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Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de chaque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN", Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, (eft to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent §tre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour gtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 .-^m mmmt ^/ 1° t JENNIE BAXTER JOURNALIST BY ROBERT lURR AUTHOR OK "in the MIDST OF AI.ARMH, " THK MHTABLE MANT " TH£ COUNTESS TEKJJ^," ETC. TORONTO : THE OOPP, OLAEK COMPANY, LIMITKD ' . I ""MjTflli " I Entered according; to Act of the Parliament of Caiiwla, In the year one thousand eight hundrc8sip .... XIV.— Jbnnie Rboomes a Special Police Officer . XV.— Jennie Bestows Information upon the Chief of Police XVI —Jennie Visits a Modern Wiz.vrd in his Magic Attic . XVII. —Jbnnie Engages a Uo:)M in a Sleeping-car . XVIII.— Jennie Kndi'rk.s a Terrible Night Journey XIX. — Jennie Experienced the Surprise of heu Life . XX.— Jbnnie Converses with a Youno Man she thinks much of XXI,— Jbn.vib Kbbp.') Step with thb Wedding March . 10 14 21 25 28 36 40 49 54 (51 m 70 76 81 88 101 107 115 119 124 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA LIBRARY JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST CHAPTER I. JENNIE MAKES HEK TOILETTE AND THE ACQUAINTANCE OP A PORTER. Miss Jennie Baxter, with several final and dainty touches that put to rights her hat and dress — a little pull here and a pat there — regarded herself with some complacency in the large mirror that was set before her, as indeed she had every right to do, for she was an exceedingly pretty girl. It is natural that handsome young women should attire themselves with extra care, and although Jennie would have been beautiful under any conceivable condition of dress, she nevertheless did not neglect the arraying of herself becomingly on that account. All that was remarkable on this occasion consisted in the fact that she took more than usual pains to make herself presentai)le, and it must be admitted that the effect was as attractive as anyone could wish to have it. Her appearance was enough to send a friend into ecstasies, or drive an enemy to despair. Jennie's voluminous hair, without being exactly golden, was — as the poets might term it — the colour of ripe corn, and was distractingly fluffy at the temples. Her eyes were liquidly, bewitchingly black, of melting tenderness, and yet, upon occasion, they would harden into piercing orbs that could look right through a man, and seem to fathom his innermost thoughts. A smooth, creamy complexion, with a touch of red in the cheeks, helped to give this combination of blonde ar.d brunette an appear- ance so charmingly striking that it may be easily understood she was not a girl to be passed by with a single glance. Being so favoured by nature, Jennie did not neglect the aid of art, and it must be admitted that most of her income was expended in seeing that her wardrobe contained the best that Paris could supply ; and the best in this instance was not necessarily the most expensive — at least nc is expensive as such supplementing might have been to an ordinary ..ornan, for Jennie wrote those very readable articles on the latest fashionable gowns which have appeared in some of the ladies' weeklies, and it was generally supposed that this fact did not cause her own replenishing from the modistes she so casually mentioned in her writings to be more expensive than her purse could afford. Be that as it may. Miss Baxter was always most becomingly attired, and her whole effect was so entrancing that men have been known to turn in the street as she passed, and murmur, " By Jove ! " a phrase that, when you take into account the tone in which it is said, represents A 6 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST the furthermost point of admiration which the limited vocabulary of a man about town permits him to utter; and it says something for the honesty of Jennie's black eyes, and the straightforwardness of her energetic walk, that none of these momentary admirers ever turned and followed her. On this occasion Miss Jennie had paid more than usual attention to her toilette, for she was about to set out to capture a man, and the man was no other I ban Radnor Haidwick, tlie capable editor of the Daibj Diujlr, which was considered at that moment to be the most enterprising morning journal in the great metropolis. Miss Baxter had done work for some of the evening papers, several of the weeklies, and a numl)er of the monthlies, and the income she made was reasonably good, bu*^ hazardously fitful. There was an uncertainty al)out her mode of life which was displeasing to her, and she resolved, if possible, to capture an editor on one of the morning pap^ra, arid get a salary that was fixed and secure. That it should be large was a matter of course, and pretty Miss Jennie had quite enough confidence in herself to believe she would earn every penny of it. Quite sensibly, she depended upon lur skill and her industry as her ultimate reconnnendation to a large salary, but she was woman enough to know that an attractive appearance might be of some assistance to her in getting a hearing from the editor, even though he should prove on acquaintance to be a man of iion, which was tolerably unlikely. She glanced at the dainty little watch attached to her wristlet, and saw that it lacked a few minutes of five. She knew the editor came to his office shortly after three, and remained there until six or half-past, when he went out to dine, returning at ten o'clock, or earlier, when the serious work of arranging next day's issue began. She had not sent a note to him, for she knew if she got a reply it would be merely a request for particulars as to the proposed inter- view, and she had a strong faiuh in the spoken word, as against that which is written. At five o'clock the editor would have read his letters, and would probablj' have seen most of those who were waiting for him, and Miss Baxter quite rightly conjectured that this hour would be more appropriate for a sliort conversation than when he was busy with bis correspondence, or immersed in the hard work of the day, as he would be after ten o'clock at night. She had enough experience of the world to know that great matters often depend for their success on apparent trivialities, and the young woman had set her mind on becoming a member of the Daih/ Bugle staff. She stepped lightly into the hansom that was waiting for her, and said to the caljman, " Office of tlie Daily Biujlc, please ; side entrance." The careful toilette made its first impression upon the surly-looking Irish porter, who, like a gruff and faithful watch-dog, guarded the entrance to the editorial rooms of the Buijlc. He was enclosed in a kind of glass- framed sentry-box, wi'li a door at the side, and a small arched aperture, that was on a level with his face as he sat on a high stool. He saw to it, not too politely, that no one went up those stairs unless he had un- doubted right to do so. When he caught a glimpse of Miss Baxter, he slid off the stool and came out of the door to her, which was an extraordinary concession to a visitor, for Pat Ryan contented himself, as a usual thing, by saying curtly that the editor was busy, and could St.: no one. "What did you wish, miss? To see the editor? That's Mr. Hard- wick. Have ye au appointment with him ? Ye haven't ; then I very "P JENNIE MAKES HER TOILETTE said much doubt if ye'U see him this day, mum. It's far better to write to him, thin ye oan state what ye want, an' if he makes an appointment there'll be no throuble at all, at all." "But why should there be any trouble now?" asked Miss Baxter. " The editor is here to transact business, just as you are at the door to do the same. I have come on business, and I want to see him. Couldn't you send up my name to Mr. Hardwick, and tell him I will keep him but a few moments ?" " Ah, miss, that's what they all say ; they ask for a few moments an' they shtay an hour. Not that there'd be any blame to an editor if he kept you as long as he could. An' it's willing I'd be to take up your name, but I'm afraid that it's little good it 'ud be after doin' ye. There's more than a dozen men in the waitin'-room now, an' they've been there for the last half-hour. Not a single one I've sent up has come down again." " But surely," said Miss Jennie, in her most coaxing tone, " there must be some way to see even such a great man as the editor, and if there is, you know the way." "Indade, miss, an' I'm not so sure there is a way, unless you met him in the strate, which is unlikely. As I've told ye, there's twelve men now waitin' for him in the big room. Beyont that room there's another one, an' beyont that again is Mr. Hardwick's office. Now, it's as much as my place is worth, mum, to put ye in that room beyont the one where the men are waitin' ; but, to tell you the truth, miss," said the Irish- man, lowering his voice, as if he were divulging office secrets, " Mr. Hardwick, who is a difficult man to deal with, sometimes comes through the shmall room, and out into the passage whin he doesn't want to see anyone at all, at all, and goes out into the strate, leavin' everybody waitin' for him. Now I'll put ye into this room, and if the editor tries to slip out, then ye can speak with him ; but if he asks ye how ye got there, for the sake of hiven don't tell him I sint ye, because that's not my duty at all, at all." " Indeed, I won't tell him how I got there ; or, rather, I'll say I came there by myself ; so all you need to do is to show me the door, and there won't need to be any lies told. '* True for ye, an' a very good idea. Well, miss, then will ye just come up the stairs with me ? It's the fourth door down the passage." Miss Jennie beamed upon the susceptible Irishman a look of such melting gratitude that the man, whom bribery had often attempted to corrupt in vain, was her slave for ever after. They went up the stairs together, at the head of which the porter stood while Miss Baxter went down the long passage and stopped at the right door ; Ryan nodded and disappeared. Miss Baxter opened the door softly and entered. She found the room not too brilliantly lighted, containing a table and several chairs. The door to the right hand, which doubtless led into the waiting-room, where the dozen men were patiently sitting, was closed. The opposite door, which led into Mr. Hardwick's office, was partly open. Miss Baxter sat down near the third door, the one by which si e had entered from the passage, ready to intercept the flying editor, should he attempt to escape. In the editor's room someone was walking up and down with heavy footfall, and growling in a deep voice that was plainly audible where Miss Jennie sat. / 8 JENNIE BAXTER. JOURNALIST \ " You see, Alder, it's like this," said the voice. " Any paper may have a sensation every day, if it wishes ; but what I want is accuracy, otherwise our sheet has no real influence. When an article appears in the Bugle, I want our readers to understand that that article is true from beginning to end. I want not only sensatior, but definiteness, and not only definiteness, but absolute truth." " Well, Mr. Hardwick," interrupted ant er voice — the owner of wliich was either standing still or sitting in a chair, so far as Miss Baxter could judge by the tone, wliile the editor uneasily paced to and fro — " what Hazel is afraid of is that when this blows over he will lose his situation " " But," interjected the editor, " no one can be sure tliat he gave the information. No one knows anything about this but you and I, and we will certainly keep our mouths shut." " What Hazel fears is that the moment we print the account, the Board of Public Construction will know he gave away the figures, because of their accuracy. He says that if we permit him to make one or two blunders, which will not matter in the least in so far as the general account goes, it will turn suspicion from him. It will b" supposed that someone had access to the books, and in the hurry of transcribing figures had made the blundei-s, which they know he would not do, for he has a reputation for accuracy." " Quite so," said the editor ; " and it is just that reputation for accuracy that I wan€ to gain for the Daily Bugle. Don't you think the truth of it is that the man wants more money? " "Who? Hazel?" " Certainly. Does he imagine that he could get more than fifty pounds elsewhere?" "Oh, no; I'm sure the money doesn't come into the matter at all. Of course he wants the fifty pounds, but he doesn't want to lose his situation on the Board of Public Construction in the getting of it." " Where do you meet this man, at his own house, or in his office at the Board?" " Oh, in his own house, of course." " You haven't seen the books, then ? " " No ; but he has the accounts all made out, tabulated beautifully, and has written a very clear statement of the whole transaction. You understand, of course, that there has been no defalcation, no embezzle- ment, or anything of that sort. The accounts as a whole balance perfectly, and there isn't a penny of the public funds wrongly appropriated. All the Board has done is to juggle with figures so that each department seems to have come out all right, whereas the truth is that some departments have been carried on at a great profit, while with others there has been a loss. The object obviously has been to deceive the public and make it think that all the departments are economically conducted." "I am sorry money hasn't been stolen," said the editor generously, "then we would have had them on the hip; but, even as it is, the Bugle will make a gi'eat sensation. What I fear is that the opposition press will seize on those very inaccuracies, and thus try to throw doubt on the whole affair. Don't you think that you can persuade this person to let us have the information intact, without the inclusion of those blunders he seems to insist on ? I wouldn't mind paying him a little more money, if that is what he is after." an Ba: 'id thai all hor elal)orato preparations were thrown away on this man, who never raised his eyes nor glanced at her, except once, during their conversation. " I do not aspire," she said, rather shortly, " to the position of editor of JENNIE HAS IMPORTANT CONFERENCES 11 did a woman's column. I never read a woman's column myself, and, unlike Mr. Grant Allen, I never met a woman who did." She succeeded in making the editor lift his eyes towards her for the second time. " Neither do I intend to leare you my address so that you may send a wire to me if you have anything that you think I can do. What I wish is a salaried position on your staff." " My good woman," said the editor brusquely, "that is utterly impossible. I may tell you frankly that I don't believe in women journalists. The articles we publish by women a-re sent to this office from their own homes. Anything that, a woman can do for a newspaper I have men who will do quite as well, if not better ; and there are many things that women can't do at all which men must do. I am perfectly satisfied with my staff as it stands. Miss Baxter." " I think it is generally admitted," said the young woman, " that your staff is an exceptionally good one, and is most capably led. Still, I should imagine that there are many things happening in London, society functions, for instance, where a woman would describe more accurately what she saw than any man you could send. You have no idea how full of blunders a man's account of women's dress is as a general rule, and if you admire accuracy as much as you say, I should think you would not care to have yom- paper made a laughing-stock among society ladies, who never take the trouble to write you a letter and show you where you are wrong, as men usually do when some mistake regarding their affairs is made." " There is probably something in what you say," replied the editor, with an air of bringing the discussion to a close. " I don't insist that I am right, but these ai'e my ideas, and while I am editor of this paper I shall stand by them, so it is useless lu" us to discuss the matter any further. Miss Baxter. I will not have a woman as a member of the permanent staff of the Biuile." For the third time he looked up at her, and there was dismissal in his glance. Miss Baxter said indignantly to herself, " This brute of a man hasn't th*e slightest idea that I am one of the best dressed women he has ever met." But there was no trace of indignation in her voice when siie said to him sweetly, " Wo will take that as settled. But if upon some other paper, Mr. Hardwick, I should show evidence of being as good a newspaper reporter as any member of your staff, may I come up liere, and, without being kept waiting too long, tell you of my triumph ? " " You would not shake my decision," he said. " Oh, don't say that," she murmured, with a smile. " I am sure you wouldn't like it if anyone called you a fool." •"Called me a fool? "said the editor sharply, drawing down his dark brows. " I shouldn't mind it in the least.'' " What, not if it were true'? You know it would be true, if I could do something that all your clever men hadn't accomplished. An editor may be a very talented man, but, after all, his mission is to see that his paper is an interesting one, and that it contains, as often as possible, something which no other sheet does." " Oh, I'll see to that," Mr. Hardwick assured her v/ith resolute confidence. " I am certain you will," said Miss Baxter very sweetly ; " but now you won't refuse to let me in whenever I send up my card ? I promise you that 12 JENNIIO r.AXTi:]^, JOURNALIST I shall not send it until I have; done soniethinfi; which will make the whole staff of the Daily Bugle feel very doleful indeed." For the first time Mr. Hardwick gave utterance to a somewhat harsh and mirthless laugh. "Oh, very well," he said, " I'll promise that." "Thank you! And good afternoon, Mr. Hardwick. I am so much obliged to you for consenting to see me. I shall call upon you at this hour to-morrow afternoon." There was something of triumph in her smiling bow to him, and as she left she heard a long whistle of astonishment in Mr. Hardwick's room. She hurried down the stairs, threw a bewitching glance at the Irish porter, who came out of his den and whispered to her, — " It's all right, is it, mum ? " " More than all right," she answered. " Thank you very much indeed for your kindness." The porter preceded her out to the waiting hansom and held his arm so that her skirt would not touch the wheel. " Drive quickly to the Cafe Royal," she said to the cabman. When the hansom drew up in front of the Cafe Royal, Miss Jennie Baxter did not step out of it, but waited until the stalwart servitor in gold lace, who ornamented the entrance, hurried from the door to the vehicle. " Do you know Mr. Stonehani ? " she asked with suppressed excitement, " the editor of the Evening Chapliite ? He is usually here playing dominoes with somebody about this hoiu'." "Oh yes, I know him," was the reply. "I think he is inside at this moment, but I will make certain." In a short time Mr. Stoneham himself appeared, looking perhaps a trifle disconcerted at having his whereabouts so accurate i\ ascertained. " What a blessing it is," said Miss Jennie, with a laugh, " tbat we poor reporters know where to find our editors in a case of enieigeticy.." " This is no case of emergency. Miss Baxter," grunililcd Stoneham. " If it's news, you ought to know that it is too late to be of any use for us to-day." " Ah, yes," was the quick reply, " but what excellent time I am in with news for to-morrow ! " " If a num is to live a long life," growled the disturbed editor, " he must allow to-monow's ntjws to look after itself. Sufficient for the day are the worries thereof." " As a general rule thnt is true," assented the girl, " but I have a most important piece of information for you that wouldn't wait, and in half an hour from now you will he writing your to-morrow's leader, showing forth in terse and forcible language the many iniquities of the Board of Public Construction." " Oh," cried the editor, brightening, " if it is auytliing to the discredit of the Board of Public Construction, I am glad you came." " Well, that's not a bit complimentary to me. You should be glad in any case ; but I'll forgive your bad manners, as I wish you to help me. Please step into this hansom, becausa I iiave most startling intelligence to impart— news that must not be overboard ; and there is no place so safe for a confidential conference as in a hansom driving through the streets of London. Drive slowly towards the Evenincf Grnphitc office," she said to the cabman, pushing up the trap-door in the roof of the vehicle. will with able, feel will will your shape any fi error! off lb the Boarc the in " I^ habit "U put a direct the B ment ■^ra JENNIE HAS IMPORTANT CONFERENCES 13 Mr. Stoneham took his place beside her, and the cabman turned his horse in the direction indicated. " There is little use in going to the office of the paper," said Stoneham ; " there won't be anybody there but the watchman." " I know, but we must go in some direction. We can't talk in front of the Cafe Royal, you know. Now, Mr. Stoneham, in the first place, I want fifty golden sovereigns. How am I to get them within half an hour?" " Good gracious ! I don't know ; the banks are all closed, but there is a man at Charing Cross who would perhaps change a cheque for me ; there is a cheque-book at the office." " Then that's all right and settled. Mr. Stoneham, there's been some juggling with the accounts in the office of the Board of Public Con- struction." " What ! a defalcation '? " cried Stoneham eagerly. " No ; merely a shifting round." "Ah," said the editor, in a disappointed tone. "Oh, you needn't say 'Ah.' It's very serious; it is indeed. The accounts are calculated to deceive the dear and confiding public, to whose interests all the daily papers, morning and evening, pretend to be devoted. The very fact of such deception being attempted, Mr. Stoneham, ought to call forth the anger of any virtuous editor." " Oh, it does, it does ; but then it would be a difficult matter to prove. If some money were gone, now -" " My dear sir, the matter is already proved, and quite ripe for your energetic handling of it ; that's what the fifty pounds are for. This sum will secure for you— to-night, mind, not to-morrow— a statement bristling with figures which tbe Board of Construction cannot deny. You will be able, in a stirring leading article, to express the horror you undoul)tedly feel at the falsification of the figures, and your stern delight in doing so will probably not be mitigated i)y the fact that no other paper in London will have the news, while the matter will bo so important that next day all your beloved contemporaries will bo compelled to allude to it in some shape or other." " I see," said the editor, his eyes glistening as the magnitude of the idea began to appeal more strongly to his imagination. " Who makes this statement, and how are wo to know that it is absolutely correct ? " "Well, there is a point on which I wish to inform you before going any further. The statement is not to lie absolutely correct ; two or three errors have been purposely put in, the object being to throw investigators oif the track if they try to discover who gave the news to the Press ; for tJH' man who will sell me this document is a clerk in the office of the Board of Public Construction. So, you see, you are getting the facts from the inside." " Is ho so accustomed to falsifying accounts that he cannot get over the habit even when preparing an article for the truthful Press's* " " He wants to save his own situation, and quite rightly too, so he has put a number of errors in the figures of the department over whicli he lias direct control. He has a reputation for such accuracy that he imagines the Board will never think he did it, if the figures pertaining to his depart- ment are wrong even in tin; siiglitcst degree." " Quite so. Then we cannot have the pleasure of mentioning his name, 14 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOUENALIST and saying that this honest man has been corrupted by his association with the Fcoundrels who form the Board of Public Construction? " • "Oh, dear, no ; his name must not l)e mentioned in any circumstances, and that is why payment is to be made in sovereigns rather than by bank cheque or notes." " Well, the traitor seems to be covering up his tracks rather effectually. How did you come to know him ? " " I don't know him. I've never met him in my life ; but it came to my knowledge that one of the morning papers had already made all its plans for getting this information. The clerk was to receive fifty pounds for the document, but the editor and he are at present negotiating, because the editor insists upon absolute accuracy, while, as I said, the man wishes to protect himself, to jover his tracks, as you remarked." "Good gracious!" cried Stoneham, "I didn't think the editor of any morning paper in London was so particular about the accuracy of what he printed. The pages of the morning sheets do not seem to reflect that anxiety.' " So, you see," contmued Miss Jennie, unheeding his satirical comment, " there is no time to be lost ; in fact, I should be on my w^ay now to where this man hves." " Here we are at the office, and I shall just run in and write a cheque for fifty pounds, which we can perhaps get cashed somewhere," cried the editor, calling the hansom to a halt and stepping out. " Tell the watchman to in'ing me a London Directory," said the girl, and presently that useful guardian came out with the huge red volume, which Miss Baxter placed on her knees, and, with a celerity that comes of long practice, turned over the leaves rapidly, running her finger quickly down the H column, in which the name " Hazel " was to be found. At last she came to one designated as being a clerk in the office of the Board