The Minister dare not make a slip.  He is not going to make one if he can help it.  He will do something without delay to avoid all danger of your interference.  If you go to court, you’ll have publicity.  If you go to the Department of State, their delays would make interference too late.  If you don’t act quick you’ll have no chance to act at all.  My advice is, to get into better communication with the young lady and then—­to do a bit of quiet abduction ourselves.”

“That’s easy to say, Saunders,” said Mark.  “But how carry it out?”

“I’ll have to think on that.  But I’m sure it can be done.”  Saunders spoke convincingly.  “Let me work this thing out as best I can.”

“We are in your hands, Mr. Saunders,” said Father Murray, “and we trust you.”

“Thanks, Father, I’ll do my best.  Now let us go on—­”

But at this moment the telephone bell rang.  Father Murray answered the call.

“It’s for you, Mark.”

Mark took the receiver, and listened for a moment.

“All right; send him up.”

He turned to his companions.  “A colored man who insists on seeing me personally.”

They had but a few minutes to wait.  He came up with a bellboy and stood before them, bowing low—­a typical Southern darkey, his hair whitened by age.

“Well, uncle, what can I do for you?” It was Mark who spoke.

“Well, sah, seein’ as how I found a lettah addressed to you—­”

“A letter?”

“Yes, sah.”  The old darkey was fumbling with his hat, trying to withdraw the letter he had put away so carefully.

“I found it down the street, sah, neah one of them thar big for’n houses.”

“Where?” The word was almost shouted as Mark jumped to his feet.

But the trembling fingers had at last grasped and now held forth the precious letter.  Mark tore it open, and with a cry of glad surprise began to devour its contents.  When he had finished, he handed the letter to Father Murray without a word, and turned to the darkey.

“Thank you, uncle.  I am very glad you brought it.”

“Yes, sah.  I thought as how you might want to get it, seein’ as how it was a pretty young lady that threw it out.”

“You saw her?”

“Yes, sah.  I was right across the street, and she suah is pretty, sah.”  The old man smiled and bowed as Mark gave him a bill.  “Thank you, sah; thank you, sah.”  And with a broad grin he left the room.

Father Murray was still reading the letter and Mark motioned to Saunders to come to his side.  Looking over the priest’s shoulder, Mark read the lines again: