The Powers and Maxine

for as I had said, I w

it down through the rather low-cut opening at the throat, and had therefore left the leather case. I p

judged that the diamonds had not been in it when the Duchess entrusted them to du Laurier. He would almost certainly have described to Maxine the box or case which had been stole

to hold a peculiar kind of cigar, much longer than the ordinary sort. Within, on eithe

rtunity to steal the treaty from me, and exchange for it this red leather case containing a diamond necklace worth twenty thousand pounds. If he possessed the skill and quick deftness of a conjurer or a marvellously clever professional pickpocket, as well as the incenti

d obtain by selling the stones? I was almost sure it would not; and therefore, having the diamonds, it would have been far more to his advantage to keep them than to stuff them into my pocket, simply to fill up the space w

ould go, instead of taking a compartment, carefully reserving it, and trusting to such an unlikely chance as that I might force myself into it with

se could have done it, and I decided to go back at once to the Gare du Nord. There I might still be able to find some trace of the little man and of my two other fellow-travellers. If through a porter or cabman I could learn where they had go

een close behind me when my late travelling companion walked by my side. Questioned, he appeared not to remember; but his wits being sharpened by the gift of a franc, he reflected and recalled not only my features but the features of the little man, whom he described with sufficient accuracy. What had become of le petit Monsieur he was not c

met when the boat train came in, but whom I had unfortunately missed. I asked him to describe the men he had driven away from the station at that time, and though he did it clumsily, betraying an irritating lack of observation

ng tack. If the driver had remembered the name of the street, and the number of the house at which he had paused, I would have hired a motor and flashed out to the place in a few minutes; but, despite a suggested bribe, he could say no more than that, when he had come to a certain place, one of his passengers had called, "Turn down

ngly, with a horse already tired, I drove to Neuilly. There, the landmarks were not deceiving, as I was half afraid they would be; and

n had lately arrived. He replied that they had, and were dining. Would Monsie

servant's hand, and suggest that I should be sho

f I pounced upon them in the midst of a meal, at least they could not escape before being reco

inside the door, I swept the long table with a quick, eager glance. About eighteen or twenty people were

d the servant which were the new arrivals of whom he had spoken. He pointed them out, and added tha

e the stranger's business in his dining-room. I explained that I had hoped to find friends, and was so polite that I contrived to get permission for

f some sort, as he had a great deal of small luggage. Since I could learn nothing of him or his movements, however, and dared not, because of Maxine and the British Foreign Secretary, apply to the police for help, I d

was at home and able to receive me. I was shown into the plain but very neat little sitting-room of a flat on the fifth floor of a big new apartment house, and was impressed at first glance by the clever fa

been recommended to Monsieur Girard, and complications might arise if George Sandford suddenly turned into Ivor Dundas. Besides, as there were a good

id not wish to consult the police. All I asked of Monsieur Girard's well-known ability was the discovery of the supposed thief, whom I thereupon described. I added th

o delicate to be handled by a stranger, even a detective in my employ, I frankly replied that they had nothing to do with the case in hand. Shrugging his shoulders almost imperceptibly, yet expressively, he took my refusals without comment; and merely bowed when I said that, if the scoundrel could b

the whole, I was pleased with him. He looked like a man who thoroughly knew his business; and had it not been for the solemn warning of t

chance inconveniently upon some acquaintance of Ivor Dundas, in the restaurant. I did not hurry over the meal, for all I wanted now was to arrive at Maxine de Renzie's house at twelve o'clock, and tell her my news-or lack of news. She would be there waiting for me, I was sure, no matter how prompt I might be, for though in ordinary circums

r as the gate, but would dismiss my cab at the corner of the quiet street, as it would not he wise to advertise the fact that Mademoiselle de Renzie was receiving a visit from a young man at midnight. Fifteen minut

nd beautiful face in the world; and for a wild instant I asked myself if she had come here to see me, to take back

ad, she would not have dreamed of coming to me. As common sense swept my brain clear, I saw near the precio

hotel from some place of amusement. The beautiful face, which had been pale, grew rosy at sight of me, though whether with amazement or anger, or both, I c

rt, in the soft accents of California, which have never chang

d also to prevent any delay in getting to Maxine's. But, unfortunately, a flesh and blood you

y could be to see me. I even grinned civilly at Lord Robert West, though finding him h

y steal to get away and look at a most wonderful motor car; made for a Rajah who died before it was ready. Lord Robert certainly knows more about automobiles than any other human being does, and he thought this was just what I would want. Di had the most horrid headache this morning, poor child, and wasn't fit for the fatigue of a big crush, so, as she's a splendid sailor

n to get away. Di wasn't looking at me. Half turned from me, purposely I didn't doubt, she had begun a con

stuart. "But, instead of keeping us standing here, come up to

Dundas," her

ying not to look embarrassed. "Bu

ave some nice enga

naughty Paris," said Lady Mountstuart, laughing again (she looks very

m engaged. A matter of business. I wish I could get out of it, but I can't, and-er-I shall have to run off, or I will be late. Good-bye,-good-bye." Then I mumbled something about hoping to see them again before they left Paris, and escaped, knowing that I had made a ho

she believed me faithless and unworthy-if he but

n, but at some distance from Maxine's, lest ears should hear which ought not to hear: and it was only when we were well away from the ho

yed; nevertheless, instead of reaching the top of Maxine's street at two or three minutes before twelve, as I had intended, it was nearly ten minutes

DE RENZ