of Public Construction, and his residence was 17, Eupert Square, Brixton. She put this address down in her notebook and handed back the volume to the waiting watchman, as the editor came out with the cheque in his hand. The shrewd and energetic dealer in coins, whose little office stands at the exit from Charing Cross Station, proved quite willing to oblige the editor of the Evcninij Graphite with fifty sovereigns in exchange for the bit erf paper, and the editor, handing to Miss Jennie the envelope containing the gold, saw her drive off for Brixton, while he turned, not to resume his game of dominoes at the cafe, but to his office, to write the leader which would express in good set terms the horror he felt at the action of the Board of Pubhc Construction. CHAPTEK III. JENNIE INTERVIEWS A FBIQHTENED OFFIC/AL. It was a little past seven o'clock when Miss Baxter's hansom drove up to the two-storeyed house in Eupert Square numbered 17. She knocked at the door, and it was speedily opened oy a man with some trace of anxiety on his clouded face, who proved to be Hazel himself, the clerk at the Board of Public Construction. JENNIE INTEEVIEWS A FEIGHTENED OFFICIAL 15 " You are Mr. Hazel ? " she ventured, on entering. " Yea," replied the man, quite evidently surprised at seeing a lady instead of the man he was expecting at that hour ; ' ' but I am afraid I shall have to ask you to excuse me ; I am waiting for a visitor who is a few minutes late, and who may be hei-e at any moment." " You are waiting for Mr. Alder, are you not? " " Yes," stammered the man, his expression of surprise giving place to one of consternation. " Oh, well, that is all right," said Miss Jennie, reassuringly. " I have just driven from the office of the Daily Bugle. Mr. Alder cannot come to-night." "Ah," said Hazel, closing the door. "Then are you here in his place?" " I am here instead of him. Mr. Alder is on other business that he had to attend to at the editor's request. Now, Mr. Hardwick — that's the editor, you know " "Yes, I know," answered Hazel. They were by this time seated in the front parlour. " Well, Mr. Hardwick is very anxious that the figures should be giyen with absolute accuracy." " Of course, that would be much better," cried the man ; " but, you see, I have gone thoroughly into the question with Mr. Alder already. He said he would mention what I told him to the editor — put my position before him, in fact." "Oh, he has done so," said Miss Baxter, "and did it very effectively indeed; in fact, your reasons are quite unanswerable. You fear, of course, that you will lose your situation, and that is very important, and no one in the Biujle office wishes you to suffer for what you have done. Of course, it is all in the public interest." " Of course, of course," nmrmured Hazel, looking down on the table. " Well, have you all the documents ready, so that they can be published at any time?" "Quite ready," answered the man. " Very well," said the girl, with decision ; " here are your fifty pounds. Just count the money, and see that it is correct. I took the envelope as it was handed to me, and have not examined the amount mysjlf." She poured the sovereigns out on the table, and Hazel, vith trembling fingers, counted them out two by two. "That is quite right," he said, rising. He went to a drawer, unlocked it, and took out a long blue envelope. " There," he said, with a sigh that was almost a gasp. " There are the figures, and a full explanation of them. You will be very careful that my name does not slip out in any way." " Certainly," said Miss Jennie, coolly drawing fortli the papers from their covering. "No one knows your name excei)t Mr. Alder, Mr. Hardwick, and myself; and I can assure you that I shall not mention it to anyone." She glanced rapidly over the documents. " I shall just read what you have written," she said, looking up at him ; " and if there is anything iiere 1 do not understand you will, perhaps, be good enough to explain it now, and then I won't need to come here again." " Very well," said Hazel. 16 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIST The man bad no suspicion that his visitor was not a member of the staff of the paper he had been negotiating with. She was so thoroughly self- possessed, and showed herself so familiar with all details which had been discussed by Aider and himself that not the slightest doubt had entered the clerk's mind. Jennie read the documents with great haste, for she knew she was running a risk in remaining tiiere after seven o'clock. It might be that Alder would come to Brixton to let the man know the result of his talk with the editor, or Mr. Hardwick himself might have changed his mind, and instructed his subordinate to secure the papers. Nevertheless, there was no sign of hurry in Miss Jennie's demeanour as she placed the papers back in their blue envelope and bade the anxious Hazel good-bye. Once more in the hansom, she ordered the man to drive her to Charing Cross, and when she was ten minutes away from Rupert Square she changed her direction and desired him to take her to the office .of the Evening Graphite, where she knew Mr. Stoneham would be busy with his leading article, and probably impatiently awaiting further details of the conspiracy he was to lay open before the public. A light was burning in the editorial rooms of the office of the Evening Gra^/iiic, always a suspicious thing in such an establishment, and well calculated to cause the editor of any rival evening paper to tremble, should he catch a glimpse of burning gas in a spot where the work of the day should be finished at latest by five o'clock. Light in the room of the evening journalist usually indicates that something important is on hand. A glance at the papers Miss Baxter brought to him showed Mr. Stone- ham that he had at least got the worth of his fifty pounds. There would l)e a fluttering in high places next day. He made arrangements before he left to have the paper issued a little earlier than was customary, calculating his time with exactitude, so that rival sheets could noi have the news in their first edition, cribbed from the Graphite, and yet the paper would be on the street, with the newsboys shouting, 'Orrible scandal," before any other evening journal was visible. And this was accomplished the following day with a precision truly admirable. Mr. Stoneham, with a craft worthy of all commendation, kept back from the early issue a small fraction of the figures that were in his possession, so that he might print them in the so-called fourth edition, and thus put upon tlie second lot of contents-bills sent out, in huge, startling black type, "Further Revelations of the Board of Construction Scandal;" and his scathing leading article, in which he indignantly demanded a Parlia- mentary inquiry into the conduct of the Board, was recognized, even by the friends of that public body, as having seriously shaken confidence in it. The reception of the news by the other evening papers was most flattering. One or two ignored it altogether, others alluded to it as a rumour, that it " alleged " so and so, and threw doubt on its truth, which was precisely what Mr. Stoneham wished them to do, as he was in a position to prove the accuracy of his statement. Promptly at five o'clock that afternoon a hansom containing Miss Jennie Baxter drove up to the aide entrance of the Dailij Bugle office, and the young woman once more accosted the Irish porter, who again came out of nis den to receive \nn\ " Miss Baxter? " said the Irishman, half by way of salutation, and half by way of inquiry. JENNIE INTEEVIEWS A FEIGHTENED OFFICIAL 17 and half "Yes," said the girl. " Well, Mr. Hardwick left strict orders with me that if ye came, or, rather, that whin ye came, I was to conduct ye right up to his room at once." "Oh, that is very satisfactory," cried Miss Jennie, "and somewhat different from the state of things yesterday." " Indeed, and that's very true," said the porter, his voice sinking. " To-day is not Hke yesterday at all, at all. There's been great ructions in this oflBce, mum ; although what it's about, fly away with me if I know. There's been runnin' liack and forrad, an' a plentiful deal of language used. The proprietor himself has been here, an' he's here now, an' Mr. Alder came out a minute ago with his face as white as a sheet of paper. They do be sayin'," added the porter, still further lowering his voice, and pausing on the stairway, " that Mr. Hardwick is not goin' to be the editor any more, but that Mr. Alder is to take his place. Anyway, as far as I can tell, Mr. Hardwick an' Mr. Alder have had a tine fall out, an' one or other of them is likely to leave the paper." "Ob, dear, oh, dear!" said Miss Jennie, also pausing on the stairs. " Is it so serious as all that ? ' ' " Indeed it is, mum, an' we none of us know where we're standin', at all, at all." The porter led the way to Mr. Hardwick's room, and announced the visitor. " Ask her to come in," slie heard llie editor say, and the next instant the porter left them alone together. " Won't you sit down, Miss Baxter? " said Mr. Hardwick, with no trace of that anger in his voice which she had expected. " I have been waiting for you. You said you would be here at five, and I like punctuality. Without beating round the bush, I suppose I may take it for granted that the Evening Graphite is indebted to you for what it is pleased to call the Board of Public Construction scandal ? " " Yes," said tiie young wonmn, seating herself ; "I came up to tell you that I procured for tlie Graphite that interesting bit of information." " So I supposed. My colleague, Henry Alder, saw Hazel this afternoon at the offices of the Board. The good man Hazel is panic-stricken at the explosion he has caused, and is in a very nervous state of mind, more especially when he learned that bis documents had gone to an unexpected quarter. Fortunately for him, the offices of the Board are thronged with journalists who want to get statenients from this man or the other regard- ing the exposure, and so the visit of Alder to Hazel was not likely to be noticed or commented upon. Hazel gave a graphic description of the handsome young woman who had so cleverly wheedled the documents from him, and who paid Inni tlie exact sum agreed upon in the exact way that it was to have been paid. Alder had not seen you, and has not the slightest idea how the important news slipped through his fingers ; but when he told me what had happened, I knew at once you were the goddess of the machine, therefore I have been waiting for you. May I be permitted to express the opinion that you didn't play your cards at all well. Miss Baxter ? " "No? I think I played my cards very much better than you played yours, you know." " Oh, I am not instituting any comparison, and am not at all setting 18 JENNIE 13AXTEE, JOURNALIST myself up as a model of strategy. I admit that, having the right cards in my bands, I played them exceedingly badly ; but then, you understand, I thought I was sure of an exclusive bit of news." " No news is exclusive, Mr. Hardwick, until it is printed, and out in the streets, and the other papers haven't got it." "That is very true, and has all the conciseness of an adage. I would like to ask, Miss Baxter, how nuich the Graphite paid you for that article over and above the fifty pounds you gave to Hazel? " " Oh ! it wasn't a question of money with me ; the subject hasn't even been discussed. Mr. Stoneham is not a generous paymaster, and that is why I desire to get on a paper which does not count tho i-'-it too closely. What I wished to do was to convince you that I would be a valuable addition to the Biujlc staff ; for you seemed to be of opinion that the staff was already sufficient and complete." "Oh, my staff is not to blame in this matter; I alone am to blame in being too sure of my ground, and not realizing the danger of delay in such a case. But if you had brought the document to me, you would have found me by far your best customer. You would have convinced me quite as effectually as you have done now that you are a very alert young woman, and I certainly would have been willing to give you four or five times as much as the Graphite will be able to pay." " To tell the truth, I thought of that as I stood here yesterday, but I saw you were a very diflQcult man to deal with or to convince, and I dared not take the risk of letting you know I had the news. You might vei-y easily have called in Mr. Alder, told him that Hazel had given up the documents, and sent him flying to Brixton, where very likely the clerk has a duplicate set. It would have been too late to get the sensation into any Other morning paper, and, even if it were not too late, you would have had something about the sensation in the Bugle, and so the victory would not have been as complete as it is now. No, I could not take such a risk. I thought it all out very carefully." " You credit us with more energy, Miss Baxter, than we possess. I can assure you that if you liad come here at ten or eleven o'clock with the documents, I should have been compelled to purchase them from you. However, that is all past and done with, and there is no use in our saying anything more about it. I am willing to take all the blame for our defeat on my shoulders, but there are some other things I am not willing to do, and perhaps you are in a position to clear up a little misunderstanding that has arisen in this office, I suppose I may take it for granted that you overheard the conversation which took place between Mr. Alder and myself in this room yesterday afternoon ? " " Well," said Miss Baxter, for the first time in some confusion, "I can assure you that I did not come here with the intention of listening to anything. I came into the next room by myself for the purpose of getting to see you as soon as possible. While not exactly a member of the staff of the Evening Graphite, that paper nevertheless takes about all the work I am able to do, and so I consider myself bound to keep my eyes and ears open on its behalf wherever I am." " Oh, I don't want to censure you at all," said Hardwick ; " I merely wish to be certain how the thing was done. As I said, I am willing to take the blame entirely on my own shoulders. I don't think I should JENNIK INTERVIEWS A FEIGHTENED OFFICIAT. 19 have made use of information obtained in that way myself ; still, I am not venturing to find fault with you for doing so." " To find fault with me ! " cried Miss Jennie somewhat warmly, " that would be the pot calling the kettle black indeed. Wliy, what better were you ? You were bribing a poor man to furnish you with statistics, which lie was very reluctant to let you have ; yet you overcame his scruples with money, quite willing tliat he should risk his livelihood, so long as you got the news. If you ask nie, I don't see very nmch difference in our positions, and I must say that if two men take the risk of talking aloud about a secret, with a door open leading to another room, which may be empty or may be not, then they are two very foolish persons." " Oh, quite so, quite so," answered Hardwick soothingly. " I have ah'eady disclaimed the critical attitude. The point I wish to be sure of is tliis — you overheard the conversation between Alder and myself? " " Yes, I did." " Would you be able to repeat it ? " " i don't know that I could repeat it word for word, but I could certainly give the gist of it." " Would you have any objection to telling a gentleman whom I shall call in a moment, as nearly as possible what Alder said and what I said ? I may add that the gentleman I speak of is Mr. Hempstead, and he is practically the proprietor of this paper. There has arisen between Mr. Alder and myself a slight divergence of memory, if I may call it so, and it seems that you are the only person who can settle the dispute." " I am perfectly willing to tell what I heard to anybody." " Thank you." Mr. Hardwick pressed an electric button, and his secretary came in from another room. " Would you ask Mr. Hempstead to step this way, if he is in his room?" In a few minutes Mr. Hempstead entered, bowed somewhat stiffly towards the lady, but froze up instantly when he heard that she was the person who had given the Board of Public Construction scandal to the Eveniiig Graphite. " I have just this moment learned, Mr. Hempstead, that Miss Baxter was in the adjoining room when Alder and I were talking over this matter. She heard the conversation. I have not asked her to repeat it, but sent for you at once, and slie says she is willing to answer any questions you may ask." " In that case, Mr. Hardwick, wouldn't it be well to have Henry Alder here ? " " Certainly, if he is on the premises." Then, turning to his secretary, he said, " Would you find out if Mr. Alder is in his room? Tell him Mr. Hempstead wishes to see him here." When Henry Alder came in, and the secretary had disappeared. Miss Baxter saw at once that she was in an unenviable situation, for it was quite evident the three men were scai'cely on speaking terms with each other. Nothing causes such a state of tension in a newspaper office as the missing of a piece of news that is important. "Perhaps it would be better," suggested Hardwick, " if Miss Baxter would repeat the conversation as she heard it. " I don't see the use of that," said Mr. Hempstead. "There is only 20 JENNIE BAXTEB, JOUKNALIST one point at issue. Did Mr. Alder warn Mr. Hardwick that by delay he woi'ld lose the publication of this report ? " " Hardly that," answered the girl. "As I remember it, he said, ' Isn't there a danger that some other paper may get this?" Mr. Hardwick replied, ' I don't think so. Not for three days, at least' ; and then Mr. Alder said, ' Very good,' or ' Very well,' or something like that." " That quite tallies with my own remembrance," assented Hardwick. " I admit I am to blame, but I decidedly say that I was not definitely warned by Mr. Alder that the matter would be lost to us." " I told you it would be lost if you delayed," cried Alder, with the emphasis of an angry man, " and it has been lost. I have been on the track of this for two weeks, and it is very galling to have missed it at the last moment through no fault of my own." "Still," said Mr. Hempstead coldly, " your version of the conversation does not quite agree with what Miss Baxter says." " Oh, well," said Alder, " I never pretended to give the exact words. I warned him, and he did not heed the warning." " You admit, then,, that Miss Baxter's remembrance of the conversation is correct? " " It is practically correct. I do not stickle about words." " But you did stickle about words an hour ago," said Mr. Hempstead, with some severity. " There is a difference in positively stating that the item would be lost and in merely suggesting that it might be lost." " Oh, have it as you wish," said Alder truculently. " It doesn't matter in the least to me. It is very provoking to work hard for two weeks, and then have everything nullified by a foolish decision from the . editor. However, as I have said, it doesn't matter to me. I have taken service on the Daily Trumpet, and you may consider my place on the Biujlc vacant " — saying which, the irate Mr. Alder put his hat on his head and left the room. Mr. Hempstead seemed distressed by the discussion, but, for the first time, Mr. Hardwick smiled grimly. " I always insist on accuracy," he said, " and lack of it is one of Alder's failings." " Nevertheless, Mr. Hardwick, you have lost one of your best men. How are you going to replace him? " inquired the proprietor anxiously. " There is little difficulty in replacing even the best man on any staff in London," replied Hardwick, with a glance at Miss Baxter. "As this young lady seems to keep her wits about her when the welfare of her paper is concerned, I shall, if you have no objection, fill Henry Alder's place with Miss Baxter? " Mr. Hempstead arched his eyebrows a trifle, and looked at the girl in some doubt. " I thought you didn't believe in women journalists, Mr. Hardwick," he murmured at last. " I didn't up till to-day, but since the evening papers came out I have had reason to change my mind. I should much rather have Miss Baxter for me than against me." "Do you think you can fill the position. Miss Baxter?" asked the proprietor, doubtingly. " Oh, I am sure of it," answered the gu'l. " I have long wanted a place on a well -edited paper like the Biujle. ' JENNIE LEARNS ABOUT THE PRINCESS'S DIAMONDS 21 delay he d, ' Isn't lardwick then Mr. [ardwick. definitely with the en on the I it at the Again Mr. Hardwick smiled grimly. The proprietor turned to him, and said, " I don t quite see, Mr. Hardwick, what a lady can do on this paper outside of the regular departments." " I hardly think there will be any trouble about that, Mr. Hempstead. For example, who could be better equipped to attempt the solution of that knotty question about the Princess von Steinheimer's diamonds? " "By Jove!" cried Hempstead, his eyes glittering with excitement. " Tliat is an inspiration. I in.d.gine that if anyone can unravel the mystery, it is Miss Baxter." iversation words. I iversation empstead, ig that the t." m't matter veeks, and he . editor, service on hi vacant " ,nd left the r the first ! of Alder's best men. xiously. my staff in '"' As this fare of her nry Alder's the gii"l in ■dwick," he out I have iliss Baxter asked the tited a place CHAPTER IV. JENNIE LEARNS ABOUT THE DIAMONDS OF THE PBINCESS. "What about the diamonds of the Princess?" asked Miss Baxter, her curiosity piqued by the remark of the editor. " That is rather a long story," replied Mr. Hardwick, " and before I begin it, I would like to ask you one or two questions. Can you manipulate a typewriter? " " That depends on what make it is. The ordinary typewriter I under- stand very thoroughly." " Good Have you any knowledge of shorthand ? " " A workable knowledge ; I can wi'ite about one hundred words a minute." " Admirable ! admirable ! Your coming to this office was indeed an inspiration, as Mr. Hempstead remarked. You are just the person I have been looking for." " You didn't seem to think so yesterday , Mr. Hardwick," said the girl with a sly glance at him. " Well, many things have happened since yesterday. We are now deal- ing with to-day, and with the Princess von Steinheimer." " She is a German princess, of course? " " An Austrian princess, but an American woman. She was a Miss Briggs of Chicago ; a daughter of Briggs, the railway millionaire, worth somewhere between twenty and twenty-live millions — dollars, of course. A year or two ago she married Prince Konrad von Steinheimer ; you may remember having read about it in the papers ? " " Oh, yes ; the usual international match — the girl after the title, he after the money." " I suppose so ; but be that as it may, she is the only daughter of old Briggs, and had spent a good deal of her time in Euiope, but she spent more than time; she spent the old man's money as well, so during her stay in Europe she accumulated a vast stock of diamonds, some of them very notable stones. I don't know what the whole collection is worth, some say a million dollars, while others say double that amount. How- ever that may be. Miss Briggs became the Princess von Steinheimer, and brought to Austria with her a million dollar.^ in gold and the diamonds, 22 JENNIE BAXTER, .JOU14NALI3T l)lit, of his money course, Ijeinp an only child, when the railway magnate the likelihood of old I had a conversation Briggs's with him the mystery about the You take a dreadful long time to tell a which her father gave as dowry she will come in for the rest of dies." " Is he likely to die soon? I don't suppose the Prince gave himself away for a mere million." " Oh, you forget the diamonds. As to death, it didn't strike me as imminent when yesterday." " Yesterday? Is he here in London, then ? " " Yes ; he has come over to disentangle diamonds." " And what is the mystery ? story, Mr. Hardwick." " The story is important, and it must be told in detail, otherwise you may go on a long journey for nothing. Are you taking down what I say in shorthand ? That is right, and if you are wise you will not transcribe your notes so that anyone can read them ; they are safer in that form. The von Steinheimer family have two residences, a house in Vienna and an ancient castle in the Tyrol, situated on the heights above Meran, a most picturesque place, I understand ; but very shortly you will know more aboui it than I do, because the Bugle expects you to go there as its special correspondent. Here the diamond robbery took place something like two months ago, and the affair is still as great a mystery as ever. The Princess was to open the season at Meran, which is a fashionable resort, by giving a fancy dress ball in Schloss Steinheimer, to which all tho Austrian and foreign notables were invited. It was just before the ball began that the diamonds were first missed— in fact, the Princess was about to put them on, she representing some gorgeously decorated character from the Arabian Nights, when the discovery was made that the diamonds were gone. She was naturally very much upset over her loss, and sent at once for the Prince, her husband, insisting that the police should be notified immediately and detectives called in, as was perfectly natural. Now here comes a strange feature of tha affair, and this is that the Prince positi'- 3ly forbade any publicity, refusing his sanction when she demanded that the police should be informed, and yet the Prince knew better than anyone else the very considerable value of the stones." " What reason did he give for his refusal ? " asked Miss Baxter, looking up from her notes. " I am not quite certain about that ; but I think he said it was infra dig. for the Steinheimers to call in the police. Anyhow, it was an excuse which did not satisfy the Princess ; but as guests were arriving, and as it was desirable that there should be no commotion to mar the occasion, the Princess temporarily yielded to the wish of her husband, and nothing was said publicly about the robbery. The great ball was the talk of Meran for several days, and no one suspected the private trouble that was going on underneath this notable event. During these several days the Princess insisted that the aid of the police should be invoked, and tlie Prince was equally strenuous that nothing should be said or done about the matter. Then, quite unexpectedly, the Prince veered completely round, and pro- claimed that he would engage the best detectives in Europe. Strange to say, when he announced this decision to his wife, she had veered round ily chilcl, r magnate e himself Briggs's with him about the to tell a 3rwise you vhat I say transcribe that form, ienna and Meran, a will know lere as its something y aa ever, ashionable ) which all jre the ball ncess was decorated de that the sr her loss, the police 8 perfectly ,nd this is s sanction id yet the ilue of the ;er, looking 3 infra dig. an excuse ;, and as it icasion, the othing was [ Meran for IS going on e Princess Prince was ;he matter. 