carry the official packages in a despatch-box, which is just as
obvious as a lady's jewel bag in the hands of her maid. Every one
knows they are carrying something of value. They put a premium on
dishonesty. Well, after I saw the 'Scrap of Paper' play, I determined
to put the government valuables in the most unlikely place that any
one would look for them. So I used to hide the documents they gave me
inside my riding-boots, and small articles, such as money or jewels, I
carried in an old cigar-case. After I took to using my case for that
purpose I bought a new one, exactly like it, for my cigars. But to
avoid mistakes, I had my initials placed on both sides of the new one,
and the moment I touched the case, even in the dark, I could tell
which it was by the raised initials.

"No one knew of this except the Queen's Messenger of whom I spoke. We
once left Paris together on the Orient Express. I was going to
Constantinople and he was to stop off at Vienna. On the journey I told
him of my peculiar way of hiding things and showed him my cigar-case.
If I recollect rightly, on that trip it held the grand cross of St.
Michael and St. Greorge, which the Queen was sending to our
Ambassador. The Messenger was very much entertained at my scheme, and
some months later when he met the Princess he told her about it as an
amusing story. Of course, he had no idea she was a Russian spy. He
didn't know anything at all about her, except that she was a very
attractive woman.

"It was indiscreet, but he could not possibly have guessed that she
could ever make any use of what he told her.

"Later, after the robbery, I remembered that I had informed this young
chap of my secret hiding-place, and when I saw him again I questioned