of unmistakable solicitor type rose from his desk and crossed over to him with extended hand. Edward

ey, I und

t liking for telling lies and he p

desk, picked up a telephone receiver and inquired for Mr. Crooks, asking that

him that there was something of an ordeal in front of him

ou are entirely ignorant of the subject

however much I desire to help my old friend and to fall in with his

held up a

aced as you are. You are not in any way bound by what I am telling you except in the even

, Mr. Nixon left the room, returning in a few minutes wi

-BAXE

table, and selecting a flat key from the

s he pushed open the creaking lid. "I suppose I'm the only person to wh

icles, each carefully sealed up and docketed in a neat handwriting, the purport of which Edward could not make out at the distance. These ar

ugh quite independent was not able to withstand the pressure of her more powerful neighbours. Spain, being the nearest, has always had a word to say in the San Pietro politics. The result was that the crisis was as short-lived as it was terrible. The reigning family had been

insulted by the presence of an actress upon the throne, planned the assassination under the cloa

r he was interested in in New York. Once arrived, however, he found more difficulty in returning. The Dictator whom the people had set up was very rigid in

and which lies to the north. Baxendale had walked further than he had intended and was surprised to find of a sudden that the sun was sinking. As he turned to retrace his steps a curious sound came to his ears, tha

as telling himself that it was some forest beast he had heard when it was again taken up, and now he made out the low crooning of one who hushes a

fect, as the child's cries had ceased. His light tap at the crazy-hinged door was answered only

es grew more accustomed to the gloom, however, he made out the figure of a woman. She was standing facing him; he could not see her face clearly, but her whole att

le baby girl about two years of age. The red rays played round the curly head, and Baxendale was smitten to the heart as he looked

forgotten the part he was playing, in his interest in the tale that was being told to him, nodded his head and asked

and smiled. The good fellow could not withstand the mute appeal, and resolved then and there that she should be his charge. Afterwards, when he had got them safely across to England, the woman who wa

s and her own niece, little Miranda's foster-sister, a child only a few months older than the princess. She told him of how she had seen the flare of torches and heard the clamour, and how the di

ere laid to rest in the royal vault, a little dead child was buried with the queen, but it was not the Princess Miran

had only been waiting for this, put Prince Enrico upon the throne. You will have heard of this man, whose follies and deviltries are the talk of Europe. San Pietro tolerates him, for his court is brilliant, and has brought much money to the place; in fact, the whol

a, the little princess with whom the p

th her, and Miranda has no idea of her high birth. B

in the deed-box and handed it over to Edward, who took it and s

m you in the course of a few days. There is the matter of money to be considered. My client ha

ll on you again, Mr. N

hough he had just emerged from the gloom of romantic forests and the splendour of courts, and the foggy atmosphere and

habit in the direction of London Bridge. It was not until the spars and masts of the shipping came in s

than he had the letter out of his pocket and was breaking the seal. It was written o

EAR S

been so bad of late and has shown such unmistakable signs of breaking up that I fear I must give up all hope of ever carrying out, persona

teenth birthday she should be told the story of her high origin. As this date approaches-the 15th of November-I feel that the seven o

in the vicinity of her house, is at present living w

will prove beyond doubt the claim of the dear girl to the throne of San Pietro. You will go to her and tell her eve

wing up her high destiny you will take her with her nurse to Corbo, travelling as independent English tourists, and seek out Se?or Luazo,

mission and Galva herself, with the exception of an annuity to Se?ora

ng up her little arms is a picture that will always be with me even at the end. Tell G

ink of you and of what you are doin

y old frien

rs e

BAXEN

leaning his head in his hand, gazed out at the flying landscape and tried to

o smooth over to his satisfaction. He knew Mr. Kyser, and Mr. Kyser's ways, and told himself that that gentleman would not welcome, at his time of life, an adventure such as the one that the solicitor had put before him that afternoon.

as he breasted the first part of the straggling hill that led from the railway station up to Bushey Heath. He paused at

lad artists from the near-by studios lounged in more or less elegant poses at the red-clothed table, they looked up

ening News that he had bought in town. He read it listlessly for some minutes, then the two bored-looking youths l

" he said, pointing to his gla

relessly, but as he saw the man take out a penknife and cut from the paper a paragraph, he grew more

g, "that chap saw something in the paper that ups

s-w

paragraph from the bottom on column tw

ung man turned to the desired por

US DEATH

Assistance was forthcoming, but was too late to be of any service to the victim, who had suffered terrible injuries to the head, and to which he succumbed within an hour after his admission to the hospital. The outrage points undoubtedly to being the work of the dreaded Apaches. The deceased gentleman, who was abo

" a yawn-"none of our business, what! See you in Peter

unting-house. He had hoped for a little excitement to enter into his life, and he was getting excitement to the full. He had not looked upon the borrowing of Adderbury Co

Grosvenor Square and to Adderbury Cottage. It was easy enough quietly to leave the place himself and to take Charlotte; with Uncle and Aunt it was different. Variou

n inspiration. He laughed to himself as the

ered having seen some headed note-paper. Then he wrote himself a letter, signing himself Henry Birkett, Public Analyst for the County of Herts. In the letter he said that the sample of water submitted to him from Adderbury Cottage was of a very

t, Edward Povey reached Adderb

wed plainly the anxiety and strain of the time she had been through, but Uncle Jasper was in fine form. He had already started opera

Aunt Eliza had gone to her re-arranged bedroom, whilst Charlotte could be heard in the kitchen, to

h he relit his pipe. Then leaving the rest of the letter on the table, he made some excuse and went from the room. He left the door ajar, and watched the refle

d, hastily warning his wife, awaited de

nces, the old man's efforts to disguise his feelings were not without their humour. The old man felt at that moment that he would have given half his fortune to tell the pair before him what he thought of them. But for once in his life Jasper Jarman had met

the 3rd. I have to be in Kidderminster by twelve

impotent rage for a

ay, and that is to drive into Watford and stay there a

uncle--" Ch

re is a cab to be had, I suppose?" The old fellow was clench

business is. Charlotte, give me my boots, I

, her lips a thin thread, was seated on her box in the porch. From time to time they addressed a few words to their hostess, the very forced civility of which was o

rd the explosion of his uncle's wrath

t from an adjacent cottager and sent on their things to Ha

ey Kyser paid a visit to Adderbury Cottage and made an