1, and pro- Strange to ered round JENNIE LEARNS ABOUT THE PRINCESS'S DIAMONDS 23 also, and opposed the calling in of the detectives as strenuously as he had done heretofore." "What reason di(' she give for her change of front?" asked Miss Jennie. " She said, I believc, that it was now too late ; that the thieves, who- ever they were, had had time to make away with their plunder, and there would merely be a fuss and worry for nothing." " Do you know, I am inclined to agree with her," asserted the girl. " Are you ? Then tell me what you think of the case as far as you have got." " What do yoM think ? " " I sha'n't tell you at this stage, because I know of further particulars which I will give you later on. I merely want your opinion now, so that I may see whether what I have to tell you afterwards modifies it in any way." " Well, to me the case looks decidedly dark against the Prince." " That is what Mr. Briggs thinks. He imagines his Highness has the jewels." " Where did you get all these particulars? " " Prom Mr. Briggs, who, of course, got them by letter from his daughter." " Then we have, as it were, a one-sided statement." " Oh, quite so ; but still you must remember the Princess does not in the least suspect her husband of the theft." " Well, please go on. What are the further particulars ? " " The further particulars are that the Prince made some quiet investiga- tions among the servants, and he found that there was a man who, although he was a friend of his own, was much more the friend of the Princess, and this man had, on the day the ball was given, the entire freedom of the castle. He is a young officer and nobleman. Lieutenant von Schaumberg, and the Prince knew that this young nian was lieing hard pressed for some debts of honour which he did not appear to be in a position to liquidate. The young man went unexpectedly to Viemia the day after the ball, and on his return settled his obligations. The Princess, from one of her women, got word of her husband's suspicion. She went to the Prince at once, and told him she ha'' come to his own opinion with regard to the lost diamonds. She woi in no circumstances, have detectives about the place. Then he told her that he had also changed bis mind, and resolved to engage detectives. So here they were at a deadlock again. She wrote to her father with great mdignation about the Prince's unjust suspicions, saying von Schaumberg was a gentleman in every sense of the word. I gather that relations between herself and her husband are somewhat strained, so I imagine there is much more in this matter than the lost diamonds." " You imagine, then, that she is shielding the Lieutenant ? " " Candidly, I do." " And you are of opinion he stole the diamonds ? " " Yes, I am." '• I don't agree with you. I still think it was the Prince, and I think besides this, that he dexterously managed to throw suspicion on the Lieutenant. Have they called in the detectives yet?" " No, they are at a deadlock, as I remarked before." " Well, what am I expected to do ? " 34 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIbT " Mr. Bi'iggs cabled to his daughter — he never writes a letter — that ho would come over and straighten out the tangle in fifteen minutes. He is certain the Prince stole the diamonds, but he did not tell his daughter so. He informed her he was bringing her a present of a new typewriting machine, and also a young woman fi'om Chicago who could write shorthand and would look after the Princess's correspondence — act as secretary, in fact , for it seems the Princess has a larger correspondence than she can reasonably attend to, and she appears therefore to yearn for a typewriter. The old man tells me she is very careless about her letters, never being able to find anything she wants, and leaving them about a good deal, so he thinks she needs someone to look after her affairs ; and I have a suspicion that her father fears she may leave some compromising letter about, so he wishes to ward off a divorce case." " No, I fancy you are mistaken there. Tlie father hasn't the slightest idea that there can be mything wrong with his daughter. It is probable the Princess has written some libellous statements al)out iier husband, and it is quite likely the Prince is a brute and that young von Schaumberg is a most charming person." " Well, as I was saying," continued Hardwick, " the old man cabled his daughter that he is bringing her a secretary and a typewriter. He engaged a female Pinkerton detective to enter the castle as secretary to the Princess and, if possible, to solve the diamond mystery. She is a young woman who, when she left Chicago, was very anti-English, but she became acquainted on the steamer with a young Englishman who was tremen- dously taken with her, and so at Liverpool she quite calmly broke her engagement with the old man and fulfilled a new engagement she had made with the young man by promptly marrying him — special license, I am told. Old Briggs has therefore a new typewriting machine on his hands, and so I was going to propose to you that you take the place of the Chicago Pinkerton person. Briggs has become so disgusted with all these dete., ve women that he abandoned the idea of sending a female detective with the machine, and doesn't imagine that whoever is sent will be either a detective or a newspaper woman. I was introduced to him the other day by one of those lucky chances which sometimes put interesting items of news in our way, and he told me the whole story, requesting me to recommend someone who wrote shorthand and understood the typewriter. I am to dine with him this evening, and I shall cordially reconunend you. I may say that Briggs has gone to that celebrated Ijondon detective Mr. Cadbury Taylor, and has engaged him to solve the diamond mystery. So you see you will have a clear field. If you can leave for the castle to-morrow night, you may have the pleasiu'e of Mr. Cadi)m'y Taylor's company. He isn't visiting the castle, but goes straight to Vienna ; so if you woik your cards rightly, you c \n be in the same carriage with him as far as Munich, and during that time you may find out perhaps wliat he thinks about the case. I know only this much about his theory, and that is lie thinks the right place to begin ii in Vienna, where some, at least, of the stones are supposed to have been ^mwued." " Oh, this is a delightful case, and I shall enjoy it. Has there been anything published yet with reference to the robbery '? " " Not a word ; nobody knovvs anytliing al)out it, except tjie Prince and Princess, Briggs, myself and yourself, and perhaps oiuj or two of the servants in the castle — oh, yes, and Cadbury Taylor." JENNIE MEETS A GBEAT DETECTIVE 25 CHAPTEE V. JENNIE MEETS A GREAT DETECTIVE. boon • and r the Miss Baxter was early at the station before the Continental train left. She walked up and down the jjlatforni, hoping to see Mr. Cadbury Taylor, witV< whose face and form she was familiar. She secm'ed a porter who spi ^e French, and pretended to him that she knew no English. "I desire," she said, "to get into a lirst-class compartment with a gentleman whom I shall point out to you. I shall give you five shillings, so you must let me have your whole attention. My luggage has been labelled and registered, therefore you will not need to bother about it, but keep your, eye on me and follow me into whatever carriage I enter, bringing with you the hand-iiag and this heavy package." The heavy package was a typewriter in its case. Shortly before the train departed, there sauntered into the station the tall, thin, well-known form of the celebrated detective. Ke wore a light ulster that reached almost to his heels, and his keen, alert face was entirely without beard or moustache. As he came up the platform, a short, stout man accosted him. " I was afraid you were going to be late," said the detective's friend, " but I see you are just in time as usual." " A railway station," said Mr. Cadbury Taylor, " is not the most inspiring place in Londo'' ''or the spending of a spare half hour ; besides, I had some facts to get together, which are now tabulated in my note-book, and I'm quite ready to go, if the train is." " I have secured a smoking compartment here where we shall be alone." "That's right. Smith," said Cadbury Taylor. "You are always so thoughtful," and the two men entered the compartment together. Just as the guards were shouting, "Take your seats, please," Miss Baxter made a bolt for the compartment in which the detective and his friend sat together in opposite corners. " I beg your pardon," said Smith, " this is a smoking compartment." The lady replied to him volubly in French, and next instant the porter heaved the typewriter and liand-bagon the seat beside her. Smith seemed to resent the intrusion, and appeared about to blame the porter, but the man answered rapidly as he l)anged the door shut, " Tlie lady doesn't speak any English," and the next nionient the train moved out of the stotion. " There was no need," said the detective, " my dear Smith, to depeml upon the porter for the information that the lady could not speak Engiisli. She is the secretary to a very rich employer in Chicago, and came from that city to New York, where she sailed on the Sorvia alone, coming to England to transact some speciai imsiness, of which T could lien; give you full particulars, if it were worth while. She came from Ijiverpool to London ovei the Great Western Railway, and is now on her way to Paris. All this, of course, is obvious to the most casual observer, and so, ray dear f» JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST Smith, we may discuss our case \vith as much security as though we were entirely alone." " But, good heavens, Cadbury ! " cried Smith in amazement, " how can you tell all that ? " " My dear fellow," said the detective wearily, " no one travels with a typewriting machine unless that person is a typewriter. The girl, if you wul notice, is now engaged in tilling the leaves of her book with short- hand, therefore that proves her occupation. That she is secretary to a rich man is evidenced by the fact that she crossed in the Scrvia first cabin, as you may see by glancing at the label on the case ; that she came alone, which is to say her employer was not with her, is indicated by the type- writer being marked ' Not Wanted,' so it was put down into the hold. If a Chicago business man had been travelling with his secretaiy, the type- writer case would have been labelled instead, ' Cal)in, wanted,' for a Chicago man of business would have to write some hundreds of letters, even on the ocean, to be ready for posting the moment he came ashore. The typewriter case is evidently new, and is stamped with the name and address of its sellers in Chicago. That she came by the Great Western is shown by the fact that ' Chester ' appears on still another label. That she has special business in England we may well believe, otherwise she would have crossed on the French line direct from New York to Havre. So you see, my dear boy, these are all matters of observation, and quite patent to anyone who cares to use his eyes." " Yes, it all seems very simple now that you have explained it," growled Smith. " I should be a much more m;y8terious pei'son than I am," remarked the detective complacently, "if I did not explain so much. This explanation habit is becoming a vice with me, and I fear I must abandon it." " I hope for my sake you won't," said Smith more good-naturedly, " for if left to myself I never could find out how you an'ive at your wonderful con- clusions. Do you expect the Austrian diamond mystery to prove difficult ? " " Difficult? Oh, dear no! To tell the truth, I have solved it already, but in order to give the American a run for his money — and surely he ought not to object to that, because he is a millionare who has made his fortune by giving other people runs for their money, being a railway man — I am now on my way to Vienna. If I solved the problem oiT-hand for him in London, he would have no more appreciation of my talent than you had a moment ago when I explained why I knew this French girl came from Chicago." " You mustn't mind that, Cadbury," said Smith contritely. " I confess I was imtated for a moment because it all seemed so simple." " My dear fellow, every puzzle in this world is simple except one, and that is to find any problem which is difficult." " Then who stole the diamonds? The lieutenant ? " The detective an)iled and gazed upwards for a few tantalizing momenta at the roof of the carriage. " Here we have," he said at last, " an impecunious prince whomiwriea an American heiress, as so many of them do. The girl begins life in Austria on one million dollars, say two hundred thousand pounds, and a ce-se of diamonds said to be worth another two hundred thousand at least — probably more. Not much danger of running through that very speedily, 18 there, Smith '? " ;h we were " how can ,'els with a girl, if you vith short- letary to a first cabin, ame alone, f the type- e hold. If ^ the type- ted,' for a of letters, Tie ashore. name and Western is That she she would e. So you ;e patent to t," growled marked the 3xplanation redly, " for iderful con- difficult ? " it already, i surely he IS made his ailway man 3ff-hand for talent than French girl " I confess pt one, and ig momenta ) marries an 3 in Austria d a case of at Iwast — ry speedily, JENNIE MEETS A GREAT DETECTIVE # " No, I should tliink not." " So tlie average man would think," continued the detective. " How- ever, I liave long since got out of the habit of thinking ; therefore I make sure. The lu'st problem I set to myself is this : How much money have the Prince and Princess spent since they were married ? I find that the repairs on tlie Schloss Steinheimer, situated in the Tyrol, cost something like forty tlionsand pounds. It is a huge place, and the Steinheimers have not bad nn heiress in the family for many centuries. The Prince owed a good deal of money when he was married, and it took something like sixty tliousand pounds to settle those debts ; rather expensive as Continental princes go, but if one must have luxuries, one cannot save money. Not to weary you with details, I found that the two hundred, thousand pounds were exhausted somewhat more than two months ago ; in fact, just i)efore the alleged robbery. The Prince is, of course, without money, otherwise be would not have married a Chicago heiress, and the Princess being without money, what does she natui-ally do? " " Pawns her own diamonds ! " cried Smith enthusiastically. The detective smiled. " I thought it nuicb more probable she would apply to her father for money. I asked him if this was the case, giving him the date, roughly speaking, when such a letter had been sent. The old man opened his ayes at this, and told me he had received such a letter. ' But you did not send the money ? ' I ventured. ' No,' he said, ' I did not. The fact is, money is very tight in Chicago just now, and so I cabled her to run on her debts for a while.' This exactly bore out the conclusion at which I had already arrived. So now, having failed to get money from her father, the lady turns to her diamonds, the only security she possesses. The chances are that she did so before her father's cable message came, and that was the reason she so confidently wished information to be given to the police. She expected to have money to redeem her jewels, and being a bright woman, she knew the traditional stupidity of the official poUce, and so thought there was no danger of her little ruse being discovered. But when the cable message came saying no liioney would bo sent her, a different complexion was put ujion the whole atl'uir, for she did not know hut if the police were given plenty of time they might stumble on the diamonds." " But, my dear Cadbury, why should she not have taken the diamonds openly and raised money on them ? " " My dear fcillow, there an; a dozen reasons, any one of wbicli will suffice where a woman is in the case. In the first place, she might fear to ofTend the family pride of the von Steinheimers ; in the second place, we cannot tell what \wv rchitions with her luisband were. She may not have wished him to know tiial she was short of money. J^ut that she has stolen her own diamonds tliere is not the sligiitest question in my mind. All that is necessary for me to do now is to find out how many persons there are in Vienna who would lend largo sums of moiuiy on valuabi ; jewels. The scjcond is to find with which one of those the Prinoesd pawncul her diamonds." " But, my dear Cadbury, the lady is in Meran, and Vienna is some hundreds of miles away. How could a lady in the Tyrol pawn diamonds conunented on ? or do you think she had an agent to do it for her ? ' mg 23 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIST Again the detective smilod indulgently. " " No, she had no agent. The diamonds never left Vienna. You see, the ball had been announced, and immediate money was urgently needed. She pawned the diamonds before slic left the capital of Austria, and the chances are she did not intend anyone to know they were missing ; but on the eve of the ball her husband insisted that she should wear her diamonds, and therefore, being a quick-witted woman, she annoimced they had been stolen. After having made such a statement, she, of course, had to stick to it ; and now, failing to get the money from America, she is exceedingly anxious that no real detective shall be employed in investigation." At Dover Miss Baxter, having notes of this interesting conversation in sliorthand, witnessed the detective bid good-bye to his friend Smith, who returned to London by a later train. After that she saw no more of Mr. Cadbury Taylor, and reached the Schloss Steinheimer at Meran without further adventure. CHAPTER VI. JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTERY. Miss Baxter found life at the Schloss much different from what she had expected. The Princess was a young and charming lady, very handsome, but in a state of constant depression. Once or twice Miss Baxter came upon her with apparent traces of v/eeping on her face. The Prince was not an old man, as she had imagined, but young and of a manly, stalwart appearance. He evidently possessed a fiendish temper, and moped about the castle with a constant frown upon his brow. The correspondence of the Princess was in the utmost disorder. There were hundreds upon hundreds of letters, and Miss Baxter set to work tabulating and arranging them. Meanwhile the young newspaper woman kept her eyes open. She wandered about the castle unmolested, poked into odd corners, talked with the servants, and, in fact, with everyone, but never did she come upon a clue which promised to lead to a solution of the diamond difficulty. Once she penetrated into a turret room, and came unexpectedly upon the Prince, who was sitting oji the window-ledge, looking absently out on the broad and smiling valley that lay for miles l)clow the castle. He sprang to his feet and stared so liercely at the intruder that the girl's heart failed her, and she had not even the presence of mind to turn and run. "What do you want?" he said to her shortly, for lie spoke English perfectly. " You are the young woman from Chicago, 1 suppose? " " No," answered Miss Baxter, forgetting for the moment the rdle she was playing ; " I am from London." " Well, it doesn't matter ; you are the young woman who is arranging my wife's correspondence ? " "Yea." JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTEEY 29 The Prince strode rapidly forward. and grasped her by the wrist, his brow dark with a forbidding frown. He spoke in a hoarse whisper : " Listen, my good girl ! Do you want to get more money from me than you will get from the Princess in ten years' service? Hearken, then, to what I tell you. If there are any letters from — from — men, will you bring them to me ? " Miss Baxter was thoroughly frightened, but she said to the Prince sharply, — " If you do not let go my wrist, I'll scream. How dare you lay your hand on me? " The Prince released hei wrist and stepped back. " Forgive me," he said; "I'm a very miserable man. Forget what I have said." " How can I forget it?" ci-ied the girl, gathering courage as she saw him quail before her blazing eyes. " What do you want me to do? " " I want you to bring to me any letters written by — by " "Written by von Schaumberg," cried the girl, noticing his hesitation and filling in the blank. A red wave of anger surged up in the Prince's face. " Yes," he cried ; " bring me a letter to her from von Schaumberg, and I'll pay you what you ask." The girl laughed. "Prince," she said, "you will excuse me if I call you a fool. There are no letters from von Schaumberg, and I have gone through the whole of the correspondence." "What, then, suggested the name von Schaumberg to you? Where did you ever hear it before ? " " I heard that you suspected him of stealing the diamonds." " And so he did, the cowardly thief. If it were not for mixing the Princess's name with such carrion as he, I would — " But the Prince in his rage stamped up and down the room without saying what he would do. Miss Baxter quickly brought him to a standstill. "It is contrary to my duty to the Princess," she began, hesitatingly, when he stopped and turned fiercely upon her. " What is contrary to your duty ? " " There are letters, tied very daintily with a blue ribbon, and they are from a man. The Princess ilid not allow me to read them, but locked them away in a secret drawer in her dressing-room, but she is so careless with her keys and everything else, that I am sure I can get them for you, if you want them." " Yes, yes, I want them," said the Prince, " and will pay you handsomely for them." " Very well," replied Miss Baxter, " you shall have them. If you will wait here ten minutes, I shall return with them." "But," hesitated the Prince, " say nothing to the Princess." " Oh, no, I shall not need to ; the keys are sure to be on her dressing- table." Miss Baxter ran down to the room of the Princess, and had little difficulty in obtaining the keys. She unlocked the secret drawer into which she had seen the Princess place the packet of letters, and taking them out, she drew another sheet of paper along with them, which she read with wide- so JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIST opening eyes, then with her pretty hps pursed, she actually whistled, which unmaidenly performance merely gave sibilant expression to her astonishment. Taking both the packet of letters and the sheet of paper with her, she ran swiftly up the stair and along the comdor to the room where the Prince was impatiently awaiting her. "Give them to me," he snapped, rudely snatching the bundle of documents from lier hand. She still clung to the separate piece of paper and said nothing. The Prince stood by the window and undid the packet witli trembling hands. He examined one and then another of the letters, turning at last towards the girl with renewed anger in his face. " You are trifling with me. my girl," he cried. " No, I am not," she said stoutly. "These are my own letters, written by me to my wife before we were married ! " "Of course they are. What others did you expect? These are the only letters, so far as I have learned, that any man has written to her, and the only letters she cares for of all the thousands she has ever received. Why, you foolish, blind man, I had not been in this castle a day before I saw how matters stood. The Princess is breaking her poor heart because you are unkind to her, and she cares for nobody on earth but you, great stupid dunce that you are." " Is it true ? Will you swear it's true? " cried the Prince, di'opping the packet and going hastily toward the girl. Miss Jennie stood with her back to the wall, and putting her hands behind her, she said, — "No, no; you are not going to touch me again. Of course it's true, and if you had the sense of a six-year-old child, you would have seen it long ago ; and she paid sixty thousand pounds of your gambling debts, too." "What ai'e you talking about? The Princess has never given me a penny of her money ; I don't need it. Goodness knows, I have money enough of my own." " Well, Cadbury Taylor said that you Oh, I'll warrant you, it is like all the rest of his statements, pure moonshine." " Of whom are you speaking ? And why did my wife protect that wretch whom she knows has stolen her diamonds?" " You mean von Schaumberg?" "Yes." " I believe the Princess does think he stole them, and the reason the Princess protects him is to prevent you from challenging him, for she fears that he, being a military man, will kill you, although I fancy she would be well rid of you." " But he stole the diamonds — there was nobody else." " He did nothing of the kind. Read that ! " The Prince, bewildered, took the sheet that she handed to him and read it, a wrinkle of bewilderment corrugating his brow. " I don't understand what this has to do with the case," he Scid at last. " It seems to be