“How lucky!”

“Is there any use for us to remain here to see your father?  We are in a hurry, and can come back in the course of an hour.”

“That will do.”

“We will go, then.”

And they left the room.

A few moments later there came a knock at the door.

“Come in,” cried the girl.

Her mother entered the room.

“Where are the bridal couple, Clara?” she asked, glancing around.

“Just gone.  They’ll return in an hour.”

“Did they leave the package of diamonds?”

“Yes.  And here it is.”

Another knock came at the door.

“Hide the parcel!” gasped Mrs. La Croix, nervously.

The girl thrust it in her pocket.

“Enter!” she cried.

The door opened and a hall-boy came in.

“Did you ring, Miss La Croix?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied.  “I want you to do something for me.”

Rising to her feet she drew the boy aside and held a whispered talk with him for several moments.

In the course of their conversation he said to her: 

“I saw two men enter this room just before you came in with that lady and gentleman, and they didn’t go out again, either.”

The girl looked startled.

She spoke to him rapidly a moment, and he started for the door.

Before he could depart, however, the closet door flew open with a bang and the Bradys sprang from their place of concealment.

“Hold on, there!” cried Harry.  “Let no one leave this room!”

The hall-boy paused, an alarmed look on his face.

CHAPTER X.

Serving the warrant.

Mrs. La Croix and her daughter were possessed of good nerves, for the dramatic entrance of the Bradys did not seem to startle them in the least.

They glanced coolly at the detectives and Mrs. La Croix asked, haughtily: 

“Who are these men?”

“Detectives, madam,” replied Old King Brady, politely.

“Indeed!  What were you sneaking in that closet for?”

“To learn the true inwardness of your gigantic smuggling scheme.”

“You must be mad.”

“No, indeed.  We are quite sane, I assure you.”

“What do you mean by our smuggling?”

“Simply this:  We know all about your daughter’s trip to Holland and we’ve been watching her since she landed at Montreal.”

“Oh,” said the lady, icily, “you have, eh?”

“Yes, we have.”

“Well, what do you want, now?”

“Madam,” said Old King Brady, “here is a warrant for the arrest of your daughter.  The charge is smuggling!”

Calmly taking the document, the lady read it.

Harry opened the door and let the hall-boy go.

The young detective did not want the boy to hear all that transpired and the hall-boy hastened away.