"Yes, yes, I want them," said the Prince, "and will pay you handsomely
for them."

"Very well," replied Miss Baxter, "you shall have them. If you will wait
here ten minutes, I shall return with them."

"But," hesitated the Prince, "say nothing to the Princess."

"Oh, no, I shall not need to; the keys are sure to be on her
dressing-table."

Miss Baxter ran down to the room of the Princess, and had little
difficulty in obtaining the keys. She unlocked the secret drawer into
which she had seen the Princess place the packet of letters, and taking
them out, she drew another sheet of paper along with them, which she
read with wide-opening eyes, then with her pretty lips pursed, she
actually whistled, which unmaidenly performance merely gave sibilant
expression to her astonishment. Taking both the packet of letters and
the sheet of paper with her, she ran swiftly up the stair and along the
corridor to the room where the Prince was impatiently awaiting her.

"Give them to me," he snapped, rudely snatching the bundle of documents
from her hand. She still clung to the separate piece of paper and said
nothing. The Prince stood by the window and undid the packet with
trembling hands. He examined one and then another of the letters,
turning at last towards the girl with renewed anger in his face.

"You are trifling with me, my girl," he cried.

"No, I am not," she said stoutly.