an order on the bank at Vienna for the diamonds, written by the Princess herself." " Of course it is. Well, if the diamonds had been delivered, that paper would now be in the possession of the bank instead of in your hands." "Perhaps she mislaid this order and wrote another." " Perhaps. Still it might be worth while finding out." «' Take 1 " It is 11 at once to by speoia missing." "I will voice tha becoming After hi her desk, i " There she is shoi but I don to enjoy tl " I will At that Baxter to : " Have The Pri suspicion ( "I do with slow interest in voices in r " Had y we said, F "Ah, m your engai " Surelj think I an "Iv/ill I have no once," sai( the girl wi Miss Bii her mirth, interesting of your dii amount of " Did h( " Be ass was a fool hear, so I "I shall freezing di " Thanl< something Princess, 1 To this 1 Miss Je found the '. message ir JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTEKY 81 " Ta>ke this, then, to the Princess and ask her." " It is not Hkelj- she would remember. The better plan is to telegraph at once to the Vienna bank, asking them to send the diamonds to Meran by special messenger. No one there knows that the diamonds are missing." " I will do so at once," cried the Prince, with more animation in his voice than Miss Baxter had previously noticed. His Highness was becoming interested in the game. After luncheon the Princess came to Miss Baxter, who was seated at her desk, and handed her a letter. •' There is an invitation from the Duchess of CJiiselhurst for a grand ball she is shortly to give in her London house. It is to be a very swell affair, but I don't care enough for such things to go all the way to England to enjoy them. Would you therefore send her Grace my regrets? " " I will do so at once." At that moment there came a messenger from the Prince asking Miss Baxter to meet him in the library. The girl glanced up at the Princess. " Have I your permission to go? " she said. The Princess looked at her steadily for a moment, just the faintest suspicion of a frown on her fair brow. "I do not suppose you need my permission." Her Highness spoke with slow deliberation. " My husband condescends to take considerable interest in you. Passing along the corridor this morning, I heard your voices in most animated conversation." " Had you sufficient interest in our discussion to stop and listen to what we said. Princess von Steinheimer? " "Ah, now you are becoming insolent, and I must ask you to consider your engagement with me at an end." "Surely you will not dismiss me in this heartless way, Princess. I think I am entitled to a month's notice, or is it only a week's? " " I \all pay you a year's salary, or two years' if that will content you. I have no wish to deal harshly with you, but I desire you to leave at once," said the Princess, who had little sense of humour, and thus thought the girl was in earnest when she asked for notice. Miss Baxter laughed merrily, and replied when she was able to control her mirth, " I do hate to leave the castle just when things are becoming interesting. Still, I don't suppose I shall really need to go away in spite of your dismissal, for the Prince this morning offered me ten times the amount of money you are paying." "Did he?" "Be assured he did; if you don't believe me, ask him. I told him he was a fool, but, alas, we live in a cynical age, and few men believe all they hear, so I fear my expression of opinion made little impression on him." " I shall not keep you longer from his Highness," said the Princess with freezing dignity. " Thank you so much. I am just dying to meet him, for I know he has something most interesting to tell me. Don't you think yourself, Princess, that a man acts rather like a fool when he is deeply in love ? " To this there was no reply, and the Princess left the room. Miss Jennie jumped to her feet and almost ran to the library. She found the Prince walking up and down the long room with a telegraph message in his hand. 83 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOUENALIST " You are a most wonderful young woman," he said ; " read that." " I have been told so by more observing men than you, Prince von Steinheimer," said the girl, taking the telegram. It was from the manager of the bank in Vienna, and it ran : " Special messenger leaves with package by the Meran express to-night." "Just as I thought," said Miss Jennie ; "the diamonds never left the bank. I suppose those idiots of sei"vants which the Princess has round her didn't know what they took away from Vienna and what they left. Then, when the diamonds were missing, they completely lost their heads — n<" that anyone in the castle has much wit to spare. I never saw such ., incompetent lot." • The Prince laughed. " You think, perhaps, I have not wit enough to see that my wife cares for me, is that it ? Is that why you gave me my own letters ? " " Oh, you are well mated ! The Princess now does me the honour of being jealous. Think of that ! As if it were possible that I should take any interest in you, for I have seen real men in my time." The Prince regarded her with his most severe expression. " Are you not flattering yourself somewhat, young lady ? " " Oh, dear no ! I take it as the reverse of flattering to be supposed that I have any liking for such a ninny as you are. Flattering, indeed ! And she has haughtily dismissed me, if you please." " The Princess has '? What have you been saying to her ? " " Oh, I made the most innocent remark, and it was the truth too, which shows that honesty is not always the best policy. I merely told her that you had offered me ten times the amount of money she is paying me. .You needn't jump as if somebody had shot ofl' a gun at your ear. You know you ditl make such an offer." " You confounded little mischief-maker," cried the Prince in anger. " Did you tell her what it was for ? " "No. She did not ask." " I will thank you to apply the cleverness you seem to possess to the undoing of the harm you have so lightheartedly caused." " How can I? I am ordered to leave to-night, when I did so wish to stay and see the diamond ch'noucmcnt." " You are not going to-night. I shall speak to the Princess about it if that should be necessary. Your mention of the diamonds reminds me that my respected father-in-law, Mr. Briggs, informs me that a celebrated detective, whom it seems he has engaged — Taylor, I think the name is — will i)e here to-morrow to explain the diamond mystery, so you see you have a competitor." " Oh, is Cadbury coming? That is too jolly for anything. I simply must stay and hear his explanation, for he is a very famous detective, and the conclusions he has arrived at must be most interesting." " I think some explanations are due to me as well. My worthy father- in-law seems to have connnissioned this person without thinking it necessary to consult me in the least ; in fact, Mr. Briggs goes about the castle looking so dark and lowering w'hen he meets me, that I sometimes doubt whether this is my own house or not." "And is it'i' " "Is it what?" " Is it your own house? I was told it was mortgaged up to the tallest JENNIE SOLVES THE DIAMOND MYSTERY 38 turret. Still, you can't blame Mr. Briggs for being anxious about the diamonds; they belong to his daughter. " ....... ..j " They belong to my wife." " True. That complicates matters a bit, and gives both Chicago and Vienna a right to look black. And now, your Highness, I must take my leave of you ; and if the diamonds come safely in the morning, remember I intend to claim salvage on them. Meanwhile, I am going to write a nice little story about them." In the morning the diamonds arrived by special messenger, who first took a formal receipt for them, and then most obsequiously took his departure. By the same train came Mr. Cadbury Taylor, as modest as ever, but giving some indication in his bearing of the importance of the discovery his wonderful system had aided him in making. He blandly evaded the curiosity of Mr. Briggs, and said it would perhaps be better to reveal the secret in the presence of the Prince and Princess, as his inves- tigatiens had led him to conclusions that might be unpleasant for one of them to hear, yet were not to be divulged in their absence. "Just what I suspected," muttered Mr. Briggs, who had long been con- vinced that the Prince was the actual culprit. The important gathering took place in the library, the Prince, with the diamonds in his coat pocket, seated at the head of the long table, while the Princess sat at the foot, as far from her husband as she could conveniently get without attracting notice. Miss Baxter stood near a window, reading an important letter from London which had reached her that morning. The tall, thin detective and the portly Mr. Briggs came in together, the London man bowing gi'avely to the Prince and Princess. Mr. Briggs took a seat at the side of the table, but the detective remained standing, look- ing questioningly at Miss Baxter, but evidently not recognizing her as the lady who had come in upon him and his friend when they had entered the train. " I beg thj pardon of your Highness, but what I have to say had better 1)0 said with as few hearers as possible. I should be much obliged if this young person would read her correspondence in another room." " The young woman," said the Prince coldly, " is secretary to her Highness, and is entirely in her confidence." The Princess said nothing, but sat with her eyes upon the table, apparently taking no note of what was going on. Eich colour came into her face, and, as the keen detective cast a swift glance at her, he saw before him a woman conscious of her guilt, fearing exposure, yet not knowing how to avert it. "If your Highness will excuse my persistence," began Mr. Taylor blandly. " But I will not," interrupted the Prince gruflfly. " Go on with your story without so much circumlocution." The detective, apparently unruffled by the discourtesy he met, bowed profoundly towards the Prince, cleared his throat, and began. " May I ask your Highness," he said, addressing himself to the Princess, " how much money you possessed just before you left Vienna? " The lady looked up at him in surprise, but did not answer. " In Heaven's name, what has that to do with the loss of the diamonds?" rapped out the Prince, his hot temper getting once more the better of him. ..- . , B M JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIST Cadbury Taylor spread out his hands and shrugged his shoulders in protest at the interruption. He spoke with deference, but nevertheless there was a touch of reproach in his tone. " I am accustomed to being listened to with patience, and am generally allowed to tell my story my own way, your Highness." " What I complain of is that you are not telling any story at all, but are asking instead a very impertinent question." "Questions which seem to you irrelevant may be to a trained mind most — " " Bosh ! Trained donkeys ! Do you know where the diamonds are ? " " Yes, I do," answered Cadbury Taylor, still imperturbable, in spite of the provocation he was receiving. " Well, where are they ? " " They are in the vaults of your bank in Vienna." " I don't believe it. Who stole them then ? " " They were put there by her Highness the Princess von Steinhaimer, doubtless in security for money — " " What ! " roared the Prince, springing to his feet, his stentorian voice ringing to the ceiling. " Do you mean to insinuate, you villain, that my wife stole her own diamonds ? " " If your Highness would allow me to proceed in my own — " " Enough of this fooling. There are the diamonds," cried the Prince, jerking the box from his pocket and flinging it on the table. " There ! " shouted old man Briggs, bringing his clenched fist down on the oak. " What did I tell you? I knew it ail along. The Prince stole the diamonds, and in his excitement yanks them out of his pocket and proves it. That was my opinion all along ! " " Oh, father, father! " moaned the Princess, speaking for the first time. " How can you say such a thing ? My husband couldn't do a mean action if he tried. The idea of him stealing the diamonds I Not if they were worth a thousand millions and detection impossible." The Prince, who had been glaring at Mr. Briggs, and who seemed on the point of giving that red-faced gentleman a bit of his mind, turned a softened gaze upon his wife, who rested her arms on the table and buried her face in them. " Come, come," cried Miss Jennie Baxter, stepping energetically forward; "I imagine everybody has had enough of this. Clear out, Mr. Briggs, and take Mr. Taylor with you ; I am sure he has not had any break- fast yet, and he cerJainly looks hungry. If you hire detectives, Mr. Briggs, you must take care of them. Out you go. The dining-room is ever so much more inviting just now than the library ; and if you don't see what you want, ring for it.' She drove the two speechless men out before her, and, closing the door, said to the Prince, who was still standing bewildered at having his hand forced in this manner, — •' There ! Two fools from four leaves two. Now, my dears — I'm not going to Highness either of you — you are simply two lone people who hke each other immensely, yet who are drifting apart through foolish misunder- standings that a few words would put right if either of you had sense enough to speak them, which you haven't, and that's why I'm here to speak them for you. Now, madame, I am ready to awear that the Prince has never said anything to me that did not show his deep love for you, and if you had JENNIE AEEANGES A CINDEEELLA VISIT m ulders in rertheless generally 1, but are led mind Is are?" 1 spite of linhaimer, )rian voice 1, that my he Prince, t down on rince stole Docket and ! first time. lean action they were med on the I a softened ed her face nergetically ar out, Mr. any break- Mr. Briggs, 1 is ever so 't see what ig the door, g his hand •8 — I'm not )le who like 1 misunder- mse enough speak them ! has never d if you had overheard us, you would not need me to tell you so. He thinks the t you have a fancy for that idiot von Schaumberg — not that I ever saw the poor man ; but he is bound to be an idiot, or the Prince wouldn't be jealous of him. As nobody has stolen the diamonds after all this fuss, so no one has stolen the affection of either of you from the other. I can see by the way you look at each other that I won't need to apologize for leaving you alone together while I run upstairs to pack." " Oh, but you are not going to leave us ? " cried the Princess. ' ' I should be delighted to stay ; but there is no rest for the wicked, and I must get back to London." With that the girl ran to her room and there re-read the letter she had received. " Dear Miss Baxter (it ran), — We are in a very considerable dilemma here, so I write asking you to see me in London without delay, going back to the Tyrol later on if the investigation of the diamond mystery renders your return necessary. The Duchess of Chiselhurst is giving a great ball on the 29th. It is to be a very swagger affair, with notables from every part of Europe, and they seem determined that no one connected with a newspaper shall be admitted. We have set at work every influence to obtain an invitation for a reporter, but without success, the reply invariably t^iven being that an official account will be sent to the press. Now, I want you to set your ingenuity at work, and gain admittance if possible, for I am determined to have an account of this ball written in such a way that every- one who reads it will know that the writer was present. If you can manage this, I can hardly tell you how grateful the proprietor and myself will be. — Yours very truly, " Eadnor Hardwick." Miss Jennie Baxter sat for some moments musing, with the letter in her hand. She conned over in her mind the names of those who might be able to assist her in this task, but she dismissed them one by one, well knowing that if Mr. Hardwick and the proprietor of the Bugle had petitioned all their influential friends without avail, she could not hope to succeed with the help of the very few important personages she was acquainted with. She wondered if the Princess could get her an invitation ; then suddenly her eyes lit up, and she sprang eagerly to her feet. " What a fortunate thing it is," she cried aloud, " that I did not send on the refusal of the Princess to the Duchess of Chiselhurst. I had forgotten all about it until this moment." CHAPTEE VII. JENNIE arranges A CINDERELLA VISIT. The room which had been allotted to Jennie Baxter in the Schloss Steinheimer enjoyed a most extended outlook. A door-window gave access to a stone balcony, which hung against the castle wall like a swallow's nest at the eaves of a house. This balcony was just wide m JENNIE BAXTEE, JOURNALIST enough to give ample space for one of the easy rocking-chairs which the Princess had imported from America, and which Jennie thought were the only really comfortable pieces of furniture the old stronghold possessed, much as she admired the artistic excellence of the mediaeval chairs, tables, and cabinets which for centuries had served the needs of the ancient line that had lived in the Schloss. The rocking-chair was as modern as this morning's dai! paper ; its woodwork painted a bright scarlet, its arms like broad shelves, its rockers as sensitively balanced as a marine compass ; in fact, just such a chair as one would find doited round the vast verandah of an American summer hotel. In this chair sat Miss Jennie, two ojien letters on her lap, and perplexity in the dainty little frown that faintly ruffled the smoothness of her fah brow. The scene from the high balcony was one to be remembered ; but, although this was her last day at the Castle, the girl saw nothing of the pretty town of Meran so far below ; the distant chalk-line down the slope beyond which marked the turbulent course of the foaming Adege ; the lofty mountains all around, or the further snow-peaks, dazzling white against the deep blue of the sky. One of the epistles which lay on her lap was the letter she had x-eceived from the editor recounting the ditticulties he had met with while endeavour- ing to mtke an-angements for reporting adequately the Duchess of Chisel- hurst's ball ; the other was the still unanswered invitation from the Duchess to the Princess. Jennie was flattered to know that already the editor, who had engaged her with unconcealed reluctance, expected her to accomplish what the entire staff were powerless to effect. She knew that, had she but the courage, it was only necessary to accept the invitation in the name of her present hostess, and attend the great society function as Princess von Steinheimer. Yet she hesitated, not so much on account of the manifest danger of discovery, but because she had gi'own to like the Princess, and this impersonation, if it came to the knowledge of the one most intimately concerned, as it was almost sure to do, would doubtless be regarded as an unpardonable liberty. As she swayed gently back and forth in the gaudy rocking-chair, she thought of confessing everything to the Princess and .jking her assistance ; but pondering on this, she saw that it was staking everything on one throw of the dice. If the Princess refused, then the scheme became impossible, as that lady herself would answer the letter of the Duchess and decline the invitation. Jennie soothed her accusing conscience by telling herself that tliis inipersonation would do no harm to Princess von Steinheimer, or to anyone else for that matter, while it would be of inestimable assistance to her own journalistic career. From that she drifted to meditation on the inequalities of this life — the superabundance which some possess, while others, no less deser\ing, have difficulty in obtaining the scant necessities. And this consoling train of thought having fixed her resolve to take the goods the gods scattered at her feet, or rather threw into her lap, she drew a long sigh of deter- mination as there came a gentle tap at the door of her room, and the voice of the Princess herself said, " May I come in ? " Jennie, a rapid blush flaming her cheeks, sprang to her feet, flung the letters on a table, and opened the door. The visitor entered, looking attractive enough to be a princess of fairy- land, and greeted Miss Baxter most cordially. : " I am so sorry you are leaving," she said. " Cannot you be persuaded JENNIE AREANGES A CINDERELLA VISIT 37 vhich the were the Dossessed, rs, tables, cient line rn as this its arms compass ; the vast iss Jennie, frown that 11 tlie high 3 her last of Meran ch marked iintains all deep blue ad received endeavour- s of Chisel- 1 from the already the icted her to ! knew that, nvitation in ■ function as n account of n to like the e of the one doubtless be ly back and iverything to his, she saw the Princess erself would ion. Jennie npersonation else for that n journalistic es of this life ss deser\ ing, )n8oling train ads scattered dgh of deter- and the voice >et, flung the icess of fairy- be persuaded to change your mind and stay with me ? Where could you find a more lovely view than this from your balcony here ? " " Or a more lovely 'ostess ? " said the girl, looking at her visitor with undisguised admiratio and quite ignoring the landscape. The Princess lauglu d, and as they now stood together on the balcony she put out her hands, pushed Jennie gently into tlie rc^king-chair again, seating herself jauntily on its broad arm, and thus the wo looked like a pair of mischievous schoolgirls, home at vacation time, thoroughly enjoying their liberty." " There ! You are now my prisoner, about to be puni^^hed for flattery," cried the Princess. " I saw by the motion of the chair that you had just jumped up from it when I disturbed you, so there you are, back in it again. What were you thinking about? A rocking-chair lends itself (Icliciously to meditation, and we always dream of someone verj particular lis we rock." " I «).m no exception to the rule," sighed Jennie ; " I was thinking of you, Princess." " How nice of you to say that ; and as one good turn deserves another, here is proof that a certain young lady has been in my thoughts." As she spoke, the Princess took from her pocket an embossed case of Russian leather, opened it and displayed a string of diamonds, lustrous as drops of liquid light. " I want you to wear these stones in remembrance of our diamond mystery — that is why I chose diamonds — and also, I confess, because I want you to think of me every time you put them on. See how conceited I am ! One does not like to be forgotten." Jennie took the string, her own eyes for a moment rivalling in lirilliancy the sparkle of the gems ; then the moisture obscured her vision and she automatically poured the stones from one hand to the other, as if iheir scintillating glitter hypnotized her. She tried once or twice to speak, l>ut could not be sure of her voice, so remained silent. The Princess, noticing her agitation, gently lifted the necklace and clasped it round the skirl's white throat, chattering all the while with nervous haste. " There ! you can wear diamonds, and there are so many to whom they are unbecoming. I also look well in diamonds — at least, so I've been told over and over again, and I've come to believe it at last. I suppose the young men have not concealed from you the fact that you are a strikingly j^rood-looking girl, Jennie. Indeed, and this is brag if you like, we two resemble one another enough to e sisters, nearly the same height, the same colour of eyes and hair. Come to the mirror, Miss Handsomeness, iind admire yourself." She dragged Jennie to her feet and drew her into the loo-n, placing her triumphantly before the great looking-glass that reflected back a full- length portrait. " Now confess that you never saw a prettier girl," cried the Princess ^'leefully. " I don't think I ever did," admitted Jennie, but she was looking at the image of the Princess and not at her own. The Princess laughed, but Miss l^axter seemed too much affected by the unexpected present to join in the merriment. She regarded herself solemnly in the glass for a few moments, flien slowly undid the clasp, and, slipping the string of brilliants from her nock, handed them back to the Princess. 