〃Did　he　know　that　you　found　them？〃　Mr。　Blaine…Harvey　asked。
  〃He　was　with　me；〃　Penelope　answered。　〃He　even；　at　my　request；　opened　the　casket。　He　must　have　forgotten　that　they　were　there。〃
  〃Perhaps；〃　the　Ambassador　said　thoughtfully；　〃he　never　knew。〃
  〃One　cannot　tell；〃　Penelope　answered。
  〃Did　he　say　anything　when　you　discovered　them？〃　the　Ambassador　asked。
  〃Nothing；〃　Penelope　declared。　〃It　was　not　necessary。　I　saw　his　face。　He　knows　that　I　understand。　It　may　have　been　some　one　else　connected　with　the　house；　of　course；　but　the　main　fact　is　beyond　all　doubt。　Those　murders　were　instigated；　if　they　were　not　committed；　by　the　Prince。〃
  The　Ambassador　walked　to　the　window　and　back　again。
  〃Penelope；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　only　confirmed　what　I　felt　must　be　so；　but　even　then　the　certainty　of　it　is　rather　a　shock。〃
  She　gave　him　her　hand。
  〃I　have　told　you　the　truth；〃　she　said。　〃Make　what　use　of　it　you　will。　There　is　one　other　thing；　perhaps；　which　I　ought　to　tell　you。　The　Prince　is　going　back　to　his　own　country　very　shortly。〃
  Mr。　Harvey　nodded。
  〃I　have　just　been　given　to　understand　as　much；〃　he　said。　〃At　present　he　is　to　be　met　with　every　day。　I　believe　that　he　is　even　now　in　my　drawing　rooms。〃
  〃Where　I　ought　to　be；〃　Penelope　said；　turning　toward　the　door；　〃only　I　felt　that　I　must　see　you　first。〃
  〃I　will　not　come　with　you；〃　Mr。　Harvey　said。　〃There　is　no　need　for　our　little　conference　to　become　the　subject　of　comment。　By　the　bye；〃　he　added；　〃let　me　take　this　opportunity　of　wishing　you　every　happiness。　I　haven't　seen　Somerfield　yet；　but　he　is　a　lucky　fellow。　As　an　American；　however；　I　cannot　help　grudging　another　of　our　most　popular　daughters　to　even　the　best　of　Englishmen。〃
  Penelope's　smile　was　a　little　forced。
  〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　all　rather　in　the　air；　at　present；　you　know。　We　are　not　going　to　be　married　for　some　time。〃
  〃When　it　comes　off；〃　the　Ambassador　said；　〃I　am　going　to　talk　to　the　Duchess　and　Miss　Morse。　I　think　that　I　ought　to　give　you　away。〃
  Penelope　made　her　way　into　Mrs。　Blaine…Harvey's　reception　rooms；　crowded　with　a　stream　of　guests；　who　were　sitting　about；　drinking　tea　and　listening　to　the　music；　passing　in　and　out　all　the　time。　Curiously　enough；　almost　the　first　person　whom　she　saw　was　the　Prince。　He　detached　himself　from　a　little　group　and　came　at　once　towards　her。　He　took　her　hand　in　his　and　for　a　moment　said　nothing。　Notwithstanding　the　hours　of　strenuous　consideration；　the　hours　which　she　had　devoted　to　anticipating　and　preparing　for　this　meeting；　she　felt　her　courage　suddenly　leaving　her；　a　sinking　at　the　knees；　a　wild　desire　to　escape；　at　any　cost。　The　color　which　had　been　so　long　denied　her　streamed　into　her　cheeks。　There　was　something　baffling；　yet　curiously　disturbing；　in　the　manner　of　his　greeting。
  〃Is　it　true？〃　he　asked。
  She　did　not　pretend　to　misunderstand　him。　It　was　amazing　that　he　should　ignore　that　other　tragical　incident；　that　he　should　think　of　nothing　but　this！　Yet；　in　a　way；　she　accepted　it　as　a　natural　thing。
  〃Is　it　true　that　I　am　engaged　to　Sir　Charles　Somerfield；〃　she　answered。
