"All they had to do was to touch at some dock, go ashore, and
telegraph to their men here," said the Princess.
"That, evidently, is what they did," admitted Neeland ruefully.
"Certainly. And by this time they may be here, too. They could do
it. I haven't any doubt that Breslau, Kestner, and Ilse Dumont are
here in Paris at this moment."
"Then I'll wager I know where they are!"
"Where?"
"In the Hôtel des Bulgars, rue Vilna. That's where they are to operate
a gaming house. That is where they expect to pluck and fleece the
callow and the aged who may have anything of political importance
about them worth stealing. That is their plan. Agents, officials,
employees of all consulates, legations, and embassies are what they're
really after. I heard them discussing it there in the train today."
The Princess had fallen very silent, musing, watching Neeland's
animated face as he detailed his knowledge of what had occurred.
"Why not notify the police?" he added. "There might be a chance to
recover the box and the papers."
The Princess shook her pretty head.
"We have to be very careful how we use the police, James. It seems
simple, but it is not. I can't explain the reasons, but we usually pit
spy against spy, and keep very clear of the police. Otherwise," she
added, smiling, "there would be the deuce to pay among the embassies
and legations." She added: "It's a most depressing situation; I don't
exactly know what to do.... I have letters to write, anyway----"
She rose, turned to Rue and took both her hands: "No; you must go back to New York and to your painting and music if
there is to be war in Europe. But you have had a taste of what goes on
in certain circles here; you have seen what a chain of consequences
ensue from a chance remark of a young girl at a dinner table."
"Yes."
"It's amusing, isn't it? A careless and innocent word to that old
busybody, Ahmed Mirka Pasha, at my table--that began it. Then another
word to Izzet Bey. And I had scarcely time to realise what had
happened--barely time to telegraph James in New York--before their
entire underground machinery was set in motion to seize those wretched
papers in Brookhollow!"
Neeland said: "You don't know even yet, Princess, how amazingly fast that machinery
worked."
"Tell me now, James. I have time enough to write my warning since it
is already too late." And she seated herself on the sofa and drew
Ruhannah down beside her.
"Listen, dear," she said with pretty mockery, "here is a most worthy
young man who is simply dying to let us know how picturesque a man can
be when he tries to."
Neeland laughed: "The only trouble with me," he retorted, "is that I've a rather
hopeless habit of telling the truth. Otherwise there'd be some chance
for me as a hero in what I'm going to tell you."