88 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST " You are very, very kind, but I cannot accept so costly a present." " Cannot? Why? Have I offended you by anything I have said since you came? " • " Oh. no, no. It isn't that." . " What, then ? Don't you like me, after all ? " " Like you ? I love you. Princess ! " cried the girl impulsively, throwing her arms round the other's neck. The Princess tried to laugh as she pressed Jennie closely to her, but there was a tremour of tears in the laughter. " You must take this little gift as a souvenir of your visit with me. I was really — very unhappy when you came, and now — well, you smoothed away some misunderstandings — I'm more than grateful. And it isn't natural for a woman to refuse diamonds, Jennie." " I know it isn't ; and I won't quite refuse tliem. I'll postpone. It is possible that something I shall do before long may seriously offend you. If it does — then good-bye to the necklace ! If it doesn't, when I have told you all about my misdeed — I shall confess courageously — you will give me the diamonds." " Dear me, Jennie, what tennble crime are you about to commit? Why not tell me now? You have no idea how you have aroused my curiosity." " I dare n tell you, Princess ; not until my project proves a success or a failure. We women— some have our way made for us — others have our own way to make. I am auiongthe others, and I hope you will remember that, if you are ever angry with me." "Is it a new kind of speculation? A fortune made in a day? Gambling?" " Something of that sort. I am going to stake a good deal on the turn of a card ; so please pray that luck will not be against me." " If pluck will make you win, I am sure you will carry it through, but if at first you don't succeed, try, try again ; and if you haven't the money, I'll supply the capital. I know I should like to gamble. Anyhow, you have my best wislies for your success." " Thank you. Princess. I can hardly fail after that." The time had come when the two friends nmst part. The carriage was waiting to take Miss Baxter to the station, and the girl bade good-bye to her hostess with an uneasy feeling that she was acting disloyally to one who had befriended her. In her handbag was the invitation to the ball, and also the letter she had written in the Princess's name accepting it, which latter she posted in Mermi. In due course she reached London, and presented herself to the editor of the Daily Bugle. " Well, Misslkxter," he said, " you have been extraordinarily successful in solving the diamond mystery, and I congratulate you. My letter reached you, I suppose. Have you given any thought to the problem that now confronts us? Can you get us a full report of the Duchess of Chiselhurst'H ball, written so convmcingly that all the guests who read it will know that the writer was present? " " It is entirely a question of money, Mr. Hardwick." " Most things are. Well, we are prepared to spend money to get just what we want." "How much?" •' Whatever is necessary." JENNIE ARRANGES A CINDERELLA VISIT tit." aid since throwing but there n me. I smoothed cl it isn't ne. It is tt'end you. have told ill give mv lit? Why oused my success or :s have our remember in a day? on the turn ough, but if the money, lyhow, yoH iarriage was d-bye to her to one who all, and also which latter id presented y successful !tter reached m that now IlhiseUmrst's 11 know that \f to get just "That's vague. Put it into figures." " Five hundred pounds ; seven hundred ; a thousand if need be." " It will not cost you a thousand, and it may come to more than five hundred. Place the thousand to my credit, and I shall return what ir. left. 1 must go at o.ice to Paris and carry out my plans from that city." " Then you have thought out a scheme. What is it ? " " I have not only thought it out, but most of the arrangements are already made. I cannot say more about it. You will have to trust wliolly to me." " There is a good deal of money at stake. Miss Baxter, and our reputa- tion as a newspaper as well. I think I should know what you propose to do." " Certainly. I propose to obtain for you an accurate description of the ball, written by one who was present." The editor gave utterance to a sort of interjection that always served him in place of a laugh. " In other words, you want neither interference nor advice." " Exactly, Mr. Hardwick. You know from experience that little good comes of talking too much of a secret project not yet completed." The editor drummed with his fingers on the table for a few moments thoughtfully. " Very well, then, it shall be as you say. I should have been very glad to share the responsibility of failure with you ; but if you prefer to take the whole risk yourself, there is nothing more to be said. The thousand pounds shall be placed to your credit at once. What next? " " On the night of the ball I should like you to have three or four expert shorthand writers here ; I don't know how many will be nei^essary — you understand more al)out that than I do ; but it is my intention to dictate the report right along as fast as I can talk until it is finished, and I don't wish to be stopped or ..iterrupted, so I want the best stenographers you have ; they are to relieve one another just as if they were taking down a parlia- mentary speech. The men had better be in readiness at midnight; I shall be here as soon after that as possible. If you will kindly run over their type-written MS. before it goes to the compositors, I will glance at the proofs when I have finished dictating." " Then you hope to attend the ball yourself." " Perhaps." " You ' ive just returned from the Tyrol, and I fear you don't quite appre- ciate tlu difficulties that are in the way. This is no ordinary society function, and if you think even a thousand pounds will gain admittance to an uninvited guest, you will find yourself mistaken." " So I understood from your letter." Again the editorial interjection did duty for a laugh. " You are very sanguine. Miss Baxter. I wish I felt as confident ; how- ever, we will hope for the best, and if we cannot command success, we will at least endeavour to deserve it." Jennie, with the thousand pounds at her disposal, went to Paris, took rooms at the most aris'^ocratic hotel, engaged a maid, and se about the con- struction of a ball dress that would be a dniam of beauty. Luckily, she knew exactly the gown-making resources of Pans, and the craftsmen to whom she gave her orders were not the less anxious to please her when they $Q JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST knew that the question of cost was not to be considered. From Paris she telegraphed in tlie name of the F.-incess von Steinheimer to Claridge's Hotel for an apartment on the night of the ball, and asked that a suitable equipage be provided to convey her to and from that festival. Arriving at Claridge's, she was well aware her first danger was that some- one who knew the Princess von Steinheimer would call upon her ; but on the valid plea of fatigue from her journey she proclaimed that in no circum- stances could she see any visitor, and thus shipwreck was avoided at the outset. It was unlikely that the Princess von Steinheimer was personally known to many who would attend the ball ; in fact, the Princess had given to Jennie as her main reason for refusing the invitation the excuse that she knew no one in London. She had been invited merely because of the social position of the Pi'ince in Vienna, and was unknown by sight even to her hostess, the Duchess of Chiselhurst. Critically, she compared the chances of success with the chances of failui'e, and often it seemed that disaster was inevitable, unversed as she knew herself to be in the customs of grand society at one of its high functions, but nevertheless she was un- daunted by the odds against her, and resolved to stake a career on the lortunes of a night. CHAPTER VIII. JENNIE MIXES WITH THE ELITE OF EARTH. It 18 said that a woman magnificently robed is superior to all earthly tribulations. Such was the case with Jennie as she left her carriage, ;Walked along the strip of carpet which ky across the pavement under a .canopy, and entered the great hall of the Duke of Chiselhurst's town house, one of the huge palaces of Western London. Nothing so resplendent had she ever witnessed, or even imagined, as the scene which .met her eye when she found herself about to ascend the broad stairway at the top of which the hostess stood to receive her distinguished guests. Early as she was, the stairway and the rooms beyond seemed already thronged. Splendid menials in gorgeous livery, crimson the predominant colour, .stood on each step at either side of the stair. Uniforms of every pattern, from the dazzling oriental raiment of Indian princes and eastern potentates, to the more sober, but scarcely less rich apparel of the diplomatic corps, ministers of the Empire, and officers, naval and military, gave the final note of magnificence and picturesque decoration. Like tropical flowers in this garden of colour were the ladies, who, with easy grace, moved to and fro, bestowing a smile here and a whisper there ; and Jet, despite her agination, a hurried, furtive glance around i)rought to ennie the conviction that she was, perhaps, the best-gowned woman in that assemblage of well-dressed people, which recognition somewhat . calmed her palpitating heart. The whole environment seemed unreal to her, and she walked forward as it in a dream. She heard someone cry, " The Princess von Steinheimer," and at first hid a difficulty in realizing that the title, for the moment, pertained to herself. The next instant her JENNIE MIXES WITH THE ELITE OF EARTH 41 ,ri9 she ridge's iuitable t some- hut on L'ircum- at the ■„onally a\ given use that ie of the even to •ed the led that customs was un- r on the vr ,11 earthly carriage, t under a •st's town othing so ene which way at the ts. Earl" thronged. mt colour, ry pattern, d eastern rel of the id military, iion. Like , with easy there ; and brought to woman in somewhat 1 unreal to imeone cry, in realizing instant her hand was in that of the Duchess of Chiselhurst, and Jennie heard the lady murmur that it was good of her to come so far to grace the occasion. The girl made some sort of reply which she found herself unable afterwards to recall, but the K,pid incoming of other guests led her to hope that, if she had used any unsuitable phrase, it was either unheard or forgotten in the tension of the time. She stood aside and formed one of the brilliant group at the head of the stairs, thankful that this first ordeal was well done with. Her rapidly beating heart had now opportunity to lessen its pulsations, and as she soon realized that she was practically unnoticed, her natural calmness began to return to her. She remembered why she was there, and her discerning eye enabled her to stamp on a retentive memory the various particulars of so unaccustomed a spectacle whose very unfamiliarity made the greater impression upon the girl's mind. She moved away from the group, determined to saunter through the numerous rooms thrown open for the occasion, and thus, as it were, get her bearings. In a short time all fear of discovery left her, and she began to feel very much at home in the lofty, crowded salons, pausing even to enjoy a selection which a military band, partly concealed in the foliage, was rendering in masterly manner, led by the most famous iiiipressario of the day. The remote probability of meeting anyone here who knew the Princess reassured her, and there speedily came over her a sense of delight in all the kaleidoscopic bewilderment of this great entertainment. She saw that each one there had interest in someone else, and, to her great relief, found herself left entirely alone with reasonable assurance that this remoteness would continue to befriend her until the final gauntlet of leave-taking hv l to be run ; a trial still to be encountered, the thought of which she resolutely put away from her, trusting to the luck that had hitherto not deserted her. Jennie was in this complaisant frame of mind when she was suddenly startled by a voice at her side. " Ah, Princess, I have been searching everywhere for you, catching glimpses of you now and then, only to lose you, as, alas, has been my fate on more serious occasion. May I Hatter myself with the belief that you also remember? " There was no recognition in the large frightened eyes that were turned upon him. They saw a young man bowing low over the unresisting hand he had taken. His face was clear-cut and unmistakably English. Jennie saw his closely-cropped auburn head, and, as it raised until it overtopped her own, the girl, terrified as she was, could not but admire the sweeping i)londe moustache that overshadowed a smile, half-wistful, half-humorous, which lighted up his handsome face. The ribl)on of some order was worn athwart his breast ; otherwise he wore court dress, which well became his stalwart frame. " I am disconsolate to see that I am indeed forgotten, Princess, and so another cherished delusion fades away from me." Her fan concealed the lower part of the girl's face, and she looked at liiin over its fleecy .semicircle. " Put not your trust in princesses," she murmured, a sparkle of latent mischief lighting up her eyes. The young man laughed. " Indeed," he said, " had I served my country as faithfully as 1 have boon true to my remembrance of you, Princess, I would have been an ambassador long ere this, covered with 42 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST decorations. Have you then lost all recollection of that winter in Washington five years ago ; that whirlwind of gaiety which ended by wafting you away to a foreign country, and thus the eventful season clinf 9 to my memory as if it were a disastrous western cyclone ? Is it possible that I must re-introduce myself as Donal Stirling ? " "Not Lord Donal Stirling?" asked Jennie, dimly remembering that she had heard this name in connection with something diplomatic, and her guess that he was in that service was strengthened by his previous remark about being an ambassador. "Yes, Lord Donal, if you will cruelly insist on calling me so ; but this cannot take from me the consolation that once, in the conservatory of the White House, under the very shadow of the President, you condescended to call me Don." " You cannot expect one to remember what happened in Washington five years ago. You know the administration itself changes every four years, and memories seldom carry back even so far as that." " I had hoped that my most outspoken adoration would have left reminiscence which might outlast an administration. I have not found forgetting so easy." "Are you quite sure of that. Lord Donal?" asked the girl archly, closing her fan and giving him for the first time a full view of her face. The young man seemed for a moment perplexed, but she went on, giving him little time for reflection. " Have your diplomatic duties taken you away from Washingtoa ? " " Yes, to the other end of the earth. I am now in St. Petersburg, with ultimate hopes of Vieima, Princess. I happened to be in London this week, and heax'ing you were to be here, I moved heaven and earth for an invitation." " Which you obtained, only to find yourself forgotten. How hollow this world is, isn't it ? " " Alas, yes. A man in my professior sees a good deal of the seamy side of life, and I fully believe that my rapidly lessening dependence on human veracity will be shattered by my superiors sending me to Constantinople. But let me find you a seat out of this crowd where we may talk of old times." " I don't care so much about the past as I do about the present. Let us go up into that gallery, where you shall point out to me the celebrities. I suppose you know them all, while I am an entire stranger to London Society." " That is a capital idea," cried the young man enthusiastically. " Yes, I think I know most of the people here, at least by name. Ah, here comes the Royal party ; we shall just be in time to have a good look at them." The band played the National Anthem, and Lord Donal got two chairs, which he placed at the edge of the gallery, well hidden from the promenaders by spreading tropical plants. "Oh, this is jolly," cried Jennie, quite forgetting the dignity of a Princess. " You told me why you came to the ball. Do you know why I am here ? " " On the remote chance of me^^^^ing me whom you pretended to have forgotten," replied the young man audaciously. " Of course," laughed Jennie ; " but aside from that, I came to see the out] pea JENNIE MIXES WITH THE ELITE OF EARTH 43 costumes. You know, we women are libellously said to dress for each other. Away from the world, in the Tyrol, I have little opportunity of seeing anything fine in the way of dress, and so I accepted the invitation of the Duchess." " Have you the invitation of the Duchess with you? " " Yes, I am going to make some notes on the back of it. Would you like to see it?" She handed him the letter and then leaned back in her chair, regarding him closely. The puzzled expression on his face deepened as he glanced over the invitation, and saw that it was exactly what it purported to be. He gave the letter back to her, saying, — " So you are here to see the fashions. It is a subject I know little about ; but, judging by effect, I should say that the Princess von Steinheimer has nothing to learn from anyone present. If I may touch on a topic so personal, your costume is what they call a creation, is it not, Princess? " " It isn't bad," said the girl, looking down at her gown and then glancing up at him with merriment dancing in her eyes. The diplomat had his elbow resting on the balustrade, his head leaning on his hand, and, quite oblivious to everything else, was gazing at her with such absorbed intentness that the girl blushed and cast down her eyes. The intense admiration in his look was undisguised. "Still," she rattled on somewhat breathlessly, " one gets many hints from others, and the creation of to-day is merely the old clothes of to-morrow. Invention has no vacation so far as ladies' apparel is concerned. ' Take no thought of the morrow, wherewithal ye shall be clothed,' may have been a good motto for the court of Solomon, but it has little relation with that of Victoria." " Solomon — if the saying is his — was hedging. He had many wives, you know." " Well, as I was about to say, you must now turn your attention to the other guests, and tell me who's who. I have already confessed my ignorance, and you promised to enlighten me." The young man, with visible reluctance, directed his thoughts from the one to the many, and named this person and that, while Jennie, with the pencil attached to her card, made cabalistic notes in shorthand, economizing thus both space and time. When at last she had all the information that could be desired, she leaned back in her chair with a httle sigh of supreme content. Whatever might now betide, her mission was fulfilled, if she once got quietly away. The complete details of the most important society event of the season were at her fingers' ends. She closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the satisfaction which success leaves in its train, and when she opened them again found Lord Donal in his old posture, absorbed in the contemplaf i of her undeniable beauty, " I see you are determined I shall have no difficulty in remembering you next time we meet," she said with a smile, at the same time flushing slightly under his ardent gaze. " I was just thinking," he replied, shifting his position a little, " that the five years which have dealt so hardly with me, have left you five years younger." " Age has many privileges. Lord Donal," she said to him, laughing outright ; " but I don't think you can yet lay claim to any of them. The pose of the prematurely old is not in the least borne out by your 44 JENNIE BAXTEE, .TOUENALIST appearance, however hardly the girl you met in Washington dealt with you." " Ah, Princess, it is very easy for you to treat these serious matters lightly. He laughs at scars who never felt a wound. Time, being above all things tx-eacherous, often leaves the face untouched the more ett'ectually to scar the heart. The hurt concealed is ever the more dangerous." " I fancy it has been concealed so effectually that it is not as deep as you imagined." " Princess, I will confess to you that the wound at Washington was as nothing to the one received at London." " Yes ; you told me you had been here for a week." " The week has nothing to do with it. I have been here for a night — for two hours — or three ; I have lost count of time since I met you." What reply the girl might have made to this speech, delivered with all tlie fervency of a man in thorough earnest, will never be known, for at that moment their trtc-a-UHe was interrupted by a messenger, who said,— " His Excellency the Austi-ian Ambassador begs to be permitted to pay liis regards to the Princess von Steinheimer." Lord Donal Stirling never took his eyes from the face of his companion, and he saw a quick pallor overspread it. He leaned forward and whispered, — " I know the Ambassador ; if you do not wish to meet him, I will intercept him." Jennie rose slowly to her feet, and, looking at the young man with a calmness she was far from feeling, said coldly,' — " Why should I not wish to meet the Ambassador of my adopted country ? " " I know of no reason. Quite the contrary, for he must be an old friend of yours, having been your guest at the Schloss Steinheimer a year He stepped back as he said this, and Jennie had difficulty in suppressing the gasp of dismay with which she received his disquieting disclosure, but she stood her ground without wincing. She was face to face with the crisis she had foreseen — the coming of one who knew the Princess, Next instant the aged diplomat was bending over hei' outstretched hand, which in courtly fashion the old man raised to his lips. " I am delighted to have the privilege of welcoming you to this gloomy old city. Princess von Steinheimer, which you illumine with your presence. Do you stay long in London ? " " The period of illumination is short, your Excellency. I leave for Paris to-morrow." "So soon? Without even visiting the Embassy? I am distressed to hear of so speedy a desertion, and yet, knowing the charms of the Schloss Steinheimer, 1 can hardly wonder at your wish to return there. The Prince, I suppose, is as devoted as ever to the chase. 1 must censure his Highness, next time wo meet, for not coming with you to London ; then I am sure you would have 8tayewever, said nothing about the search being ended, and a few days later Jennie received a disquieting letter from the Princess von Steinheimer. " My dear Jennie," her Highness wi'ote, " I am sure the detectives are after you, and so I thought it best to send you a word of warning. Of course it is only surmise on my part, but for days there has been a woman hovering about the cast'e, trying to get information from my servants. My maid came directly to me and told me what she knew. The woman detective had spoken to her. This inquisitive person, who had come from Paris, wished particularly to know whether I had been seen about the castle during tlie week in which the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball took place ; and so this leads me to suppose that some one is making inquii'ies for you. It must be either Lord Donal Stirling or the Duke of Chisel- hurst, but I rather think it is the former. I have written an indignant letter to Lord Donal, accusing him of having caused detectives to haunt the castle. I have not yet received a reply, but Lord Donal is a truthful person, and in a day or two I expect to find out whether or not he has a hand in this business. Meanwhile, Jennie, be on your guard, and I will w.ite you again as soon as I have something further to tell." The reading of this letter greatly increased Jennie's fears, for she felt assured that, stupid as the men undoubtedly were, they verged so closely on the brink of discovery, they were almost certain to stumble upon the truth if the investigation was continued. She wrote a hurried note to the Princess, imploring her to be cautious, and not inadvertently give any clue that would lead to her discovery. Her letter evidently crossed one from the Princess herself. Lord Donal had confessed, said the letter, and promised never, never to do it again. " He says that before my letter was received he had stopped the detectives, who were doing no good and apparently only annoying innocent people. He says the search is ended, as far as the detective is concerned, and that I need fear no more intrusions from inquiiy agents, male or female. He apologized very handsomely, but says he has not given up hopes of finding the lady who disappeared. And now, Jennie, I trust that you will admit my cleverness. You see that I had only a word or two from my maid as a clue, but I unravelled the whole plot and at once discovered who was the instigator of it, so I think I wouldn't make a bad detective myself. I am * mendouslj JEN I'lE ELUDES AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE 68 interested in episodes like this. I believe if I had known nothing of the impersonation, and if the case had been put in my hands, I should have discovered you long ago. Can't you think of some way in which my undoubted talent for research may be made use of ? You don't know how much I envy you in your newspaper office, always with an absorbing mystery on hand to solve. It must be like being the editor of a puzzle ilcpartment. I wish you would let me help you next time you have any- thing important to do. Will you promise? " When you write again, please send your letter to Vienna, as we are i,'()ing into residence there, my husband having been unexpectedly called to the capital. He holds an important position in the Government, as perhaps you remember." Jennie was delighted to know that all inquiry had ceased, and slie wrote a long letter of gratitude to the Princess. She concluded her epistle by saying : " It is perfectly absurd of you to envy one who has to work as hard as I. You are the person to be envied. It is not all beer and skittles in a newspaper office, which is a good thing, for I don't like beer, and I don't kiiG v what skittles is or are. But I promise you that tlie next time I have an interesting case on hand I shall write and give you full particulars, and I am sure that together we shall be invincible." But one trouble leaves merely to give place to another in this life. .Jennie was disturbed to notice that Mr. Hardwick was becoming more and more confidential with her. He sat down by her desk whenever there was a reasonable excuse for doing so, and he consulted her on matters important and on matters trivial. An advance of salary came to her, and she knew it was through his influence with the board of directors. Although Mr. Hardwick was sharp and decisive in business matters, he proved an awkward man where his affections were concerned, and he often came and sat by the girl's desk, evidently wishing to say something, and yet quite as evidently having nothing to say ; and thus the situation became embarrassing. Jennie was a practical girl and had no desire to complicate the situation by allowing her employer to fall in love with her, yet it was impossible to go to him and ask that his attentions might be limited strictly to a business basis. The crisis, however, was brought on by Mr. Hardwick himself. One day, when they were alone together, he said abruptly, — " That romance in high life which you were investigating with Mr. Cadbury Taylor did not come to anything? " " No, Mr. Hardwick." "Then don't you think we might enact a romance in high life in this V(?ry room ; it is high enough from the street to entitle it to be called a romance in high life," and