. "you must have your photograph taken and sendit to your best girl," he laughed, "she will make all the other ones jealous." "yes," said the man who suddenly rememberedhe was alfred anthony of vauxhall bridge road, "she'll be fair crazy about it. just likeme." but he did not wear it much. he preferredthe chance of a row with the populace to his unwished for splendor. the days of delay gavehim leisure to think over coming difficulties.

he conceded he had been led away by emotionand enthusiasm when he was betrayed into boasting of his prowess. the two men who had failedhad been good men no doubt and they were dead. such a man as temesvar must know that thebrain who originated the attempt at recovery of the draft was still scheming. the countmust constantly be on the watch. and if so, why had he engaged alfred anthony with solittle investigation? like most high grade criminals, anthony trent was apt to suspectsimple actions when performed by men of the temesvar type and impute to them subtle motives.he wished he had been able to take a longer look at the count instead of his momentarytalk. he reminded trent very much of the celebratedpainting of francis the first, that sensual

monarch who was devoted to the chase, masquerades,jewelry and the pursuit of the fair. but francis, for all his accomplishments, was weak andfrivolous while temesvar was ruthless and a power, if lord rosecarrel was to be believed. before he left london trent had secured whatroad maps he could of hungary and particularly the adriatic coast of dalmatia and croatia.at his hotel he spread them out on the table and spent hours poring over them. he ventured to ask mr. hentzi some particularsof the place, and why count michael had gone to the expense of importing the chauffeurand the car when he had many machines in his garage and so many men at his command.

hentzi told him the count needed a clear-eyed,temperate man who could make great speed and make it safely. "most of our men," hentzi declared, "drinkshlivovitza, a brandy made of plums, and there are people who visit the count whose livesmust not be imperilled by recklessness." "what about the roads?" trent asked thinkingof the weight of the lion and its tremendous wheel-base. "from karlstadt to fiume runs the maria louiseroad which is superb. it is one over which you will pass many times. then there is thejosephina road from zengg and many fine highways built not for the croatian peasants but forstrategic purposes. you have seen in this

war which is passed what good roads mean,eh?" "you 'it it on the 'ed, guv'ner," trent saidcheerfully. "what do i go down to fiume for?" "to meet passengers from the steamers or fromthe count's yacht. it is one hundred and twenty miles from fiume to radna castle. what couldyou do that distance in? the road down the mountain to karlstadt is good but narrow." alfred anthony spat meditatively. "the old girl will do it in three hours,"he said, "she'll shake 'em up a bit inside but if there aren't no traffic cops or bigtowns i can do it in three hours or bit more." "no. no," hentzi cried nervously, "that issuicide. we have been satisfied to take six

hours." "with 'orses?" alfred anthony demanded, "prettygood time with 'orses, but this is a lion." hentzi sat on the front seat during the longdrive and pointed out the path. on the whole he was a good natured man but he did not permitthe count's chauffeur to forget that he was talking to the count's secretary. hentzi hadformerly been a clerk in the estate office of the temesvar family and had been promotedto his present position because he was faithful and a good linguist. he was afraid of the count. trent could detecta fear of him whenever the name was mentioned. when hentzi warned the new chauffeur to becareful if his employer was in an angry mood

the american demanded the reason. "if i do my duty," said the pseudo mechanic,"he can't hurt me." "you talk as a child talks," hentzi laughed."he will do as he likes and as the devils that are in him at the moment. he fears neithergod, man, nor devil. pauline only may mock when he rages." "who is pauline?" trent asked, "the missus?" "the countess," hentzi said with dignity,"is in perpetual retreat with the ursuline sisters near vienna." "is pauline the daughter?"

"his daughters are married." hentzi laughed,"castle radna is not a place where it is wise to ask questions. you think because his excellencywas cheerful when you last saw him he is like that always? i tell you if pauline has beenunkind he may visit it on you. i prefer that he does. i am tired of his humours and youare younger and stronger." "you don't mean he might hit me?" trent cried. hentzi seemed to find trent's anxious manneramusing. "most certainly he will," the secretary assuredhim, "but you need not be alarmed. he will fling you gold when his temper has spent itself." "i'm not going to let any man strike me,"trent said doggedly. "it would raise the devil

in me and i might be sorry for it." "you would," hentzi said thinking that thechauffeur meant he might lose his job. anthony trent, instead, was thinking thathe might, in order to succeed in his venture, have to submit to indignities that would betorture to one of his temperament. it would not be wise to let the secretary know thisso he turned the subject to the woman who dare laugh when the count was angry. "who is pauline?" he asked. "she was a skater from the winter palace inberlin. she is beautiful or she would not be at castle radna; she is clever or she couldnot control count michael who has broken many

women's hearts. she is bad or she would nothave driven the countess from her home. for myself i hate her and the men and women withwhom she fills the place." "so they keep a lot of company up there?" "company!" hentzi replied, "there is no suchcastle in europe. i have seen life in buda and vienna but up there! you may be sure whenthe master drinks champagne the servants will drink shlivovitza. but do not think they areall pauline's friends. no. no. the great of the world come there too and pauline's friendsare banished. you will drive great personages up from fiume and you will not know who theyare or what their errand." "is the count a politician?"

hentzi laughed with good natured contemptat such a naive query. not to know michael, count temesvar's reputation in the field ofworld politics was to admit ignorance of all the troubled currents which worried kingsand presidents. he was rudely brought back from his loftyattitude by the sudden stopping of the car. he was almost thrown from his seat. "look!" trent cried, pointing to a piece ofclose cropped turf, "a golf green as i live." "what of it?" hentzi snapped, "what do youknow of golf?" "i used to be a caddie," trent lied glibly."who plays there?" "the count because his doctor tells him to.i because i hate it, and pauline that her

figure may remain seductive. thank god thereare but nine holes! it encourages our master to have one man who always plays worse thanhe. look, that is the castle." almost under the shadows of mount sljeme therugged building lay. around it, nestling at its gates were many other lesser stone buildingswhich hentzi told him were stables, dwellings and out-houses. it was situated in the zagorjeor land beyond the hills and had, despite its fine gardens and the green turf of thelinks a forbidding air. when the lion was run into its garage hentziintroduced the new chauffeur to the man with whom he was to live, a man who with his wifehad one of the cottages outside the castle wall. peter sissek, the man, was unfriendlyfrom the start. he resented the importation

of a chauffeur with the new car as a slightto his own skill. but as he spoke only croatian and hungarian, and trent understood neithertongue, his grievances were not voluble. chapter ninepauline anthony trent met pauline in rather a curiousway. he had been a week at castle radna and had not been commanded to drive the count.then hentzi had informed him count michael was sick of a bad cold. sissek by virtue ofbeing senior in the temesvar service tried to get the new man to help him with his owncars but trent absolutely declined. he had assumed a certain post in order tocarry out a design but his duties lay with the lion car and he left the croatian grumblingand set out for a tour of inspection. naturally

his steps led him to the little golf coursea mile distant. there were no long holes and the course was hardly trapped at all. it wasjust the kind of place elderly men, who played a weak game, would revel in. by the first tee was a little rustic pavilion.through the windows trent could see three or four golf bags. the temptation was toostrong to resist. he picked the locks with the blade of a pocket knife and found himselfin a comfortable room. the count's golf bag contained excellent clubs and plenty of balls.he looked at the balls and knew the count's game instantly. they were bitten into by theirons of a strong man. trent shuddered at the gashes and then, selecting a new balland a putter and driver went out on the nearby

green. it was sheltered from all observationand he putted for a few minutes. in the distance he could see the first green.it looked to be a little under three hundred yards distant; and it lay beneath, sweetlytempting to a long driver. anthony trent had for some years now liveda life in which he denied himself nothing. he had reached out for such treasures as onlya millionaire may buy. the question of right or wrong in the matter of using his employer'sclubs bothered him little. he did not want to be observed in case the privilege weredenied him. he teed up his ball, made a few preliminaryswings and then struck the white sphere with perfectly timed strength. he watched it rise,fall and roll almost to the edge of the green.

he would certainly make it in three. then he turned round to look into the astonishedface of a very beautiful woman. there was something in the general effect, quickly seen,which reminded him of lady daphne; but as he looked he saw this girl was older. he doubtedthe genuineness of the golden hair and he saw that art had aided nature in the facialmake-up. but she was no more than eight and twenty and her figure differed from daphne'sslim, almost boyish slightness. she was dressed in a curious shade of green. it was a tinthe thought he had never seen before until he looked into her eyes and saw it there reflected. pauline had known the count had engaged achauffeur from london but she assumed him

to be of the usual type. she had no idea thatthe man who had just made such a superb drive was he. pauline had been used to much socialenjoyment of a sort and while count michael had been away she had to behave circumspectly.she was dull and she was bored; and now, as though an answer to prayer, fate had senther a handsome young man who stood like a bronze statue as he followed the flight ofthe ball. since the count had given permission for thefamilies of the neighbouring landowners to use his course she imagined it to be one ofthese or perhaps a guest at some local mansion. anthony trent was never one who made a habitof the pursuit of the fair. his profession had taught him caution. almost always thefeminine element had brought the great criminals

to peril. there had been one or two harmlessflirtations but his love for daphne was the great affair of his life. he groaned whenhe looked into pauline's bold eyes and saw admiration looking from them. other womenhad looked at him like that. pauline was absolute at castle radna. her enmity might be veryharmful. her friendship might be ruinous. he assumed the bearing of alfred anthony whichhe had abandoned unconsciously. he even touched his cap to the lady as a servant who habituallywears livery should do. she frowned as he did so. "who are you?" she said in german. "i'm the new chauffeur, miss," he returnedin english.

"what are you doing here, then?" "having a bit of a game," he said with anair of timidity. "i hope you won't tell the guv'nor." "the guv'nor?" she repeated. "the count," he said, "the old toff with thebeard." trent produced a woodbine and lighted it luxuriously.he had all the quick nervous gestures of the cockney. "where did you learn to play golf like that?"she asked, looking at the white speck almost three hundred yards distant.

"anyone can make a fluky drive," he said,"one drive doesn't make a golfer, miss. i used to be a caddie at the royal surrey club." "then you can carry my clubs," she said. shelooked at him with a frown. "how is it the door is open?" "someone must have forgot to shut it," trentsaid simply. "i just walked in." all his excuses to get back to his garagewere ineffectual. "you will understand later," she said imperiously,"that if i order a servant to obey me he must do so. i wish you to teach me to play bettergolf. i shall pay you." "i'll be glad to have a little extra moneyto send the mis'sus," said trent cheerfully.

"that means you are married, eh?" she said. "you've 'it it," he smiled. he misjudged pauline if he thought this wouldhave any effect upon her. she was a specialist in husbands, an expert in emotional reactions. pauline played a very fair game. she had notbeen properly taught. but she was strong and lithe and although she had begun the gamein order to keep her figure she played it now because she liked it. when she had performedprofessionally in london and big provincial cities she had seen that efficiency in somesport or another was de rigueur among women of importance and she hankered after the socialrecognition that unusual skill at sports often

brought with it. "make another such drive," she commanded aftershe had driven only a hundred yards. "not like mine, but like your first." trent having committed himself to a term ofcaddiedom at a great club where caddies have risen to the heights as professionals, hewas not compelled to play a bad game. pauline had never seen such golf and she worshippedbodily skill at games or sports more than any mental attainments. his short approachesamazed her. the skill with which at a hundred yards he could drop on a green and remainthere with the back spin on the ball seemed miraculous.

"i shall play every day," she decided, "andyou shall tell me how to become a great player." "what about me and my motor?" he objected,"i came to drive a car and not a golf ball." "i shall arrange it," she said, "peter sissekcan drive." "not my car," he cried, "i'm not going tohave no blooming mucker like him drive my lion." her green eyes were narrowed when she lookedat him. "there are a hundred men who would give allthey had for such an opportunity," she said slowly. "let 'em," he said quickly, "i'm a chauffeurand mechanic."

at the last hole she made a poor topped driveand the ball landed in a bad lie. it was an awkward stroke and he corrected her stanceand even showed her how to grip the club when suddenly he was struck a tremendous blow onthe back of the head. he was thrown off his balance but was up like a cat, dazed a littlebut anxious to see what had hit him. he thought it was a golf ball. it was count michael instead.he looked more like francis the first than ever. his eyes were blazing with anger. hehad stolen upon them unaware at a moment when trent's hand was holding the white hand ofpauline as he tried to explain the grip. the count was too angry to understand thelook that trent threw at him or to realize how nearly the pseudo-chauffeur lost controlof himself. but trent pulled himself together,

dissembled his wrath, remembered his mission,and even presented a rueful but free from resentment appearance. "'ere guv'nor," he cried, "steady on! i 'aven'tdone anythink." "it is you i blame," the count said to pauline.he spoke in german and ignored alfred anthony. "why is it unknown to me you bring my servantto play with you?" certainly pauline had no fear of the magnate. "because he has been a professional caddieand plays so well i can learn the game. since your game is contemptible with whom can iplay here?" "i beat hentzi every time," stormed the count.

"hentzi," she laughed, "he is afraid of you.i am not. this man is useful. i have told him he is to carry my clubs when i play. doyou object to that?" "by no means," the count said becoming moreamiable. "i see no objection; but as he has two arms he can carry mine also. he is a beaugarã§on pauline and i do not permit his filthy fingers to touch the hand i kiss." he turnedto trent. "how is it you are here and not at your work?" "i took a bit of a walk," trent answered. "and finding him near the pavilion i toldhim to carry my clubs," pauline added in english. "what is strange in that?"

sissek with a fiat car was waiting by thepavilion. he had driven his master down and took pauline back as well. he did not understandwhy the new man was carrying golf clubs. he brightened when the count spoke to him inrapid croatian. "i am telling him," the count said, "thatthere is plenty of work for you to do. he will find it if you cannot. and as peter isvery strong and as short tempered as his lord i bid you be careful." trent's temper was not sufficiently undercontrol to keep a sneer from his face. his grin was superbly insolent. he forgothis cockney accent and his acquired vocabulary. "i'm afraid," he said, "you are not as gooda judge of men as you are of women."

"what is this you say?" the count demandedfrowning. "i mean that if your fool-faced peter therecan make me do anything against my will he shall have my salary as well as his own. youcame behind me when i wasn't looking and hit me. i can't resent that-yet, but warn himif he tries anything on me like that i'll-" he paused conscious of having said too muchand aware that pauline was gazing at him with vivid interest. "i'll make him sorry." trentfelt it was a weak ending. "he is funny, this new chauffeur from londonis he not pauline?" but pauline had a mischievous idea. she spoketo peter sissek, that powerful and jealous servant, and he flashed a look of hatred attrent. he thoroughly believed that the new

man had indeed made the insulting remarkspauline ascribed to him. "michael," said pauline caressingly, "letus see what this bold man would do if peter threatened him. we will not let peter hurthim but it will be a lesson." pauline knew men and she saw in trent one who could noteasily be forced to do anything. poor peter sissek urged by his master to avengehimself upon this hated alien rushed to his fate. in a way trent was sorry. he had noreal grievance against the man. but peter was immensely strong and spurred on by a livelyhatred. it was his idea to get his long arms about the slenderer man and throw him to theground and there beat his sneering face in. he was stopped in his rush by a stinging leftjab which caught him square on an eye. while

he stood still in amazement another blow fell,this time on his nose. the big man paused in angry amazement thatone built so much more slenderly than he could hit with this terrific force. pauline leanedforward her lips parted and the red flush of excitement victor over art's rouge. shewas a woman of violent loves and hates and had urged many a love sick swain into unequalcontest for amusement's sake. although trent had attracted her she was not sure that shedid not want to see sissek punish him. he had paid as little attention to her charmsas though he thought she was old and ugly. as she looked at the foreigner she noted thathis face had changed. he looked keen, hawklike, dangerous. it would have been wiser for anthonytrent had he allowed peter sissek to triumph.

then, suddenly, peter made a rush. he putdown his bullet head and jumped at his man. anthony trent saw the opportunity for as prettyan upper-cut as one might need. for peter sissek it was the whole starry firmament inits splendor that showed itself, and then the night came down. "he has killed peter!" the count roared. "that is not death," pauline said clappingher hands. for an uneasy moment the count rememberedthat not many minutes earlier he had buffetted this quiet, grim fighter, this same man whohit his opponent at will and evaded his enemy's blows with practised ease. these english speakingpeoples with their odd notions of independence

and their skill with their brutal fists weredangerous. it might well be that even he, michael temesvar had best remember his newchauffeur was not docile like peter sissek and the others. "this is murder!" the count said still angrily. "he'll come to," trent said carelessly. "shalli drive you back?" "no," said the count. he looked coldly atthe man who had charge of the lion. but trent knew very well that the anger in his facewas not from any sympathy with peter sissek. it was the thought that pauline had deceivedhim and that this young man was too skillful in too many ways that annoyed the aristocrat.

"i will send a car back," count michael asserted,"meanwhile stay with the man you have so cruelly assaulted." peter sissek awoke to consciousness a fewseconds later and looked with difficulty on the world. his nose was cut, an eye was closedand his car was gone. he made strange outcries and became so excited that trent with a blacklook bade him be silent. sissek knew what was meant and started at a run along the road. trent was not so sure he had done well thatmorning. he had angered the count. well, such anger would probably pass under ordinary conditions.he had interested that magnificent animal pauline, reigning favorite, and autocrat,and pauline was not discreet. sooner or later

the count would see the way she looked athis chauffeur and then the game would be up. he would be sent back to london his missiona failure. to get pauline's enmity would be fatal, too. she would not hesitate to ruina man she hated and the count would always believe her word against that of alfred anthony.the american sat on the edge of the first tee and cursed all irregularly run establishments.he looked up presently to see the car returning. it was driven by hentzi. "what is this i hear?" hentzi said severely. "i don't give a damn what you have heard,"trent said crossly. "what? you talk like this to me?"

"to you or anyone else," trent retorted. "lookhere, my little man, i came here to look after a high powered car and risk my neck on mountainpasses. all right. i'm agreeable. but if you or anyone else thinks i'm a golf caddie ora footman or a servile beast like sissek you're all mistaken. i'm a good mechanic and i candrive a car against almost anyone but i'm not going to stand for oppression. the counthit me." anthony trent patted himself on the chest as the enormity of the offence grewlarger, "he hit me!" "you talk as though you were a gentleman,"hentzi said coldly. "my friend you are of the people and you have read too much. youprobably think you are my equal. it is an honor to serve a temesvar but if you are anxiousto go to your own country i have no doubt

your company can send another man." "there's no need for that," trent said lessirascibly, "but what makes pauline think i'm going to carry her clubs around when i'vegot my own work to do?" "so that was it," hentzi commented. "thatwas why count michael stormed at me so. my good alfred, you are young and life is sweet.i counsel you to remember that always while you are at radna. the temesvars have alwaysbeen hot headed. you see that steep cliff yonder?" trent looked above him to where the side ofa mountain was cut so sharply that a drop of four hundred feet would be the lot of onestepping from the edge.

