Page:The Prisoner of Zenda.djvu/222

202 "What reason?"

"A friend of his in Paris—a certain M. Featherly—has given us information which makes it possible that he came here, and the officials of the railway recollect his name on some luggage."

"What was his name?"

"Rassendyll, sire," he answered; and I saw that the name meant nothing to him. But, glancing at Flavia, he lowered his voice as he went on: "It is thought that he may have followed a lady here. Has your Majesty heard of a certain Mme. de Mauban?"

"Why, yes," said I, my eye involuntarily traveling toward the castle. "She arrived in Ruritania about the same time as this Rassendyll."

I caught the prefect's glance; he was regarding me with inquiry writ large on his face.

"Sapt," said I, "I must speak a word to the prefect. Will you ride on a few paces with the princess?" And I added to the prefect: "Come, sir, what do you mean?"

He drew close to me, and I bent in the saddle.

"If he were in love with the lady?" he