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"From an old lady who formerly lived at Bath, in England," I replied, "but who now, I fear, is dead murdered!" "Good heavens!" he cried; "who can it be?" "It was a lady known by the name of Carlotta Altenberg," I answered. "Good God!" he cried, throwing up his hands excitedly; "poor old d'Altenberg murdered!" I was rather disappointed at his tone.
But he broke in upon my thanks. "Not another word, Mr. Anstruther," he said; "it is you who confer the benefit upon me. "Now, you say you have a message from the poor old Baroness d'Altenberg for me. Good! I will show you to my study, and there we will go into the matter at our leisure."
Then there was my promise to the old lady, murdered, I believed, by these infamous ruffians. I hesitated. "Four." "Five." "Six." Then came another thought: would the old lady, who had been spoken of as the Baroness d'Altenberg, hold me to my word under the circumstances? "Seven." "Eight." I doubted it. "Nine." I had made up my mind to save my life for Dolores.
"D'Altenberg, d'Altenberg," I muttered as I finished. "It seems a familiar name!" I now turned my attention to the second packet, and opened that. It contained a small wooden box with the lid tied down with string. Upon taking this off, I found within a very beautifully carved oblong casket, made of ebony, inlaid with gold.
As Don Juan turned from him with a perplexed look, his eye caught the casket which I still held in my hand; he lost colour and became very agitated as he saw it. "Where did you get that from?" he asked abruptly, seizing my hand. I opened my hand and placed the casket in his. "From the Baroness d'Altenberg," I replied. "I made the journey from Europe to give it to you. My task is accomplished."
"Whatever could have prompted the old Baroness d'Altenberg to send me this," he cogitated half to himself, "after so many years; and what can it contain?" I made a suggestion. "Supposing you open it," I said, "while I walk in the garden." "My dear Mr. Anstruther," he said, quite frightened at giving me so much trouble, "that is not at all necessary. I can go into my little cabinet here."
She would not allow a drop of blood to be shed in her behalf. An Istrian warship which had been waiting for her at the coast took her to Europe with her devoted lady-in-waiting, the Baroness d'Altenberg." "D'Altenberg," I muttered; "where have heard that name?" "It was a bloodless revolution." "And Razzaro triumphed?" I added aloud.
"But still," he continued, placing his hand in his breast, "the sight of the casket which you have brought to me is a greater shock than the desperado's pistol presented at your head was to you." He passed his hand over his forehead as if the idea bewildered him. "And you say you got it from the Baroness d'Altenberg?" he asked. "Yes," I answered, "I took it from the safe at her direction."
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