The herald., 1896-01-28

not a word of Hungarian. That is all I
know about the matter. My only hope is
that you will find the data sufficient to work
Iupon'
"Can you tell me the contents Of the letter
from Bttner which the Princess found in
your daughter's-I mean in Olga Milltch's-
room last summers?
''It was to the effect that he could not
live without her, and would not live without
her,"
WAS it a threat?"
at came to that
could you infer that the girl correspond
ed clandestnely with the fellow?"
"No; but she kept the letter-if it was an
old one-and said nothing about tiff it
was of recent date. The impression it made
on my mind was unfavorable."
Did you ever hear from Bittner your
celf?"
/ Il once received letter bearing for
elgn postmark, in which he threatened to be
even with me-"
''Did he know or suspect that Miss Militch
is your daughter?'
81 cannot say
SIS it known to many people?"
'Known, no; suspected, yes"
"And spoken about?"
81 should say So"
HAS the girls luggage suppose she
has trunk or trunks-been examined since
her disappearance"
mo My wife is afraid of touching them
but she would willingly allow you to open
the two boxes and examine them in her
presence Unfortunately. she is not well
Just now. Olga's disappearance has given
her a rude shock. But she is not in bed,
and will, l am sure feel relieved to see
YOU
"D!d you dismiss your cab?"
The Prince looked up at Boothy with an
expression of intense surprise. The detec-
tive smiled and said, by way of explanation:
''You could not have come on foot, for the
streets are covered with mud, and your
boots do not show & speck."
The Prince looked down at his boots and
up at Beothys face, and then, with a smile
of admiration, said:
81 will go and order cab, and wait for
you downstairs"
The examination of the governess' luggage
furnished no clew to the mystery-at least,
none that an ordinary mortal could descry;
but latterday detectives, who are by no
means ordinary mortals, are capable of dis
cernng a ciew in the shape OF q letter. the
/ fold CT q sheet of note paper---in a mere noth-
ing in fact. Beothy found a photograph of
Bittner, and asked permission to take it..
He then inquired whether the Prince was
quite certain that the original of the por-
trait was ignorant of Hungarian.
| absolutely certain" said the Prince.
"Well, if you can put off your journey
home for, say week or ten days" he re-
marked, as he was leaving the hotel, 81
think I can promise tc have cleared up
everything by that time
The Prince was profuse in his thanks, and,
taking the detective aside. said
III you would like me to write YOU a
check for your expenses now you have only
to name the sum, and it will be done in three
minutes"
Thanks; for the moment l need nothing.
Should it be necessary later on, I will let
you know. Good morning"
And as Beothy passed through the ante
chamber he noticed two pairs of golcshes
standing near the door, with the. Princes
initials in brass inside them. One pair was
muddy, and the mud seem,d not quite dry
II wonder if the Prince had them on this
| morning when he came to me?" he said to
himself; and his heart fell when it occurred
to him that the inference he had drawn
from the brightly polished boots might have
been hasty. Fer in hose days Beothy prided
himself on his gift of constructing whole
history from stray word, missing button,
tell-tale blush. and a mistake seemed to
him worse than a crime.