At that, moment fate pointed out an unexpected way to her. She heard footsteps in the corridor, and just then it flashed upon Antoinette that she had heard her master giving orders to his valet to bring him a glass of brandy. The man was returning with it. Quick as a flash, Antoinette crossed the room and flung open the door. "Andrew," she whispered to the man who was passing, "I want you to do a favor for me." "A hundred if you like," replied the man, good-humoredly. "But I haven't time to listen to you now. I'll take master this brandy--which, by the way, is the best of its kind. I wish he'd take a notion to leave half of it in the glass, for it's fairly nectar--then I'll be back in a trice, and you can consider me at your service for the rest of the evening." "But it's _now_ I want you, Andrew--this very minute!" cried Antoinette. "Set your glass right down here; nobody will see it; I'll keep guard over it. My errand won't take you more than a minute. Master won't miss his brandy for that short time. He'll enjoy it all the more when he gets it." Andrew hesitated an instant, and we all know what happens to the man who hesitates--he is lost. "Well, what is it you want, Antoinette?" he replied, good-humoredly. "If it only takes me a minute, as you say, I don't mind accommodating you." "I lost my little gold cross in the lower hall a few moments ago. I heard something drop as I was hurrying along, but did not miss it until just now, and I can't leave my lady to go and get it. Some one may come along and find it, and I'd never get it again. For goodness' sake, go quick, Andrew, and look for it. Not an instant's to be lost." Suspecting nothing, the good fellow hurriedly set down the glass, and hastened away to do her bidding. His back was scarcely turned ere Antoinette flew to her own apartments, which adjoined her mistress's, and took from a trunk, which she unlocked with a very strange-looking key, a small vial. A few grains of the contents she emptied into the palm of her hand, and in less time than it takes to write it, they were transferred to the glass of brandy and dissolved at once with its amber contents. She had scarcely accomplished this ere Andrew returned, quite flushed from hurrying. "I am sorry to bring you bad news, Antoinette," he said; "but some one has been there before me and picked up your cross. I met the butler, and we both searched for it. He has promised to make strict inquiries concerning it, and get it back for you if it be possible." "You are very good to take so much trouble upon yourself," declared Antoinette, with a well-enacted sigh. "I suppose I shall survive the loss of it. It is a trinket that isn't of much value only as a keep-sake. But I won't keep you standing there talking any longer, Andrew; your master will be waiting for the brandy." "I'll see you later, Antoinette," he said, nodding as he picked up his glass. The next moment he had disappeared within his master's apartments.