“You left her in the library at the Tormouth school. There are not many men in the world who have a Hottentot Venus to lose. So she suggested to me that the Prince of Ragusa was taking action with regard to Hilda Crowland.” “You have a great deal of acumen, Mr. Fortune,” said the Prince, and the sound of the cable broke off the conversation. There is a hospital at Tormouth. The Comte de Spoleto went on shore to bring off its X-ray man. Reggie stretched himself in a deck chair to wait events. They were not long in arriving. A shore boat brought off the Hon. Stanley Lomas, dapper as ever, and a woman whom Reggie identified by her hair and her magnificent figure as the mother of Hilda--Mrs. Crowland--the Princess of Ragusa. Reggie went down the gangway to meet them. Lomas sprang out of the boat. The Princess was handed out and went up the gangway. “Good God, Fortune!” Lomas shook hands. “You’re a wonder! How did you bring them back?” “Genius--just genius.” The Princess had met her daughter who was not abashed. “Hilda! Why do you do this extraordinary thing?” And Hilda said quietly, “I wanted to know my father.” “You make us all ridiculous,” the Princess cried. “I don’t feel that.” Hilda put up her chin. “May I present Mr. Fortune, ma’am?” Lomas put in. Reggie bowed. “I am sorry to tell you, madame, that the Prince has had an accident. A fall down the companion. He is in bed. I am waiting for an X-ray to be taken of his arm. But I assure you there is no cause for alarm.” “I am not alarmed,” said the Princess. “I wish to see him.” “Certainly. You will not forget that I have told him I represent you.” “It was an impertinence, Mr. Fortune,” said the Princess, and swept to the companion. The door of the Prince’s cabin was shut on her. “Jam for the Prince.” Reggie made a grimace at Lomas. “Strictly speaking, what’s my _locus standi?_” said the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department. “Don’t funk, Lomas. I dare say she’ll murder him. That’s where you come in.” So they were depressed till the return of the anxious Spoleto with his X-ray man. Reggie descended upon the Prince and Princess. She was sitting upon his bed. She was smiling. She kissed her hand to His Highness as she went out. All which Reggie observed with a face of stone. “I am infinitely your debtor, Mr. Fortune,” His Highness beamed. “You are not married, no?” “It becomes every day less probable,” said Reggie grimly. “One never knows the beauty of a woman’s nature till one is suffering,” said His Highness. The X-rays were put to work on the arm, and the operator and Reggie went off to the yacht’s dark room. As the plate came out, “I see no injury, Mr. Fortune,” the operator complained. “Fancy that,” said Reggie. Outside the dark room the Princess was impatiently waiting. “Well, Mr. Fortune?” “Well, madame, there will be no need of an operation.”