the editor grinned uneasily, like an unready man who hopes to relieve a dilemma by a poor joke. Jennie, however, did not laugh and did not look up at him, but continued to scribble shorthand notes on the paper before her. " Ah, Mr. Hardwick ! " she said with a sigh, " I see you have discovered my secret, although I had hoped to conceal it even from your alert eyes. I am, indeed, in the situation of Ralph Eackstraw in 'Paiafore,' ' I love, and love, alas ! above my station,' and now that you know half, you may HP well know all. It arose out of that unfortunate ball given by the Duchess of Chiselhurst which will haunt me all the rest of my life, I fear," said Jennie, still without looking up. 81 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST Mr. Hardwiok smothered an ejaculation and was glad that the girl's eyes were not upon him. There was a pause of a few moments' duration between them. He took the path which was left open to him, fondly flattering himself that, while he had stumbled inadvertently upon her romance, he had kept his own secret safe. " I — I have no right to intrude on your confidences. Miss Baxter," he said finally with an effort, " and I hope you will excuse me for — for " " Oh ! I have been sure for some days you knew it," interrupted the girl, looking up, but not at him. " I have been neglecting my work, I fear, and so you were quite right in speaking." " No, your work is all right ; it wasn't that exactly — but never mind, we won't speak of this any more, for I see it embarrasses you." "Thank you, Mr. Hardwick," said Jennie, again bending her eyes on the desk before her. The man saw the colour come and go in her cheeks, and thought he had never beheld anyone so entrancing. He rose quickly, without making further attempt at explanation, and left the room. One or two tear drops stained the paper on which the girl was scribbling. She didn't like giving pain to anyone, but could not hold herself to blame for what had happened. She made up her mind to leave the Daily Bugle and seek employment elsewhere, but next day Mr. Hardwick showed no trace of disappointment, and spoke to her with that curt imperiousness which had heretofore been his custom. " Miss Baxter," he said, "have you been reading the newspapers with any degree of attention lately ? " "Yes, Mr. Hardwick." " Have you been watching the drift of foreign politics ? " " Do you refer to that speech by the Prime Minister of Austria a week or two ago?" " Yes, that is what I have in my mind. As you know, then, it amounted almost to a declaration of war against England — almost, but not quite. It was a case of saying too much or of not saying enough ; however, it was not followed up, and the Premier has been as dumb as a graven image ever since. England has many enemies in different parts of the world, but I must confess that this speech by the Austrian Premier came as a surprise. There must have been something hidden, which is not visible from the outside. The Premier is too astute a man not to know exactly what his words meant, and he was under no delusion as to the manner in which England would take them. It is a case, then, of, ' When I was so quickly done for, I wonder what I was begun for' — that is what all Europe is asking." "Is it not generally supposed, Mr. Hardwick, that his object was to consolidate Austria and Hungary ? I understood that local politics were at the bottom of his fiery speech." " Quite so, but the x-ousing of the war spirit in Austria and Hungary was useless unless that spirit is given sopiething to do. It needs a war, not a threat of war, to consolidate Austria and Hungary. If the speech had been followed up by hostile action, or by another outburst that would make war inevitable, I could understand it. The tone of the speech indicates that the Pi-ime Minister meant business at the time he gave utterance to it. Something has occurred meanwhile to change the situation, and what that something is, all the newspapers in Europe have been trying to find out. T JENNIE ELUDES AN OFFEE OF MAERIAGE 65 We have had our regular Vienna representative at work ever since the words were uttored, and for the past two weeks he has been assisted by one of tlio cleverest men I could send him from London ; but up to date, both have failed. Now I propose that you go quietly to Vienna ; I shall not let either of the wen know you are investigating the affair at which they have laboured with such little success ; for both are good men, and I do not want to discourage either of them ; still, above all things, I wish to liave the solution of this mystery. So it occurred to me last night that you might succeed where others had failed. What do you think of it? " " lam willing to try," said Miss Baxter, as there flashed across her mind an idea that here was a case in which the Princess von Steinheimer could he of the greatest assistance to her. " It has been thought," went on the editor, "that the Emperor is ex- tremely adverse to having trouble with England or any other country. Still, if tliat were the case, a new Cabinet would undoubtedly have been formed after this intemperate address of the Premier ; but this man still holds his otlice, and there has been neither explanation nor apology from Court or Caliinet. I am convinced that there is something behind all this, a wheel witliin a wheel of some sort, because, the day after the speech, there came j a nuhour from Vienna that an attempt had been made on the life of the Hinperor or of the Premier ; it was exceedingly vague, but it was alleged [that a dynamite explosion had taken place in the palace. This was promptly contradicted, but we all know what official contradictions amount to. There is internal trouble of some kind at the Court of Vienna, and if we could publish the full details, such an article would give us a European reputation. When could you be ready to begin your journey, Miss I Baxter?" I am ready now." ' Well, in an affair like this it is best to lose no time ; you can go [to-morrow morning, then? " Oh, certainly, but I must leave the ofiBce at once, and you should get Isonieone to finish the work I am on." " I vnll attend to that," said the editor. Tims relieved, Jennie betook herself to a telegraph office. She knew Ithat if she wrote a letter to the Princess, who was now in Vienna, she Jwould probably herself reach that city as soon as her note, so she Itelej^'raphed that something important was on hand which would take her Ito Vienna by next day's Orient express, and intimated- that it was a matter 111 which she might need the assistance of the Princess. Then she piastened to her rooms to pack up. That evening there came an answering Itclef^ram from Vienna. The Princess asked her to bring her ball dress and all the rest of her finery. The lady added that she herself would be at the piluay station, and asked Jennie to telegraph to her, en route, the time of Pier arrival. It was evident that her Highness was quite prepared to pn^'ai^'e in whatever scheme there was on hand, and this fact encouraged Jennie to hope that success perhaps awaited her. -^ JENNIE BAXTEK, JOURNALIST CHAPTER XII. JENNIE TOUCHES THE EDGE OF A GOVERNMENT SECRET. True to her promise, the Princess von Steinheimer was waiting at the immense railway station of Vienna, and she received her friend with gushing effusion. Jennie left the train as neat as when she had entered it, for many women have the faculty of taking long journeys without showing the dishevelled effect which protracted railway travelling seems to have upon the masculine, an*^ probably more careless, portion of humanity. "Oh, you dear girl ! " cried the Princess ; " you cannot tell how glad I am to see you. I was just yearning for someone to talk English to. I am so tired of French and German, although they flatter me by saying that I speak those two languages extremely well ; yet English is my own tongue, and it is so delightful to talk with one who can understand every blessed word you say, which you can easily see those who pretend to speak English in Vienna do not. What long chats we shall have ! And now come this way to the carriage. There is a man here to look after your luggage. You are coming right home with me and are going to stay with me as long as you are in Vienna. Don't say, ' No,' nor nuike any excuse, nor talk of going to an hotel, for a suite of rooms is all ready for you, and your luggage will be there before we are. Now let us enter the carriage, for I am just pining to hear what it is you have on ha: id. Some delicious scandal, I hope." " No," answered Jennie ; "it pertains to Government matters." "Oh, dear!" cried the Princess; "how tiresome! Politics are so dull." " I don't think this case is dull," said Jennie ; " because it has brought Austria and England to the verge of war." " What a dreadful idea ! I hadn't heard anything of it. When did tlxis happen '? " " Less than a month ago," and Jennie related the whole circumstance, giving a synopsis of the Premier's speech. " But I see nothing in that speech to cause war," protested the Princess. " It is as mild as new milk." " I don't pretend to understand diplomacy," continued Jennie, blushing slightly as she remembered Lord ]3onal ; and it seemed that the same thought struck the Princess at the same moment, for she looked quizzically at Jennie and burst out into a laugh. " You may laugh," cried the girl ; " but I tell you that this is a serious business. They say it only needed a second ' new milk ' speech from the Premier to have England answer most politely in words of lioney, and next instant the two countries would have been at each other's throats." " Suppost! we write to Lord Donal in St. Petersburg," suggested the Princess, still laughing, " and ask him to come to Vienna and help us? He understaiuls all about diplomacy. By the way, Jeimie, did Lord Donal over iindout whom he uiut ut the bail that uight ? " " No, he " Don't romance ui " It isn't have been l)ut if you hotel." " Oh, n( You know Lord Doni Jennie, yo any threat plays who But you a said. No " I wan another. taken in I unforeseei what thos For the pi trying to i they have they faile Madame 1 " I sug those dip " I hav men I sp< conceal. are not lil world, so two fello\ " But i difficult fi " Beca and then posal. 1 these wi\ to get. men. N their wiv TIk) P " Exo( gossips interest i some iir l)roposo shall in' iiittuonti lie is a'. of the pi JENNIE TOUCHES A GOVEENMENT SECEET 67 g at the nd with entered without g seems artion of w glad I o. I am ig that I 1 tongue, y blessed io speak ■^nd now iter your 3tay with y excuse, you, and carriage, delicious s are so brought 'hen did nstance, ted the flushing le same izzically serious 'oui the ey, and )at8." ted the )lp us? i Lord '* No, he didn't," answered Miss Baxter shortly. " Don't you ever intend to let him know ? Are you going to leave the romance unfinished, like one of "-^nry James's novels ? " " It isn't a romance; it is s. \'' j a very distressing incident which I liave been trying to forget ever since. It is all very well for you to laugh, but if you ever mention the subject again I'll leave you and go to an hotel." " Oh, no, you won't," chirruped the Princess brightly ; " you daren't. You know I hold all the trump cards ; at any time I can send a letter to Lord Donal and set the poor young man's mind at rest. So you see, Miss Jennie, you will have to talk very sweetly and politely to me and not make any threats, because I am like those dreadful pgrsons in the sensational plays who possess the guilty secrets of other people and blackmail them. But you are a nice girl, and I won't say anything you don't want to hear said. Now, what is it you wish to find out about this political crisis ? " " I want to discover why the Premier did not follow up his speech with another. He must have kno\/n when he spoke how his words would be taken in England ; therefore it is thought that he* had some plans which unforeseen circumstances intervening have nuUitied. I want to know what those unforeseen circumstances were, and what these plans were. For the past fortnight the Daily Biujle has had two men here in Vienna trying to throw some light on the dark recesses of diplomacy. Up to date they have failed, but at any moment they may succeed ; it was because they failed that I am sent here. Now, have you anything to sugges'", Madame la Princesse? " " I suggest, Jeimie, that we put our heads together and learn all that those diplomatists wish to hide. Have you no plans yourself? " " I have no very definite plan, but I havj a general scheme. These men I spoke of are trying to discover what other men are endeavouring to conceal. All the oilicials are on their guard ; they are highly placed, and are not likely to be got at by bribery. They are clever, alert men of the world, so hoodwinking them is out of the question ; therefore I think my two fellow journalists have a difficult task before them." " But it is the same task that you have before you ; why is it not as difficult for you, Jennie, as for them ? " " Because I propose to work v.ith people who are not on their guard, and there is where you can help me, if you are not shocked at my pro- posal. Each official has a wife, or at least most of them have. Some of these wives, in all probability, possess the information that we would like to get. Women will talk more freely with women than men will with men. Now, I propose to leave the officials severely alone and to interview their wives." The Princess clapped \wr hands. " Excellent ! " she cried. " The women of gossips you ever heard chattering together, interest in politics, otherwise I suppose I might some important (jovernment secrets. Now, Jennie, I'll tell you what l)ropose doing. 1 shall give a fornuil tea next Thursday afternoon. Vienna are the greatest I have never taken any have become possessed of I I shall invitt) to that tea a dozen, or two dozen, or three dozen wives of iiifluontial officials about the Court. My husl)and will like that, because 1h( is a! 'ys complaining that I do not pay. enough attention to Uie ladies of the political circle of Vienna. He takes a great interest in politics, you 68 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST know. If we discover nothing at the first tea-meeting, we will have another, and another, and another, until we do. We are sure to invite tlic right womsn on one of those occasions, and wlien we find her I'll warrant the secret will soon belong to us. Ah, here we are at home, and we will postpone the discussion of our delightful conspiracy until you have had something to eat and are rested a hit." The carriage drew up at the magnificent palace, well known in Vienna, which belongs to the Prince von Steinheimer ; aivl shortly afterwards Jennie Baxter found herself in possession of the linest suite of rooms she had ever beheld in her life. Jennie laughed as she looked round her apartment and noted its luxuriant appointments. " These are not exactly what we should call ' diggings' in London, are they?" she said to the Princess, who stood by her side, delighted at the pleasure of her friend. " We often read of poor yenny-a-liners in their garrets ; but I don't think any penny-a-liner ever had such a garret as this placed at his disposal." " I knew you would like the rooms," cried the Princess gaily. " I like them myself, and I hope they will help to induce you to stay in Vienna as long as you can. I have given you my own maid Gretlich. and I assure you it isn't every friend I would lend her to ; she is a model servant." " Oh, but you mustn't do that," said Jennie. " I cannot rob you of your maid and also be selfish enough to monopolize these vooms." " You are not robbing me ; in fact, I am, periia})s, a little artful in giving you Gretlich, for she is down in the dumps this last week or two, and I don't know what in the world is the matter with her. I suspect it is some love affair ; but she will say nothing, although I have asked her time and again what is the trouble. Now, you are such a cheery, consoling young woman that I thought if Gretlich were in your service for a time slie might bi'ighten up and be her own self again. Ho you see, instead of robbing me, I am really taking advantage of your good nature." "Iain afraid you are just saying that to make it easier for me to be selfish ; still, you are so generous, Princess, that 1 am not going to object to anything you do, but just give myself up to luxury while I stay in Vienna." "That is right. \h, here is Gretlich, Now, Gretlich, I want you to help make Miss Baxter's stay hero so pleasant that she will never want to leave us." " I shall do my best, your Highness," said the girl, with quiet de- ference. The Princess left the two alone together, and Jennie saw that Gretlich was not the least ornamental apjjendagc to the handsdine suit(> of rooms. Gretlich was an excellent example of that type of lair women for which Vienna is noted ; but she was, a.* the Princes- ' .id said, extreitu;ly downcast, and .Feimie, who had a deep sympathy foi ..il who worked, spoke kindly to the girl and endeavoured to cheer her. 'Inhere was something of miacciis- tomed tenderness in the eomj)assionate tones of Jennie's voice that touched the girl, for, after a brief and inelTectual ei'i'ort at self-control, she nroke the station on the night of tho 2l8t and entered the sleeping car as soon as she was allowed to do so. ' (i conductor seemed unaccountably flustered at her anxiety to get to her room, and he examined her ticket with great care ; then, telling her to follow him, brought her to Room B, in which were situated berths 5 and 6, upper and lower. The berths were not made up, and the room showed one seat, madei to accommo- date two persons. The conductor went out on the platform again, and Jennie, finding herself alone in the carriage, walked up and down the narrow passage-way at the side, to get a better idea of her surroundings. Room A. Room H. Room C. Room D. 1 04 1 2 Berths. 3 4 Berths. 5 6 Berths. 7 8 9 10 Berths. 11 12 Door. Passage. Plan uf Slgepinq Cab. Room C, next to her own, was the one taken by the British Embassy. Room D, still further on, was the one that appeared to have been retained by the police. She stood for a few moments l)y tho broad plate-glass window that lined the passage and looked out at tlie crowded platform. For a time she watched the conductor, who appeared to be gazing anxiously towards the direction fi*om which passengers streamed, as if looking for someone in particular. Presently a big man, a huge overcoat 108 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST belted round him, with a stern bearded fa.ce — looking, the girl thought, typically Russian — strode up to the conductor and spoke earnestly with hira. Then the two turned to the steps of the car, and Jennie fled to her narrow little room, closing the door all but about an inch. An instant later the two men came in, speaking together in French. The larger man had a gruff voice and spoke the language in a way that showed it was not native to him. " When did you learn that he had changed his room ? " asked the man with the gruff voice. " Only this afternoon," replied the conductor. " Did you bore holes between that and the adjoining compartment? " "Yes, Excellency; but Azof did not tell me whether you wanted the holes at the top or the bottom." " At the bottom, of course," replied the Russian. " Any fool might have known that. The gas must rise, not fall ; then when he feels its effect and tumbles down, he will be in a denser layer of -it, whereas, if we put it in the top, and he fell down, he would com.e into pure air, and so might make his escape. You did not bore the hole over the top berth, I hope? " " Yes, Excellency, but I bored one at the bottom also." " Oh, very well, we can easily stop the one at the top. Have you fastened the window ? for the first thing these English do is to open a window." " The window is securely fastened, your Excellency, unless he breaks the glass." " Oh, he will not think of doing that until it is too late. The English are a law-abiding people. How many other passengers are there in the car?" " Oh, I forgot to tell you, Excellency, the Room B has been taken by an English lady, who is there now." " Ten thousand devils ! " cried the Russian in a hoarse whisper. " Why did you not say that before? " The voices now fell to so low a murmur that Jennie could not dis- tinguish the words spoken. A moment later there was a rap at her door, and she had presence of mind enough to get in the further corner, and say in a sleepy voice, — "Gome in! " The conductor opened the door. " Voire billet, s'il vous plait, madame." " Can't you speak English ? " asked Jennie. The conductor merely repeated his question, and as Jennie was shaking her head the big Russian looked over the conductor's shoulder and said in passable English, — " He is asking for your ticket, madam. Do you not speak French ? " In answer to this direct question Jennie, fumbling in her purse for her ticket, replied, — "T. speak English, and I have already sbown him my ticket." She handed her broad-sheet sleeping-car ticket to the Rusi3ian, who had pushed the conductor aside and now stood within the compartment. " There has been a mistake," he said. " Room C is the one that has been reserved for you." "I am sure there isn't any mistake," said Jennie. "I booked berths conspirat Petersbu: French, - " Cone "Tbisl "Excellol JENNIE ENDUEES A TEEEIBLE NIGHT JOUENEY 109 5 and 6. See, there are the numbers," pointing to the metallic plates by the door, " and here are the same numbers on the ticket." The Eussian shook his head. " The mistake has been made at the oflBce of the Sleeping Car Company. I am a director of the Company." " Oh, are you ? " asked Jennie innocently. " Is Eoom C as comfortable as this one ? ' ' " It is a duplicate of this one, madam, and is more comfortable, because it is nearer the centre of the car." " Well, there is no mistake about my reserving the two berths, is there?" " Oh, no, madam, the room is entirely at your disposal." " Well, then, in that case," said Jennie, " I have no objection to making a change." She knew that she would be compelled to change, no matter what her ticket recorded, so she thought it best to play the simple maiden abroad, and make as little fuss as possible about the transfer. She had to rearrange the car in her mind. She was now in Eoom C, which had been fii'st reserved by the British Embassy. It was evident that at the last moment the messenger had decided to take Eoom A, a four-berth compartment at the end of the car. The police then would occupy Eoom B, which she had first engaged, and, from the bit of conversation she had overheard, Jennie was convinced that they intended to kill or render insensible the messenger who bore the important letter. The police were there not to protect, but to attack. This amazing complication in the plot concentrated all the girl's sympathies on the unfortunate man who was messenger between two great personages, even though he travelled apparently under the protection of the British Embassy at St. Petersburg. The ''act, to put it baldly, that she had intended to rob him herself, if opportunity occurred, rose before her like an accusing gliost. " I shall never undertake anything like this again," she cried to herself, " never, never," and now she resolved to make reparation to the man she had intended to injure. She would watch for him until he came down the passage, and then warn him by relating what she had heard. She had taken off her hat on entering the room ; now she put it on hurriedly, thrusting a long pin through it, As she stood up, there was a jolt of the train that caused her to sit down again somewhat hurriedly. Passing her window she saw the lights of the station ; the train was in motion, " Thank Heaven ! " she cried fervently, " he is too late. Those plotting villains will have all their trouble for nothing." She glanced upwards towards the ceiling and noticed a hole about an inch in diameter bored in the thin wooden partition between her compartment and the next. Turning to the wall behind her she saw that another hole had been bored in a similar position through to Eoom B. The car had been pretty thoroughly prepared for the work in hand, and Jennie laughed tio^ily to herself as she pictured the discomfiture of the conspirators. The train was now rushing through the suburbs of St. Petersburg, when Jennie was startled by hearing a stranger's voice say in French, — " Conductor, I have Eoom A ; which end of the car is that? " " This way, Excellency," replied the conductor. Everyone seemed to be " Excellency " with him. 110 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST A moment later, Jennie, who had again risen to her feet, horrified to learn that, after all, the messenger had come, heard the door of his room click. Everything was silent save the purring murmur of the swiftly moving train. She stood there for a few moments tense with excitement, then bethought herself of the hole between her present compartment and the one she had recently left. She sprang up on the seat, and placing her eye with some caution at the hole, peered through. First she thought the compartment was empty, then noticed there hatl been placed at the end by the window a huge cylinder that reached nearly to the ceiling of the room. The lamp above was burning brightly, and she could see every detail of the compartment, except towards the floor. As she gazed a man's back slowly rose ; he appeared to have been kneeling on the floor, and he held in his hand the loop of a rubber tube. Peering downwards, she saw that it was connected with the cylinder, and that it was undoubtedly pouring whatever gas the cylinder contained through the hole into Room A. For a moment she had difficulty in repressing a shriek ; but realizing how perfectly helpless she was, even if an alarm were raised, she fought down all exclamation. She saw that the man who was regulating the escape of gas was not the one who had spoken to the conductor. Then, fearing