Saunders was with them before either Mark or the priest spoke again.

“Well?” Saunders lost no time.

Father Murray gave him an outline of what had passed.  Mark said nothing.  A picture of despair, he was sitting with his head bowed upon his breast.

“And now, Mr. Saunders,” said Father Murray, “it is your business to counsel—­to be a real detective.  What do you suggest?”

“She is at the Ministry,” said Saunders.  “Let that be my first statement.  She is occupying a room which opens on a balcony of the second floor.  There is a guard in the next room, which also opens on the same balcony.  She is well watched.  But I was in front of that house three hours last night, and again this morning—­rather, I was in the house across the way.  I had a good chance to communicate the news of your arrival to her—­”

“What!” Mark was on his feet now.

“It was simple.  I did it this morning with a hand mirror.  You remember how bright the sun was about nine o’clock?  Well, it was shining right into the room where I was, and when I saw that she was probably alone I caught the light on my little mirror and flashed the reflection into her room.  I juggled it about as oddly as I could, flashing it across the book she was reading.  Then I tried to make it write a word on her wall.  Perhaps you would like to know the word, Baron?” He turned to Mark with a smile.  “You would?  Well, I tried to write ‘M-A-R-K.’  I think she understood, for she turned toward the window and seemed about to give me some signal.  Then she raised her hand in a quick motion of alarm and began reading again.  I withdrew the light, just in time, for some woman entered the room.”

“I am afraid, Mr. Saunders,” said Father Murray, “that you are dangerous, being a very clever man.”

“But how, in Heaven’s name,” asked Mark, “did you get into that house?  It is the home of—­”

“Sure it is,” answered Saunders.  “Sure it is.  But the family is away, and they left only the chauffeur at the residence.  Chauffeurs are fine fellows—­under certain circumstances.  They have acquired the habit.”

“The conditions,” laughed Mark, “will, I suppose, appear in your accounts?”

“In my accounts?  Yes . . . .  Now to the rest of the discussion.  I do not believe this affair can be arranged as easily as you think.  It looks to me as if they really believe they have the Grand Duchess, and that we are trying to help her get away.  They think she has planned the whole thing and that we are part of the plan.  Miss Ruth was with Madam Neuville when they caught her.  That’s one point in their favor.  Then the Duchess had things belonging to Miss Ruth, and had them when killed.  That’s point two for them.  The face of Miss Ruth is the face on the portraits of the Grand Duchess.  There’s point three for them; and it is a fact that the face of the dead girl was slightly disfigured, as you know.