A Prince to Order

china were wellnigh deafening. He stood for a moment near the door, looking about through half-closed lids like one near-sighted. A dark, languorous-eyed woman, gorgeous in scarlet si

attering him with beer46 from jostled glasses. A pretty brunette in a white gown and a great rose-trimmed hat of coarse straw seized his hand and pressed it suggestively as she passed him on her way to the door. And then, over near the mirrored wall to the

s Grey came to him, "I fanc

th of Ireland, and his voice and manner were

oncerting. It had been comparatively easy to hide his simulation from the others, but now it was diffe

eling47 that a confession was about to be wru

lips pressed tight in cogitatio

te smoke ceilingward. "Tell me about it; you don't look well; you are pale and-by Jove! What's the matter with you

n, seeing that it was necessary for him to keep

ained something. Your tone now has some colour, some modulation. Yesterda

ey laughed. "Oh, yes, I am serious. I want

ven drone at low pitch, "I am only too delighted to do as I am bi

Though he was unacquainted even with his name he felt he could trust him. In this sudden and inexplicable faith his aversion for Herr Schlippenbach and Captain Lindenwal

fectation or is today's?" a

at the pink cont

riously; "yesterday I was

ep last night at Maxim's than you are this minute. By the way, did you see your fri

rem

nged as well as your tone and voice? You certainly

that his astonish

ng forward, his arms on the table. "You weren't

name?" Grey as

oon Guards, of Kirwan Lodge, Drumsna, County Leitrim, at your service, sir. And you'll be telling me next, I suppose, that

solemnly,50 "I have no recollection

then relaxed. There was no incr

your own name, too?" he

name I am called

esh cigarette. "You've got me all of a tangle. I'm damned if yo

N

ppenbach. He is

for

tdorf is not your sister

r had a

guard threw

,51 would you be so good as to tell me who you are? Introduce yourself to me. For it se

cumstances it might not be well to speak his own name where it could

ce for confidences. What do you say to walkin

t O'Hara read

mmont a courier was in excit

re tomorrow, perha

s no Monsieur Grey her

re? You are

. "And you are not the only one who has asked. There have been three others here, i

an was reached and the door locked on

the conversation

of it. A wire for s

; fo

d. "Then why in God's n

nd yet I'd give a good d

on named Grey, I thoug

es

officer! He was

w you can understand why I di

opped int

ting," he said, and h

ckets, was standing before the chimney

ng you thought you knew about me I have informed you is false. Therefore you are not likely to be predisposed in my favour. Consequently the story I'm going to tell you now you'll probably not believe. I'm free to admit that if the situatio

iled enco

he urged; "the jury is

of his previous life. He rehearsed his conversation with Frothingham; he repeated word for word the cables he had sent to New York; he summarized the articles he had read in the Herald;

ingly and at others scowling at what he regarded as evidence of importance against the little group by which G

ging you, lad, that's as plain as the nose on my face, and your dear uncle, Herr Schlippenbach, do you mind, has been the chief55 drugger. It was because he was t

on't und

have got to find out. But two heads are better than

is brogue, Grey thou

o you s

hat little I know. Your memory, up until this afternoon,

ing a deep inhalation, started pacing the

however, in the United States, had been engaged in the importation of German wines, I think you said, in New York, and were now on your way back to your native town, where, by the death of a relation, you had recently come into large estates. The man Lutz was with you, but he appeared to be old Schlippenbach's valet rather than yours. On reachi

Grey, amazedly, "and di

allest detail. Your voice was the only peculiar thing about you

alk to Sch

nology. He told me that in his youth he had known Dr. Spurzheim, the pupil of Dr. Franz Gall, the founder of the science, that he had studied under him and gone very deeply into the

O'Hara? What in heaven's name could have been his object? I nev

that far yet, but we'll k

very appreciative. They stopped there until the middle of May and then they moved on to Paris. Without any intention of prying into the

them all?" Grey inquired. "Was I

p, and it was amusing to note how Captain Lindenwald insisted on making love to her at every opportunity, only to be gently, but firmly, repulsed. As for that young woman I found her most charming,-and you did too, apparently. Of course

what do y

m enough rope and they'll hang themselves as sure as your name's Grey and mine's O'Hara. Assume the tone I told you of, and they'll never s

it?" Grey urged, curiously. "Sur

ed, "but it is probably just as well f

talk about 'thrones' a

meantime you are anxious about the answers to your cables, aren't you? Since they60 are addressed to Grey, you

ut

, lad; leav

that Schlippenbach spok

Nord in his name or yours, eh? I

Grey re

a wallet I found. P

ssi

that a fifty-franc note and some change w

ou happen to know how or where I have been in

a lau

ng what you have done every few days since you61 landed! Johann has your letter of cred

nt he had been subjected to its effects had not yet been entirely eliminated. He undressed, got into his pyjamas and went to bed; but sleep was coy and not to be won by wooing. He he