CHAPTER XXIV.

Otago Witness, Issue 2689, 27 September 1905, Page 63

CHAPTER XXIV.

AXWELL turned over the card thoughtfully, and studied the neat- handwriting thereon. "We aro dealing with owe of the cleverest women m Europe," he said. " See how w'onderfullj she recovers her mistakes and picks up the tracks again. But I don't sea that Maxgv&gor can have anything to do with it. What do you say, doctor?" '"I should say that Maxgregor had a great deal to 'do with it," Varney replied. "If he -were not a deadly foe to thedc people here there would have been no attempt to shcot him as there was tonight. Do you think that he has been hacked back to life lodgings?" "i should say not," Jessie put in. "I was very careful about that. I told you all about the f.-.ir >i oman in the lane, and the Avay T pre-w. id her from following the gcrcral when lur •rent away in the ill-fitting evening dress of (.he King. Bub there might have been spies who -" "I don't think so," Vamey interrupted. "Evidently cliese people have found out that Maxgregni blocks the way. Depend upon it the report has gone out to

T the effect iihat the King Las left here— or po Countess Saens thinks She calcuI lated that Maxgregor is still here, because tho messenger is sent to Mazaroff at the house. If they knew that Maxgregor was lying wounded at his lodgings they would "H ork at their leisure^ and there would have been no ccaision to send thUt letter 'here " ! "Which must not miscarry," Maxwe'l ' .sugse^ed. ''If it does they will never think that the whole affair is an accident Mv idta is that Mazaroff must have that irttor and never imagine for a moment t luit we have read it. We can see that ■ IVlaxgregor comes to no harm."

Varney was disposed to regard the sug- , trest'ion as a good one. But before doing anything he would like to discusis the 1 matter ivitb' Ledim-cve. Maxwell's face fell. "In Hint ca-:e I will stay heie till you live finished. " lue smcl. "I don't fwl much Kke facing anybody at present, i though I am a.< innocent of this business

as a child." "What nonsense!" Vainey cried. "This is no lime to ttiiii'd en ceremony. Leoii mi-re is n. m«n of the wo"ld, \and a friond of yours. He is not in the least Jikely to mi .dienin you uniil the charge -is proved. 1 tippreciatip your feelings, but an empire is at stake." Without another word the doctor slipped away, and returned presently with Leclimere. He noikted in his cool, collected way at Maxwell, as if nothing had happene i "J have no doubt we shall get to tli© bottom of this business between us," he said. "Vtirney hn* been tei'ing roe what has happened. lam quite of your opinion, Maxwell, tiiat Mazarotf must have that, letter. When he- lias read it he shall be watched and followed." / ''But how to get- it into the fellow's hands without suspicion?" Maxwell a-skod. "That is easy enough. I suppose you acted o>a the B pu of the moment, but 3'ou were foolish to tear that letter open w ithout steaming it. Fortunately, the envelope spems to have many counterparts in Lord Merehaven's study, a.nd luckily it is a different texture to the correspondence card on which the message is written. Amongst my many gifts is a fair talent for copying the handwriting of other people. I'll get this fixed up. When the thing is done one of the guests shall hand the letter to Mazaroff, and .«ay that he had picked it nip in the garden. I think' I'll select a lady for the part. Staj* here a moment." A little later on, and somebody touched Mazaroft"s arm as he nas watching a game of bridge in the card room He turned, to see a pretty o-irl standing by and smiling into his face. She 'held a* letter in her hand. "I fancy this is for you, Prince Mazaroff." she. said. "I picked) it up in the garden. On the whole, I came very near to having an adventure over it." Mazaroff -glanced at tiho envelope, and his eyes gleanved. Then quite leisurely he tore off the ends and read the message. He smiled in a caieless way, as if the message were of i.o importance. "I am sorry thiere was any danger,'' ho paid', "especially as the nole is so trivial. Where does tihe adventure come in?" "You have destroyed njy romance,'" thv> gnl laughed. "I suppose it was the messenger who brought this letts.r for you, and not a burglar after all. I expect the messenger made a mistake, and came into the garden by the door leading from the lane. ' Anyway, a gardenei pounced upon him, and the man fled. It was quite thrilling to look at, I assure 'you. When I had recovered from my fright I saw that letter on the grass. Then the real solution of the mystery buvst in upon me."

