“Against her wish, sir, and mine!” snapped Miss Van Rolsen.  “She—­I—­have both lamented the fact.  But what can one do?  The journalists settled on the prince as a fruitful source for speculation.  He is of noble family, very wealthy, no fortune-hunter; which has made it all the more distressing for him and us.”  She seemed about to say something further; then her lips suddenly tightened.  “As I say, it has been very distressing,” she ended, after a pause.  “I expect it was one of the reasons my niece wanted to get away from New York for a time.”

“No doubt!” The caller’s voice was courtesy itself although he probably but half-credited Miss Van Rolsen’s protestations in the matter.  People liked to complain of the press and newspaper notoriety, when in their hearts, perhaps, they were not so displeased to be in that terrible lime-light; especially when the person associated with them happened to be a count, or a duke, or a prince.  “Unfortunately, one has to put up with these things,” he now added.  “But you are positive you have told me everything?”

An instant she seemed to hesitate.  “I am positive you know everything relative to the subject.”

He arose.  “In that event”—­his manner indicated a sudden resolution—­“there is one little preliminary to be attended to.”

“Which is—­”

“To arrest this fellow, Heatherbloom!”

“Arrest?  When?”

“At once!  There is no time to be lost.  Already—­” He gave a sudden exclamation.

“What is it?” she asked.

He stepped toward the curtain; it moved perceptibly.

“Some one has been listening,” exclaimed Miss Van Rolsen excitedly.

“Yes, some one.”  Significantly.  As he spoke he threw back the curtain and revealed the door partly ajar.

“It must have been—­Not one of my old servants—–­ They would not have—­”

He stopped her.  “There’s the front way out of this house and the area way below,” he said rapidly.  “Is there any other way of escaping to the street?”

“No.”

He darted out of the room to the front door.  She followed.

“Quite in time!” he said, casting a quick look both ways along the avenue and then letting his glance fall to the servants’ entrance below.

“You think he will try to—­”

He regarded her swiftly.  “While I stand guard here, would you mind getting some one to ’phone my office and ask two or three of my men to step over at once?  Not that I doubt my own ability to cope with the case”—­fingering the handle of a weapon on his pocket—­“only it is always well to take no chances.  Especially now!”

“Now?”

“Since he has practically convicted himself and confirmed my theory.  We shall get at the truth through him.  We’re nearer the solution of the matter than I dared hope for.”

“I’ll telephone myself!” she cried.  And started back to do so when an excited face confronted her.