The Illustrious Prince

her first instructions to the driver, and told him to proceed as fast as possible to Harrod's Stores. Then, raising the flap at the rear of the cab, she watched the progress of the chase. Al

n she was deposited in front of Harrod's Stores, her pursuers were out

ou had instructions to wait here for me. Go on to the

ng back, then, mis

n who are following me to think that I am. They m

pause, however, at any of the counters. In something less than two minutes she had left it again by a back entrance, stepped into another taxicab which was just setting down a pas

ig clubs and, scribbling a line on h

in?" she said. "If he is, will you kin

oung man, clean-shaven, and moving like an athlete, came briskly down the steps. He carr

exclaimed. "Why

Of course, I know that I ought not to have come and sent a message into your club. I will admit at onc

yway," he declared. "The

ply want to have a little talk with you. Come in here with me

middle of a rubber o

to talk to you about is of more importance than any game of cards. Don't be fo

did when she was in earnest. She gave the driver an address somew

d, "do you read

York Herald, but these London journals are a bit difficult, aren't t

" she asked, "about the man who was killed in

with a sudden awakening of

o have lunched with him at the Carlton today; in fact, I went there expecting to do so, for I am like you-I scarcely ever look inside these English newspapers. Well, I went to the Carlton and waited and he did not come. At last I went into the office and asked whether he had arrived. Directly I mentioned

man whistl

o was this fellow, anyhow, and wha

ssary for me to tell you all mine, even if we are both foreigners in a strange country. The poor fellow isn't goi

nsidered the mat

person you would have been likely to have taken lunch with.

shook h

read the papers? I only saw what

ondon and North Western Railway Company was from the greatest railway man in the world. Mr. Hamilton Fynes must have been a person who had a pretty considerable pull over there. Curiously enough, though, only the name of the man was ment

ook he

n those days, and was supposed to have a head. He used to write me occasionally. One day he turned up in London quite unexpectedly. He said that he had come o

s you did!"

pe Morse la

. You're an outrageous flirt, I know, but you and I a

"We've always been prett

ldn't be here. Do you want to hear an

I do," he

you before, we saw quite a great deal of one another. He was always very reticent about his affairs, and especial

the young man

hesi

now, that I ought to tell you, Dicky. Still, you are a fellow countryman

sped along for some time in silence. Mr. Rich

o tell me anything which you feel that you oughtn't t

no

el

mischief my being in the diplo

should be telling you everything I haven

which he dropped when he was here last he

t," she

eason, you ought to tell somebody. The police at

find one," she answere

e exclaimed, "you

say. I believe I am one of the few people w

ason why you sho

with me expecting to hear something, and I am going to tell you this. That last time he came to

oked, for a mome

asked. "It doesn't sound like

but even you have probably heard of governments who employ private messengers to carr

pean nations are up to all manner of tricks. But I tell you frankly, P

, and that was to hold inviolate the Monroe doctrine. European or Asiatic complications scarcely even interested her. Those times have passed, Dicky. Cuba and

n was deeply

n what you say, Penelope. You talk about it

tray young woman like myself must have so

lau

ew York Herald declared, a few weeks ago, to be one o

her shoulde

ee, I have to get a reputation for being smart and saying bright things, or nobody

sted amiably. "I shall hav

answered. "Just at present, I think we'd bet

ed, but seemed not disincli

d I have never heard of any despatches being brought across from Washington except in the usual way. Presuming that you are right," he added after a moment's pause, "and that this fellow

" Penelope remarked

panion

t any idea-

ctically the secret agent of his government, and is probably carrying despatches of an important nature, that an accident such

ng man

pan, seem to have rubbed our friends over here altogether the wrong way. We have irr

his afternoon and have brought you for this little expedition. The last time I lunched with Mr. Hamilton Fynes was just after h

ted. "Why should he give you the le

even to cross the threshold of the Embassy, or hold any direct communication with any person connected with it. Everything had to be done through a third p

lling me things, and no mistake! Why this fello

ope n

riend, and I was in and out of the place all the time. Now, perhaps, you can understand the signi

was sitting bolt uprigh

hat has become of the letter w

is in the hands of those whose interests

I to tell the chief?"

trying to give you a start in your career. Wha

s it?"

er hand up

to a certain gentleman who ca