THE ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE By E. Phillips Oppenheim CONTENTS I Mr. Hamilton Fynes, Urgent II The End of the Journey III An Incident and an Accident IV Miss Penelope Morse V An Affair of State VI Mr. Coulson Interviewed VII A Fatal Despatch VIII An Interrupted Theatre Party IX Inspector Jacks Scores X Mr. Coulson Outmatched XI A Commission XII Penelope Intervenes XIII East and West XIV An Engagement XV Penelope Explains XVI Concerning Prince Maiyo XVII A Gay Night in Paris XVIII Mr. Coulson is Indiscreet XIX A Momentous Question XX The Answer XXI A Clue XXII A Breath From the East XXIII On the Trail XXIV Prince Maiyo Bids High XXV Hobson’s Choice XXVI Some Farewells XXVII A Prisoner XXVIII Patriotism XXIX A Race XXX Inspector Jacks Importunate XXXI Good-Bye! XXXII Prince Maiyo Speaks XXXIII Unafraid XXXIV Banzai CHAPTER I. MR. HAMILTON FYNES, URGENT There was a little murmur of regret amongst the five hundred and eighty-seven saloon passengers on board the steamship Lusitania, mingled, perhaps, with a few expressions of a more violent character. After several hours of doubt, the final verdict had at last been pronounced. They had missed the tide, and no attempt was to be made to land passengers that night. Already the engines had ceased to throb, the period of unnatural quietness had commenced. Slowly, and without noticeable motion, the great liner swung round a little in the river. A small tug, which had been hovering about for some time, came screaming alongside. There was a hiss from its wave-splashed deck, and a rocket with a blue light flashed up into the sky. A man who had formed one of the long line of passengers, leaning over the rail, watching the tug since it had come into sight, now turned away and walked briskly to the steps leading to the bridge. As it happened, the captain himself was in the act of descending. The passenger accosted him, and held out what seemed to be a letter. “Captain Goodfellow,” he said, “I should be glad if you would glance at the contents of that note.” The captain, who had just finished a long discussion with the pilot and was not in the best of humor, looked a little surprised. “What, now?” he asked. “If you please,” was the quiet answer. “The matter is urgent.” “Who are you?” the captain asked. “My name is Hamilton Fynes,” the other answered. “I am a saloon passenger on board your ship, although my name does not appear in the list. That note has been in my pocket since we left New York, to deliver to you in the event of a certain contingency happening.” “The contingency being?” the captain asked, tearing open the envelope and moving a little nearer the electric light which shone out from the smoking room.