"that has been the scene of many tragedies,"hentzi said, "many men have stepped into space." "murdered?" trent demanded. "accidents," hentzi assured him, "unfortunateaccidents. there was one lamentable occurrence not many years ago and he was a fellow countrymanof yours by the way. a man of great personal distinction. but these are not for you, thesereminiscences of high life. what will interest you is that the count says you can no longerlive with the sisseks. he does not want two valuable servants to kill one another. roomwill be made for you at the castle. that pleases you, eh?" "yes," trent said, conscious that his lookof triumph had puzzled hentzi. "i do not like

mrs. sissek's cooking." in reality he was delighted. here he was tobe taken into the castle without having to make an effort. it was the first step. itwould be strange if one as skilled and silent as he could not soon have every detail ofthe house at his command. he knew the servants drank their native spirits, brandies, madeof cherries, apricots and plums. this assured sound sleep and unlimited opportunities. thecount was a great drinker, too, and his guests feasted well. as if in conspiracy against him the majordomo, chief of the indoor servants, put him in the least desirable of rooms, a rat-riddenchamber away from the sleeping apartments

of the rest of the help. in the heat of summerit would be unbearable. there was fortunately a great bolt which barred the door from intruders.the one long, deep window opened inwards. an old square copper pipe used to drain theroof far above passed his window. he took hold of it and found it immovable. it wouldeasily support his weight. the ground lay twenty feet below. it was the windows thatthis copper pipe passed which most interested trent. if they had catches similar to hisown he could open them with a hair pin. he was eager for night to fall. and because hewas now assured of action he became much more docile. he allowed hentzi to lecture him severelyon his brutal behaviour. during the next week he was worked so hardthat he had little opportunity, apart from

his long journeys to fiume, to do aught elsethan make a mental plan of the windows on his side of the castle. there were four aperturessimilar to that which gave light and air to his room. the heavy copper pipe passed bythem all. to a gymnast with a clear head they were all within reach. the climb was probablyless difficult than it would seem to an observer looking up from the ground. there was risk,of course, but anthony trent was always ready to take it. in the daily life of the servants' hall henoticed that the place had an enormous number of retainers, young and old, many more thanseemed necessary. they were with a few exceptions sons and daughters of the temesvar family,servants proud of their caste and the man

they served. the major domo spoke german andfrench. he was a pompous person who ruled absolutely below stairs. he did not like thestranger but he had been commanded not to allow any brawls and he saw to it the chauffeurwas let alone. there was much to eat and to drink. count michael owned herds of swinewhich grazed in the miles of oak and beech forests surrounding castle radna and the headydrinks that abounded were made from his own fruits by his own people. as a rule the lower servants went early tobed. those who remained up later were the major domo and such of his men as waited uponthe count's table. there came a dark cloudy night when anthony trent wearing black sneakersand a dark suit free from white collar or

cuffs crawled out of his dungeon-like windowand up the twelve feet of piping that intervened between his own and the next window above.he found himself looking down into what he supposed was the great entrance hall of thecastle. just below him was a great seat raised above the hall level on a platform of stoneat the base of the fine sweep of stairway. it was the official seat of the major domo.he could see the portly servant in a sort of antique evening dress, white gloves onpodgy hands and a gilt chain of office about his thick neck. below were three or four footmenin the maroon and canary of the temesvars. they were yawning as though weary of inactivity.plainly trent could not emerge a few feet above the major domo's head and in full viewof the footmen.

a climb to the next embrasure revealed whatat first seemed a checkmate to observation. he found on investigation that some greatarticle of furniture was backed against the window. it was immovable. another climb andhe was able to step through the easily opened window to a dark corridor. anthony trent ina great silent house where danger and disgrace would attend his discovery was in his element.he moved silently, surely, and seemed possessed of a seventh sense. he had never before professionallyworked in such a vast rambling place as castle radna. it was not easy even for one trainedas he to keep the plan of the place in mind. he found himself on a floor of bedrooms fewof which were occupied. he bent over one slumberer whose breath wasstrong with plum brandy and found he had discovered

hentzi's bedroom. he, did not need to be veryquiet here. underneath him was the floor where the main bedrooms would be and he had an ideathe count might keep his valuables there. it was necessary that he should be able toenter from the outside since the stairway leading down was brilliantly lighted fromthe main hall and stone stairway where the men servants seemed permanently stationed. trent had the ability to snatch sleep whenhe desired it. it was now only eleven o'clock. he crawled under hentzi's bed and slumbereduntil one. there was no danger of discovery. he did not snore and the man in the upperberth would not wake till morning. anthony trent had made a profound study of the valueof snores in the determination of the tenacity

with which the snorer clung to sleep. when he shut hentzi's door and stepped outinto the corridor he saw that the lights had been extinguished below and he was free nowto make his way to the floor beneath. he tried no doors but went at once to the aperturecovered by the article of furniture. it was a huge ebony armoire inlaid with panels oftortoise-shell and ornamented by intricate designs of brass and ormolu. it was probablyput in this spot for the purposes of decoration and he picked the lock to prove himself right.it was empty and there was space enough to stand upright in. he felt it vandalism to break the back paneland feared once the loud cracking of wood

might arouse the house. but there were fewin castle radna who went without a nightcap. it took him almost two hours to hack an aperturethat would admit him easily. then he slid down the pipe and went to bed.it was not easy to sleep. he had done very well so far. he was free of the house. withluck he could come and go at will during the still night hours. but the first step waseasy. next to find where the count kept lord rosecarrel's treaty and then to take it. andfinally to get away with his treasure. he was not so much inclined to belittle the abilitiesof those other two who had planned and failed as he had been when he talked to the earl.he had taken due notice of hentzi's reference to the death of an englishman a few yearsago who had met his fate at the base of the

steep cliff-side. he felt almost certain thatthis was one of the men the earl had spoken of. lord rosecarrel had said they set a trap forhim into which none but a clever man would fall. he wished now he had asked particularsof it. so far anthony trent had escaped snares and the nets of hunters because he had outguessedhis opponents. sometimes he told himself that in the end the deadly law of averages wouldmake him its victim. the pitcher would go once too often to the well. these reflectionswhile they made him more than ever cautious did not lessen his zeal. plainly it wouldbe easier to work a remote castle in croatia than a new york mansion protected by burglaralarms, night watchmen and detectives. yet

he had always succeeded so far in the faceof these obstacles. but the address and nerve which had carried him through many a tightpinch in new york would not avail him here. more than once, clad in evening dress, hehad joined excited groups of guests and tried to capture himself. he had calmly taken hishat and cane from a footman and been bowed out of a house he had pillaged and once inspectormcwalsh had carried to the door some priceless antiques he had taken from the very collectionthe inspector and his men were guarding. reflection showed him that count michael temesvarwas far too shrewd to trust the document that meant so much to him to insecure shelter.despite the fact that the castle seemed filled with idle, drinking, overfed lackeys and hehimself was unwatched, there must be some

precaution taken which would defeat him unlesshe trod warily. it was his experience that rich men knew littleof the vulnerability of the safes to which they entrusted their valuables. again andagain he had been able to open such with ludicrous ease. count michael probably had an antiquewhich would send a "peteman" into ecstacies of mirth. trent's job was to locate it. next day he was commanded to accompany paulineand the count to the golf links. pauline hardly looked at him but count michael watched himcontinually. he was relieved at the girl's attitude. she was beaten by her opponent andangry at it. the count was not a sportsman. he putted over the easy bunkers and more thanonce he lifted his ball to a better lie. the

victory made him good humoured. his heavybearded face was wreathed with smiles. trent had the opportunity to observe him more closelythan ever before. it was a bad, crafty face but it was not merely the face of a pleasureloving fool. if rumor spoke rightly he was, more than any other man, the prime mover inactivities aimed against the english speaking peoples. from this same castle of radna hadissued many plots and subtle schemes all directed by this man who moved a golf ball with hisfoot when he thought none was looking. hentzi had told him that every european andamerican newspaper of note was to be found in the count's library. it was odd that sucha man would not make some great city his home. he mentioned this once to hentzi who madethe astonishing answer that the count dreaded

assassination by political enemies. fearingperhaps he had said too much the secretary added that count michael had long ago abandonedpolitics for the life of a great landowner and that such a fear was without foundation. "it wouldn't be easy for a stranger to getin here, would it?" trent demanded carelessly. the question seemed a most provoking one. "let such a one try," he returned smiling,"and he will see how we welcome him here in radna. you who are of another world wouldnot understand." "i suppose not," trent said and talked ofother things. but he was not reassured. he set himself to master the roads that led tosafety. there might be the need to know them.

he had not yet been down to fiume alone. hewanted to find several places in the big port. there might be a time when he would have tosend an order to the lion works for spare parts. his code was elaborate and framed tomeet all contingencies. when he asked hentzi why so few people stayedat the castle the secretary's reply amazed him. hentzi rather liked to impress this amiablecockney. he was not without a sense of the melodramatic. "my friend," he said with condescension, "thereare more who take their dinner in the big dining hall than you know. if it were yourlot to be an indoor servant you would know what i mean. castle radna is at one time aprison, a sanctuary and the abode of hospitality."

"i never understand what you're driving atmr. hentzi," trent told him. "i don't get your meaning half the time." "i do not intend that you shall," hentzi remarked."and i do not advise you to seem curious. as it is you have displeased your master." "sissek started it," trent reminded him. "sissek is a clod, a peasant, a man of noimportance. i am not thinking of peter sissek. i am thinking of madame pauline." "that blond woman," trent said with assumedcarelessness. "what about her?" "she has praised your face and figure beforeone who, when he is jealous, kills."

"me?" cried trent with an air of astonishment,"why i only told her she was a rotten golfer." he groaned in spirit. his stay at castle radnawas going to be very difficult. hentzi watching him closely only saw a face which expressedlittle interest. he was used now to sudden questioning by this volatile cockney. "what do you mean by the castle being a prison?" "i should have said that it has held manyprisoners in bygone years, and sheltered many of the great. this is not like your englishcastles where the lord has no power. look you, not a year ago we stayed, the count andi, at such a place. the owner struck a careless servant and was obliged to pay a fine beforea judge. think of it! an english lord haled

into court by his own footman and fined. thereis nothing like that here so when you are struck again do not think of an english policemanand a fine. i wish you to stay. when sissek drives down the mountain i am always alarmed.you go twice as fast and i have no fear. count michael desires you to stay." "i haven't said anything about going havei?" trent retorted. he supposed hentzi was trying to warn him not to look covetouslyat the handsome pauline. the warning troubled him. he was of a physical type to which blondsof the pauline type were invariably attracted. "many have died for her," hentzi went on,"the young officers who flocked to see her skate. there were scandals. she was sent awayfrom berlin. she was in america, in england

and petrograd. she is cruel. i am afraid ofher." "i'm only a blooming chauffeur," trent saidcarelessly, "and i wish i had never carried clubs at the royal surrey." "you are also good looking," hentzi said,"and of a superior type. furthermore you are young and she has seen you play better thanany man she has met and she has seen you fight. i warn you." "i've got a girl of my own in london," trentsaid confidentially, "who is a fair knock out. my girl has the real gold on her sweetlittle head and the roses on her cheeks owe nothing to a bottle and her eyes are sometimesviolet and sometimes dark blue and she is

slim and has those long white hands one wantsto kiss." "love has made you a poet," hentzi said affably.it was well that he did not notice that the cockney accent was for the moment abandoned.hentzi was not a very close observer. he had only two profound emotions. the one a fearof his employer, the other admiration for himself. he considered trent to be much impressedby his superior knowledge and, here a little and there a little, imparted much valuableinformation as to the castle, its inhabitants and their method of life. he consideratelypointed out the count's library, the room into which no strangers had ever been bidden. anthony trent, therefore, at one-thirty a.m.the next morning was better equipped for exploration

than on his previous venture. hentzi had toldhim that so long as the count remained up a servant waited to attend on him, old ferenczby name. trent remembered him at the servants' table as a surly old man who was silent andreserved and unpopular even among his fellows. he was liable to meet this man at any time.trent was glad the temesvar men servants had not the same silent ways of the rosecarrelmen. the men at castle radna walked heavily, lacking the thin shoes of the earl's servants,and talked loudly. there was little of the perfect discipline and service of the greatenglish houses. it was due no doubt to the fact that the men were almost feudal retainersand not highly trained servants going from country estate to town house with the seasons.

almost the moment he stepped from his tallebony armoire trent heard steps coming toward him. he was at the moment passing a door.his pass key opened it instantly and he stepped into darkness and shut the door carefully.but he knew he was not alone. there was a heavy unrhythmic snoring of a man far gonein sleep. as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness trent saw the outlines of a big bed. he passed the foot of it on hands and knees.the professional always takes this precaution. a man waked from sleep by hearing a strangerat the foot of his bed invariably aims at a man supposed to be standing up. althoughthe sounds trent detected were genuine sleep induced snores he could not be sure that anotherwatchful occupant of the bed was not listening

breathlessly and even now reaching for a weapon. when he assured himself everything was quiethe looked about the room with the light of his electric torch. the sleeping man was astranger to him. he was a red faced man of middle age and on a chair nearby was the undressuniform of an officer of high rank, a light blue uniform with silver facings. accustomedas he was to khaki uniform alone trent had no idea to what european service the sleeperbelonged. he remembered hentzi's remark that there were more people at the dinner tablethan one might suppose. trent was certain he had never seen this officer about the castlegrounds and had never driven him. from the bedroom a door led evidently to aroom en suite. this was unlocked and trent

entered noiselessly. it was a room twice thesize of the adjoining apartment and furnished magnificently. so vast and splendid was thechamber he thought it must be that of count michael, the room where perchance the treatylay concealed for which he had risked so much. but it was not count michael who lay stertorouslyslumbering. it was instead a prince of a great and lately reigning family who had strangelydisappeared from the world a few months earlier and had been, so report ran, drowned in escapingfrom exile. anthony trent was looking at one, worthlessin character and devoid of ability but nevertheless a man who might by reason of his name rallyabout him an army which could start again the dreadful struggle whose scars were yetfresh. a great ceremony had been made of the

funeral and a society of his former officershad been organized to perpetuate his memory by embarrassing his opponents. trent remembered,dimly, reading an article in a london paper which spoke of the prince as being as dangerousdead as when leading his dissolute life. anthony trent looked at the weak, passion-linedface of the man who had sought count michael's shelter and smiled. he had long ago been intriguedby the idea of mixing himself in high politics. here, possibly, was an excellent beginning.but the prince could wait a little while. the time was not yet ripe for his resurrection. looking across the room trent saw two longfrench windows lighting it. one was open. instead of the balcony upon which the intruderassumed these windows opened, they led into

a large courtyard some eighty feet long andforty feet wide. he did not understand how it was this great open space should have itsbeing in the middle of the castle. there seemed no reason why it existed in a building ofthis sort. he was to find later that its origin was accidental. what was now a paved and opencourtyard had been the magazine of the castle during the turkish occupation of croatia.the castle itself had never given in to the ottoman conqueror. it had been shelled inthe reformation uprising in 1607 and a ball shot had exploded the ammunition. the chamberhad never been rebuilt but a century later was turned into a pleasant garden. trent stepped through the open window anddown three steps into the courtyard. it was

plainly much used. there were lounges andchairs and tables. pausing at one of them he saw london and new york papers which hehad brought up from fiume earlier in the week. there were french novels and bon-bons anda feather fan. evidently the prince was not without his feminine companionship. in oneof these big chairs trent sat down and looked about him. the room from which he had comefaced due east. to the north and south were plain solid walls without windows. only tothe west at the other end of the space could he see that the walls were pierced with frenchwindows. as he looked these were suddenly illuminated. he made no motion. he felt reasonablycertain that he was in such a position as to be unobserved.

but he grew less calm when the count's unmistakablefigure passed up and down before the two windows and finally opening one stepped out into thecourtyard. behind him came hentzi who should have been in bed long ago. the two passedso close he could have touched them. they were speaking rapidly and in what he supposedmust be the croatian tongue. twice he heard his name mentioned. the count always calledhim by the assumed name of alfred pronouncing it "arlfrit." it was not pleasant hearing. they might be,for all he knew, discussing his already discovered absence from his room. it was true he hadbolted the door but someone from the outside might have detected the dark-clad climbermaking his unlawful ascent. already a search

might be in progress which would eventuallyclaim him as the third failure. count michael was often so excited about trivial thingsthat the listener was not able to guess whether his present mood was the outcome of some smallirritation or of something far more sinister. there recurred frequently the name of paulineand once or twice the count pointed to the windows where slept the man whom his peoplehad mourned as dead. there was one moment of dreadful anticipationfor the american. he noticed that hentzi was permitting himself to argue with his master.suddenly as the twain passed by trent's refuge the count buffetted his secretary on the head.it was count michael's favorite expression of annoyance. trent himself had suffered thuson the golf links. hentzi ducked in time to

receive merely a glancing blow but he grippedthe arm of trent's chair to steady himself. if he had taken his eyes off the count's stillupraised hand he could not have failed to see the intruder. for a full half hour anthony trent sat quiet.then the count and hentzi left him alone. now that immediate risk of detection seemedpast trent assured himself that his evening had been well spent. undoubtedly count michael'srooms, the rooms he wanted to investigate-were those through whose windows the two had comeand gone. he memorized as well as he could the position in the corridors the doors wouldoccupy. the discovery of this courtyard three floors in depth helped him to understand whathad baffled him in his explorations of the

corridors many of which came to abrupt meaninglessends. in other days they had continued across the space that had once been arsenal, magazineand strong room. he made his way through the open window andpast the sleeping men without mishap. in the corner of a panel in the armoire he boredtwo small holes and blew away the dust that fell from them. he descended the copper pipeprepared to find his room invaded by vengeful servants. but it was as he had left it. itwas not for his arrest that the count had dragged arlfrit into his conversation. chapter tenthe greater game trent was annoyed next morning to learn fromhentzi that he was to accompany pauline and

the count to the links. the only redeemingthing about the expedition was that he himself could get a few strokes in the demonstration. the count was in high good spirits and graciousto them all. "ah, arlfrit," he cried, "this is my lastgame for two weeks. yes, i shall be too busy playing another and a greater game. and you,too, will be busy. tell me you know the roads to fiume, zengg and agram well?" "i could set them to music," trent said forgettingthat it was alfred anthony who was answering his august employer. he waited until the countdrove. he saw that the autocrat broke every rule of the many which go to make a perfectdrive yet sent his ball every inch of two

hundred yards. never had count michael donesuch a thing before. "let us see you beat that," he said dramatically. trent pressed. he wanted to outdrive the otherby fifty yards and ordinarily would have done so. he took too much earth and sent a rockettingball skyward which dropped full fifty yards behind the other. "that was very tactful of you," pauline whispered."his excellency will be in a good temper the whole day." "do you think i tried to do that?" he asked. "why not?" she asked, "i only know you areof a timid disposition. i hate timid men."

"i can't help being timid," he said grinninggenially, "it's my nature." so gratified was the count by his unusualshowing at the game that he did not notice how close pauline kept to alfred anthony.it was nervous work for anthony and he answered the girl abruptly trying to keep her attentionon the game. "you are two men," she said presently whenhentzi and his employer were a little ahead of them. for a moment trent was thoroughlyalarmed. what did she know? he had always known that it was a fallacyto assume because he had seen none on his midnight wanderings that he had been unobserved.in a vast house such as castle radna there were nooks and crannies where frightened servantsor timid guests might hide from him momentarily

only to denounce him later. "what do you mean?" he asked teeing up herball. he had not answered her immediately. "that you are two men. there may be threeof you but i have seen two already. there is the timid, servile creature accepting acoin or a blow and eating with the servants as among his equals. i hate that man. theother is a creature that every now and then looks out of your eyes like a bird of prey.it is the man who drives the great car over the mountain passes as though it were on asmooth boulevard. it is the man who beat big peter sissek to the earth with tight lipsand eyes that flashed. that is a man i could love."

he could feel her arm brush against his own.there was a caressing tenderness in her voice. "tell me, which is the real you?" anthony trent looked straight ahead of him. "if you slice your ball," he said, "you'llget into the rough. golf, like other things is largely a matter of self control." "i could kill you," she said, her eyes blazing. "think of my wife and children," he answeredwith a grin. "that is why," she retorted. "the count isright. one should have only contempt for lackeys. i honor you too much as it is."