that he might turn his head and see her eye at the small aperture, she reached up and covered the lamp, leaving her own room in complete darkness. The double covering, which closed over the semi-globular lamp like an eyelid, kept every ray of light from penetrating into the compart- ment she occupied. As Jennie turned to her espionage again, she heard a blow given to the door in Room A that made it chatter, then there was a sound of a heavy fall on the floor. The door of Room B was flung open, the head of the first Russian was thrust in, and he spoke in his own language a single gruff word. His assistant then turned the cock and shut off the gas from the cylinder. The door of Room B was instantly shut again, and Jennie heard the rattle of the key as Room A was being unlocked. Jennie jumped down from her perch, threw off her hat, and, with as little noise as possibl slid her door back an inch or two. The conductor bad unlocked the doui uf Room A, the tall Russian standing beside him saying in a whisper, — " Never mind the man, he'll recover the moment you open the door and window ; get the box. Hold your nose with your fingers and keep your mouth shut. There it is, that black box in the corner." The conductor made a dive into the room, and came out with an ordinary black despatch-box. The policeman seemed well provided with the materials for his burglarious purpose. He selected a key from a jingling bunch, tried it ; selected another ; then a third, and the lid of the despatch-box was thrown back. Ho took out a letter so exactly the duplicate of the one Jennie possessed that she clutched her own document to see if it were still in her pocket. The Russian put the envelope between hi9 knees and proceeded to lock the box. His imagination had not gone to any such refinement as the placing of a dummy copy where the oi'iginal had been. Quick as thought Jennie acted. She slid open the door quietly and stepped out into the passage. So intent were the two men on their work that neither saw her. The tall man gave the box back to the conductor, then took the letter from between his knees, holding it in his right hand, when Jennie, as if swayed by the sphel they I inveff migl low, [ agaii remc to a they I tlie JENNIE SNDUBES A TEEEIBLE NIGHT JOURNEY 111 motion of the car, lurched against him, and, with a sleight of hand that would have made her reputation on a necromantic stage, she jerked the letter from the amazed and frightened man, at the same moment allowing the bogus document to drop on the floor of the car from her other hand. The conductor had just emerged from Room A, holding his nose and looking comical enough as he stood there in that position, amazed at the sudden apparition of the lady. The Russian struck down the conductor's fingers with his right hand, and by a swift motion of the left closed the door of Compartment A, all of which happened in a tenth of the time taken to tell it. " Oh, pardon me ! " cried Jennie in English, " I'm afraid a lurch of the car threw me against you." The Russian, before answering, cast a look at the floor and saw the large envelope lying there with its seal uppermost. He quietly placed his huge foot upon it, and then said, with an effort at politeness, — "It is no matter, madam. I fear I am so bulky that I have taken up most of the passage." " It is very good of you to excuse me," said Jennie ; " I merely came out to ask the conductor if he would make up my berth. Would you be good enough to translate that to him ? " The Russian surlily told the conductor to attend to the wants of the lady. The conductor muttered a reply, and that reply the Russian translated. " He will be at your service in a few moments, madam. He must first make up the berth of the gentleman in Room A." " Oh, thank you very much," returned Jennie. " I am in no hurry ; any time within the hour will do." With that she retired again into her compartment, the real letter concealed in the folds of her dress, the bogus one on the floor under the Russian's foot. She closed the door tightly, then, taking care that she was not observed through either of the holes the conductor had bored in the partition, she swiftly placed the important document in a deep inside pocket of her jacket. As a general rule, women liave inside pockets in their capes, and outside pockets in their jackets ; but Jennie, dealing as she did with many documents in the course of her profession, had had this jacket especially made, with its deep and roomy inside pocket. She sat on a corner of the sofa, wondering what was to be the fi'te of the unfortunate messenger, for, in spite of the sudden shutting of the door by the Russian, she caught a ghmpse of the man lying face downw irds on the floor of his stifling room. She also had received a .whiff of the sweet, heavy gas which had been used, that seemed now to be tincturing the whole atmo- sphere of the car, especially in the long narrow passage. It was not likely they intended to kill the man, for his death would cause an awkward investigation, while his statement that he had been rendered insensible might easily be denied. As she sat there, the silence disturbed only by the low, soothing rumble of the train, she heard the ring of the metal cylinder against the woodwork of the next compartment. The men were evidently removing their apparatus. A little later the train slowed, finally coming to a standstill, and looking out of the window into the darkness, she found they were stopping at an ill-lighted country station. Covering the Ught in the ceiling again, the better to see outside, herself unobserved, she noted ! ti !• I 119 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST the oonduotor and another man place the bulky cylinder on the platform, without the slightest e£fort at concealment. The tall Russian stood by and gave curt orders. An instant later the train moved on again, and when well under way there was a rap at her door. When she opened it, the conductor said that he would make up her berth now, if it so pleased her. She stood out in the corridor while this was deftly and swiftly done. She could not restrain her curiosity regarding the mysterious occupant of Room A, and to satisfy it she walked slowly up and down the corridor, her hands behind her, passing and repassing the open door of her room, and noticing that ever and anon the conductor cast a suspicious eye in her direction. The door of Room A was partly open, but the shaded lamp in the ceiling left the interior in darkness. There was now no trace of the intoxicating gas in the corridor, and as she passed Room A she noticed that a fresh breeze was blowing through the half open doorway, therefore the window must be up. Once ao she passed her own door she saw the conductor engaged in a task which would keep him from looking into the corridor for at least a minute, and in that interval she set her doubts at rest by putting her head swiftly into Room A, and as swiftly withdrawing it. The man had been lifted on to his sofa, and lay with his face towards the wall, his head on a pillow. The despatch-box rested on a corner of the sofa, where, doubtless, he had left it. He was breathing heavily like a man in a drunken sleep ; but the air of the room was sweet and fresh, and he would doubtless recover. Jennie still paced up and down, pondering deeply over what had happened. At first, when she had secured the important document, she had made up her mind to return it to the messenger ; but further meditation induced her to change her mind. The messenger had been robbed by the Russian police ; he would tell his superiors exactly what had happened, and yet the letter would reach its destmation as speedily as if he had brought it himself — as if he had never been touched. Knowing the fmrpose which Mr. Hardwick had in his mind, Jennie saw that the atter now was of tenfold more value to him than it would have been had she taken it from the messenger. It was evident that the British Embassy, or the messenger himself, had suspicions that an attempt was to be made to obtain the document, otherwise Room C of the sleeping car would not have been changed for Room A at the very last moment. If, then, the editor could say to the official, " The Russian police robbed your messenger in spite of all the precautions that could be taken, and my emissary cozened the Russians ; so, you see, I have accomplished what the whole power of the British Government \yas powerless to effect ; therefore it will be wisdom on your part to come to terms with me." Jennie resolved to relate to Hardwick exactly how she came into possession of the document, and she knew his alert nature well enough to be sure he would make the most of the trump card dealt to him. " Your room is ready for you," said the conductor in French. She had the presence of mind enough not to comprehend his phrase until, with a motion of his hand, he explained his meaning. She entered her compartment and closed the door. Having decided what disposal to make of the important document, there now arose in her mind the disquieting problem whether or not it would be JENNIE ENDURES A TERRIBLE NIGHT JOURNEY 113 allowed to remain with her. She cogitated over the situation and tried to work out the mental arithmetic of it. Trains were infrequent on the Russian railways, and she had no means of estimating when the burly rufliian who had planned and executed the robbery would get back to St. Petersburg. There was no doubt that he had not the right to open the letter and read its contents ; that privilege rested with some higher official in St. Petersburg. The two men had got off at the first stopping place. It was quite possible that they would not reach the capital until next morning, when the Berlin express would be well on its way to the frontier. Once over the frontier she would be safe ; but the moment it was found that the purloined envelope merely contained a copy of an English news- paper, what might not happen? Would the Russian authorities dare telegrapli to the frontier to have her searched, or would the big official who bad planned the robbery suspect that she, by legerdemain, had become possessed of the letter so much sought for ? Even if he did suspect her, 111! would certainly have craft enough not to admit it. His game would rather be to maintain that this was the veritable document found in the Kngtishman's despatch-box ; and it was more than likely, taking into consideration the change of room at the last moment, which would show tlie officials the existence of suspicion in the messenger's mind, or in the minds of those who sent him, the natural surmise would be that another messenger had gone with the real document, and that the robbed man was merely a blind to delude the Russian police. In any case, Jennie con- cluded, there was absolutely nothing to do but to remain awake a/1 night and guard the treasure which good luck had bestowed upon her. She stood up on her bed, about to stuff her handkerchief into the hole bored in the partition, but suddenly paused and came down to the floor again. No, discomforting as it was to remain in a room under possible espionage, she dared not stop the openings, as that would show she had cognisance of them, and arouse the conductor's suspicion that, after all, she had under- stood what had been said ; whereas, if she left tbtjm as they were, the fact of her doing so would be strong confirmation of her ignorance. She took from her bag a scarf, tied one end round her wrist and the other to the door, so that it could not be opened, should she fall asleep, without awakening her. Before entrenching herself thus, she drew the eyelids down over the lamp, and left her room in darkness. Then, if anyone did spy upon her they would not see the dark scarf which united her wrist with the door. In spite of the danger of her situation she had the utmost difficulty in keeping awake. The rumble of the train had a very somnolent effect, and once or twice she started up, fearing that she had been slumbering. Once she experienced a tightening sensation in her throat, and sprang to the floor, seeing the rising gas somehow made visible, the colour of blood. The scarf drew her to her knees, and for a moment she thought someone clutclied her wrist. Panting, she undid the scarf and flooded the room with light. Her heart was beating wildly, but all was still, save the ever- present rumble of the ti-ain rushing through the darkness over the bound- less plains of Russia. She looked at her tiny watch, it was two o'clock in the morning. She knew then that she must have fallen asleep in spite of her strong resolutions. The letter was still in the inside pocket of her jacket, and all was well at two in the morning. No eye appeared at either of the apertures, so she covered up the light once more and lay down again, f iJ 114 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST sighing to think how rumpled her dainty costume would look in the morning. Now she was resolved not to go to sleep, if force of will could keep her awake. A moment later she was startled by someone beating down the partition with an axe. She sprang up, and again the scarf pulled her back. She untied it from her wrist una noticed that daylight flooded the compartment. This amazed her ; how could it be daylight so soon ? Had she been asleep again, and was the fancied battering at the door with an axe merely the conclusion of a dream caused by the conductor's knock ? After a breathless pause there came a gentle rap on her door, and the voice of the conductor said, — " Breakfast at Luga, madame, in three-quarters of an hour." " Very good," she replied in English, her voice ti'embling with fear. Slowly she untied the scarf from the door and placed it in her handbag. She shivered notwithstanding her effort at self-control, for she knew she had slept through the night, and far into the morning. In agitation she unbuttoned her jacket. Yes ; there was the letter, just where she had placed it. She dare not take it out and examine it, fearing still that she might be watched from some unseen quarter, but " 1?hank God," she said to herself fervently, " this horrible night is ended. Once over the frontier I am safe." She smoothed and brushed down her dress as well as she was able, and was greatly refreshed by her wash in cold water, which 10 one of the luxuries, not the least acceptable, on a sleeping car. JENNIE EXPEBIENCES THE SUEPBISE OF HER LIEE 116 CHAPTER XIX. J'^KNiE EXPERIENCES THE SURPRISE OP HER LIFE. At nine o'clock the long train came to a standstill, seventeen minutes late at Luga, and ample time was allowed for a leisurely breakfast in the buffet of the station. The restaurant was thronged with numerous passengers, most of whom seemed hardly yet awake, while many were unkempt and dishevelled, as if they had had little sleep during the night. Jennie found a small table and sat down beside it, ordering her coffee and rolls from the wrater who came to serve her. Looking round at the cosmopolitan coLipany, and listening to the many languages, whose clash gave a Babel air to the restaurant, Jennie fell to musing on the strange experiences she had encountered since leaving London. It seemed to her she had been taking part in some ghastly nightmare, and she shuddered as she thought of the lawlessness, under cover of law, of this great and despotic empire, where even the ruler was under the surveillance of his subordinates, and could not get a letter out of his own dominion in safety, were he so minded. In her day-dream she became conscious, without noting its application to herself, that a man was standing before her table ; then a voice which made her heart stop said, — " Ah, lost Princess ! " She placed her hand suddenly to her throat, for the catch in her breath seemed to be suffocating her, then looked up and saw Lord Donal Stirling, in the ordinary everyday di' ^s of an English gentleman, as well groomed as if he had come, not from a tr, , but from his own house. There was a kindly smile on his lips and a sparkle in his eyes, but his face was of ghastly pallor. " Oh, Lord Donal I " she cried, regarding him with eyes of wonder and fear, " what is wrong with you? " •' Nothing," the young man replied, with an attempt at a laugh ; " nothing, now that I have found you, Princess. I have been making a night of it, that's all, and am suffering the consequences in the morning. May I sit down ?" He dropped into a chair on the other side of the table, like a man thoroughly exhausted, unable to stand longer, and went on, — " Like all dissipated men, I am going to break my fast on stimulants. Waiter," he said, " bring me a large glass of your best brandy." •' And, waiter," interjected Jennie in French, " bring two break- fasts. I suppose it was not a meal that you ordered just now. Lord Donal ? " I have ordered my breakfast," he said ; " still, it pleads in my favour that I do not carry brendy with me, as I ought to do, and so must drink the vile stuff they call ;heir best here." " You should eat as veil," she insisted, taking charge of him as if she had every right to do so. 116 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST " All Bhall be as you say, now that I have the happiness of seeing you sitting opposite me, but don't be surprised if I show a most unappreciative appetite." " What is the matter ? " she asked breathlessly. "You certainly look very ill." " I have been drugged and robbed," he replied, lowering his voice. " I imagine I came to close quarters with death itself. I have spent a night in Hades, and this morning am barely able to stagger ; l)ut the sight of you, Princess Ah, well, I feel once more that I belong to the land jf the living ! " " Please do not call me Princess," said the girl, looking down at the tablecloth. " Then what am I to call you, Princess? " " My name is Jennie Baxter," she said in a low voice. "Miss Jennie Baxter?" he asked eagei'ly, with emphasis on the first word. " Miss Jennie Baxter," she answered, still not looking up at him. He leaned back in his chair and said, — " Well, this is not such a bad world, after all. To think of meeting you here in Russia ! Have you been in St. Petersburg, then ? " "Yes. I am a newspaper woman," explained Jennie hurriedly. " When you met me before, I was there surreptitiously — fraudulently, if you like ; I was there to — to write a report of it for my paper. I can never thank you enough. Lord Donal, for your kindness to me that evening." " Your thanks are belated," said the young man, with a visible attempt at gaiety. " You should have written and acknowledged the kindness you are good enough to say I rendered to you. You knew my address, and etiquette demanded that you should make your acknowledg- ments." " I was reluctant to write," said Jennie, a smile hovering round her lips, " fearing my letter might act as a clue. I had no wish to interfere with the legitimate business of Mr. Cadbury Taylor." " Groctt heavens ! " cried the young man, " how came you to know about that ? But of course the Princess von Steinheimer told you of it. She wrote to me charging me with all sorts of wickedness for endeavour- ing to find you." " No, Lord Donal, I did not learn it from her. In fact, if you had opened the door of the inner room at Mr. Cadbury Taylor's a little quicker, you would have come upon me, for I was the assistant who tried to persuade him that you really met the Princess von Steinheimer." Lord Donal, for the first time, laughed heartily. "Well, if that doesn't beat all! And I suppose Cadbury Taylor hasn't the slightest suspicion that you are the person he was looking for?" " No, not the slightest." "I say! that is the best joke T have heard in ten years," said Lord Donal ; and here, breakfast arriving, Jennie gave him his directions. " You are to drink a small portion of that brandy," she said, " and then put tlie rest in your coffee. You must eat a good breakfast, and that will help you to forget your troubles — that is, if you have any real troublos." take "I now, Don." "N like th He a man the a lu JENNIE EXPEEIENCES THE SURPRISE OF HER LIFE 117 you had i quicker, I tried to "Oh, my troubles are real enough," said the young man. " When 1 met you before, Princess, I was reasonably successful. We even talked about ambassadorships, didn't we, in spite of the fact that ambassadors w .3 making themselves unnecessarily oiitrusive that night? Now you see before you a ruined man. No, I am not joking ; it is true. I was given a commission, or, rather, knowing the danger there was in it, I begged that the commission might be given me. It was merely to take a letter from St. Petersburg to London. I have failed, and when that is said, all is said." " But surely," cried the girl, blushing guiltily as she realized that this was the man she had been sent to rob, " you could not be expected to ward off such a lawless attempt at murder as you have been the victim of?" " That is just what I expected, and what I supposed I could ward off. In my profession — which, after all, has a great similarity to yours, except that I think we have to do more lying in ours — there must be no such word as fail. The very best excuses are listened to with tolerance, perhaps, and a shrug of the shoulders ; but failure, no matter from what cause, is fell doom. I have failed. I shall not make any excuses. I will go to London and say merely, ' The Russian police have robbed me.' Oh, I know perfectly well who did the trick, and how it was done. Then I shall send in my resignation. They will accept it with polite words of regret, and will say to each other, ' Poor fellow, he had a brilliant career before him, but he got drunk, or something, and fell into the ditch.' Ah, well, we won't talk any more abou>, it." " Then you don't despise the newspaper profession. Lord Donal? " " Despise it ! Bless you, no ; I look up to it, belonging myself to a profession very much lower down in the scale of morality, as I have said. But, Princess,' he added, leaning towards her, " will you resign from the newspaper if I resign from diplomacy ? " The girl slowly shook her head, her eyes on the tablecloth before her. " I will telegraph my resignation," he said impetuously, " if you will telegraph yours to your paper." " You are feehng ill and worried this morning. Lord Donal, and so you take a pessimistic view Ife. You must not resign." " Oh, but I must. I ^ave failed, and that is enough." " It isn't enough. You must do nothing until you reach London." " I like your word must, Jennie," said the young man audaciously. " It implies something, you know." "What do IS it imply, Lord Donal?" she asked, glancing up at him. " It implies that you are going to leave the ' Lord ' off my name." " That wouldn't be very difficult," replied Jennie " I am delighted to hear you say so," exclaimed his lordship ; " and now, that I may know how it sounds from your dear lips, call me Don." "No; if I ever consented to omit the title, I should call you Donal. I like the name in its entirety." He reached his hand across th.i table. " Are you willing, then, to accept a man at the very lowest ebb of his fortunes ? I know that if I were of the mould that heroes are made of, I would hesitate to proffer you a 118 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOUENALIST blighted life. But I loved you the moment I saw you ; and, remembering my fruitless search for you, I cannot run the risk of losing you again ; I have not the courage." She placed her hand in his and looked him, for the first time, squarely in the eyes. " Are you sure, Donal," she said, " that I am not a mere effigy on which you are hanging the worn-out garments of a past affection ? You thought I was the Princess at first." " No, I didn't," he protested. " As soon as I heard you speak, I knew you were the one I was destined to meet." " Ah, Donal, Donal, at lovers' perjuries they say Jove laughs. 