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too powerful for me。 I can no longer stand between her and what
I fear may prove a most unpleasant episode。 Lucille will be
arrested within the hour。〃
〃Upon what charge？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked。
〃The murder of Duson。〃
Mr。 Sabin laughed very softly； very gently； but with obvious
genuineness。
〃You are joking； Prince；〃 he exclaimed。
〃I regret to say；〃 the Prince answered； 〃that you will find it very
far from a joking matter。〃
Mr。 Sabin was suddenly stern。
〃Prince of Saxe Leinitzer；〃 he said； 〃you are a coward and a
bully。〃
The Prince started forward with clenched fist。 Mr。 Sabin had no
weapon； hut he did not flinch。
〃You can frighten women；〃 he said； 〃with a bogie such as this； but
you have no longer a woman to deal with。 You and I know that such
a charge is absurd … but you little know the danger to which you
expose yourself by trifling with this subject。 Duson left a letter
addressed to me in which he announced his reasons for committing
suicide。〃
〃Suicide？〃
〃Yes。 He preferred suicide to murder； even at the bidding of the
Prince of Saxe Leinitzer。 He wrote and explained these things to
me … and the letter is in safe hands。 The arrest of Lucille； my
dear Prince； would mean the ruin of your amiable society。〃
〃This letter；〃 the Prince said slowly； 〃why was it not produced at
the inquest？ Where is it now？〃
〃It is deposited in a sealed packet with the Earl of Deringham；〃
Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃As to producing it at the inquest … I thought
it more discreet not to。 I leave you to judge of my reasons。 But
I can assure you that your fears for my wife's safety have been
wholly misplaced。 There is not the slightest reason for her to
hurry off to America。 We may take a little trip there presently；
but not just yet。〃
The Prince made a mistake。 He lost his temper。
〃You！〃 he cried； 〃you can go to America when you like； and stay
there。 Europe has had enough of you with your hare…brained schemes
and foolish failures。 But Lucille does not leave this country。 We
have need of her。 I forbid her to leave。 Do you hear？ In the name
of the Order I command her to remain here。〃
Mr。 Sabin was quite calm； but his face was full of terrible things。
〃Prince；〃 he said； 〃if I by any chance numbered myself amongst your
friends I would warn you that you yourself are a traitor to your
Order。 You prostitute a great cause when you stoop to use its
machinery to assist your own private vengeance。 I ask you for your
own sake to consider your words。 Lucille is mine … mine she will
remain； even though you should descend to something more despicable；
more cowardly than ordinary treason； to wrest her from me。 You
reproach me with the failures of my life。 Great they may have been；
but if you attempt this you will find that I am not yet an impotent
person。〃
The Prince was white with rage。 The sight of Lucille standing by
Mr。 Sabin's side； her hand lightly resting upon his； her dark eyes
full of inscrutable tenderness； maddened him。 He was flouted and
ignored。 He was carried away by a storm of passion。 He tore a
sheet of paper from his pocket book； and unlocking a small gold
case at the end of his watch chain； shook from it a pencil with
yellow crayon。 Mr。 Sabin leaned over towards him。
〃You sign it at your peril； Prince；〃 he said。 〃It will mean worse
things than that for you。〃
For a second he hesitated。 Lucille also leaned towards him。
〃Prince；〃 she said； 〃have I not kept my vows faithfully？ Think！
I came from America at a moment's notice； I left my husband without
even a word of farewell； I entered upon a hateful task； and though
to think of it now makes me loathe myself … I succeeded。 I have
kept my vows； I have done my duty。 Be generous now； and let me go。〃
The sound of her voice maddened him。 A passionate； arbitrary man；
to whom nothing in life had been denied； to be baulked in this
great desire of his latter days was intolerable。 He made no answer
to either of them。 He wrote a few lines with the yellow crayon
and passed them silently across to Lucille。
Her face blanched。 She stretched out an unwilling hand。 But Mr。
Sabin intervened。 He took the paper from the Prince's hand； and
calmly tore it into fragments。 There Was a moment's breathless
silence。
〃Victor！〃 Lucille cried。 〃Oh； what have you done！〃
The Prince's face lightened with an evil joy。
〃We now； I think；〃 he said； 〃understand one another。 You will
permit me to wish you a very pleasant evening； and a speedy
leave…taking。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃Many thanks； my dear Prince；〃 he said lightly。 〃Make haste and