  〃I　must　wish　you　every　happiness；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃Indeed；　that　wish　comes　from　my　heart；　and　I　think　that　you　know　it。　As　for　Sir　Charles　Somerfield；　I　cannot　imagine　that　he　has　anything　left　in　the　world　to　wish　for。〃
  〃You　are　a　born　courtier；　Prince；〃　she　murmured。　〃Please　remember　that　in　my　democratic　country　one　has　never　had　a　chance　of　getting　used　to　such　speeches。〃
  〃Your　country；〃　he　remarked；　〃prides　itself　upon　being　the　country　where　truth　prevails。　If　so；　you　should　have　become　accustomed　by　now　to　hearing　pleasant　things　about　yourself。　So　you　are　going　to　marry　Sir　Charles　Somerfield！〃
  〃Why　do　you　say　that　over　to　yourself　so　doubtfully？〃　she　asked。　〃You　know　who　he　is；　do　you　not？　He　is　rich；　of　old　family；　popular　with　everybody；　a　great　sportsman；　a　mighty　hunter。　These　are　the　things　which　go　to　the　making　of　a　man；　are　they　not？〃
  〃Beyond　a　doubt；〃　the　Prince　answered　gravely。　〃They　go　to　the　making　of　a　man。　It　is　as　you　say。〃
  〃You　like　him　personally；　don't　you？〃　she　asked。
  〃Sir　Charles　Somerfield　and　I　are　almost　strangers；〃　the　Prince　replied。　〃I　have　not　seen　much　of　him；　and　he　has　so　many　tastes　which　I　cannot　share　that　it　is　hard　for　us　to　come　very　near　together。　But　if　you　have　chosen　him；　it　is　sufficient。　I　am　quite　sure　that　he　is　all　that　a　man　should　be。〃
  〃Tell　me　in　what　respect　your　tastes　are　so　far　apart？〃　she　asked。　〃You　say　that　as　though　there　were　something　in　the　manner　of　his　life　of　which　you　disapproved。〃
  〃We　are　sons　of　different　countries；　Miss　Penelope；〃　the　Prince　said。　〃We　look　out　upon　life　differently；　and　the　things　which　seem　good　to　him　may　well　seem　idle　to　me。　Before　I　go；〃　he　added　a　little　hesitatingly；　〃we　may　speak　of　this　again。　But　not　now。〃
  〃I　shall　remind　you　of　that　promise；　Prince；〃　she　declared。
  〃I　will　not　fail　to　keep　it；〃　he　replied。　〃You　have；　at　least；〃　he　added　after　a　moment's　pause；　〃one　great　claim　upon　happiness。　You　are　the　son　and　the　daughter　of　kindred　races。〃
  She　looked　at　him　as　though　not　quite　understanding。
  〃I　was　thinking；〃　he　continued　simply；　〃of　my　own　father　and　mother。　My　father　was　a　Japanese　nobleman；　with　the　home　call　of　all　the　centuries　strong　in　his　blood。　He　was　an　enlightened　man；　but　he　saw　nothing　in　the　manner　of　living　or　the　ideals　of　other　countries　to　compare　with　those　of　the　country　of　his　own　birth。　I　sometimes　think　that　my　mother　and　father　might　have　been　happier　had　one　of　them　been　a　little　more　disposed　to　yield　to　the　other　I　think；　perhaps；　that　their　union　would　have　been　a　more　successful　one。　They　were　married；　and　they　lived　together；　but　they　lived　apart。〃
  〃It　was　not　well　for　you；　this；〃　she　remarked。
  He　shrugged　his　shoulders。
  〃Do　not　mistake　me；〃　he　begged。　〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　am　content。　I　am　Japanese。　The　English　blood　that　is　in　my　veins　is　but　as　a　drop　of　water　compared　to　the　call　of　my　own　country。　And　yet　there　are　some　things　which　have　come　to　me　from　my　motherthings　which　come　most　to　the　surface　when　I　am　in　this；　her　own　countrywhich　make　life　at　times　a　little　sad。　Forgive　me　if　I　have　been　led　on　to　speak　too　much　of　myself。　Today　one　should　think　of　nothing　but　of　you　and　of　your　happiness。〃