"fine!" trent observed, "suits me all right.how many quarterings of nobility have you mademoiselle pauline?" "i at least am an artiste," she flung backat him. "to be the most graceful skater in the world and to have earned more in a weekthan you in a year is something which puts me as far above you as count michael temesvar." "absolutely," trent agreed, "take your mashiehere and go back slowly and don't look up for three seconds after hitting the ball." pauline was certainly a splendidly athleticwoman. she held herself magnificently and was at her best this morning but merely tobe with her bored the pseudo-chauffeur who

had thoughts only for daphne. daphne couldhave given her two strokes a hole and a beating, he reflected. gloom seized on him as he wonderedif ever again he would see her. he was in peril in castle radna even as an honest worker.peter sissek had sworn to pay him for the beating. half of trent's energies were consumedin going over his car to make sure the bolts and nuts were tight and had not been loosenedmaliciously. and in his position as an emissary of theearl of rosecarrel he was in danger of the most vivid kind. he was a spy in a house whichsheltered a princeling who might yet force europe into war. if it were discovered hepossessed this secret nothing could save him. it was a sinister, dour pile of stone, thiscastle radna utterly unlike the cornish castle

with its rose gardens, its fountains and thecharm of country life. he could well believe that in his present dwelling tragedies hasbeen enacted of which no knowledge had filtered through to the larger world. oddly enoughit was during the day when he was peacefully employed as alfred anthony that he was mostobsessed by despondency. when the servants were long abed and asleep and the silencesof the early hours hung about the great corridors and halls anthony trent came into his own.his rubbershod feet were noiseless in the stone passages and his two pass keys openedevery locked door. he was possessed of all secrets it seemed to him. here he was freeto wander like a ghost in banquet hall and corridor. none walked so silently as he.

pauline did not talk to him any more thatmorning but the count was affable. "ah, arlfrit," he cried, "tomorrow your workcommences. yes. you leave for fiume at daybreak and meet the ungarisch-kroatische boat. thistime you will go alone as you will have a passenger beside you as you return. you willwait at the hotel de l'europe. the boat gets to her dock at eleven and my guests will driveimmediately to the motor. make speed back for you must go to agram and back before dinner." "that will be going some!" trent commented. "for what reason do you suppose i buy a lioncar and a chauffeur if not to do what my other automobiles and chauffeurs cannot do? whydo you imagine i introduce a londoner into

my servants hall, a brawling man who assaultsgood peter sissek if not because he must travel fast and safely?" but the count was not angry. he was in thatgood humor which comes to all men who having been in the habit of taking seven for a lasthole make it in four. pauline had taken six and he had not permitted his record to beclouded by allowing trent (as pauline suggested) to see what he could do it in. anthony trent started on his trip when itwas as yet hardly light. he was singularly carefree. the repulsive sissek was not athis side and he was free to wander about the seaport town, locate the cable offices andmake certain arrangements that might contribute

to future safety. that he was invariably ableto make such good time was due mainly to the absence of traffic along the maria louisaroad. not yet had the old prosperity come back to europe and there were more automobilesin allenhurst, new jersey, than all croatia. he was bound to admit that the group of peoplehe took from the hotel de l'europe lived up to all the traditions of mysterious fiction.there were two men, middle aged and plainly used to power, and a very pretty vivaciousdark woman of five and thirty to whom her escorts paid profound attention. the seatbeside trent was occupied by the lady's maid. the black morocco dressing case she held inexorablyupon her knees was marked with a coronet. the woman was hard-faced, elderly and uncommunicative.trent noticed that her mistress was in that

deep mourning which european women affect. trent tried the maid in english but she madeno answer at all. he strained his ears to catch what language was being talked behindhim but the lion was a car of tremendous wheel base and the passengers were removed too farfrom him. once or twice in the old days, particularlyin the case of the sinn fein plot anthony trent had found his lack of knowledge of germana handicap. this linguistic failing was now remedied. he had studied the tongue carefully;and as languages were easily acquired by him had some fair proficiency in it. he was not certain whether it was a trap ora genuine desire to know that made the woman

after a whispered talk with the lady in blacksay to him suddenly, "wenn wir nur nicht unwerfen; die strassen sind nicht besonders hier zulande." it was his first impulse to tell her thatshe would not be upset and that they would soon get on to the better roads. then he rememberedalfred anthony knew but little of any tongue but his own. he smiled at her and shruggedhis shoulders. "try it in english," he commanded smiling."no speak dutch." she did not take the trouble to answer. itwas, he decided, a trap to find if he understood. perhaps it was counted in his favor, thisignorance of continental tongues. at agram he fetched six other people. he foundthat sissek and another chauffeur had been

busy also. hentzi, always desirous of impressingthose beneath him in rank, told trent he was to be guest tonight at a table which wouldhold some of the great ones of the country. "will pauline be among those present?" trentasked. "pauline!" hentzi sneered, "there will begracious, high-born ladies at the table and among these our pauline has no part. she knowsthat." "what time do you dine?" trent asked. it wasnow seven o'clock and hentzi was not in evening dress. "at half past eight. there is one among uswho likes the late dinners of the english and his likings must be obeyed even by countmichael."

"an englishman?" trent queried. "my friend," hentzi said impressively, "ifhe could take all the british and all the americans and sink them in mid-ocean he wouldbe entirely happy. i do not think you understand world politics, eh?" "i follow the racing and footer news," trentconfessed. "i'm not so much on politics. a set of grafters if you ask me." trent spent an hour on his car. he filledthe tanks with gasoline and saw that his spare tires were ready and made the little adjustmentsthat only sensitive fingers may perform. as a rule he drove the car straight into thegarage and backed out. tonight he backed into

it. there might be the sudden need to utilizeevery moment. hentzi's news was good. a dinner of statecommencing at half past eight would be continued long after dark. of necessity the count wouldbe there and undoubtedly the officer and his royal master would grace the board. entrancecould easily be made through their room and over the courtyard to the count michael'sapartment. there would be time for a thorough search. the kitchens were full of bustling maids assistingthe cooks. there was so much confusion that trent helped himself amply to what food hedesired and strolled out to the garage to eat it. more than half was stowed away inhis car. if he were able to get away that

night, as he hoped, it might come in handilyfor breakfast. his plan was to place the treaty draft inan envelope already addressed and stamped and mail it at fiume. after that he wouldtake the car into italy if possible and make for venice whence he could come easily toengland. the servants saw him take a candle and walkwearily to his room. they remembered he had been up before dawn broke. not one of themhad any suspicions that he was aught but what he represented himself to be. at half past ten anthony trent, looking throughthe carved oaken musicians gallery twenty feet above the floor of the banqueting hall,beheld a notable company assembled. when he

saw that the prince had at his side the vivaciousdark lady, he remembered that the weekly pictorial papers had often presented her to their readers.she was the daughter of a royal house lately at war with his country. to her diplomaticskill and love of intrigue was due many checks to allied plans. it was said she ruled herhusband absolutely and loved him little. trent recognized the two men he had broughtwith him. they were in evening dress as was count michael and decorated with many orders,of st. stephen of hungary among others. the military attachã© bristled with medals andthere were others in brilliant uniforms. no other woman was present but the princess.her jewels made trent's mouth water. no doubt the maid had carried them at his side forseveral hours and would, for all he had to

do with it, carry them back. not for a momentdare he think of taking them. it was obvious that the count would make no outcry aboutthe loss of the draft if that alone were taken. he would piece things together and understandthe riddle of alfred anthony. but were the valuables of his guests taken it might bea police matter. so great was the buzz of conversation thattrent could catch no memorable phrase. here and there was a name he had heard of but thatwas all. he noticed that hentzi was not a guest despite his boasting. this in itselfwas awkward for the secretary might be even now in the big room to which the master criminalwas bound. he was relieved presently to observe hentzi hovering on the outskirts of the roomdirecting the servants, a sort of super-major-domo.

it was exactly eleven when he crossed thedark courtyard and opened one of the long french windows of count michael's room. itwas in darkness. a little water driven power plant supplied some of the chief rooms ofcastle radna with electric light and he was able, after screening the windows to floodthe room with light. it was an apartment the counterpart in size and decoration of theone occupied by the prince, across the courtyard. almost the first thing anthony trent saw wasthe safe. and as he looked on it he knew his hopes were in vain and the draft of the treatycould remain there indefinitely for all his skill availed or all the knowledge of thegreatest "petemen" would aid, had he possessed it.

count michael temesvar was not one of thosewho entrusted precious things to insecure keeping. it was a chubbwood burglar proofsafe of a type trent had heard of but never before seen. the double-dialled cannon ballsafe of the american maker was the nearest approach to this gleaming mocking thing whichfaced him. there was no chance that any forcing screw or wedge could damage the bolts. thelocks were so protected that drilling was impossible and no nitro-glycerine could beused. the oxy-acetylene blowpipe, high explosives or electric arc were useless here. it wasthe last word of a safemaking firm which had been in the business for more than a century.trent did not doubt, as he gazed at it, that there would be developed by the need of itcraftsmen who could open even this. but the

time was not yet. count michael temesvar had been wise in buyingthe only safe in the world whose patent had been extended by the privy council of greatbritain. with his gloved hands trent touched the thing lightly. the millionth chance thatit might not be locked was against him. he was wasting his time. quickly he made a methodicalsearch of the room but found nothing that interested him. on his own bed he sat for an hour wonderingwhat to do. he had been so certain when speaking to lord rosecarrel that his professional skillwould accomplish what others had failed to do that this disappointment was bitter indeed.

he had wondered why the count had taken solittle caution in permitting a foreigner of the same supposed nationality as lord rosecarrelto live in castle radna. it was, plainly, because the count knew perfectly well thatthe chubbwood safe preserved his treasures inviolate. probably no living crook could break intoit even though he had a year in which to work. it was undrillable, unscathed by fire andcould repose at the bottom of the sea without its contents becoming damaged. trent's first thought of compelling the countto give up the combination by force promised an unhappy ending. surrounded by servantsand friends he would assuredly be interrupted

before he could be forced to give up his secret. hentzi would never be entrusted with the combination.none would know it but count michael. for a moment he wondered if pauline might be draggedinto it to exercise her delilah arts on her protector. "there must be some way out of it," trentmurmured a hundred times as he sat on his bed's edge. dawn was breaking as he closed his eyes. hisexpression was calm and untroubled. he had found his solution. chapter elevenanthony plays his hand

lord rosecarrel opened his town house in grosvenorplace at the beginning of may for the london season. lady daphne observed that he had shakenoff the gloom and apathy which had engulfed him for the last few years. he began to takea more vivid interest in the international situations which grew out of the peace conference.he began to talk to the girl again about the aims of nations with respect to persia andindirectly with the future of india. the earl was waiting impatiently for her onenight when she came back from an opera party given in her honor by rudolph castoon. "daphne," he began abruptly, "do you believeabsolutely in the bona fides of anthony trent?" the girl felt herself coloring.

"absolutely," she said steadily, "why?" "i have had a long cable from him," he returned."a cable so extraordinary that i can hardly believe he sent it. here it is. it is onlypartly in cipher for the reason the cipher code i made was not intended for a messagesuch as this. what you would not understand i have decoded." the girl took the slip of paper eagerly. "at once," she read, "allow papers to announceyou have decided to come from retirement and accept public office. if temesvar wires forconfirmation persist in your statement. if he threatens tell him he has not got treaty.tell him if he has it to bring it to the prime

minister. follow these instructions implicitlyotherwise i can never succeed." "and will you?" daphne demanded breathlessly. "i don't know," the earl said slowly. "itseems rather a desperate thing to do. you must have heard rumors that i have been offeredthe enormously important position of secretary of state for foreign affairs in the cabinetthat will be formed when the present government goes out of office. there will be two menthere who are my enemies. there is, for instance, rudolph castoon whose guest you have beentonight and buchanan who will be home secretary. castoon knows i do not trust him wholly. thereis always a danger in making a man of his kind chancellor of the exchequer. he has abrother in every great country and some of

them have been our bitter enemies in the past.buchanan, of course, exercises enormous influence through his newspapers and seems to feel apersonal grievance against me." "it was because you never would invite himhere or to the castle," she answered, "although he was forever spelling for an invitation.those nouveaux riches are very sensitive." "if i accepted office," the earl went on slowly,"i should have these two men against me. and if by any ill chance it should become knownthat i did not destroy the draft of a treaty which was entrusted to me buchanan would seehis opportunity and use his wretched papers to the full. i should be forced out of publiclife. i have always been intolerant of breaches of faith and that would be remembered againstme as a mark of hypocrisy."

"but mr. trent says count michael temesvarhasn't got the treaty," she cried, "and that means he has it." her father shook his head. "that's just what it doesn't mean," he returned."mr. trent says i am to tell count michael he has not the treaty. if trent had it hewould have told me so. i am to do this risky thing in order that he may ultimately succeed.you see, daphne, my statement to the press that i have decided to take office is partof a move in the game that another man is playing." "but he's playing it for you," she cried.

the earl smiled. "is he?" he returned, "i'll admit at all eventsthat i am the one most to be benefited if he succeeds." "but he will succeed," she persisted. "doeshe look like the kind of man to be beaten?" "did captain hardcastle look the kind of maneither?" lord rosecarrel asked. "and you remember poor piers edgcomb the best fencer in europe,a man with nerves of steel? i firmly believe some of the count's men killed him." it cost the girl an effort to say what shedid. "but, dad," she reminded him, "they had noexperience at, at that sort of thing."

"and this one has? that, alone, comforts me.but the odds are so tremendously against him." "he went there knowing it." "i am not sure that it would not be saferfor you for arthur and for me if i did go back permanently to private life. if mr. trentshould fail-" "you won't be implicated," she reminded him."he has gone just as a cockney chauffeur." "but don't you see," the earl said patiently,"that i am here invited to throw down the gauntlet to the man who has in his power whatcan disgrace me? hardcastle and sir piers failed but their failure did not drag me intoit as this scheme will do." "who will be foreign secretary if you refuseit?" daphne asked.

"that impossible nonconformist person muirwho has never been farther afield than paris and has no knowledge of eastern affairs atall. he will undo everything i have striven for. he will play into count michael's handsas a child might." "then isn't the chance worth taking?" daphneasked, pointing to the cable. "i've taken it already," the earl said, "iwanted you to reassure me. i felt a confidence utterly without logical foundation as to theability of your anthony trent." "that's splendid," she cried. "i am not so sure," her father returned, "daphne,you know what i mean when i say i hope arthur's action in saving his life was not like thoseother actions of the poor lad which have brought

dire trouble to us all. you must know thatthere can be no attachment between you and him." "you'd better know it," she said quietly,"but there is what you call an attachment. as to marriage-he says like you it is impossibleso i suppose it is. that's all over." she patted his gray hair affectionately. "i'mnot going to marry anyone. i shall have my hands full in looking after the secretaryof state for foreign affairs." "my dear," he said, "you are taking this wonderfullywell. i'm grateful. i ought never to have let the thing drift along as i did. i blamemyself." "i'm glad," she whispered, "you couldn't possiblyunderstand it, but even if i never see him

again i shall always be thankful to have knownhim." the earl looked at her and sighed. his daughterwas one of the loveliest girls in england, highly accomplished, allied to some of thegreat families of her own land and continental europe and had been sought after since hercoming out ball. he had hoped to see her married to some honorable man of her own class andinstead she had fallen in love with an adventurer whose past-according to his own admission-madea marriage impossible. of late he had suffered much. the death ofhis wife, the loss of two sons, the many troubles arthur's past had brought, his enforced retirementand now daphne's hopeless attachment. the only thing that offered him any relaxationwas the possibility of getting into harness

again. and that would only be attainable ifanthony trent, that mysterious american he had grown to like, succeeded in a forlornhope. at least he must do his part. a little wearily he took up the telephone and calleda number in downing street where was the official residence of the prime minister, the man primarilyin charge of the destinies of a great empire. there was no telephone in castle radna. everymorning some one of count michael's men went to agram and brought back letters and telegrams.it fell to anthony trent to fetch the mail that came twenty-four hours after the conversationover the telephone with the prime minister. among the many pieces which the postmasterplaced in the double locked mail bag was a trans-continental telegram. it was the functionof this big letter pouch to guard its contents

from the inquisitive by locks to which onlythe postmaster and hentzi had keys. when once trent had established this he cameby night to the room where the secretary snored and made impressions of the keys and so wasable to open the pouch without any forcing of the locks. instead of going on to radna direct trentturned his car into a byroad of the oak forest and steamed open the wire. it was as he feared,in code which he might be able to decipher after long study. but if the language shouldbe croatian or hungarian he would still be in the dark. it chanced that the count was near the garageas he drove in. it was a frequent habit of

count michael's to walk over to the greatstables where formerly his thoroughbreds had been housed and now only a few riding horsesremained. he greeted "arlfrit" with the manner that proved him to be in a good temper. hentziwas at his side and opened the mail pouch. instantly he passed the telegram to his master.tinkering at some pretended indisposition of his engines trent watched the count's faceas he read. the man fell into a sudden and roaring rage.he gesticulated, he swore and he pummelled the cringing hentzi. his talk was in croatianbut his meaning was plain. suddenly he turned on trent. "do not put your car away," he ordered him,"you must return to agram."

no mail was ever entrusted to the temesvarservants. even what was sent to agram was sealed so that the post master alone or hisassistant could unlock the bag. in the same secluded dell of the forest trentopened the bag a second time and read the message addressed to the earl of rosecarrel."i am informed," it said, "that you have accepted office. deny this rumor instantly. affirmationmeans danger to you. michael temesvar." trent chuckled. things were beginning to move.of late he had found his occupation boring. it seemed he was always acting as a mail carrierchosen over sissek because he made so much better time. he had no chance at golf. paulinewas away. hentzi told him so one day when he had driven three ladies up from fiume andlearned they were all high-born and that for

a time the company at the castle was distinguished. "you would not understand what i meant," hentzisaid, loftily, "if i told you many important things are going on. when our guests havegone there may be those of pauline's sort you may drive from fiume. then the air isdifferent. for myself i prefer such company as we have at present." "the lords and ladies?" trent said rememberingthat he had seen hentzi acting as a sort of upper servant at such a dinner. "exactly," hentzi agreed. "pauline had beenill advised enough to disobey the count. there is a guest who admired her."

