I am of a stricken
country; I am trying to serve the unhappy house that has ruled it for
centuries and is now in the direst peril. The man you know as Loeb is
a prince of that house. I may say this to you, and it will serve to
explain my position at Green Fancy: he is not the Prince I was led to
believe awaited me there. He is the cousin of the man I expected to
meet, and he is the enemy of the branch of the house that I would
serve. Do not ask me to say more. Trust me as I am trusting you,--as
Sprouse trusted you."
"May I ask the cause of O'Dowd's apparent defection?"
"He is not in sympathy with all of the plans advanced by his leader,"
she said, after a moment's reflection.
"Your sympathies are with the Entente Allies, the prince's are
opposed? Is that part of Sprouse's story true?"
"Yes."
"And O'Dowd?"
"O'Dowd is anti-English, Mr. Barnes, if that conveys anything to you.
He is not pro-German. Perhaps you will understand."
"Wasn't it pretty risky for you to carry the crown jewels around in a
travelling bag, Miss Cameron?"
"I suppose so. It turned out, however, that it was the safest, surest
way. I had them in my possession for three days before coming to Green
Fancy.
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