1 aon't think you were quite so certain as all that. But I, too, am a coward, anU I dare not refuse you." Lord .'"'onal glanced quickly about him ; the room was still crowded. Even the Berlin Express gave them a long time for breakfast, and was in no hurry to move westward. His hurried gaze returned to her and he sighed. " What an unholy spot for a proposal ! " he whispered ; " and yet they call Eussia the Gx'eat Lone Land. Oh, that we had a portion of it entirely to ourselves 1 " The girl sit there, a smile on her pretty lips that Lord Donal thought most tantalizing, A railway official announced in a loud voice that the train was about to resume its journey. There was a general shulfiing of feet as the passengers rose to take their places. " Brothe/rs and sisters kiss each other, you know, on the eve of a railway journey," said Loi'd Donal, taking advantage of the confusion. Jennie Baxter made no protest. "There is plenty of time," he whispered. "I know the leisurely nature of Eussian trains. Now I am going to th" telegraph office to send in my resignation, and I want you to come with me and send in yours." " No, Lord Donal," said the girl. " Aren't you going to resign ? " ho asked, in surprise. " Yes, all in good time ; but you are not." " Oh, I say," he cried, " it is really imperative. I'll tell you all about it when w« get on the train." " It is really imperative that you should not send in your resignation. Indeed, Donal, you need not look at me with that surprised air. You may as well get accustomed to dictation at once. You did it yourself, you know. You can't say that I encouraged you. I eluded the vigilant Cadbury Taylor as long as I could But, if there is time, go to the telegraph office a: d send a message to the real Princess, Palace Steinheimer, Vienna. Say you are engaged to be married to Jennie Baxter, and ask her to tele" aph you her congratulations at Berlin." " 11 do it," rephed the young man with gratifying alacrity. Wuen Lord Donal came out of the telegraph office, Jennie said to him, " Wait a moment while I go into the sleeping car and get my rugs and handbag." " I'll go for them," he cried impetuously. " Oh, no," she said. " I'll tell you why, later. The conductor is a villain and was in collusion with the police." " Oh, I know that," said Lord Donal. " Poor devil, he can't help JENNIE C0NVEBSE8 WITH A YOUNG MAN 119 aimaelf; he must do what the police order him to do, while he is in Bussia." "I'll get my things and go i^to an ordinary first class carriage. When I pass this door, you must et your belongings and come and find me. There is still time, and I don't want the conductor to see us together." " Very well," said the young man with exemplary obedience. CHAPTEE XX. JENNIE CONVERSES WITH A YOUNG MAN SHE THINKS MUCH OF. When the train started, they were seated together in a cartiage far forward. "One of my failings," said the girl, "is to act first, and think after- wards. I am sorry now that I asked you to send that telegram to the Pri- ess." " vNThy?" " Because I have a great deal to tell you, and perhaps you may wish to withdraw from the rash engagement you have undortaken." " A likely thing !" cried the ardent lover. " Indeed, Miss Princess, if you think you can get rid of me as easily as all that, you are very much mistaken." " Well, I want to tell you why I did not allow you to resign." Slowly she undid the large buttons of her jacket, then, taking it by the lapel and holding it so that no one else could see, she drew partly forth from the inside pocket the large envelope, until the stamp of the Embassy was plainly visible. Lord Donal's eyes opened to their widest capacity, and his breath seemed to stop. " Great heavens ! " he gasped at last, " do you mean to say you have it?" " Yes," she said, buttoning up her jacket again. " I robbed the robbers. Listen, and I will tell you all that happened. But, first, are you armed?" " Yes," he replied, " I have a trumpery revolver in my pocket ; little good it did me last night." " Very well, we shall be across the frontier by noon to-day. If the Bussian authorities find before that time Low they have been checkmated, and if they have any suspicion that I am the cause of it, is it not likely that they will have me stopped and searched on some pretence or other?" ii 120 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOUENALIST Lord Donal pondered for a moment. "They are quite capable of it," he said ; " but, Jennie, I will fight for you against the whole Eussian Empire, and somebody will get hurt if you are meddled with. The police will hesitate, however, before interfering with a messenger from the Embassy, or anyone in his charge in bi-oad daylight on a crowded train. We will not go back into that car, but stay here, where some of our fellow- countrymen are." " That is what I was going to propose," said Jennie. " And now hsten to the story I have to tell you, and then you will know exactly why I came to Eussia." " Don't tell me anything you would rather not," said the young man hurriedly. " I would rather not, but it must be told," answered the girl. The story lasted a long time, and when it was ended the young man cried enthusiastically in answer to her question, — "Blame you? Why, of course I don't blame you in the slightest. It wasn't Hardwick who sent you here at all, but Providence. Providence brought us together, Jennie, and my belief in it hereafter will be unshaken." Jennie laughed a contented little laugh, and said she was flattered at being considered an envoy of Providence. " It is only another way of saying you are an angel, Jennie," rem.arked the bold young man. They crossed the frontier without interference, and, once in Germany, Jennie took the object of so much contention and placed it in the hands of her lover. " There," she whispered, with a tiny sigh, for she was giving up the fruits of her greatest achievement, " put that in your despatch box, and see that it doesn't leave that receptacle until you reach London. I hope the Eussians will like the copy of the Daily Biujle they find in their envelope." ■ The two chatted together throughout the long ride to Berlin, and when 11 p.m. and the Schleischer station came at last, they still seemed only to have begun their conversation, so much more remained to be told. The telegram from the Princess was handed to Lord Donal at Berlin. "I congratulate you most sincerely," she wired; "and tell Jennie the next time you see her" — Lord Donal laughed as he read this aloud—" that the Austrian Government has awarded her thirty thousand pounds for her share in enabling them to recover their gold, and little enough I think it is, considering what she has done." " Now, I call that downi'ight handsome of the Austrian Government," cried Lord Donal. " I thought they were going to fight us when I read the speech of their Prime Minister, but, instead of that, tliey are making wedding presents to our nice girls." " Ah, tliat comes througli the good-heartedness of the Princess, and the kindness of the Prince," said Jennie. " He has managed it." " But what in the world did you do for the Austrian Goveanment, Jennie'?" " That is a long story, Donal, and I think a most interesting one." " Well, let us thank heaven that we have a long journey for you to tell it and me to listen." And saying this, the unabashed, forward young man took the liberty of JENNIE CONVEESES WITH A YOUNG MAN 121 It kissing his fair companion good-night, right there amidst all the turmoil and bustle of the Schleischer Bahnhof in Berlin. It was early in the morning when the two met again in the restaurant car. Tho train had passed Cologne and was now rushing up that picturesque valley through which runs the brawling little river Vesdre. Lord Donal and Jennie had the car to themselves, and they chose a table near the centre of it and there ordered their breakfast. The situation was a most picturesqm one. The broad, clear plate glass windows on each side displayed, in rapid succession, a series of landscapes well worth viewing ; the densely wooded hills, the cheerful country houses, the swift roaring stream lashing itself into fleecy foam ; now and then a glimpse of an old ruined castle on the heights, and, in the deep valley, here and there a water mill. It was quite evident that Jennie had slept well, and, youth being on her side, her rest had compensated for the nightmare of the Eussian journey. She was simply but very effectively dressed, and looked as fresh and pretty and cool and sweet as a snowdrop. The enchanted young man found it impossible to lure his eyes away from her, and when, with a little laugh, Jennie protested that he was missing all the fine scenery, he answered that he had something much more beautiful to look upon ; whereat Jennie blushed most enticingly, smiled at him, but made no further protest. Whether it was his joy in meeting Jennie, or the result of his night's sleep, or his relief at finding that his career was not wrecked, as he had imagined, or all three together, Lord Donal seemed his old self again, and was as bright, witty, and cheerful as a boy home for the holidays. They enjoyed their breakfast with the relish that youth and a healthy appetite gives to a dainty meal well served. .The rolls were brown and toothsome, the butter, in thick corrugated spirals, was of a delicious golden colour, cold and crisp. The coffee was all that coffee should be, and the waiter was silent and attentive. Eussia, like an evil vision, was far behind, and the train sped through splendid scenery swiftly towards England and home. The young man leaned back in his chair, interlaced his fingers behind his head, and gazed across at Jennie, drawing a sigh of deep satisfaction. " Well, this is jolly," he said. " Yes," murmured Jennie, " it's very nice. I always did enjoy foreign travel, especially when it can be done in luxury ; but, alas ! luxury costs money, doesn't it? " " Oh, you don't need to mind, you are rich." " That is true > I had forgotten all about it," " I hope, Jennie, that the fact of my travelling on a train de luxe has not deluded you regarding my wealth. I should have told you that I usually travel third class when I am transporting myself in my private capacity. I am wringing this pampered elegance from the reluctant pockets of the British taxpayer. When I travel for the British Government I say, as Pooh Bah said to Koko in the ' Mikado,' ' Do it well, my boy,' or words to that effect." " Indeed," laughed Jennie, " I am in a somewhat similar situation ; the newspaper is paying all tho expenses of this trip, but I shall insist on returning the money to the Btiglc now that I have failed in my mission." " Dear me, how much more honest the newspaper business is than diplomacy I The idea of returning any money never even occurred to me. 122 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST The mere suggestion freezes my young blood and makes each particular hair to stand on end like quills upon the fretful porcupine. Our motto in tha service is, Get all you can, and keep all you get." " But then, you see, your case differs from mine ; you did your best to succeed, and I failed through my own choice ; and thus I sit here a traitor to my paper." " Well, Jennie," said the young man, picking up the despatch-box, which- he never allowed to leave his sight, and placing it on the table, " you've only to say the word, and this contentious letter is in your possession again. Do you regret your generosity ? " " Oh, no, no, no, no, I would not have it back on any account. Even looking at the matter in the most materialistic way, success means far more to you than it does to me. As you say, I am rich, therefore I am going to give up my newspaper career. I suppose that is why women very rarely make great successes of their lives. A woman's career so often is merely of incidental interest to her ; a man's career is his whole life." " What a pity it is," mused the young man, " that one person's success usually means another person's failure. If I were the generous, whole- souled person I sometimes imagine myself to be, I should refuse to accept success at the price of your failure. You have actually succeeded, while I have actually failed. With a generosity that makes me feel small and mean, you hand over your success to me, and I selfishly accept it. But I compound with my conscience in this way. You and I are to be married ; then we will be one. That one shall be heir to all the successes of each of us and shall disclaim all the failures of each. Isn't that a good idea?" " Excellent," replied Jennie ; " nevertheless, -I cannot help feeling just a little sorry for poor Mr. Hardwick." " Who is he — the editor ? " " Yes. He did have such faith in me that it seems almost a pity to disappoint him." " You mustn't trouble your mind about Hardwick. Don't think of him at all ; think of me instead." " I am afraid I do, and have done so for some time past ; nevertheless, I shall get off at Lifege and telegraph to him that I am not bringing the document to London." " I will send the telegram for you when we reach there ; but, if I remember rightly what you told me of his pui-pose, he can't be very deeply disappointed. I understood you to say that he did not intend to publish the document, even if he got it." *' That is quite true. He wished to act as the final messenger himself, and was to meet me at Charing Cross Station, secure the envelope, and take it at once to its destination." " I must confess," said the young man, with a bewildered expression, "that I don't see the object of that. Are you sure he told you the truth?" " Oh, yes. The object was this. It seems that there is in the Foreign OflBce some crusty old curmudgeon who delights in baffling Mr. Hardwick. This official — I forget his name ; in fact, I don't think Mr, Hardwick told me who he was — seems to forget the Daily Bugle when important items of news are to be given out, and Mr. Hardwick says that he favours one of the rival papers, and the Biigle has been unable, so far, to receive any- thin k cutsif Jei JENNIE CONVERSES WITH A YOUNG MAN 123 thing like fair treatment from him ; so Mr. Hardwick wanted to take t!ie document to him, and thus convince him there was danger in making an enemy of the Daily Biigle. As I understood his project, which didn't commend itself very much to me, Hardwick had no intention of making a bargain, but simply proposed to hand over the document, and ask the Foreign Office man to give the Btcgle its fair share in what was going." " Do you mean to say that the official in question is the man to whom I am to give this letter ? " "Yes." " Oh, my prophetic soul, my uncle ! Why, that is Sir James Cardiff, the elder brother of my mother ; he is a dear old chap, but I can well understand an outsider thinking him gruff and uncivil. If the editor really means what he says, then there will be no difficulty and no dis- appointment. If all that is needed is the winning over of old Jimmy to be civil to Hardwick, I can guarantee that. I am the especial protege of my uncle. Everything I know I have learned from him. He cannot under- stand why the British Government does not appoint me immediately Ambassador to France ; Jimmy would do it to-morrow if he had the power. It was through him that I heard of this letter, and I believe his influence had a good deal to do with my getting the commission of special messenger. It was the chagrin that my uncle Jimmy would Imve felt, had I failed, that put the final drop of bitterness in my cup of sorrow when I came to my senses after my encounter with the Russian police. That would have been a stunning blow to Sir James Cardiff. We shall reach Charing Cross about 7.30 to-night, and Sir James will be there with his brougham to take charge of me when I arrive. Now, what do you say to our settling all this under the canopy of Charing Cross Station ? If you telegraph Mr. Hardwick to meet us there, I will introduce him to Sir James, and he will never have any more trouble in that quarter." " I think," said the girl, looking down at the tablecloth, " that I'd rather not have Mr. Hardwick meet us." " Of course not," answered the young man quickly. " What was I thinking about ? It will be a family gathering, and we don't want any outsiders about, do we ? " Jennie laughed, but made no reply. (\ 124 JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST CHAPTER XXI. JENNIE KEEPS STEP WITH THE WEDDING MABCH They had a smooth and speedy passage across from Calais to Dover, and the train drew in at Charing Cross Station exactly on time. Lord Donal recognized his uncle's brougham waiting for him, and on Isanding the young lady out of the railway carriage he espied the old man himself closely scrutinizing the passengers. Sir James, catching sight of him, came eagerly forward and clasped both his nephew's hands. " Donal," he cried, " I am very glad indeed to see you. Is everything right?" " As right as can be, uncle." " Then I am glad of that, too, for we have had some very disquieting hints from the East." " They were quite justified, as I shall tell you later on ; but meanwhile, imcle, allow me to introduce to you Miss Baxter, who has done me the honour of promising to be my wife." Jennie blushed in the searching rays of the electric light as the old man turned quickly towards her. Sir James held her hand in his for some moments before he spoke, gazing intently at her. Then he said slowly, " Ah, Donal, Donal, you always had a keen eye for the beautiful." " Oh, I say," cried the young man, abashed at his uncle's frankness, " I don't call that a diplomatic remark at all, you know." " Indeed, Sir James," said the girl, laughing merrily, " it is better than diplomatic, it is complimentary, and I assure you I appreciate it. The first time he met me he took me for quite another person." "Then, whoever that person is, my dear," replied the old man, "I'll guarantee she is a lovely woman. And you nuistn't mind what I say ; nobody else does, otherwise my boy Donal here would be much higher in the service than the present moment finds hiir • but I am pleased to tell you that the journey he has now finished will jjrove greatly to his advantage." " Indeed, uncle, that is true," said the youn<7 man, looking at his betrothed, " for on this journey I met again Miss Baxter, whom, to my great grief, I had lost for some time. And now, uncle, I want you to do me a great favour. Do you know Mr. Hardwick, editor of the Duilij Bugle .? " " Yes, I know him ; but I don't like him, nor his paper either." " Well, neither do the Russians, for that matter, by this time, and I merely wish to tell you that if it hadn't been for his action, and for the the JENNIE KEEPS STEP WITH THE WEDDING MARCH 125 promptness of a member of his staff, I should have failed in this mission. I was drugged by the Russian pohce and robbed. Miss Baxter, who was on the train, saw something of what was going forward, and succeeded, most deftly, in despoiling the robbers. I was lying insensible at the time and helpless. She secm-ed the document and handed it back to me when we had crossed the frontier, leaving in the hands of the Russians a similar envelope containing a copy of the Daily Btujlc ; therefore, uncle, if in future you can do anything to oblige Mr. Hardwick, you will help in a leasure to cancel the obligation which our family owes to him." "My dear boy, I shall be delighted to do so. I am afraid I have been rather uncivil to him. If you wish it, I will go at once and apologize to him." "Oh, no," cried Jennie, "you must not do that; but if you can help him without jeopardizing the service, I, for one, will be very glad." " So shall I," said Donal. The old man took out his card-case, and on the back of his card scribbled a most cordial invitation to Hardwick, asking him to call on him. He handed this to Jennie, and said, — " Tell Mr. Hardwick that I shall be pleased to see him at any time." " And now," said Lord Donal, " you must let us both escort you home in the carriage." " No, no. I shall take a hansom, and will go directly to the office of the Bugle, for Mr. Hardwick will be there by this time." " But we can drive you there." "No, please." She held out her hand to Sir James and said, with the least bit of hesita- tion before uttering the last word, " Good night — uncle." " Good night, my dear," said the old man, " and God bless you," he added with a tenderness which his appearance, so solemn and stately, left one unprepared for. Lord Donal saw his betrothed into a hansom, protesting all the while at thus having to allow her to go off unprotected. " What an old darling he is," murmured Jennie, ignoring his protests. " I think if Mr. Hardwick had allowed mo to look after the interests of the paper at the Foreign Ofhce, *8ir James would not have snubbed me." " If the Foreign Office dared to do such a thing, it would hear of some- thing not to its advantage from the Diplomatic Service ; and so, good- night, my dear." And, with additions, the nephew repeated the benediction of the uncle. Jennie drove directly to the office of the Daily Bugle, and, for che last time, mounting the stairs, entered the editorial rooms. She found Mr. Hardwick at his desk, and he sprang up quickly on seeing who his visitor was. " Ah, you have returned," he cried. " You didn't telegraph to me, so I suppose that means failure." " I don't know, Mr. Hardwick. It all depends on whether or not your object was exactly what you told me it was." " And what was that ? I think I told you that my desire was to get 126 JENNIE BAXTER. JOURNALIST possession of the document which was being transmitted from St. Petersburg to London." " No ; you said the object was the mollifying of old Sir James Cardiff, of the Foreign Office." " Exactly ; that was the ultimate object, of course." " Very well. Read this card. Sir James gave it to me at Charing Cross Station less than half an hour ago." The editor took the card, turned it over in his hands once or twice, and read the cordial message which the old man had scrib'^ied on the back of it. " Then you have succeeded," cried Hardwick. " You ^oc the document ; but why did you give it to Sir James yourself, instead of letting me hand it to him ? " " That is a long story. To put it briefly, it was because the messenger carrying the document was Lord Donal Stirling, who is — who is — an old friend of mine. Sir James is his uncle, and Lord Donal promised that he would persuade the old man to let other newspapers have no advantages which he refused to the Daily Bugle. I did not give the document to Sir James, I gave it back to Lord Donal." "Lord Donal Stirling — Lord Donal StirUng," mused the editor. " Where have I heard that name before ? " " He is a member of the British Embassy at St. Petersburg, so you may have seen his name in the despatches." " No. He is not so celebrated as all that comes to. Ah, I remember I met the detective the other night and asked him if anything of that romance in your assistance. He said high life, to solve which he had the search for the missing lady had mentioned the name of Lord Donal Stirling as who had been engaged in the pursuit of the now. had come asked been abandoned, and the fooUsh young man unknown." Jennie coloured at this and drew herself up indignantly. " Before you say anything further against Lord Donal," she cried hotly, " I wish to inform you that he and I are to be married." " Oh, I beg your pardon," said the editor icily. "Then, having failed to find the other girl, he has speedily consoled himself by — " " There was no other girl. I was the person of whom Mr. Cadbury Taylor was in search. I willingly gave him valuable assistance in the task of failing to find myself. Having only a stupid man to deal with, I had little diflBculty in accomplishing my pturpose. Neither Mr. Taylor nor Mr. Hardwick ever suspected that the missing person was in their own employ." " "Well, I'm blessed ! " ejaculated Hardwick. " So you baffled Cadbury Taylor in searching for yourself, as you baffled me in getting hold of the Russian letter. It seems to me, Miss Baxter, that where your own inclinations do not coincide with the wishes of your employers, the interests of those who pay you fall to the ground." " Mr. Cadbury Taylor didn't pay me anythmg for my services as amateur detective, and he has, therefore, no right to grumble. As for the St. Petersburg trip, I shall send you a cheque for all expenses incurred as soon as I reach home." " Oh, you mistake me," asserted Mr. Harwick earnestly. " I had no thought of even hinting that you have not earned over and oyer old forg JENNIE KEEPS STEP WITH THE WEDDING MAECH 127 again all the money the Daily Btigle has paid you ; besides, I was longing for your return, for I want your assistance in solving a mystery that has rather puzzled us all. Paris is in a turmoil just now over the— " Jennie's clear laugh rang out. " I am going over to Paris in a day or two, Mr. Hard wick, to solve the mystery of dressmaking, and I think, from what I know of it already, it will require my whole attention. I must insist on returning to you the cost of the . Petersburg journey, for, after all, it proved to be rather a personal excursion, and I couldn't think of allowing the paper to pay for it. I merely came in to-night to hand you this card from Sir James Cardiff, and I also desired to tender to you personally my resignation. And so I must bid you good-bye, Mr. Hardwick," said the girl holding out her hand ; " and I thank you very much indeed for having given me a chance to work on your peper." Before the editor cou reply, she was gone, and that good man sat down in his chair bewildered by the suddenness of it all, the room looking empty and dismal, lacking her presence. " Confound Lord Donal Stirling 1 " he muttered under his breath, and then, as an editor should he went on impassively with his night's work. had was intended that the wedding should be rather a quiet affair, but circumstances proved too strong for the young people. Lord Donal was very popular and the bride was very beautiful. Sir James thought it necessary to invite a great many people, and he intimated to Lord Donal that a highl) placed personage desired to honour the function with his presence. And thus the event created quite a Uttle flutter in the smart set. The society papers aflSrmed that this elevated personage had been particularly pleased by some diplomatic service which Lord Donal had recently rendered him ; but then, of course, one can never believe what one reads in the society press. However, the man of exalted rank was there, and so people said that perhaps there might be something in the rumour. Naturally there was a great turn-out of ambassadors and ministers, and their presence gave colour and dignity to the crush at St. George's, Hanover Square. The Princess von Steinheimer made a special journey from Vienna to attend, and on this occasion she brought the Prince with her. The general opinion was that the bridegroom was a very noble-looking fellow, and that the bride, in her sumptuous wedding apparel, was quite too lovely for anything. The Princess was exceedingly bright and gay, and she chatted with her old friends the Ambassadors from Austria and America. " I'm so sorry," she said to the Ambassador from America, " that I did not have time to speak with you at the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball, but I was compelled to leave early. You should have come to me sooner. The Count here was much more gallant. We had a most delightful conversation, hadn't we, Count? I was with Lord Donal, you remember." " Oh, yes," replied the aged Austrian, bowing low ; " I shall not soon forget the charming conversation I had with your Highness, and I hope 128 JENNIE BAXTEE, JOUENALIST yoii, on your part, have not forgotten the cordial invitation you gave me to visit again your castle at Meran." " Indeed, Count, you know very well how glad I am to see you at any time, either in Vienna or at Meran." The American Ambassador remained silent, and glanced alternately from the bride to the Princess with a puzzled expression on his face. The mystery of the Duchess of Chiselhurst's Ball proved too much for him, as the search for the missing lady liad proved too much for Mr. Cadbury Taylor. i THB aND. Il ■N •,