"why didn't the guv'nor biff him one sameas he does you when he's mad?" trent demanded. "there are some to whom even count michaelmay offer no violence," hentzi returned in a shocked voice. "but you would not understand." on the whole anthony trent was glad that theprince had been the cause of the temporary removal of pauline. she was a menace to him.also he rejoiced to think that the arbitrary michael temesvar had his own uneasy moments. because anthony trent was more concerned inthe successful outcome of his present design than any other of his adventurous career hedenied himself the pleasure of those nocturnal wanderings in the castle corridors and rooms.so that he might make daphne happy by delivering

her father from bondage he decided to takeno risks which might lead to his capture. particularly he wanted to secrete himselfamong the trees in green tubs and flowers of the courtyard. although it was not to hisimmediate advantage to learn of the plotting which was going on under the roof which shelteredhim a knowledge of it promised some interesting developments in the future. but now that the exchange of telegrams commencedbetween the two old adversaries he found excitement enough in going to agram and opening the wires.lord rosecarrel, he found, had acted on his instructions. he affirmed his intention totake office and when he received another more threatening telegram from count michael declaredthat he knew the treaty was not in his possession.

count michael's anger was reflected in theface of each scurrying servant of the many with whom trent came into contact. hentzivisited it vicariously upon one alfred anthony until that bellicose chauffeur reminded himthat the fate of peter sissek was his for the asking. later hentzi grew confidential.he had the impression that this humble member of a dominant people looked up to him forhis world knowledge and in order to impress alfred anthony the more made indiscreet revelationswhich were duly stored in the careful retentive memory of anthony trent. it was from hentzi that trent learned of thesudden trip of their common employer to london. "it is most inconvenient for us both," saidthe secretary. "for the count that he should

have to leave his guests and for me that ishould have to entertain them in his absence." "i thought you liked the company of lordsand ladies," alfred anthony said in simple tribute to his companion's parts. "there is responsibility you could not comprehend,"hentzi returned, and left trent to think over his plans. so far things had travelled evenly. the testwas now to come. he was reasonably certain that when count michael set out for londonhe would have in his possession the draft of the treaty. with this he would confronta prime minister and possibly the entire cabinet. he knew well of buchanan's dislike of lordrosecarrel. had anthony trent been in the

count's place he would never have committedthe error of taking so important a document with him. trent invariably mailed what hehad taken to himself and breathed freer when the responsibility was on another's shoulders.this, of course, only when a long journey was to be made. when he had stolen the mountaubyn ruby in san francisco he had mailed it to his camp in maine and thus confoundeddetectives who had searched his apartment. that count michael had not adopted this planhe knew because for the past week he alone had fetched and carried mail matter. the timehe had taken in opening the mails had to be made up by faster travelling and the lionengine never failed him. the peasants used to point out the racing car with pride andgive him road room gladly. on those tablets

of memory he inscribed many interesting detailsthat occurred in letters written by other than the count. he could read in french, german,italian and spanish and the letters which most interested him were in german. sometimes in the lonely night he wonderedwhether or not this knowledge might not be sufficiently important to at least three governmentsto win him a pardon should he ever be found out for crimes of other days. and if thereshould come a time when he were free from the ever haunting fear of arrest might therenot be the fulfilment of his dearest wishes? he was sure daphne would drop her title ifhe thought it best. then he put the thought from him resolutely.that was in the future and he was immediately

concerned with the success of this thing hehad sworn to accomplish. hentzi told him that count michael would travelby night to fiume there to board a venice bound boat and catch the continental expressfor paris. as none but he drove the lion and the count preferred it and its driver theassumption was that alfred anthony would take him. it was on this hypothesis that the successof trent's scheme depended. he would probably be alone. at most some servant or valet wouldbe chosen to travel with his master and he would of course sit next to the chauffeur. trent had long ago picked out a suitable spotwhere such a luckless person could be dumped. there was a steep grassy bank some twentymiles along the road where a man hit sufficiently

deftly would roll out of reach with smallpossibility of injury. a little stream ran at the bottom which would revive him if stunnedor drown him as the fates saw best. stored in the lion car was a change of apparel, somefood and other necessaries. it was hentzi who broke the bad news. thesecretary came upon the eager mechanic tuning up his engine lovingly. so engrossed was hethat he neither saw hentzi nor noticed that peter sissek was polishing the brass workon his panhard. "getting things shipshape and bristol fashion,"trent said, when he saw hentzi. "it is peter who takes the count," the secretarysaid idly, "you are to go to budapesth tomorrow. you see what it is to be considered so skillfulthat count michael offers you to his guests

and goes more slowly himself." then trent noticed the grinning and triumphantsissek. it was a black moment for him. "yes, peter takes the count," hentzi repeated. "i think he'll have to," trent said slowly,"for the second time." this alteration in the schedule which forthe moment promised utter disruption to his plans might have been brought about by reasonsother than those suggested by hentzi. it was curious that at just this critical momentsissek should be entrusted with his master's safety and trent given a mission which petersissek with his wider knowledge of the country could better have filled.

but it was time wasting to ponder on thisnow. in three hours trent would have started with his lion. sissek a slower driver andusing an older and less speedy car must get away earlier. almost frightened out of hisaccustomed calm trent learned that the count was leaving in a little over an hour, justas the darkness would set in. what plans he could make must be made instantly. failurewas now almost at his side. failure! anthony trent groaned at thoughtof it; lord rosecarrel would be publicly humiliated. daphne would blame him for it. with what assuranceand headstrong confidence he had plunged into an adventure which had brought death to thoseother men! he could never face her if he failed and failure was in sight.

for a moment he thought of forcing a quarrelon peter sissek. before hentzi or others could intervene he could with his boxer's skillmost certainly damage one eye if not two of a man who, to drive down dark and dangerousroads, must possess unclouded vision. but he hesitated. if count michael had chosensissek because alfred anthony was under suspicion an assault on the croatian at the presentmoment might tend to confirm these doubts and he might find himself overpowered andunder guards he could not overwhelm. to put the car out of commission was hardly possiblewith sissek guarding it and another man cleaning it. and these two, it seemed to trent, werewatching suspiciously. by some trick of fate it was sissek himselfwho contributed to trent's success. peter

was arrogant now and motioned to trent toaid him in lifting some baggage to the top of the panhard limousine. like most of thecontinental cars it had a deep luggage rail around the top on which trunks or lesser baggagecould be carried. there was a cabin trunk, a bundle of rugs and a dressing bag. petersissek was astonished when trent cheerfully obeyed him and even helped to strap the cabintrunk securely. hentzi was amazed at the sudden change thathad taken place in the english chauffeur's attitude. he was now lively who had been gloomy,and loquacious when he had been taciturn. "why do you laugh," he asked. "at the idea of peter taking the count," saidtrent. "someday you'll know what that means."

"i know now," hentzi insisted, "i speak perfectlyand my english vocabulary is wider than could be that of a man of your position." as peter sissek unaccompanied by valet orassistant drove down the hill, after leaving the pavilion at the first tee on his left,he was horrified to find a tree across his path. he dismounted, moved it aside with difficultyand proceeded on his way. but this time he carried two passengers. the motor had come to an abrupt stop undera big oak tree whose spreading arms reached across the mountain road. lying along one of those rigid oak limbs anthonytrent, after nicely adjusting the fallen tree

so that peter sissek's eyes would see it atthe proper moment, had waited anxiously for the approach of the panhard. he was not sure that the powerful headlightswould not pierce his leafy shelter and discover him to the watchful driver. he could imaginevividly the chauffeur warning his employer. and as count michael always went armed andmight even now be suspicious of his cockney servant he would very likely have no hesitationin picking him off the boughs as anthony trent, years before in his new hampshire hills, hadshot squirrels. if by any chance he could get to the ground, only twelve feet beneath,before he was aimed at he would have to trust to the moment's inspiration for his next move.he knew almost certainly that count michael

carried the document he wanted in a flat leathercase which fitted into his breast pocket. if by any chance the men did not see him andthe car passed him on its seaward way his errand would be unaccomplished, his boastsvain and the humiliation of his friends certain. he had determined if this happened to senda telegram to the earl admitting defeat, and warning of the count's visit. the panhard came to a grinding stop a footfrom the barrier. sissek removed it as quickly as he could but it was heavy enough to havetaxed anthony trent's superior strength! and the count grew so impatient at the time takenthat he sprang down to the road and urged his man to greater activities.

the two were jabbering in croatian when anthonytrent lowered himself to the top of the limousine and nestled down in the shadow of the baggage. trent had often been incensed in reading newspaperaccounts of his exploits to find that their success was so often ascribed to mere luck.he supposed it would be so this time if it were known. people would say that owing totwo boulders in the side of the road sissek pulled up so that trent could drop directlydown on to the car. in most cases the greatest luck comes to the best player and anthonytrent had placed the rocks on the road with the same care that he would play a strokein golf or cast along the edge of lily pads where the big trout lay in graceful ease.there was only one place where sissek could

halt his machine. it was while the car travelled along a poorand rough section of the route before reaching the marie louise road that trent unstrappeda bundle and selected a dark travelling-rug to cover him from observant eyes in the infrequenttowns through which they must pass. half a hundred schemes raced through his quick,fertile brain only to be rejected. he wondered, for instance, if it were possible to cut throughthe top of the car and get at the count who was certain to be sleeping a goodly portionof the journey. he decided that to lean over the rails and try to peer through the ovalglass window in the rear would also be unwise. at most he would only catch a glimpse of thecount and might just as easily be seen himself.

then he wondered if it might not be possibleto drop down on peter sissek's shoulders and strangle him into quietness. but peter sissek was taking his car alongat a steady rate of twenty-five miles the hour and with his hands off the steering wheel-acertain contingency if trent's strong fingers closed around his throat-a bad accidentwas inevitable. a precipice on one side and a wall of rock on the other, he would be betweenthe deep sea and the devil. he saw that sissek must be eliminated at allcosts. a match for either of them singly trent would certainly be overpowered in a tusslewith both; although they lacked the cat-like quickness of the american they were both ofuncommon strength. the immediate problem was

to get rid of sissek and leave his masternone the wiser. there was a part of the road through whichthey must presently pass which promised aid to the schemer. it was a gentle rise througha very dense section of beech forest and peter would go slowly fearing that the uneven surfacewould jolt his lord into unwelcome anger. peter sissek, straining his eyes to see thathis way was clear, was startled when one of the pieces of baggage on the top of the carwas jolted off. it fell on the panhard's bonnet and then bounded into the side of the road.he had run past it fifty yards before he brought his machine to a stop. when he backed up to the fallen bag countmichael was aroused from slumber and ascribed

the accident to peter's carelessness. in thechauffeur's apology anthony trent heard his assumed name brought in. plainly peter wasmaking him the culprit. he had pitched the bundle from the roof with some skill. it boundedfar into the shadow. finally peter sissek stumbled over it. and as he stooped to retrieveit, alfred anthony swung at him. for the second time peter had taken the count. to hit a defenceless,unsuspecting man was not a thing to give trent any pleasure, but it was not a moment in whichto hesitate. with peter's livery cap and duster on, trent took the bundle on his shoulderand carried it at such an angle that in case of scrutiny his face would be shielded fromgaze. a quick backward glance a few minutes lateron showed the new driver that the count had

resumed his broken slumbers. so well indeeddid the lord of castle radna sleep that he did not know the panhard had left the mainroad or that any danger threatened him until he was suddenly hauled from his springy seatto look into the clear, hard eyes of alfred anthony. then he realized that his revolver was inthe cockney's hand and the precious wallet gone from his pocket. count michael was nocoward and he thought quickly with that intriguing, plotting brain of his. a great diamond stillsparkled upon his finger and the money in another pocket was untouched. "i should have been wiser," he commented."i thought my lord rosecarrel had become suddenly

mad. now i see that he was saner than i. firstcaptain the honourable oswald hardcastle, then sir piers edgcomb and now you. may iask your name and rank? you have been my servant and succeeded so far where they failed?" anthony trent was not expecting this attitude.he had been so used to seeing the count fly into stupendous rages that this calm, collectedmanner was disturbing. it might be the man's natural attitude in moments of real perilor it might merely mean he knew he was ultimately to be the victor. it was a curious scene. the panhard had cometo rest in a clearing of the woods and a brilliant moon gave the place almost the clarity ofday.

count michael sat down on a log and lighteda cigarette. almost he was usurping trent's rã´le under such circumstances. "this interests me," said count michael, "letus discuss it." "i've no time," trent said smiling. "i amdue at fiume or trieste or zara as the case may be at a certain hour and as i haven'tthe lion here i must push on." "have you thought that i shall certainly pursueyou and assuredly capture you?" "you may pursue later when you are found butby that time i shall be gone." "you can never escape me," the count said."i have a long arm and i do not forget. and my vengeance is a bad thing for those againstwhom it is directed."

"it's not altogether healthy to have me foran enemy," trent reminded him. "i have my own likes and dislikes." the count sneered. "you," he cried, "who are you? what have youdone that men should fear you? for a moment you have a little luck, the little luck thatwill bring you blindly to greater danger." "i'm strictly incognito," trent answered."once i was unwise enough to answer such a challenge, but you may believe me that i,too, have a name. now count, it won't help you a bit to put up a fight. it will saveyou trouble if you'll back up against that tree and let me tie you up."

"you would put this outrage on me?" the othercried, his calm leaving him, the veins standing out on an empurpled forehead like raised lividridges. "get up!" anthony trent snapped. "it is because you have a pistol," the countsaid. "put that down if you are a man and then see what you can make me do." "you may believe it or not," trent retorted,"but it hurts me to have to decline the offer. if i dared take time i would return severallittle tendernesses of yours. as it is i can't, having a weapon, strike a man who hasn't one.you are luckier than you know. back up there and do it damned quick."

trent was certain that count temesvar couldnever unfasten his bonds. and as he was gagged he could not cry for help. some swineherdor peasant would discover him later. meanwhile the discipline would be good. "good-by," said trent genially, "give my loveto your guest the prince and all his high born companions." if count michael had looked angry before hisface now was doubly hideous with rage. his hold over lord rosecarrel was gone and hecould not doubt but this stranger who had posed as a chauffeur had learned somehow ofthe presence of the prince. if it were known in the chancelleries of europe all his carefullymatured plans would go for naught. unless

alfred anthony were captured michael, counttemesvar could never again make his pleasant little trips to the great houses of england,france and italy. there he was known as one who had abandoned all political ambitionsto become merely the country magnate interested in cattle and crops. never again could hegather useful information over friendly dinner tables or hobnob with prime ministers overgolf or auction bridge if it were known he was giving sanctuary to one who threatenedthe world peace. when anthony trent had satisfied himself thatthe document he had taken was the one arthur stole from his father, he knew, in order tobe absolutely safe, it should be destroyed. its destruction would give the earl immunity.but trent hesitated. once already lord rosecarrel

had believed it was demolished and had sufferedterribly for his trust. inevitably there would be a seed of suspicion if a comparative stranger,confessedly one who had profited by unlawful operations, should ask him to take as truethat the treaty had again been destroyed. a man in trent's position was doubly sensitivein a matter of this sort. he had no long and honorable record to back his assertions; andalthough in the present instance he was actuated by no motives of self-aggrandizement he wasnot sure others-daphne alone excepted-would believe him. he thanked god that with herit was different. so he put the paper in an envelope alreadystamped and addressed and placed it in his pocket. then he started for a port of safety.

it seemed impossible that he should miss theway in the bright moonlight but he realized a few minutes later that he was only circlingaround the clearing where the count was tied to a tree. his headlights showed him innumerableroads like those by which he had come but there was no distinctive sign to guide himto the road to the coast. a group of peasants going incredibly early to their work couldnot understand him. he repeated the word fiume but even that did not help. their little lifewas bounded by the confines of a few square miles; and the troop trains which had takenthem to the battle lines of a year or so back had only confused them as to topography. among the big oaks and beeches trent couldnot easily find one tall enough to bear his

weight on branches that would let him seeover the tops of the others. when dawn came he was in no better plight. the position in which anthony trent foundhimself was by far the most serious of his career. hitherto he had faced imprisonmentat most. now capture meant without doubt-death. he had, without thinking of the folly of hisutterance, told count michael that he knew of the presence of the guests unsuspectedby the great powers. count michael had probably staged the supposedescape of the prince and supplied a convenient corpse for his interment. unrest was in everyportion of what had once been the dual monarchy. beggars on horseback were riding to a falland the balkan volcano was near eruption.

and anthony trent, alone of those opposedto count michael's party, knew where was hidden the man whom the count was coaching for hisbig rã´le. his escape would mean disaster. by this time no doubt passing countrymen hadrecognized their overlord and released him. but for lack of a compass anthony trent shouldeven now have been at a port where he could escape to a friendly vessel. he remembered what lord rosecarrel had toldhim of count michael's character and autocratic power. although theoretically shorn of hisformer absolutism it was unlikely that peasants who worked on his lands and still felt theirdependence upon him should question count michael's actions. world news which spreadsrapidly among the herded workers in factories

crept slowly among these land tillers. theyhad enough to eat and drink and were grateful for that after their years of fighting. now that capture was imminent trent knew thatthe document must be destroyed. but even in this he delayed hoping his usual luck mightcling to him and make the sacrifice unnecessary. he abandoned the automobile. its wheels wereembedded in black viscid mud and to extricate them the engine would have to run on low speedand announce the car's position to such as might already be seeking him. if he couldpass the day uncaptured he might at night be able to free the car of its imprisoningmud and make his escape. he had woodcraft enough to be able to mark down the spot wherethe panhard was hidden.

it was high noon when anthony trent came insight of a farm. a big dog came toward him with sharp, staccato inquiring barks. he hada way of making dogs his friends and soon the animal was wagging a welcoming tail. trentsatisfied his hunger and thirst with a meal of early plums and lighted his last woodbine.the croatian farmers of the district in which he found himself were horsebreeders to a man.it was an industry which the government had always approved and encouraged. without adoubt in the distant barns there was some favorite animal which might bear trent tosafety if his car had been discovered. the watch dog, now satisfied that the strangerwas one to be adored, would prove no obstacle. trent nestled back in some drying hay, wellout of sight, he supposed, of observers and

dropped into a profound sleep. it was theunusual spectacle of the watch dog sitting by the mound of hay that attracted the noticeof the farmer. he supposed that the animal-part hound and part draft dog-had run some animalto earth. when the farmer saw that the stranger slept there for whom he had, under count michael'sdirection, scoured the forest since dawn, he wisely brought assistance. thus it wasthat anthony trent, rudely brought back to an unsympathetic earth, found himself seized,bruised and bound before he had time to recover his senses or put up a fight. peter sissek it was who carried him to therecovered panhard and threw him violently to the floor. and for every blow that trenthad struck sissek in fair fight the croatian

returned with interest now that his conquerorwas bound and hopeless. one of peter's assistants sat on the seat brandishing the revolver whichhad been the count's. he talked incessantly, threatening no doubt and insulting the captive,and punctuating his invective with kicks that bruised the american's ribs sorely. he was carried past a mob of jeering servantswhen the castle was reached and put in a room which had been used as a dungeon for fivehundred years. as he looked about the stone walled cell with its narrow windows throughwhich his body could scarcely pass even though the heavy bars were sawn through, he knewhis professional skill would avail him nothing. there was one safeguard for gaolers whichhe sighed to see. inside the door was a cage

of iron where a keeper might stand and beprotected from the sudden onslaught of a waiting prisoner. thus the most usual form of escapewas taken from him. hentzi was his first visitor, poor rotund,posing hentzi who had liked alfred anthony largely because he supposed it was a semi-educatedlondon cockney who listened to his worldly wisdom. when he had learned from his masterthat this pretended chauffeur was the third of the rosecarrel adherents who had made desperateattempts he supposed him to be of high degree. with amusement anthony trent saw the changein his manner. although disgraced and in prison hentzi paid the respect that he invariablyaccorded to birth. he told himself that it was because he noted the instincts of blueblood that he had found pleasure in talking

with alfred anthony. trent's careless mannerwhich had sometimes seemed overbold in a chauffeur was now explained. "i grieve very much to see the marks of violenceinflicted upon you by a clod like peter sissek," he began. "i knocked the same clod out when he wasn'tlooking," trent returned, "so he had a kick coming. you didn't come to be merely politehentzi, what is it? torture? boiling oil?" "it will not be boiling oil," hentzi answeredseriously. anthony trent looked at him searchingly. ofcourse hentzi had his purpose in coming here; and that he did not deny the possibility ofa croatian third degree convinced the american

that the danger he anticipated was real andnear. so far as count michael's power went in his own castle of radna his prisoner mightbe in medieval times. trent was a danger to be nullified and a single life was hardlyworthy of consideration in the game the count was playing. to lose his life was bitter enough; but tolose it after failing and so be denied another chance to make good was agonizing. hentzigathered nothing from his scrutiny of the other man's battered face. he saw that theforced and rather vacuous grin which anthony trent had worn when he lived another partwas gone. only the powerful, brooding, hawklike look which he had occasionally seen for aflash now remained. he did not doubt but that

this was the true character of the man a greatenglish noble had chosen for a dangerous mission. "you will remain here until the count returns,"hentzi announced. "how long?" trent snapped. "a week certainly; more likely two." "what will happen then?" hentzi sighed. his master's violence oftenfrightened him. he came of a peaceloving family. "that i cannot say." "i can't go without a daily shave," trentsaid yawning. "and i need cigarettes and the london papers. you can get them for me?"

