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The secretary was back in a few moments with the envelope, which he handed to the Minister, who cut it open and read the message. The ivory knife snapped in the tense grip; His Excellency looked idly at the pieces, but never a line of his face moved. "Matters are a trifle more complicated, Wratslav. We must think again." He handed the telegram to his assistant.
"At any rate we can verify some of the details. You must go to Baltimore, Wratslav, and view the bodies. Arrange for the embalming. Say that the two are ladies of our country. Give any names you wish. Place both bodies in a vault until this thing is cleared up; and bring me half a dozen pictures of the young one, taken close to the face on every side. See also if there are identifying marks.
Eh, Wratslav?" The dapper man bowed. "As you say, Excellency, it is rather unusual in America." "Proceed, Ivan." The Minister resumed his thrumming. "When the lady closed the tree and was gone, the ah person turned to go past me. My gun had the silencer on which Your Excellency " "You are forgetting again, Ivan."
So it came to pass that the dapper young man called Wratslav, and the rough one called Ivan, left next day in a fast automobile whose limousine body seemed especially built to interfere as little as possible with its speed.
Then the smooth voice continued, "if it could be arranged." "It can be arranged, Excellency." "I thought so." Again the keen look. Then the Minister leaned back in his chair, revolving it slightly that his arm might rest more comfortably on the desk. "Excellency?" Wratslav spoke with some anxiety. "Yes?" "Unfortunately, the Englishman is a person of some consequence in his own country." "Indeed?
"This complicates matters, Wratslav," he said, "and makes it more imperative that Her Highness be kept most strictly secluded. Go to bed now. We shall have enough to keep us awake for the next ten days." Wratslav left, but the Minister sat down at his desk. Morning found him there asleep. At eleven o'clock, His Excellency the Minister was handed a card which read: "RIGHT REV. DONALD MURRAY, D.D."
An attache did not leave the hotel all night; and the next morning the same man found himself in the unusual surroundings of St. Patrick's Church where Father Murray said Mass. When the Minister returned to the library his face was white. Wratslav was in his confidence, and did not have to wait long for information.
For the first time in his diplomatic career of thirty years His Excellency was nonplussed. "If she is dead, Wratslav," he said, "what will be said of us, and what new trouble will arrive? Who is next in line of succession?" "The Duchy," said Wratslav, "will pass to the Grand Duke's brother." "Not so bad, not so bad. The King would like that.
The Minister drew up a chair and sat down, with a low bow, before his desk; but not before he had placed Ruth in a chair where the light would shine full on her face. He seemed now to be a changed man almost a judge; and the fingers thrummed on the glass as they had done during the conference with Wratslav and Ivan. With a half-amused smile, Ruth began. "Excellency, my name is Ruth Atheson.
For a while the Minister sat silent, gazing contemplatively at the fingers which were moving more slowly now as though keeping pace with his thoughts. Finally he looked up. "Did you find out if there were any strangers in town last night, Wratslav?" "There were two, Excellency. One was our own detective, who knew not at all that I was on the work.
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