Petrovitch seemed to turn away from me with reluctance.
“You doubt me, it appears,” came in angry tones from the Princess.
“I doubt everybody,” was the cool rejoinder. “You were in love with this fellow.”
“You think so? Then look at this.”
I felt the locket being picked up, and heard the click of the tiny spring.
A coarse laugh burst from the financier.
“So that is it! Woman’s jealousy is safer than her sworn word, after all. Now I believe he is dead.”
The Princess made no reply.
Presently the man spoke again.
“This must be kept a secret among ourselves, you understand. The truth is, I have exceeded my instructions a little. A certain personage only authorized detention. It appears he is like you in having a certain tenderness for this fellow—why, I can’t think. At any rate his manner was rather alarming when we hinted that a coffin made the safest straight-jacket.”