"the razor i dare not," hentzi said. "therest you shall have." "afraid i shall commit suicide? you oughtto be glad if i did. it would save count michael a lot of trouble. that cage there preventsmy slitting the throat of a keeper. a child with a gun could poke the barrel through thebars and put me out of business. come hentzi, be human. i will not live with whiskers. iswear to do myself no damage or anyone else either." "you give me the word of a man of noble birth?"hentzi inquired anxiously. "you cannot conceal your origin from me. you may not wish it knownbut i know." anthony trent kept a straight face. hentzihad always amused him.

"hentzi," he said seriously, "i must preservemy incognito at all costs. that you appreciate, but if it will make you more comfortable iwill tell you that in my own country there is not a man who has the right to call himselfmy superior or go in to dinner before me." hentzi's bow was most profound. he had knownit all along. this was assuredly the venturesome holder of an ancient title, a man of highbirth and born to great honor. hentzi's own sheffield blades were at his disposal. chapter twelvesaint anthony count michael returned to his castle aftertrent had been for fifteen days a prisoner. the prince and his suite were now safely hiddenin a far carpathian retreat and there was

no evidence in castle radna of their occupancy.it had been a dreadful moment when count temesvar found himself tied to a tree and his plansin danger of disclosure to his enemies. he had no opportunity of knowing as yet to whatuse alfred anthony had put his knowledge. the london papers told him only that lordrosecarrel was the new secretary of state for foreign affairs and was already makingfriends with the balkans and cementing an ancient alliance with greece. that was badenough in all conscience. but if it were known that he had hidden a prince whose only useto him would be the furtherance of his political ambitions he would be denounced by the governmentunder which he lived. the easy going, pleasure loving and almostamiable side of count michael's nature was

for the moment put aside. the man who tookpride in his swift travelling lion and his occasional long drive at golf was banishedby the need of the moment for possessing certain and wholly accurate knowledge of what alfredanthony was and what he had done. anthony trent when he was brought before thecount saw this at a glance. he was francis the first in his arbitrary moods, the moodthat made that versatile monarch sweep friends to destruction and visit wrath on them whohad offended. he was led, manacled, between peter sissekand old ferencz and brought to the big room in which the chubbwood safe was placed. hentzihovered nervously in the background. "i have sent for you," count michael said,"so that you may have the opportunity of making

a confession." "it is thoughtful of you," trent told him,"but i have no confession to make. i have some complaints however. i dislike my presentquarters. they are verminous and draughty." "is it possible," the count said slowly, "thatyou fail to understand your position?" "what is my position?" anthony trent countered. "you are a nameless prisoner absolutely inmy power. there is none in the outer world to help you. those other two who came toldme as much. they were sworn not to ask mercy of me or help of my lord rosecarrel." "the cases are not parallel," trent returnedequably, "they asked no mercy of you. i don't

either. they did not expect help of-whatwas the name you mentioned?" "the man for whom you risk death is the earlof rosecarrel. he cannot aid you." trent shook his head. "never heard of him. i wonder what put itinto your brain that i had any definite plans in coming here except to get a position whichyou forced on me." "why did you take a certain document frommy pocket and leave much money? no, no. it is idle to fence. i have learnt from londonthat you were only in the lion factory a few days and that previously nothing was knownof you. you are not a mechanic; that is plain. you came for a certain political documentworth in money-nothing. you took it. now,

sir, where is it?" there was no doubting the count's eagernessor anthony trent's astonishment. the count had not recovered the treaty. so far as trentremembered the envelope was in his coat pocket, the same coat he had taken off among the hayand made a pillow for his head. he assumed, naturally, that when he was roughly draggedfrom slumber his clothes were searched. a light of triumph came into his eyes at thethought that it did not repose behind those inviolate doors of steel. but it was amazingthat the heap of hay had not been disturbed. he supposed it was because of the week ofalmost continuous rain. "where is it?" count michael repeated.

"when i saw it was of no value," trent said,sticking to his chauffeur rã´le, "i burned it." "for the moment we will assume that you speakthe truth. now, how is it you made the mistake of supposing that i had here certain guestsof high degree?" "just a guess," trent said calmly, "wasn'ti right? remember i had to bring them up from fiume. i saw coronets on dressing cases andfrom the way hentzi bowed and scraped i imagined they were at least royalties in disguise." "you said," count michael insisted, "'givemy love to the prince.' you could only have meant one particular personage. you did notspeak in generalities you particularized.

you said 'the prince.' i warn you you do nothelp yourself by denials. i am not a patient man. the world knows that. here in my castleof radna i am supreme. i have not chosen my servants idly. they are committed to me andmy cause absolutely. old ferencz there would die for me or mine. it is the tradition ofloyalty born in him. so with the others. you are surrounded here with those who regardyou as my enemy. how can i chide them if, knowing their lord is in peril, they seekto remove it?" "first and second murderers," trent commented. "executioners," the count corrected. "it makes no difference what you call them,"trent exclaimed.

"i am glad you look at it in that light,"count michael said, "it does not make any difference as you will see. i shall convinceyou of that by relating the sad accident which befell your friend captain the honourableoswald hardcastle, formerly of the royal dragoons." "my friend?" trent exclaimed. "certainly," the count returned, "lord rosecarrel'smilitary attachã© at constantinople. your innocence amuses me. you no doubt know thati owned that great horse daliborka a winner of the grand prix. i was dissatisfied withmy trainer and asked friends at the jockey club in paris to recommend me someone. captainhardcastle disguised himself much as you have done. he was no longer an aristocrat, an officerof a great regiment, but a trainer who was

an ex-jockey. he was a good trainer and agreat horseman. daliborka's time trials were marvelous. i entered him for the great racesin england. my new trainer was so jealous of his horse he would have no strangers nearand none was allowed to follow him in his rides through the grass meadows." count michaellaughed softly, "yes, i was deceived, made a fool of, as you have it but i can confessit as i do in your case with the satisfaction that the last laugh, the last trick will bemine. it was my laugh at the last with captain hardcastle. you are interested?" "i was in paris when daliborka won," trentsaid. "i made money on him. most certainly i'm interested."

"captain hardcastle wished for the documentwhich you say you have destroyed. he obtained it. he did not seek to escape as you havedone down the main roads. no. no. he had studied the country profoundly with all the topographicalknowledge gained at the staff college. he had such complete charge of my large stablesthat none questioned his right to do as he chose and i was too busy at the time evento see him. he planned his route carefully. he found out a path to the sea where therewould wait him a yacht. it was, oddly enough, the same steam yacht in which my lord rosecarrelmakes his cruises. at intervals he placed my horses, horses he had trained for steeplechases. but the first stretch of the journey, ten miles of velvet turf he had planned toride daliborka. it is sufficient to tell you

that we knew his plans in time. he was tostart at midnight. it happened that i passed his quarters at half past eleven and detainedhim in talk, talk that gave him no uneasiness." "then, thinking i was safely here he rushedto the little outbuilding where my great black horse was saddled. he sprang to its back quickly.and as he did so we lit a torch so that he might see how we laughed last. it was a blackhorse indeed, but a work horse, a slow placid beast which we had substituted. i have neverseen real despair seize on a brave man as it did when he saw he had failed. i enjoyedit very much arlfrit. "the stable hands who had always resentedhis iron discipline, the discipline of the soldier, took their vengeance of him in myabsence. they are rough, these brave fellows

of mine, and do not know their strength." "you mean," trent snapped, "you let them murdera man who was probably tied as i am tied now?" count michael shrugged his shoulders. "a man who puts his head in the lion's denmust not complain if the lion be hungry. this is my house and i do not welcome thieves.then there was sir piers edgcomb. i was never sure of him. a big man, slow of movement andwho spoke german so well i believed him to be of bavaria. he was my butler. these countrybred servants of mine do well enough in most things but the niceties of table service asi see in your own country are beyond them. "a butler who has to take charge of much valuableplate and old, precious glass should at least

be able to clean them. this man-he calledhimself peters knew nothing of these things. so i set traps for him. he had a wolf's cunning.but a wise hunter can snare a wolf and i snared him. i did not bring you here to tell youof them so that you might be entertained. i brought you here to tell you that they whoplotted, failed and died for their cause. you, who have succeeded and have injured meare my captive just as they were." "well?" anthony trent said, "what of it?" "simply this. you say you have burned thedocument. that might be true or untrue. it is possible you have concealed it in someplace where i could recover it only after long search. i shall give you a day to makeup your mind to speak the whole truth."

"and after that?" "you will be glad to tell what you know,"count michael said grimly. "your death will be but a poor triumph to me; that i am willingto admit, but it is the greatest loss that can befall you." "you are trying to make a bargain with me?" "perhaps. i will say at least that if thedocument is procured alfred anthony would be free to return to london on one condition." "which is?" "that he gave me his word of honor to forgetevery face and name he had seen or heard in

castle radna. under the circumstances i couldallow myself to be so generous but i should require the most solemn of oaths." the countleaned forward a little and spoke impressively. "remember again, that your death will be butpoor consolation for me yet it is the most terrible thing that can happen to you." "i'm not so sure," anthony trent muttered. in that moment there was stripped from himthe cunning and audacity that success in crime had brought. often he had seen himself ina melodramatic almost heroic light, laughing at the nice distinctions of wrong and right,stretching out his hand to take what he wanted and caring nothing for the judgments of men.with the egocentricity of the successful criminal

he had felt himself superior to all his opponentsand had seen himself in future performing such exploits as none had dared to do. his months at castle radna had been very dull.the plentiful food was coarse; his companions boors; of music he had heard not a note. hewas anxious to be back again among people he liked. such a chance was offered him now.he believed if he gave his solemn word that the count-in order to retain his hold onlord rosecarrel-would give him safe conduct to fiume. yet he was amazed to find that he would notaccept count michael's offer. rather than tell him the truth about the document andso bring disaster again on the family of the

woman he loved he was content to give up hislife. perhaps there was another reason which brought him to this way of thinking also.daphne was not for him. that, long ago, he had realized. life without daphne! drearydays that would hold no joy lengthening into months and years of heart hunger and at lastinto dissatisfied old age. he was brought back from his thoughts by the count's voice. "of what are you not sure? that i shall notkeep my word?" "i'm not sure that i shall give mine," trentanswered. "you will have a day and a night to thinkit over. i shall find you in a more reasonable mood when i see you again. but remember this.after tomorrow there will be no other opportunity.

i am not a patient man and i am holding backmy anger with difficulty. i do not relish being sick of chagrin." anthony trent held up his manacled hands. "this is a sporting way of doing things, isn'tit?" he exclaimed. "until tomorrow," count michael smiled. it was dark when the prisoner reached hiscell. an oil lamp lit the bare room. it was hung on a nail in the little cage out of reachof any occupant of the stone chamber. peter sissek and old ferencz had brought himto his prison. they offered him no violence. evidently they were acting under orders. thecount had made no comment on the bruises that

still discoloured the american's face. he had been sitting an hour on the edge ofhis cot when the outer door opened. trent did not even look up. it was at this hourunappetizing food was brought and thrust under the cage, food he could pick at clumsily withhis hands in iron bracelets. hearing no grating sound of heavy plate beingpushed over the uneven floor he looked up. pauline stood in the cage with hentzi. thelatter was obviously nervous and alarmed. he looked about him in dread and listenedunhappily for sounds that might indicate the coming of others along the flagged passage. "open the gate," pauline commanded, pointingto the steel barrier.

"if the count should hear of it!" he wailed. "i will bear the blame," she said. "be quick." "you must be but five minutes," he insisted. "i shall take ten," she retorted. wringing his hands hentzi, the prey of manyapprehensions, left her alone with the prisoner. it chanced that pauline was aware of somepetty thefts on the secretary's part, defalcations which would destroy count michael's faithin his probity. it was a threat of exposure which forced him to bring her here. trent rose when she came in and offered hisvisitor the single rush bottomed chair the

cell contained. he looked at her warily as one antagonistgazes at another before a struggle. always she had called up in him this need for caution.her violent and passionate nature were graven on the face which had brought so many mento folly and disgrace. hentzi had told him many stories of the life she had lived ingreat cities and the tragedies which had come to those who had loved her. she was dressed tonight very splendidly. jewelsthat should have belonged to the poor countess who was passing her days in retreat were abouther neck. an emerald necklace which in other days would have set anthony trent's eyes glitteringmatched her strange almond eyes. there was

a certain tiger grace about the woman whichwould have attracted men's notice and women's from wherever she might have gone. did she,he wondered, come in peace or in war? he was on his guard. "you are surprised to see me?" she began. "i cannot choose my visitors," he remindedher. "you have never liked me," she returned, "why?" "you were a danger to my enterprise," he answered. "a danger now removed," she said quickly."what are those marks on your face?" she cried as he turned his head from the shadow to wherethe dim lamp light showed him more dearly.

"who has dared to strike you?" "that is nothing," he cried impatiently. "certainlythe least of my troubles. i am very weary; there may be very unpleasant hours beforeme and i need sleep. it cannot be such a great triumph to see me in this cell?" "why do you stay here?" she demanded. "i knowwhat count michael has told you. i know you have only to give him that piece of paperand your word of honor as a gentleman and you are free to go. it is very fortunate foryou. those two friends who also came are dead." "did he send you here?" trent asked. "he would be furious if he knew," she saidquickly. "certainly it would do you no good

if he learned of it. you know," and paulinelooked at him through lowered lashes, "he has always been jealous of you." "he has had no reason to be," trent remindedher coldly. "i know," she said, bitterness in her tone,"but he will not believe that. and now he knows you are noble and were masqueradingas a chauffeur he will be all the more jealous." "i'm not a nobleman," he said almost angrily.he resented her presence. "you cannot deceive me," she said tenderly. "if you did not come here to speak for countmichael, may i ask then for what purpose?" "i want to warn you not to keep that paperfrom him."

"it was burned long ago," he answered. "ifhe can collect the ashes he is welcome to them." "at present he is trying to collect your coat,"she told him and noted with a smile his start of alarm. "when they took you you were coatless.he thinks somewhere in the forest they will find it and when they find it the paper willbe there and perhaps other things of your own which will be interesting." "i fear he will be disappointed," trent saidcalmly, "but if he will return a favorite pipe in one of the pockets i shall be obliged." she looked at him steadily. hers was not alwaysan easy face to read.

"i pray that they will find the coat," shesaid. "thank you," he exclaimed. "at least you makeno pretence of wanting me to win." "you don't understand," she cried, "it isbecause they will force you to tell if they cannot find it. i am speaking no more thanthe truth. cannot you see that you have mixed yourself in high matters and are a menaceto count michael? he must know and he will know." she saw his mouth tighten. "men just as strong and brave as you havebroken down and told all." "that may be," he answered, "but i am notgoing to alter my story about burning the

paper and i am not going to weaken under anypunishment they think of trying on me." he was not going to tell her that in a fewdays he would be able to make his way out of this very cell if they kept handcuffs fromhim a little longer. kicked out of sight among the dust on the floor was one of his mostuseful tools. it was a strip of highly tempered steel spring with a saw edge-forty teethto the inch-and could bite its way through the barred window. when first he entered hisprison he thought the opening too small for exit but he had revised his calculations andwas now certain he could wriggle through it. "it is for a woman you do this," pauline said."it is because of a woman you are cold and ask no help of me."

"i can't prevent your wild guesses," he answered.there was no mistaking his distaste of her meddling. "i do not give up easily," he told her. "iused to think that in a duel between love and duty love should always win. it doesn'tseem to work out that way always. and i used to think that a man who had not been worthyof a woman should be given a chance to rebuild his life if he really loved her." he shookhis head. "it isn't the right idea. sentimental nonsense the world calls it. the wedding gifta man offers his bride is his past." he shrugged his shoulders. "i didn't qualify." anthony trent looked at the rough wall andsaw only those dancing days of happiness and

love in another castle. and instead of paulinewith her world weary face, her knowledge of every art to hold men, he saw his slim andlovely daphne. he knew that both of them loved him. vaguely he understood that pauline hadcome to offer to save him but he had kept her from telling him so yet. there might conceivablybe a future with her in which he would find eventually his old ambitions stirring andhis pride in his hazardous work revive. there might even be years that were almost happy;reckless, passionate, quarrelling years. but the thought of it was nauseating. he sweptit aside. he remembered the phrase of private smith in the dug-out that he was dying inbetter company than he knew. well, anthony trent if the worst came would die better thanhe had lived.

to pauline, who loved him, the idea of a violentending to one of his ability and address was tragic. an austrian by birth, pauline had been takento berlin then blossoming into extravagant and vulgar night life by a mother who wasa dancer. vain, ambitious and jealous of the success of others, pauline offered no objectionto anything whereby she might become widely known. later, when she had attained internationalfame as a skater she grew more selective in her affairs. she was the rage for severalyears and but for the suicide of a serene highness would never have been banished fromberlin. count michael temesvar was an old admirer.the war swept away pauline's possessions and

there was no manager to engage her at a livingwage. at twenty-eight she had known many capitals,enjoyed great success and never been really in love. then she saw anthony trent on thegolf links and never passed a moment but was filled with thoughts of him. his consistentrepulsing of her threw her into moods of anger which she visited mainly on her protector.and when she summoned scorn and anger to her aid in dealing with this alfred anthony, shefound them only ministers to her infatuation. she looked around as hentzi came into thecell. "it is ten minutes," he whispered. "another five," she said. "i shall come withyou then."

hentzi withdrew nervous and expostulating.trent noticed that her manner was different when she spoke. there was a certain timidityabout her, an air of unhappiness almost of hopelessness. "have you thought what difference it willmake to me?" she asked. gone from her face were those meretricioussmiles, those little ways cultivated through intimate association with her world of warringsex. the pauline who looked at him now was a woman stripped of artifice, a woman whosuffered and loved. there was an uncomfortable silence, the awkwardnessof the man in the avowed affection of the undesired woman.