  He　turned　to　accept　the　greeting　of　an　older　woman　who　had　lingered　for　a　moment；　in　passing；　evidently　anxious　to　speak　to　him。　Penelope　watched　his　kindly　air；　listened　to　the　courteous　words　which　flowed　from　his　lips；　the　interest　in　his　manner；　which　his　whole　bearing　denoted；　notwithstanding　the　fact　that　the　woman　was　elderly　and　plain；　and　had　outlived　the　friends　of　her　day　and　received　but　scanty　consideration　from　the　present　generation。　It　was　typical　of　him；　too；　she　realized。　It　was　never　to　the　great　women　of　the　world　that　he　unbent　most　thoroughly。　Gray　hairs　seemed　to　inspire　his　respect；　to　command　his　attentions　in　a　way　that　youth　and　beauty　utterly　failed　to　do。　These　things　seemed　suddenly　clear　to　Penelope　as　she　stood　there　watching　him。　A　hundred　little　acts　of　graceful　kindness；　which　she　had　noticed　and　admired；　returned　to　her　memory。　It　was　this　man　whom　she　had　lifted　her　hand　to　betray！　It　was　this　man　who　was　to　be　accounted　guilty；　even　of　crime！　There　came　a　sudden　revulsion　of　feeling。　The　whole　mechanical　outlook　upon　life；　as　she　had　known　it；　seemed；　even　in　those　few　seconds；　to　become　a　false　and　meretricious　thing。　Whatever　he　had　done　or　countenanced　was　right。　She　had　betrayed　his　hospitality。　She　had　committed　an　infamous　breach　of　trust。　An　overwhelming　desire　came　over　her　to　tell　him　everything。　She　took　a　quick　step　forward　and　found　herself　face　to　face　with　Somerfield。　The　Prince　was　buttonholed　by　some　friends　and　led　away。　The　moment　had　passed。
  〃Come　and　talk　to　the　Duchess；〃　Somerfield　said。　〃She　has　something　delightful　to　propose。〃
  CHAPTER　XVI。　CONCERNING　PRINCE　MAIYO
  The　Duchess　looked　up　from　her　writing　table　and　nodded　to　her　husband；　who　had　just　entered。
  〃Good　morning；　Ambrose！〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　want　to　talk　to　me？〃
  〃If　you　can　spare　me　five　minutes；〃　the　Duke　suggested。　〃I　don't　think　that　I　need　keep　you　longer。〃
  The　Duchess　handed　her　notebook　to　her　secretary；　who　hastened　from　the　room。　The　Duke　seated　himself　in　her　vacant　chair。
  〃About　our　little　party　down　in　Hampshire　next　week；〃　he　began。
  〃I　am　waiting　to　hear　from　you　before　I　send　out　any　invitations；〃　the　Duchess　answered。
  〃Quite　so；〃　the　Duke　assented。　〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　want　anything　in　the　nature　of　a　house　party。　What　I　should　really　like　would　be　to　get　Maiyo　there　almost　to　ourselves。〃
  His　wife　looked　at　him　in　some　surprise。
  〃You　seem　particularly　anxious　to　make　things　pleasant　for　this　young　man；〃　she　remarked。　〃If　he　were　the　son　of　the　Emperor　himself；　no　one　could　do　more　for　him　than　you　people　have　been　doing　these　last　few　weeks。〃
  The　Duke　of　Devenham；　Chancellor　of　the　Duchy　of　Lancaster；　whose　wife　entertained　for　his　party；　and　whose　immense　income；　derived　mostly　from　her　American　relations；　was　always　at　its　disposal；　was　a　person　almost　as　important　in　the　councils　of　his