Mazaroff laughed as if he enjoyed the &tiory. Hi.> face grew a little grave. "I should not tell anybody if I were ; you," he said. "It isn't many women , here who have your pluck If they krow they -will fight shy of the garden, and many a promising flirtation will be spoilt. And fliitations very often lead 10 mar- i ri.'ijyo. you know." i The girl laughed in her turn and flitted away. Leohmeie stood by tKe doorway awaiting her. I "Yaw did it very .veil," he said. "You are a born cct rests, Miss Oheylesmtre. Ob, yes, the joke develops ; you shall play your part in ir. A T ow, [ want you to keep an eye upon Mazaroff, and if he j leaves the house let me know a+ once. j Lcv-hiiiPire strolled off, pleased with the way in which events were going, and quite certain that Mazaroff had not tbe slightest ' idea what 'had happened. A pretty scheme was evGhing itself in his mind. He went back to the study, where the -others we.re , awaiting him. ' "So fat fo good,' 1 he said. "Mazaroff has received his letter without guessing what we know of it. At the present moment he is lruntincr all over the place for Maxgregor, ignorant of the fact that Maxgregor has gono long ago. - MazarofT w ill ask Lady Merehaven if tihe general has gone, and «he will naturally say no. is the general did not wisli her good-night. Mazaroff v ill be quite certain that Maxgregor would never commit a social slip, ho that I confidently hope he will continue his hunt." "But purely there is a much more important thing to do?" Jessie exclaimed. "Mr Maxwell, have you forgotten whom we aaw in the drawing loom with Countess Saens just now?" "I had forgotten," Maxwell admitted. "Miss — cr — Harcouit told me that the Iving of Af-turia watf here. She went on to say that he y, as not only here, but in such a condition that he would have to stay all night and be conveyed home in a cab. Why was he shamming ?"' "Shamming!" Varney cried. "I'll stake my professional reputation that the King was not shamming. He has had some

near shaves during tine time he hae been under my rare, but never has been nearer to death's door than he was to-night. I sincerely believe that it was only the adininifctraUon of a very tioM&rfult ioM&rful duig that saved him."

"I know, I know," Jessie cried. "1 saw a <{O<>d deal of it myself. When I left him the King was unconscious. And yet not half an hour ago 1 saw him in the Countess Saens's dining loom."'

Varney and Lechmero smiled incredibly. They both shook their hearts. '"Impossible !/ the former said. "Quit< impossible, my dear young lady. For the last hour, oi nearly an hour, the Kitag of Asturia has been in this house, clothed and in bis right mind. It was I who brought him dowr.otairs. It was .» ■nho produced his Majesty, to the uttei confusion of Mazaroff and Gleikstein, i.ne Russian charge d'affahes. You must have been utterly mistaken." . "It was no mistake," Maxwell put in. "I have seen the King often enough here ond elsewhere. I am prepared to swear ir." any court of justice that within the last half hour I have seen the King ol Astuvia in close companionship with Countess Saens in her own house." Varney and Lecbmere looked a little bewildered. There still appeared to be cards in the gsmc of which they knew i othhig. Varney was pboufc to speak, when Leolmieie touched his arm and indicated two figures that had ju&t entered the study. "To prove that you two are mistaken," liio said, ''look there. If you know the King of Asturia so well, perhaps you 1 will tall me •who that is?"

"The King," Maxwe'l cried. "And the Queen. And yet I am ready to swear. . . . You don't think 'he might have slipped out and " '•No, I don't." Leelimere said curtly. " As a matter of fact, his Majesty is being tno carefully watched for that. He has been here ail the time, I assure yon."

"It's like a dream," Jessie said. "Tht King is in two places at once. And seeing that that is the King, who was the man we saiv in Countess Saens's dinmp room?"