"_Police!_" she exclaimed. "If we ever get out of this town alive I shall be thankful! I had rung as usual for water, and just as I had finished my bath I heard a knock at the outside door, and asking 'Wer ist da?' the chambermaid replied that _she_ was. I then opened the door a bit, and saw looking over her shoulders two strange men. My first thought was that they were friends of yours wishing to give you a surprise, and I cried out, 'Oh, you can't come in, for we are not dressed.' Then one of the men said in broken English, 'We shall and we _will_ come in;' and they forced the door in upon me, while I hastened to close and fasten the other, but was too late, for they followed at my heels. 'You are Miss W----?' the one who had already spoken said.--'No, I am not.'--'Then she is in the next room?'--'But you cannot go in, for she isn't dressed,' I said.--'You are her sister, and you come from the Grand Hotel,' he continued; and you've no idea with what a ferocious face. It was dreadful! Then he said something about the _police_--that we must go to the _police-court_; and finally said he would give you five minutes to dress in. Now, there they are, banging at the door. Oh, what have we done? Why _did_ we ever come into this barbarous land?" and poor merry Kate was on the brink of hysterics. "Oh, 'tis all a mistake," I replied, adjusting my necktie. "I will see the men, and the matter will be explained at once." The noise from the street coming in from my open windows had prevented me from hearing the conversation in Kate's room, and I should have been inclined to regard her startling narrative as one of her jokes if it had not been for the loud banging on the door. I hastened to open it: the men came in, and, wishing to relieve Kate of their presence, I asked them to pass into my room. This they refused to do, taking a decided stand in Kate's. I was too curious to lose my presence of mind or show that I was annoyed, and with my blandest smile inquired why I was honored with so matinal a visit from two strangers, when the following dialogue ensued: "We come from the police. You are Miss W----?" "Yes." "Englishwoman?" "By no means." "Yes you are; and this woman is your sister." "No, she is not my sister." "Yes, she is. You're English. No? What are you, then?" "I'm American." "Show your passport." "Here it is;" and I opened the document bearing the American eagle and the signature of Hamilton Fish. The two men put their heads together, neither being able to tell what sort of a paper it was, which secretly amused me. The men were in civilian's dress. Turning to Kate, her passport was demanded. She had none. "And of what nation are you?" asked the spokesman. She refused to tell. "And what is your name?"