complete your charming little arrangements。 Let me beg of you to
avoid bungling this time。 Remember that there is not in the whole
of Europe to…day a man more dangerous to you than I。〃
The Prince had departed。 Mr。 Sabin lit a cigarette and stood on
the hearthrug。 His eyes were bright with the joy of fighting。
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃I see that you have not touched your liqueur。
Oblige me by drinking it。 You will find it excellent。〃
She came over to him and hung upon his arm。 He threw his cigarette
away and kissed her upon the lips。
〃Victor；〃 she murmured； 〃I am afraid。 You have been rash！〃
〃Dearest；〃 he answered； 〃it is better to die fighting than to stand
aside and watch evil things。 But after all； there is no fear。 Come！
Your cloak and dressing case！〃
〃You have plans？〃 she exclaimed； springing up。
〃Plans？〃 He laughed at her a little reproachfully。 〃My dear
Lucille！ A carriage awaits us outside； a special train with steam
up at the Gard de L'ouest。 This is precisely the contingency for
which I have planned。〃
〃Oh； you are wonderful； Victor；〃 she murmured as she drew on her
coat。 〃But what corner of the earth is there where we should be
safe？〃
〃I am going；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃to try and make every corner of the
earth safe。〃
She was bewildered； but he only laughed and held open the door for
her。 Mr。 Sabin made no secret of his departure。 He lingered for
a moment in the doorway to light a cigarette； he even stopped to
whisper a few words to the little man in plain dinner clothes who
was lounging in the doorway。 But when they had once left the hotel
they drove fast。
In less than half an hour Paris was behind them。 They were
traveling in a royal saloon and at a fabuulous cost； for in France
they are not fond of special trains。 But Mr。 Sabin was very happy。
At least he had escaped an ignominious defeat。 It was left to him
to play the great card。
〃And now；〃 Lucille said； coming out from her little bed…chamber
which the femme de chambre was busy preparing； 〃suppose you tell
me where we are going。〃
Mr。 Sabin smiled。
〃Do not be alarmed；〃 he said； 〃even though it will sound to you the
least likely place in the world。 We are going to Berlin。〃
CHAPTER XLIII
The great room was dimly enough lit； for the windows looking out
upon the street were high and heavily curtained； The man who sat
at the desk was almost in the shadow。 Yet every now and then a
shaft of sunlight fell across his pale； worn face。 A strange
combination this of the worker； the idealist； the man of affairs。
》From outside came the hum of a great city。 At times； too； there
came to his ears as he sat here the roar of nations at strife；
the fierce underneath battle of the great countries of the world
struggling for supremacy。 And here at this cabinet this man sat
often； and listened； strenuous； romantic； with the heart of a lion
and the lofty imagination of an eagle； he steered unswervingly on
to her destiny a great people。 Others might rest； hut never he。
He looked up from the letter spread out before him。 Lucille was
seated at his command； a few yards away。 Mr。 Sabin stood
respectfully before him。
〃Monsieur le Duc；〃 he said； 〃this letter； penned by my illustrious
father to you； is sufficient to secure my good offices。 In what
manner can I serve you？〃
〃Your Majesty；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered； 〃in the first place by
receiving me here。 In the second by allowing me to lay before
you certain grave and very serious charges against the Order of
the Yellow Crayon； of which your Majesty is the titular head。〃
〃The Order of the Yellow Crayon；〃 the Emperor said thoughtfully；
〃is society composed of aristocrats pledged to resist the march of
socialism。 It is true that I am the titular head of this
organisation。 What have you to say about it？〃
〃Only that your Majesty has been wholly deceived；〃 Mr。 Sabin said
respectfully； 〃concerning the methods and the working of this
society。 Its inception and inauguration were above reproach。 I
myself at once became a member。 My wife； Countess of Radantz； and
sole representative of that ancient family； has been one all her
life。〃
The Emperor inclined his head towards Lucille。
〃I see no reason；〃 he said； 〃when our capitals are riddled with
secret societies； all banded together against us； why the great
families of Europe should not in their turn come together and
display a united front against this common enemy。 The Order of
the Yellow Crayon has had more than my support。 It has had the
sanction of my name。 Tell me what you have