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"N-no"

"Then why did they shoot that poor devil of an Italian? And why the abduction?"

"Oh, I don't know, Saunders" Mark spoke wearily

"Whoever she is, she can't be in two places at one time, can she?"

"For heaven's sake, Saunders!" Mark's look ild, his weariness gone "What are you driving at? You'll have et you," coolly retorted Saunders "Here's where the ets so deep that it looks as if no one can ever fathom it" He paused

"Well?" snapped Mark, exasperatedly

"Fro about for clues and possible bits of inforlanced into every open coh the coaches In the second car fro Room A I had a clear view of the people inside, and--" the speaker's tone became impressive--"one was that old lady who told you of the abduction; the other was--your lady of the tree"

Mark jumped, and seemed about to rise, but Saunders held him back

"Don't do that; there may be others to notice"

"Ruth? You saw Ruth?"

"I saw that lady, Ruth Atheson or the Duchess, whichever she is, and the other I made no mistake I know for sure The lady of the tree is on this train"

It was very late when Mark and Saunders retired to their berths Father Murray was already sleeping; they could hear his deep, regular breathing as they passed his section Both were relieved, for they dreaded letting him knohat Saunders had discovered Indeed all their conversation since Saunders had told Mark of this new developently to the priest, and if so, how; or whether it would be better to conceal it froether

Mark tossed in his berth with a reatly troubled Cold and cal cold and calm within When he had believed Ruth to be the runaway Grand Duchess he had tried to put her out of his heart He knew, even better than Saunders, that, while there e The laws that hedge royalty in were no closed book to this wanderer over many lands But he had believed that she loved hih he kneould have to give her up But the sight of the love passage between the girl and the unfortunate officer had opened his eyes to other things; not solost her, as to the deeper pain caused by her deception What was the reason for it? There surely had been no need to deceive hiht--had it all been part of an elaborate plan to conceal her identity in fear of her royal father's spies? Mark well believed that this ht of Father Murray There was no doubting the priest's words He had said positively that the girl was Ruth Atheson, his own niece; and Mark re London church fifteen years before He knew that he had begun to love Ruth then, and that he could never love anyone else Now ca cause of worry Supposedly abducted as the Grand Duchess, she was even now free, and attended by her own servant, in this very train What part in the strange play did the false abduction have? Mark could think of no solution He could only let things drift Through his worries the wheels of the train kept saying: "You love her--you love her--" in , he would love her to the end