"let there be no deception between us," shesaid quietly. "i see that it is someone else who claims your heart. i did not think therewere men like you who would be steadfast and loyal in a moment such as this. i know onlythat we-you and i-are alike in one thing. we both love where there is no hope. i camehere to offer you freedom at a price most men would be glad to pay. i will not insultyou by saying what it was. i have known few good men and i know you are good." "no, no," he cried, embarrassed by her manner,"indeed if you only knew." she would not listen. "love can redeem all," she said. "i pray thegood god whom i have neglected," she smiled

a little ruefully, "to redeem me. i feel thatmy life is over. i have had everything i wanted and am wearied of the taste. everything iwanted until now. there comes a time when one is no longer so eager to live. it is sowith me." she looked at him wistfully. "can you believe me when i tell you i want to helpyou?" "i do believe it," he said gratefully. "iam glad enough to have a friend in this dismal place." "then let me help you," she said eagerly."something tells me you have hidden that paper. i warn you if it is still in existence, itwill be found. can i get it for you?" anthony trent did not answer for a moment.the thought that there yet might be a way

of getting the treaty draft to lord rosecarrelalmost made speech an effort. if that were done with what energy and hope might he notbend his skill to means of escape! "i should be putting my honor in your keeping,"he said slowly. her face fell. "and you dare not trust me?" it was caution which had saved anthony trenta hundred times before and he hesitated just a moment now. then he looked at pauline againand was convinced of her sincerity. and, after all, no better way presented itself. "i will trust you," he said, "but can youfind out the place where they captured me?"

"i know it already," she said, "it is thefarm of zencsi and lies no more than thirty miles away." "thirty!" he cried, "i thought it was twicethat distance." "you went miles out of your reckoning." "have you a pencil?" he cried. "i want todraw a plan of it." "alas, no," she exclaimed, "but hentzi willbe here and he shall get one." the five minutes were up and the count's secretaryentered entreating pauline by fear of discovery to come with him. "a pencil," she snapped, "and paper. a leaffrom that little red memorandum book where

you keep account of what money you have savedby cheating your master." she waved him away. "three more minutes," she commanded. "i hid in a mound of hay quite close to thefarm house. it was the one nearest a tree recently struck by lightning. it was a plumand the fruit was still red and unwrinkled. i hid my coat there primarily with the ideaof it being a pillow. when they dragged me out i kicked it down and out of sight. threethings may have happened. one, that owing to the rain they have not canted the hay.second, that a farm hand found the coat and took the money in it and destroyed everythingelse. the third contingency is that the document

may have been undisturbed. in this case itwill be returned when the count inquires broadcast for stray garments." "yes, yes," pauline said, excitement in hervoice, "but tell me exactly what to do." "can you motor to this zencsi farm withoutbeing found out?" "it will not be easy but it shall be done." her air of assurance heartened him. "you can only find the blasted tree by daylight," he said thoughtfully, "and in day light you may be seen. can you be there atdawn before the farmer himself is up." "but that is easiest of all," she cried, "listento me. i shall wait until everyone here is

asleep. then i shall take the fiat and getto zencsi in a little more than an hour. i can hide the car in the forest and make mysearch. if i find it i can be back here before any man or maid is stirring." her face fell."but what am i to do with it? i dare not give it to you who may be searched." "it ought to be destroyed," he answered, "buti've sworn to give it to the man who sent me here. i've got it. put it in the tool boxof the lion, among the cotton waste. can you get into the garage?" "hentzi has all keys, as you should remember,"she said. "what keys he has are mine. and then?"

"you will find at the bottom of the big toolbox a couple of keys. they are punched out of two thin steel bars. really there are fourkeys. it is most important that you bring them to me. you will not forget?" "when your life hangs on it? what else? wemust be quick. i do not fear hentzi but his master must not find me here." "if the coat has been removed you must goto the farm house. there is a watch dog who barks but he pines for affection and you canwin him easily. find out who has the coat. if it isn't in the hay someone on the farmhas it. if the document is handed to you look at it eagerly to make sure it is what i wantand if it is, tell them the thing is worthless

and not what the count wants. and if you findthe paper in the breast pocket do the same thing." "why?" she demanded. "if you show them it is what you came forthe count who will certainly hear of it will want to get it. what would happen if he knewyou had given it to me?" "why think of that now?" she returned. buthe noticed that a shade of fear passed over her face at the thought of it. "if you get it and put it in the tool boxhe will only think how well you have served his interests in coat hunting while his lazyvarlets were abed. of course if they don't

hand it to you at the farm and it isn't inthe coat it may be destroyed. i'm afraid you'll have to do some bullying and threatening toget at the truth but the truth i must have." she rose from the rush bottomed chair witha sigh. "you believe that there are those who canread fate?" anthony trent hesitated. men of his professionwere usually superstitious attaching unwarranted importance to fortuitous things, watchingfor signs and portents and abandoning planned enterprises at times because of some signof misfortune which had met them. "i don't believe it," he admitted, "but thatsort of thing influences me. why?" "there is a woman nearby who can tell," paulinereplied, "yesterday i gave her money. she

said-can you think of it-that i shoulddie happy." "i hope you do," he said. "but it is impossible," she cried. "none clingsto life as i do. i am tired of this life. i love the life of cities, the restaurants,the crowds. i am city bred. in a year when conditions are better i shall go back. i shallappear in berlin again, petrograd, perhaps and of course in london and they want me innew york. i shall hate to die. but i did not mean to speak of myself. she told me thatthe man i loved would be successful. fate makes no mistake. keep up your courage foryou will win and i shall die happy. what more could we want?"

but there were tears in her eyes as she saidit. he took both her hands in his. "what a splendid woman you are!" he said withconviction. "my dear," she answered, her voice a littleuneven, "do not tell that to the woman you love. she would hate me and i want to livea little in your heart without anyone else to share it. promise me that?" there was in his mind to tell her daphne wasdifferent. that daphne would love her too, but he said nothing. her intuition told hermore than his hope could foretell. "i promise," he answered, "and i promise thati shall never forget."

hentzi's agitated voice disturbed them. "not one moment longer," he whispered. "idare not." chapter thirteendown to the sea when pauline had gone trent was immeasurablyhappier in the hope she had given him. until her visit his only chance of escape had beencentered in the expectation that when once his hands were freed he might file the bars.there was now a scheme in his head worth many of that. half an hour after she had left two men enteredguided by the now assured hentzi. "you have complained of the dirt here," thesecretary explained, "and it will be removed."

the tiny spring saw was swept up unobserved.trent saw it disappear now with a smile where before it would have been black tragedy tohim. he slept well that night and shaved himselfnext morning in high spirits. it was not easy, shaving with handcuffs on, but it was possible.then he waited for some message from pauline. hentzi came into the cell at five. "count michael will see you at ten tonight.my friend, i warn you to be wise and acknowledge defeat." "that's not my idea of wisdom," trent grinnedso cheerfully that hentzi was vaguely disturbed. "you are more foolish even than the others,"hentzi said, shaking his head. "brave men,

all three. for my part i would be reasonable.i would say, 'i have fought a good fight and the odds were against me. how much can i savefrom the wreck?' that is the way to talk, my lord." suddenly he took a book from his pocket, abook tied with string and sealed but not enveloped in paper. he handed it to the american. "this is from a friend," he announced. "ibring danger on myself in giving it to you but i can rely on your silence, eh?" "certainly," trent said carelessly and betrayedno interest in the gift. "at ten o'clock tonight? is that it?"

"it is wise to acknowledge defeat," hentzisaid earnestly. "we'll see when the time comes," trent returned."it's largely a matter of holding trumps my good hentzi." anthony trent tore the string from the bookeagerly. in the middle, placed carefully in a space hollowed among the leaves were thebar keys which might, with luck, open the doors to safety. about them was wrapped ahalf sheet of scented, green note paper. on it was scrawled very faintly in pencil, "ihave put it where you told me to." "thank god!" cried anthony trent. then with some difficulty he managed to putthe two thin steel bars in a special pocket

long ago prepared for them. the hours seemed very long until hentzi, withsissek and ferencz, came for him. the two servants carried their big service revolvers. the anxious moment was at hand, the momentthat was to tell trent whether he was to be utterly defeated or to stand a chance of escape. "take these off," he said holding out hismanacled hands. "no. no." sissek and ferencz cried together. "the count said so," trent frowned. "i have had no orders," hentzi assured him,"and that is one key i have not got."

for one desperate moment anthony trent thoughtof bringing down his iron ringed wrists on sissek's head and attempting to escape. buthe put the thought from him as futile. there was still another trump to play. they led him, as he hoped, to the great roomwhere the safe was, the room he had searched so carefully. in a carved oak chair at the head of a tablesat count michael. pauline was there sitting in a chaise longue smoking a cigarette ina very long amber and gold holder. she did not turn her face from the count to the prisoneruntil he had stood there silent for a full minute. then she looked at him coldly, sneeringly,and said something to count michael which

brought a peal of laughter from him. it seemed to trent that he had never seenthe two on such wholly affectionate terms. there were two doors to the room. at one stoodpeter sissek, revolver in hand. at the other old ferencz watched in armed vigilance. onthe table before the count was a .38 automatic pistol. shades were drawn over the long narrowfrench windows. in a chair before one of them hentzi sat nervous as ever in the presenceof his violent employer. before the other window was a big bronze statue of the dyinggaul. the stage was set very comfortably for all but the manacled anthony trent. "you said i could have these off," trent began,"these damned steel bangles that i've worn

so long." "it is for yourself to remove them," the countsaid suavely. "i am about to give you the opportunity. you see i am generous. otherswould blame me for it." "you are not generous," trent snapped. "acoward never is." the count's face lost some of its suavity. "who dares call me a coward?" he cried. "i do," trent returned promptly. "you area coward. here am i, an unarmed man among three with guns. the doors are locked andyet you keep me here handcuffed. generous! brave!" all his contempt was poured out ashe said it.

"if i take them off will you give me yourparole d'honneur to make no effort to escape?" anthony trent turned to pauline. "madame," he said, as though to a stranger,"i cannot congratulate you on the courage of your friend. so afraid is he of one singleman that he wishes me to give my word i will not try to escape. he forgets i am unarmed,in a strange and vast house filled with his servants, with death threatening me at anysuspicious move. are all your noblemen of croatia as cautious as he?" pauline did not reply to him. instead shespoke to the count in german. "pay no attention to him," she counselled."i know that you are brave, my michael. let

him laugh at you for a coward if he wishes.i would not have him hurt you or frighten you for the world." "frighten me!" cried the count, "hurt me!"he flung a little key across the table to hentzi. "take them off," he commanded. trent examined his reddened wrists with afrown. "this should never have been done," he declared.then he turned to hentzi. "i need a cigarette." "i did not bring you here to smoke," countmichael said acidly. "i brought you here to interrogate you. remember that." "i have been without a decent smoke for nearlytwo weeks," trent returned. "and i want one.

unless i have some i shall not answer anyone of your interrogations. think it over, count." hentzi looked at the american reproachfully.he had supplied his prisoner with the best of tobacco. that he had done so surreptitiouslyrobbed him of the privilege of recrimination. the two guards not understanding a word ofthe conversation could not deny trent's statements. count michael temesvar looked closely at hisformer chauffeur. he was standing on the rich red rug between the two windows. he was bitinghis lips; his face twitched and his fingers worked nervously. it was plain that he sufferedas drug takers do when deprived of their poisons. there was a cedar lined silver box of cigaretteson the little table by pauline's chair. this

hentzi was commanded to place before the prisoner.anthony trent's symptoms were admirably assumed. he inhaled and exhaled in silent delight andhis face grew more peaceful. but he was still unsettled and nervous. the count, rememberinghis iron-nerved driver, attributed the change as much to imprisonment and fear as to lackof tobacco. in a sense it was a tribute to his power over the man who had thwarted him.he watched trent stride up and down by the two windows and ascribed it to a growing senseof the ordeal about to be undergone. "i've got to keep moving," trent said, "i'vebeen tied up in a kennel for two weeks." "if you must i shall permit it," the otheranswered. "but i warn you that the length of this table must be your limit. otherwisemy faithful men may have to shoot. you understand?"

"perfectly," trent said growing more affable."i even give you my parole d'honneur not to go near the doors. why rush on certain death?" "you are growing sensible," count michaelsaid smiling. "i knew it would come. as you say, why rush on certain death? it is foolish.more, it is unnecessary and to do so wastes one's energy. i have not yet had time to learnyour name and rank but i am treating with you as an equal." "thank you!" trent retorted. "if you calllocking me up in a verminous, rat-haunted cell treating me as an equal i'm hardly grateful." "i dare take no risks," the count assuredhim. "you men who came here for my lord rosecarrel

are different from others. i have not forgottenthat sir piers edgcomb killed three of my honest lads before he died. there are otherswho would have treated you less well than i. now, where is the paper you stole fromme and say you burned?" "what is the fate of ashes tossed to the fourwinds?" "it was never burned," the other snapped."somewhere it exists in your pocket where i saw you place it. remember this before youanswer. if by your aid alone i find it you may leave this castle." "how?" trent demanded. "to walk into ambushoutside?" "there will be twenty square miles of countrywhere none dare touch you. do you need more

than that, you, who cast aspersions on thecourage of others? is it possible you are afraid?" "what is the other alternative?" "to join your friends." the count laughedcordially. the idea seemed to amuse him. "to make the third grave. first the trainer, thenthe butler and last the chauffeur. i wonder what your chief will send me next." "he will have no need to send anyone else,"trent said affably. by this time his nervousness had disappeared and he was cool and calm asever. "you mean he will give up the attempt?"

"why should there be another when i have alreadysucceeded?" "this is bravado," the count cried. it washis turn to be nervous now. the importance he attached to the possession of the paperseemed out of all proportion to its value. trent knew little of the great eternal europeangame of politics. for a few moments in paris the new world had its glance at the complicatedworking but forgot it when booming trade held sway and salesmen took the place of diplomats.the elimination of the new foreign secretary meant a great deal to count michael. the otherknowledge which trent stored in his mind was equally dangerous but there were others whocould attend to that. no matter what part anthony trent played the count had assignedhim the rã´le of the defeated.

"it happens to be the truth," trent returned. he could see that pauline was now listeningintently. her pose of antagonism to the stranger was swept away by her anxiety for his safety.her heart thrilled to see him standing there, debonair, smiling, dominating. it seemed madnessto her, this avowal of success. "you are learning wisdom," count michael commented. "we may define the term differently," trentsmiled. "i did not burn the paper." "ah!" the count breathed excitedly. "now wehave it." "i preferred to keep it so that i could assurethe right honourable the earl of rosecarrel, secretary of state for foreign affairs, thati had indeed succeeded. you will understand

my feelings. perhaps it was bravado but noneseems to believe that such papers ever do get burned. you, count, seemed to doubt it." "where is it?" the count snapped. "your lifedepends on your truth." "i have put it in a safe place," trent said,resuming his pacing of the room. the count's excitement banished the air oftoleration he had with difficulty affected toward one he hated. "where is it?" he bellowed. anthony trent was smiling and his eyes werebright. it was one of his moments. "i am going to fetch it," he said urbanely.

long ago he had made a careful survey of thepossibilities of the room in which he stood. he had thoroughly scrutinized windows anddoors as likely aids to future needs. every pair of eyes in that great room wasturned on him. sissek and ferencz understanding no word only saw that he was unmoved, unruffled,almost joyous in the presence of the great count michael. they could not understand itat all. they only hated him the more. hentzi was rather thrilled with the spectacle.here was a young and handsome man of a type he had longed to be, no doubt the bearer ofan historic title, who in the presence of great peril dared to laugh at the head ofall the temesvars. count michael felt the constricting collarthat now almost choked him. these other two

who had preceded alfred anthony met deathbravely but they acknowledged failure. but this man was different. it was almost as thoughhe thought himself the victor. what else would have nerved him to bandy words with his gaoler? but of them all it was pauline who watchedhim most eagerly, and most feared for his safety. he seemed incredibly rash to antagonizethe count still further. few guessed the cruelties to which he could sink when his amour proprewas wounded. she had made up her mind that the man she loved so wholly should not suffer.so far the count had no reason to suspect her interest in the stranger. his first jealousyhad passed when she protested how needless it was. he trusted women with few of his politicalsecrets but she knew trent was a marked man

because he had stumbled on the identity ofthe princely guest. therefore he would suffer unless her woman's wit could aid him. knowingthe count's vanity so well she perceived that every moment of this unperturbed attitudeadded to the severity of the punishment his prisoner would receive. "you are going to fetch it!" count michaelsaid thickly. "is it permitted to ask how and when?" "by all means," trent said graciously. "iam going to fetch it now and thus." he made a lightning quick leap toward thewindow where hentzi was sitting in a low chair and then a dive over the secretary's shoulder.through the small panes of glass he went like

a hurled rock. the shade torn from its rollerwrapped itself about his head and shielded him from flying glass and piercing splinters. two shots rang out and he heard hentzi's voiceraised in a shriek of agony. there were other sounds which drowned even this. the count'svoice bellowed forth instructions. he could hear peter sissek and ferencz shouting andthen, as another shot followed him into the courtyard pauline's cry rang high above allother sounds. trent landed on his shoulder, bruised butnot seriously hurt. when he pulled the enveloping window shade from his face he was amazed tosee that the room from which he had come was now in darkness. he could hear the men thrashingabout it in a fury of rage at being unable

to find the way of pursuit. whether failureof the current was the cause or someone had pressed the button, the delay was of incalculablevalue. trent raced across the paved courtyard andpried open the door of what had been the prince's apartment. it was unoccupied as was that ofthe adjoining room where the military aide had slept. at the bedroom door leading to the corridorhe listened carefully but heard no sound. he opened it quietly to come upon a servantpassing by. it was an unmannerly fellow who had often jeered at him when they used thecommon table, a tall, awkward, stooping creature with a malicious face. his eyes opened widewhen he saw it was the detested english chauffeur.

visions of reward darted across his brainand he made a movement as to apprehend the foreigner. he was instantly gripped with a hold, whichagonized him as he sought to break it, and forced into the bedroom from which trent hadjust come. then the door was locked and he was a prisoner. when, a minute later his masterand the others came bursting through he supposed them to be other than they were and hid undera bed where the redoubtable sissek pursued him and beat him soundly until his identitywas established. leaving him in the room trent made his waycarefully to the armoire, that rock of refuge in a weary land, and entered it noiselessly.

it was established that no stranger couldhave left the castle by any of its exits. such as were not barred had servants nearthem. it was clear that alfred anthony was concealed somewhere in the vast building.his capture was only the matter of time, the result of careful searching. this search was gone about systematicallycount michael directing his men personally. it was the count's theory that one of hisbullets, the first shot at which hentzi had screamed because of its nearness to his head,had wounded the fleeing man, and that he would sooner or later be traced by a trail of blood. hardly had plans been made for the dispositionof the searchers than an agitated footman

reported peter sissek's wife with dire news.she was brought before her employer trembling with excitement. "excellency," she cried, "he has escaped inthe english car." pauline at the count's side clutched his arm. "thank god!" she breathed. "they shall suffer who let him pass," thecount roared, "swine, children of swine, spawn of the devil." "let me go after him excellency," peter sissekpleaded. "i will bring him back to you dead or alive as you command."

