You expect me to abuse the hospitality of--"
"I shall have to speak plainly, I see." He leaned forward, fixing
Barnes with a pair of steady, earnest eyes. "Six months ago a certain
royal house in Europe was despoiled of its jewels, its privy seal, its
most precious state documents and its charter. They have been traced
to the United States. I am here to recover them. That is the
foundation of my story, Mr. Barnes. Shall I go on?"
"Can you not start at the beginning, Mr. Sprouse? What was it that led
up to this amazing theft?"
"Without divulging the name of the house, I will say that its
sympathies have been from the outset friendly to the Entente Allies,--
especially with France. There are two branches of the ruling family,
one in power, the other practically in exile. The state is a small
one, but its integrity is of the highest. Its sons and daughters have
married into the royal families of nearly all of the great nations of
the continent. The present--or I should say--the late ruler, for he
died on a field of battle not many months ago, had no direct heir. He
was young and unmarried. I am not permitted to state with what army he
was fighting, nor on which front he was killed.
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