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 could easily have stolen the card for the Countess Bokara.

"Could your servant identify the messenger who brought it?"

"For what purpose, when we know who sent it?"

"It is a case with which the courts could deal."

"No, no, no," she cried hastily, shaking her head. "I could not do that."

"Well, it does not matter. She is in safe keeping, and I can mete out the punishment myself. I will keep this evidence for future use;" and crushing packet and card and wrapper together, I pushed them into my pocket.

"What do you propose to do, then?" asked the Princess.

"She cannot be left at liberty with our secret in her possession." Till I had uttered the words I did not see their double meaning. But the Princess did instantly, mistaking me indeed, and her face grew so crimson that she turned away to hide her confusion. "I mean the knowledge of our plot," I made haste to add, awkwardly, the explanation serving only to accentuate my clumsy blunder, and add to our mutual embarrassment in the pause that followed.

I was mad with myself for the slip, and yet delighted at what it helped to reveal to me. With an effort I shook myself together, and said in a tone almost cold and formal:

"The sure and certain use she would make of her freedom would be to tell General Kolfort that we are duping him."

"That is a risk we must run," she replied, her voice low and trembling.

"It is one we dare not run. It would be worse than