"fool," the count shouted, "who are you todo this, you who have not his skill nor so fast a car! get you to agram. i will telegraphto fiume and zara and trieste and have him stopped for a thief." "but," pauline protested, "how dare you letit be known that it is the paper he has stolen? dare you invite notice of it?" the count looked at her very oddly. neverhad he looked so coldly. "is it also his car?" he asked. "have i noright to that?" weeks before anthony trent had hidden a sparekey to the garage in a secret place. from the moment of closing the door of the armoirebehind him, climbing down the copper pipe

and starting his engine, anthony trent hadnot consumed more than four minutes. as he drove it out of the yard he saw mrs. sissekrunning toward him. soon they would be on his track again. he did not care. he knewthere was never a driver in all europe who could hope to catch him between castle radnaand fiume. a quick glance had assured him all was wellwith his lion. two extra wheels were carried which could be put on in three minutes. therewas gasoline in his tanks and the purring hum of the motor was like a beethoven symphonyto his ears. and he knew that somewhere in the toolbox was concealed the little scrapof paper which had cost two lives already and might take his own as toll were he notcareful. he prayed that the gods of chance

might give him no less than an even break. down the mountain side he went singing. atnight there was little or no traffic. the peasants were early abed and the way wouldbe deserted until he struck the marie louise road. anthony trent knew that not a car in the garagewould pursue him with any chance of success. they would probably send a telegram from agrambut that contingency did not worry him very much. it had taken no more than a minute ofhis time to do damage that would take a hundred times as long to remedy. he smiled to thinkof the savage sissek trying to start his panhard. then they would attempt to get the fiat goingand finally, the old and tricky mercedes.

and they would all balk because that skilledmechanic alfred anthony had had his finger in the pie. at the roar of his engines, magnified in thenight silences, peasants turned over and went to sleep again. it was their lord or one ofhis exalted guests who passed. sometimes one of them would hear, floating out for a moment,the sound of his singing. it was a night of triumph and hope for anthonytrent. he had succeeded where others had failed. the hours brought him nearer to a sight ofthe woman he loved and he could not put away from him the hope that somewhere happinessand content might wait for them. there was not an untoward incident in hisjourney until he reached the high land overlooking

the harbor of fiume. day would break in lessthan an hour. stopping his motor he took the rain stained document from its shelter. paulinehad not failed him. she showed her thoughtfulness by placing sandwiches and a flask of winein the tool box. he thought of her with a flood of gratitude. until this reminder hehad forgotten her very existence in the thought of the other woman. trent had not come idly to fiume with thebare hope of being able to make his escape. he knew that there were in port several britishdestroyers that lay off a certain breakwater which he had observed on many occasions. tiedup at this stone pier were a number of rowboats. it would be an easy task to pull off to adestroyer and climb aboard. no commander would

deny him the privilege he sought and therewas not a gun in fiume which dare be trained on a british or american vessel. it was anthony trent's way to look for oppositionin his ventures and be a little uneasy if he met none. so far things had gone almosttoo smoothly. he had threaded his way through the narrowstreets of fiume without other than a few laborers when he was suddenly halted by apoliceman. the policeman stood before the lion and waved his sword. it was plain helabored under stress of great excitement. three others of his kind came running froma side alley. it seemed to the policeman that the great automobile made a vicious jump athim. he leapt aside with marvelous agility

as the accelerated lion passed him on itsway to the pier. there was just sufficient light for trentto see the destroyer lying at her anchorage. everything would have been comfortably donebut for the cries of the pursuing police. a groom of count michael's had ridden a fasthorse into agram and the fiume authorities were bidden apprehend a thieving chauffeurdriving a blue and silver lion. there was so liberal a reward that the police forcewas almost disorganized in contemplating it. pursuers among civilian laborers and sailorsjoined in the chase. trent's heart sank to see the little covewhere the boats were tied was not empty at this early hour as he expected. there wasa group of seven or eight fishermen getting

their nets ready. their quick ears caughtsounds of the disturbance and saw that the man in the motor was to be caught. they seizeda two inch hawser and stood across the pier barring the motor's way. four men holdingto one end and three, to another. trent took the situation in at a glance. stupidlyenough the fishermen supposed themselves to be able to stop the car of their own strength.had they fastened the hawser around the cleats at their side anthony trent would have gonedown to defeat. it was plain that he could not carry out his plan of rowing to the destroyerwith these men at his heels. there was one last desperate thing to do. the great car responded to the acceleratorand by the time it had reached the men holding

the rope it was going at fifty miles an hourover the smooth stone breakwater. two of the men were jerked clear into the water. theywere all thrown down and one had an arm broken. fascinated they watched the great car racingdown the pier straight to destruction as they supposed. then they looked, horrified, asit seemed to hurl itself from the jetty, hurtle through the air and disappear in a tomb offoam. when police and fishermen strained their eyesand could see no trace of the chauffeur they naturally assumed he had been caught in thecar. "he has killed himself!" the sergeant cried. "he was mad!" said another.

anthony trent had no difficulty in freeinghimself from the sinking lion. it was his wish to swim under water as far as possibleand so elude those who watched for him in the faint light. there was a strong current running and thedestroyer lay a couple of cable lengths distant. it was a hard swim, clothes encumbered ashe was, and he dare not discard the garment that held the paper. there was a despairingmoment when he thought he could never make headway against the tide which would takehim back into the harbor. it was an astonished marine who saw the drippingexhausted man clamber aboard and fall to the deck.

"i must see your commander at once," trentcried, when his breathing was easier. lieutenant maitland awaked from his sleepwas not inclined to see him. "what's he like and the devil is it all about?"he demanded crossly. "he's about knocked out," the marine answered,"and he says he won't tell his business to anyone but you." lieutenant maitland put on a bath robe andinterviewed the stranger. he was instantly taken by the man's face and manner. he saw,too that he was dealing with one of his own class. "i have important despatches for lord rosecarrelthe foreign secretary which i must get to

him at once." "yes?" maitland said interrogatively. "i want you to take them and me," anthonytrent said. "i'm afraid that's impossible," said the officer."you see that is a little out of my beat. even if your papers were for the first lordof the admiralty i could not proceed to a home port without instructions. i am boundfor malta and weigh anchor in a little while." anthony trent was silent for a moment. heknew that private matters concerning lord rosecarrel and his son had nothing to do withthe government directly. he knew, too, that to commandeer a destroyer for a private errandwas inadmissable. but he was determined to

get back and had no appetite for fiume. therewas a trump card which he had yet to play. "why does a squadron of destroyers stay solong in fiume?" he asked. "admiralty orders," lieutenant maitland saidbriefly. "they are here because trouble may break outat any moment. the information i carry is necessary for the interests of your countryand my own. i'm an american as i supposed you guessed. you will be thanked by the primeminister for taking me and my information back." "why not cable it?" maitland suggested, "i'llwireless it for you in code." "i dare not trust it," trent said emphatically,"and they wouldn't believe it anyhow. mine

is a preposterous story but it's one thatyour government needs to know. can't malta get on without you a little? it won't takelong. you fellows travel at forty miles an hour." "who is to judge of the importance of theinformation?" maitland demanded, "i have to think of that. if you are spoofing me i runthe certainty of court martial. really i think i must beg you to be decently careful in askingthis of me." "that's only fair," trent agreed. "does thename of william, prince of misselbach, mean anything to you?" "only that i went to his funeral when he escapedfrom that island prison of his and was drowned.

i was on the port guard ship at the time.i understand the allied powers breathed a sigh of relief that he had chosen to drownhimself." anthony trent pointed to a group of boatsat the end of the pier from which he had taken his leap. they were growing distinct in thelight. "those fellows," said anthony trent, acceptingone of the officer's cigarettes, "are grappling for my body. they believe i'm dead. drownedas deep as ever prince william of misselbach ever was. you have just as much right to thinkthe prince dead. i've seen him. i know where he's been staying since his escape and i knowwho is behind the plot to put him on the throne of hungary. now, lieutenant, do we steam backto england or shall i cable it?"

"i'll take a chance and slip back to portsmouth.what you need is a hot bath and some hotter coffee. by the time you've fed and got intosome of my togs we shall be on our way back to fame or court martial." the lieutenant grinned cheerfully. he wasstill a boy for all the stern years he had witnessed disaster by sea and land. also heliked trent. it was rather a lark, he thought. "by the way," said trent suddenly, "if theywig-wagged you from shore that you were harbouring a man supposed to have stolen a lion automobilefrom count michael temesvar the man who is at the bottom of the plot would you feel boundto deliver him up to justice? i ask because i think some sort of police are on the wayhere now."

"my dear man," said lieutenant maitland, "youhave the good fortune to be aboard the fastest destroyer on god's wide waters. also steamis up and we shall have started before the harbour authorities can get aboard. if theycan overhaul my old dear you may ask me that question again." when it was certain that trent had made goodhis escape the black rage that took hold of count michael plunged his household into adistress that showed itself on every troubled face except that of pauline. she was not easily able to conceal her joyin anthony trent's good fortune. the prophecy of the gipsy that he would escape was fulfilled.

she knew that rage must be eating at the count'sheart, a rage compared with which all his other frenzied outbursts were as nothing.as a rule he made pauline his confidante, desiring only that she approve of his behaviour.twice she had tried to get hentzi aside and learn what news, if any, had come of the masquerader.hentzi sullenly turned away from her. she supposed he had been so upset over his master'stemper that he was nursing a grievance himself. she was in her room that night, about to takea gorgeous necklace from her firm white throat, when there was a knock upon the door. "it is mr. hentzi," said her maid. "tell him i will not see him," pauline yawned.

"he has an important message from count michael,"said the girl. "which will wait until tomorrow," paulinesaid lazily. hentzi's voice made itself heard through thepartly opened door. "i must beg you madame, to come at once. itis imperative. the count must have your advice on matters of importance." pauline decided to go. after the silence ofthe day the count would tell her everything, and she was anxious to be reassured of anthonytrent's safety. "where are you taking me?" she demanded ashentzi guided her past the big room where trent had been arraigned, the room from whichhe had made his escape.

"his excellency cannot remain in a room withan entire window torn out. it would but be to invite a flock of bats to enter." pauline climbed two little flights of stepswhich led to the topmost floor of the castle. "i have never been here before," she commented. "few strangers have," he said, locking itbehind her. "strangers!" she repeated, "since when havei been a stranger?" she found nothing strange in his silence.hentzi was constantly a prey to the fear he might by some over zealous action provokethe wrath of the man he served. probably he had not heard her question.

she found count michael in a big bare room,octagonal in shape and knew it must be the tower which stood out boldly on the westerncorner of the castle. "why bring me here?" she said petulantly. she had no fear of the man who ruled his peopleas an autocrat. it is not in the nature of such women as pauline to eliminate a certainfeeling of contempt for the power of men whom they can sway by whim and artifice. michael,count temesvar, was terrible to such as he hated, and a political force of sinister strength,but to the green eyed woman who looked at him mockingly he was one of the weak and pliablepawns on life's board. "sit down," he said suavely. there was nosudden look of affection as he gazed at her.

he spoke, she reflected, very much as he haddone to anthony trent. but the ex-chauffeur had been a prisoner. she looked about herand saw that this was almost a prison. "about this alfred anthony," he began. "iam told, although i do not believe it, that you were much concerned for his safety." "who told you that?" she demanded. "what matters that? it is untrue?" "naturally," she answered, trying to fathomwhat lay behind his smiling face. "tell me this pauline," he said leaning forward,"when the sissek woman informed us that he had escaped i thought i heard you say 'thankgod.' why did you thank god when my enemy

escaped?" pauline was not so easily to be trapped. sheremembered breathing her prayer almost at his ear but she hoped in the excitement hehad not heard. "you are dreaming michael," she exclaimed."why should i say that?" "another thing," the count went on. "thisman would hardly have escaped if the electric lights had not gone out." abruptly the countturned to hentzi. "tell me, did you see the engineer about this?" "yes, excellency," hentzi assured him, "hetells me in technical terms which i do not comprehend that sometimes the light goes offfor a few moments. it was the thunder storm

or some atmospherical condition. i do notremember." "heaven seems to fight for him," count michaelcommented. "first the lights extinguished and then someone in this house of mine whogives him keys and aids his escape. the garage door opens itself to him and lo, he disappears." "he has an accomplice you think, excellency?"hentzi stammered. he was fearful that his master had learned of his carrying the bookto the prisoner. out of this slender fact the wrathful count might be weaving plot enoughto engulf his faithful secretary. "i assure your excellency," hentzi cried, "that i amentirely loyal." pauline was still not to be frightened bythis changed mood of the count and the agitation

expressed on his secretary's face. she hadbeen victor over him in a hundred violent scenes and pauline loved violence and theraising of voices. "a curious thing," said the count meditatively,"is that the lights went out only in my room. a well trained thunder storm hentzi, eh?" "your excellence means that someone turnedthem off. i was on guard at the window as you remember." "i know that you were. ferencz was at thenorth door, peter at the other. the thief could not be suspected and i was a dozen feetdistant sitting in my chair. and yet, hentzi, when i pressed the button light again floodedthe room."

"i suppose you are hinting that i did it?"pauline said calmly. when the count smiled, it was another manlooking at her, a man to whom she was a stranger. for the first time a thrill of uneasinesstook hold of her. "is hinting the right word?" count michaelretorted. "i might have done it," pauline admitted,"i remember when i heard the crash of the broken glass jumping up. i probably put myhand out to steady myself and touched the knob without noticing it. how unfortunate!" "again," said the count, "i must questionyour right use of words. you said 'unfortunate,' did you not?"

"there is one other thing which has puzzledme," count michael went on. "peter sissek's wife thinks she saw you come back to the garagetwo mornings back soon after sunrise. she was wrong?" "she was right," pauline replied, "i couldnot sleep so i went out to try and find the missing coat." "what loyal helpers surround me," the countmurmured. "before you retire to your well earned night's rest one other question." "as many as you please," said pauline, someof her burden of anxiety lifted. "what is it?"

"this thief knew of the presence here of certainexalted personages. he had never been anywhere but in the kitchen quarters and his own room.no servant of mine would have told him anything. there were many hours when i was busy andyou played golf that you could have told him. i want your word that the information didnot come from you." "you have it," she said lightly. "now as thatis all i shall go to my room. this hideous place chills me." "pauline," count michael said sternly, "ihave given you every chance to tell the truth. you have lied. it is in your nature to liebut i thought that one of your training would know when the time came to speak the truth.such an hour is at hand. the man was your

lover. you helped him to escape. that i amcertain of. you have betrayed me and my cause-and your cause too-because you are a light oflove, a thing who will accept a purchase price and then play false." "my poor michael," she said commiseratingly,"you drink too much of your own plum brandy. tonight you are crazy. tomorrow i shall haveyou begging for a smile from me. as it is i find you tedious. hentzi, open the door." the secretary made no move to obey her. she shrugged her shoulders. neither of themen judged from her manner the fear that began to enwrap her.

"yours will be a cold smile tomorrow," countmichael said, "and i, for one, shall not envy it. you have betrayed me but in the end ihave triumphed. they have caught him pauline. they are bringing him back to you. do youthink you will be there to aid him when he is my prisoner again?" if count michael wished for tribute to hisvictory it was his now. the confidence left her face. she was whiteand smileless. the courage and bold carriage of her splendid body seemed taken from her.she leaned heavily on the bare table. hentzi, a prey always to emotion, could have weptfor her forgetting she was his master's enemy. to count michael her attitude had the effectof whipping into white heat his repressed

and savage rage. he had tried to believe thathe still stood first in her affection. it was the vanity of the successful man whosedesire has outlived his fascination. no woman could be stricken to the earth bynews of the capture of a man unless he were unutterably dear to her. it was clear confessionof the victory of lord rosecarrel's agent. what desire for mercy had been in the count'sheart died down. there came in its place the craving for instant and brutal revenge. "so you did help him?" he said in a low harshvoice. "yes," she answered. "i thought i had helpedhim to succeed." "and you admit you told him of the presencehere of the prince?"

"if you like," she said wearily, "if i deniedit you would not believe me." "take note of that, hentzi," the count commandedhim. "it is important, this admission of guilt." pauline hardly heard him. the shock of learningthat the man she adored had been recaptured overwhelmed her. she tried to shut out thethought of what punishment would be meted to him now. "i will talk more tomorrow," she said brokenly. "do you not understand that for you therewill be no tomorrow?" she could see now that the count hated her. jealousy had swept fromhim all memory of past affection. he could only think of himself as one betrayed by theman he hated. in vain she might look for mercy

here. "i am to be murdered?" she said looking fromone to the other of the two. "you are to be executed," he said. "you tookyour oath to support this movement and you have betrayed it. i have given you your chanceto confess and instead you perjured yourself." he raised a service revolver from his table. it was hentzi who in this last black scenerose above his fears to plead for her. the count waved his protests aside. the womandid not move. "madame," hentzi cried almost hysterically."you must not believe what his excellency tells you."

"silence," the count cried angrily. but hentzi would not be stayed. at heart hewas generous and in a dumb, hopeless fashion he had long cherished an affection for pauline. "he escaped," hentzi continued, "we have justlearned that they did not capture him. already he is on a fast war ship of his country farfrom fear of pursuit." it was as though a miracle had happened. the color came again into pauline's cheeksand the drooping, broken figure grew tall, erect and commanding. "so you lied to me, michael," she said slowly."you were ashamed to admit that he had beaten

you. but i should not have lost my faith inhim so easily." she turned to hentzi. "thank you my friend. you have made me happy." "silence," the count cried. "prepare yourself." "you cannot hurt me now, michael," she laughed.hentzi thought she looked like a young girl, splendid and triumphant with the wine of youth."at most you can take my life. as i can never have him whom i love i do not mind. perhapsi am a little grateful to you. why does your hand tremble, michael?" she held herself at this last moment witha brave insolence. her head was carried high and the count knew she was laughing at himfor having failed. he knew that her words

were not idly spoken when she said she woulddie happy because her lover had escaped. she stood there flouting him, jeering at him,this woman through whose actions his own safety was imperilled, the woman whose fascinationhad so long enthralled him. and he realized that although it would be his hands whichwould strike her to the dust yet she would be the victor. untrembling she looked into the black mouthof the revolver. "why do your hands shake?" she repeated. "areyou afraid he will come back and rescue me?" hentzi covered his eyes as the spurt of flamejumped at her. it was his shriek which rang out. pauline met her death, triumphant, smiling,unafraid.

chapter fourteenthe cabinet meeting a fast destroyer is a wet and uncomfortablecraft but anthony trent had never enjoyed a voyage so much. life in castle radna hadbeen a greater strain than he knew. he felt the need for relaxation. the trout streamcalled him, the golf links tempted him. he felt very much as he had done years beforeat dartmouth when the rigors of the training period were finished with. he was safe. hewas free; and he was speeding northward ho with the paper in his pocket which had seemedimpossible of attainment. "i dare not run into portsmouth," maitlandconfided in him, "as i'd have to report to the admiral commanding and this news of yoursis not for his ears yet."

