to ask Sir Charles to take me home."

"But my dear child!" the Duchess exclaimed.

"Miss Morse is quite right," the Prince said quietly. "I think it
would be better for her to leave at once. If you will allow me, I
will explain to you later."

She left the box without another word, and took Somerfield's arm.

"We two are to go," she murmured. "The Prince will explain to the
Duchess."

The Prince closed the box door behind them. He placed a chair for
the Duchess so that she was not in view of the house.

"A very sad thing has happened," he said quietly. "Mr. Vanderpole
met with an accident in a taxicab this evening. From the latest
reports, it seems that he is dead!"



CHAPTER IX. INSPECTOR JACKS SCORES

There followed a few days of pleasurable interest to all
Englishmen who travelled in the tube and read their halfpenny
papers. A great and enlightened Press had already solved the
problem of creating the sensational without the aid of facts.
This sudden deluge, therefore, of undoubtedly tragical happenings
became almost an embarrassment to them. Black headlines, notes of