“I see,” interposed Nick Carter, anxious to help the lady out of the morass in which she was floundering. “At all events, the prince is the head of the government, and, as I understand it, he takes his position by right of heredity, instead of election?”
“Yes, Mr. Carter, that is it,” assented Mrs. van Raikes, with a sigh of relief. “You have explained it exactly.”
“Who did you say it was who lost it?”
She had not said anybody, but the detective was curious to know who was the owner of the watch that had come so strangely into his hands, and which watch was put away securely in the safe in his library at that very moment.
“It was Prince Miguel, a cousin of the reigning prince, Marcos——”
“Marcos?” interrupted Nick involuntarily.
“Yes. Do you know him, Mr. Carter?”
“I can’t say I know him. In fact, I doubt whether I ever saw him. But I have heard his name.”
“That’s quite likely,” smiled the lady. “You detectives know everybody, of course.”
“It is our business. Was it Prince Miguel who told you of his loss?”