"can't you get nearer london than portsmouth?"trent asked. "we're headed for sheerness at the mouth ofthe thames. i can lie quietly off canvey island and then train it to town. later on when myirregular proceedings are dilated upon i can get the first lord of the admiralty to backme up. by the way," he said later, "do you know the grenvils well?" "very well," anthony trent answered, "why?" "then you probably know rudolph castoon. oneof my sisters who knows lady daphne says an engagement is rumoured between them." "nothing to it," anthony trent said confidently."she doesn't even like him as a friend. does

your sister know her well?" "next door neighbours in cornwall," maitlandanswered. "she married lord polruan." so it was maitland's sister who had dubbedhim an american adventurer and indirectly warned the earl against the danger of havinghim on such intimate terms! and this unassuming young naval officer was of course a son ofan earl, and would rightly be described as the honourable willoughby maitland. anthonytrent smiled. he could not help thinking how gratified his old housekeeper in kennebagowould be to think he moved in such company. the two men reached liverpool street stationat ten o'clock at night and taxied westward to lord rosecarrel's town house in grosvenorplace.

the butler, that stern functionary who disapprovedof democracy and the ambitions of the new rich, beamed a welcome when he beheld anthonytrent. in a sense he felt the young american was one of the family. his greeting to trent'sfriend as the son of an earl was respectful, but to anthony he vouchsafed especial courtesy.it was very grateful to the wanderer. it was like coming home to a man who has no abidingplace. "his lordship is attending a cabinet meeting,"he said. "her ladyship is at an albert hall concert and mr. arthur is out of town." it was plain from his manner that he expectedanthony trent to make his quarters in the rosecarrel town house.

"i must see his lordship instantly," trentsaid. "tell one of your men to whistle for a taxi." "you seem to be very popular with old barlow,"maitland said. "i have spent the happiest hours of my lifeat rosecarrel castle," anthony trent said, maitland thought with some little reserve. at downing street the prime minister's butlercould not conceive of such a thing as an interrupted cabinet meeting. "it is business of state," anthony trent saidloftily. "if you feel you have a right to dictate terms very well. but," he continuedimpressively, "i will promise you one thing.

from tomorrow on, you will buttle for someoneelse." it happened that the cabinet meeting, whichhad to do with domestic finance, was already ended. the prime minister glanced at the card sentin, and turned to the private secretary of the earl of rosecarrel who had just enteredthe room. "that splendid young man willoughby maitlandwho did so well at zeebrugge is demanding an audience. i am rather tired. do you mindseeing if it is of importance?" "certainly not, sir," said colonel langley. he stopped short when he saw who accompaniedthe naval officer, and learned that it was

anthony trent who had business with the premier. "the last time i saw you," he said stiffly,"was under circumstances which give you no right to expect me to plead your cause." "that may be," trent said equably, "but iam here not to converse with you but your superiors. by the way who is prime ministernow?" "llewellyn morgan," maitland said. "his thirdterm." it was llewellyn morgan trent had met in cornwall.things looked brighter. "the premier knows me," he said to colonel langley, "and youare no doubt aware i am privileged to call lord rosecarrel my friend."

when the two reached the simply furnishedroom lord rosecarrel looked at the american with wide open eyes. "my dear boy," he said affectionately, grippingboth his hands. "i do not think you can believe how glad i am to see you." "isn't this the young man who had the presumptionto outdrive me forty yards every time we stepped to a tee?" the right honourable llewellyn morgan greetedhim in so friendly a fashion that colonel langley was astounded. but there was anotherman, of cabinet rank, who scowled when he beheld it. rudolph castoon had attained hisdesire. he was now chancellor of the exchequer.

and castoon knew in his heart that it wasbecause of anthony trent lady daphne grenvil had refused him. "do i understand," he said, with a show offriendliness, "that you have news of such importance that it justifies, shall i saybreaking in upon us here?" "it is for the premier to decide," trent said.then he looked at colonel langley and took his revenge. trent addressed the pleasantand amiable personage who sat at the head of the table. "have i your word for it thatthis gentleman is entirely to be trusted?" "he is my private secretary," lord rosecarrelsaid quickly. "by all means let him remain," the premierdecided.

lord rosecarrel was vaguely disturbed. sofar as he knew there was nothing trent could have learned at castle radna which justifiedthis. to tell the assembled members of the cabinet of his errand and its success wouldspell disaster to the one who had sent him. "briefly it is this," trent began, "princewilliam, of misselbach, was not drowned although a real corpse was buried. he is at the presenttime hiding and count michael temesvar is planning to put him upon the throne of hungary.i have seen him with my own eyes a dozen times although he was not aware of it. i had theluck to get a list of names of the prime movers in it. i could not keep the paper so i memorizedthem and wrote them down while on the destroyer which brought me from fiume."

trent passed it across the table to the primeminister. "this is exceedingly important," he declaredafter reading it quickly. "mr. trent you have performed a service to this government andyour own which entitles you to a reward of no mean character. now have the goodness toanswer these questions." they were fired at him quickly and embraceda variety of subjects. it was only because of his retentive memory and trained powersof observation that he was able to satisfy the premier. "it is unfortunate," said rudolph castoon,"that mr. trent was not able to bring us the original document. one's memory, even whenone's intentions are of the best, can play

off tricks." he said it so obviously to discredit the americanthat trent flushed and disclosed something that he had not meant publicly to announce. "do you know baron adolf castoon?" he asked. "naturally," castoon answered, "one does noteasily forget to know one's eldest brother." "then i have news of your eldest brother whichwill cause you infinite concern," trent said, with sympathy in his voice. "baron adolf isfinancing this revolutionary movement. i brought him up from fiume one day and being assuredi did not understand a word of german he was indiscreet enough to talk about it."

"it is a lie," rudolph castoon cried. "adolfis loyal to the interests of the allies. his public speeches are evidence of it." "but i am speaking of private speeches," trentsaid smiling. "what were you doing that you came to drivehim?" "acting as chauffeur," trent replied. "i storedmany interesting facts in my brain during that four hour ride." "of course," castoon said turning to his chief,"you do not believe this sir?" "i can only say that baron adolf's printedspeeches, a copy of which you sent me, did not interest me greatly. i am much more eagerto hear what he said in private."

"first of all," castoon said, "may i ask whyit was this young man went to the trouble of acting as chauffeur. it may be, of course,that it is his profession." "that's interesting," colonel langley commented,"why did he go there at all?" "i went," said anthony trent, "because lordrosecarrel, who knows count michael and mistrusts him, asked me to go. he had an idea that imight be useful. i went and i think i can assure him i have succeeded in what he desiredme to do." lord rosecarrel breathed a sigh of relief.so, after all, this mysterious american had freed him from bondage. mr. llewellyn morgan looked at his friendreproachfully.

"and to have kept it from me," he said. "the credit belongs to mr. trent and not tome," said lord rosecarrel. "to give merely a hint and have it followed to successfulconclusion by another is not the lot of many. for my part i can never cease to feel underobligation to him." "what we have heard," said the premier, "isunder the seal of the most absolute secrecy." he turned to castoon. "i am sorry for thenews you have heard but it was not a matter of surprise to me. i have long heard unpleasingrumours as to the baron's sympathies. you understand that he must not be apprised inany way of this?" "certainly sir," castoon returned stiffly."i can hardly see the necessity of reminding

me of it." when the meeting had broken up anthony trentwas amazed to see colonel langley's outstretched hand. "i must apologize," he said frankly, "i didnot know that you were working for my chief or that he regarded you so highly. you shooti suppose?" "crazy over it," anthony trent admitted. "i wish you would be one of the guns nextseptember the first. my place is at dereham old hall in norfolk. you have never been tothat part of the world i imagine?" anthony trent looked at the tall colonel andunderstood.

"never," he said, "but i shall be delightedto come." maitland remained after the others left. itwas necessary that the premier should endorse his conduct with his own chief. british destroyersare not designed as passenger boats. "of course you are going to make your headquarterswith us?" lord rosecarrel said and pointed to his waiting limousine. "i think not," trent returned. he had notforgotten that when he planned to go to castle radna he gave his word that he would seekno reward. to go back to grosvenor place would seem as though he had forgotten this. "but i insist," the earl said.

"you are asking me to put myself in torment,"he returned. "fiddlesticks!" the other cried, "how youthexaggerates." anthony trent felt it was weak of him buthe climbed into the car. the thought of seeing daphne again was intoxicating. he was gratefulthat there was silence during the five minute ride. the butler informed his master that lady daphnehad come in and was now in bed. "did she know i was here?" trent asked him. "no, sir," said the man, "i did not see herladyship." the earl pushed a silver cigarette box overthe table of his library.

"i don't want to talk of politics," he said,"until tomorrow." "nor i," trent answered and passed the draftof the treaty to the other. the earl held it in his fingers until theflame reached them. the paper was now ashes and a memory. "anthony trent," said the earl, "no matterwhat you have done or what things have conspired to make your life unfortunate, you are a chivalrousgentleman. let me smoke in silence for a little. my heart is too full for speech." "now," he said later, "let me tell you aboutarthur. he is splendid. he is my own lad again. the years that the locusts have eaten arestill blotted from him. he has confidence

in himself. he is marrying one of the dearestof girls next month. you are back in time. it is no secret that you are to be his bestman." "that's good news indeed," trent said heartily. "it has made me very happy," the earl saidslowly, "and incidentally made me examine my conduct rather more severely than i hadever thought of doing." "i'm afraid i don't see what you mean sir,"the younger man said during the long pause. "i will tell you. here was the girl. young,beautiful, of a great family. she had everything to offer and my son loved her. here was theproblem. had i the right to let her marry him when there lay behind him those misspentyears? i wondered whether i was not bound

to tell her father of what he had done. itwas true he was not responsible but nevertheless he had done them. in the end i persuaded myselfthat where love existed as it did between my son and the woman he is to marry, pastscounted for little." anthony trent looked at him for a long timein silence. "had you any especial reason for telling methis?" he asked. lord rosecarrel smiled. "i am tired and must sleep," he said, "andmy wits may be wool-gathering; but you know me well enough, i hope, to be sure that ihave my reasons for making confidences." "i am afraid to say what i think," stammeredanthony trent.

"then put it off until tomorrow," the earllaughed, "go and sleep, my dear boy, even though it may be in torment. we breakfastrather later here than in the country. i don't suppose daphne will be down until ten. wekeep such late hours." chapter fifteenanthony the triumphant the butler tapped upon trent's door beforenine next morning. "i've just taken a telephone message for you,mr. anthony, very important if i may judge." "come in and tell me about it," the americansaid. he could not imagine who knew his whereabouts. it must be maitland, he supposed, who hadpromised to see him before he joined his destroyer again if it were possible.

"it's from the american embassy," the butlerinformed him. "what?" trent demanded. "are you sure?" the american embassy! what had he to do withthat? once behind the doors he was on american soil and subject to her jurisdiction. "it was a message saying that the ambassadormust see you at once. i took the liberty of saying i thought you could get there by halfpast nine. a motor will be waiting when you have dressed." anthony trent sat on the edge of his bed andsaw all his high hopes dashed to earth. someone must have told the ambassador of this youngfellow countryman of his who was on intimate

terms with a cabinet minister. and the ambassadorwith the aid of his intelligence department must have run him to earth. for a moment he wondered whether it wouldnot be wiser to make a run for it. maitland now assured of his bona fides would not hesitateto take him with him and land him at some lonely spot on the italian coast by night.he had money and his wits. it would be beginning life over again but it would be better thandisgrace here in london. then his fighting side asserted itself. hewould not be frightened into flight before he was convinced flight was necessary. there was another visitor in the americanambassador's waiting room, a man of middle

age who smoked an excellent cigar. he turnedas trent entered. "morning," said trent morosely. he was annoyedto find that he had to speak. it was the publisher of a chain of magazines for one of which trentused to write when engaged in the manufacture of light fiction. he had often smoked oneof the millionaire's celebrated cigars. "good morning," said the publisher graciously."it's a long time since i saw you." "the ambassador keeps extraordinary hours,"trent commented. "he's a business man," the other explained,"not bred to the old time diplomacy, just a plain, business man." "what have you done that he sent for you?"

"you don't seem to understand," the publishersaid mildly. "i only understand," trent said, still irritably,"that i'm being kept waiting. he was to see me at nine thirty and it's now twenty minutesto breakfast." "he was on the minute," the other laughed,"where have you been not to know i'm the ambassador?" "you!" said trent in amazement. "and i'm making a damned good one," the diplomatsaid, "even if i do get up hours before the rest of 'em." "what am i here for?" trent demanded. "congratulations mainly," said the ambassador."i was waked out of sleep at after midnight

by the prime minister. he wanted to know ifi had heard of an american called anthony trent. i said 'sure. he used to write forme. anthony trent is all right.' the way these londoners keep up half the night is somethingshocking." "i still don't see why you've sent for me,mr. hill." "i'll explain," said the ambassador. his mannerwas serious, so serious indeed that anthony trent was infinitely perturbed. "you may notknow it but you've rendered your country a considerable service. over here in the birthdayor new year honours list you'll find decorations awarded men the public knows nothing about.trent, sometimes they are given for work like you have done. we don't give orders or decorationsor grants of money. if we did you'd have one

coming to you. what you've done won't evencome before congress. you'll be a mute inglorious milton, but-if the day comes when you needhelp, if you should ever be in a tight place, remember you've got something to trade with.i'm not going to mention this again but you bear it in mind." "i certainly will," trent said gratefully.then he spoke a little hesitatingly. "be frank with me, mr. hill. i ask this as a personalfavor. had you anything at the back of your mind when you spoke about my being in a tightplace or needing help?" "no," the ambassador said after a mental reactionwhich could be measured in seconds. "but you've made enemies here. some of 'em have sent inasking what you do for your livelihood. of

course i remembered that australian uncle.he certainly must have cut up rich." "he did," anthony trent said sombrely. hehad invented an australian uncle years before to account for possession of the large sumsof money his professional work netted him. oddly enough the memory gave him little pleasurenow. "i was able to assure the inquisitive," thediplomat declared, "that i had known you for years." enemies! castoon perhaps, who hated him onsight, and possibly the colonel langley who was now his friend. what others unknown tohim might there not be! and there was lady polruan sister of willoughby maitland. sheprobably would be influenced by her favorite

brother and receive him on a friendly footingif they met again. these people he knew. but it was the unknowns who bothered him. "was rudolph castoon one of them?" he inquired. "the chancellor of the exchequer?" hill laughed."my boy you have certainly got right into the top-hole set here. the inquisitive oneswere your own countryfolk who were jealous that a man not even in the social registergot in on intimate terms with the great families. maybe they wanted to get your formula. nothingserious. i've got a busy morning. lunch with me at one tomorrow?" "gladly," anthony trent returned, his mannerbrighter. never had he shaken hands so heartily

with his old publisher. "it's done me good to see you," he exclaimed. the friendly butler informed trent in confidencethat lady daphne was not yet down. his lordship was already riding in the row. "her ladyship has not been informed of yourarrival," said the butler. "she is expected down in a few minutes. i have ordered kidneysand bacon en brochette for you, sir." "this feels like being really at home," theamerican said. "i have wanted that for breakfast every morning i've been away and never oncehad the luck to get it." below stairs the butler informed the housekeeper,who later retailed it to maids, that mr. anthony

seemed very nervous. a footman openly rejoicedwhen he overheard the butler's conversation with the housekeeper that his duties wouldenable him to witness the meeting of his mistress and the american. "there will be nobody in the breakfast roomwhen her ladyship enters but mr. anthony," his superior said firmly. "haven't you gotany romance in you, simpkins?" "yes," answered the footman simply, "that'swhy i want to see them." anthony trent was sitting in a big wingedchair by the fire when daphne entered. she walked to the table and picked up some letterswithout seeing him. at every mail she expected to hear from him and now was another of thesecontinual disappointments. invitations, letters

from friends and relatives, but never a onefrom the man she loved. watching her anthony trent was a victim tomany emotions. the rumor which he had confidently disputed that she was engaged to rudolph castoonnow assumed a guise of probability. why not? he had left her expecting never to see heragain. he had convinced her of the unsurmountable barrier between them, a barrier which stillexisted. what a fool he had been to twist the earl's statement about arthur into somethingthat spelled hope when none was intended. that he was here was due to the feeling onlord rosecarrel's part that he deserved courtesy at the hands of the grenvils. before leavingfor croatia he had assured the elder man that he would not claim a reward. and here he waswithin a few feet of daphne. what he should

have done was to call and greet her in a friendlyfashion, a fashion which would have told her that he realized there could no longer beany pretence of intimacy between them. instead he was hiding in a deep chair and must presentlydisclose himself. he noticed anxiously that she was lookingfrail and tired. there was a sadness on her face which he had not seen there before. itwas, he decided, a hopelessness, a lack of the vivacity which had always distinguishedher. it was when the butler had decided time enoughhad elapsed for greeting that simpkins was allowed to bear in silver dishes of food. it was the footman's entrance which made thegirl look up from her unopened collection

of letters. she did not see simpkins. shesaw only the man in the chair, the tall, slim man who rose almost awkwardly when he mether wide-open eyes. ordinarily self possessed, never at a lossfor a word or embarrassed, anthony trent stood there dumb and looked at her. "oh tony, tony!" she cried. immensely gratified, simpkins beheld the americangather her to him. honest simpkins had tears in his eyes. he went from the room blindly,his mission unaccomplished. he had seen love so near to him that he was dazzled. it was in daphne's own sitting room facingst. james' park that they were able to talk

coherently. "why do you suddenly look so graveon this morning of all mornings in my life?" she asked tenderly. "darling," he said, "i can't keep on livingin this doubt any longer. you know what i said in cornwall?" "that's so long ago. i forget. exactly whatdid my wise tony say? i only remember that he said he loved me." "i shall always say that," he said softly."daphne, i must not go on deluding myself any longer. i ought not to have seen you.it was only because your father was courteous and i was weak that i came."

"you have seen father?" she cried. "last night," he told her. "i was with himfor an hour. he was very kind." "did he tell you about arthur?" "he said he was going to be married." she looked at her tony with a smile he couldnot understand. there was certainty in it content, assurance. it was as though therewere no barriers that kept him from her. "my wise tony," she said, "there is much foryou to learn. let us leave grosvenor place and go to australia in the first place." "australia?" he cried uneasily. for the secondtime within a few hours the island continent

had arisen to confound him. "yes, australia," she said. "you rememberthat my father bought a place there for arthur?" he had often heard of it. it was a magnificentproperty of a hundred thousand acres. great flocks of sheep and cattle grazed on it andthere were hundreds of horses. there were lakes on it where the rainbow trout grew tofifteen pounds in weight. he had seen photographs of the big house with its tennis courts, itsoutside swimming pool, its walled gardens. it was administered, he knew, by intelligentsuperintendents and capable of even greater development. "a wonderful place," he said. "yes, i remember.your father wanted to sell it."

"he has given it away instead." "given away a place like that?" "perhaps i ought not to say given away," shesmiled. "he has given it in exchange for what business people call collateral. he has givenit to you, tony, subject to certain conditions." "me?" he cried, "oh no! impossible. i couldn'ttake it." "but you haven't even heard the conditions,"she said. "i go with it. it must be kept in the family." anthony trent had a vision of the future.he saw himself a clean man again, a man with hard work before him and great responsibilities.he remembered his country's ambassador and

the cryptic utterances which might mean somuch. the new life in the new country where none knew him. the realization of those dreamsof children who need never be ashamed of their parentage. and all this was offered him. daphne looking at him saw that the eyes whichshe had sometimes thought were hard were softened now. none but she had ever seen tears in theeyes of anthony trent who had once been the master criminal. "oh daphne," he said brokenly. "daphne."

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