colours. In a bright light, I think he would have been an Alsatian
blue," said the Duke suavely.

"You'll have to break yourself of this silly habit of trifling, my
dear Duke, if ever you expect to be a member of the Academie
Francaise," said the millionaire with some acrimony. "I tell you I
did see a burglar."

"Yes, yes. I admitted it frankly. It was his colour I was talking
about," said the Duke, with an ironical smile.

"Oh, stop your idiotic jokes! We're all sick to death of them!" said
Germaine, with something of the fine fury which so often
distinguished her father.

"There are times for all things," said the millionaire solemnly.
"And I must say that, with the fate of my collection and of the
coronet trembling in the balance, this does not seem to me a season
for idle jests."

"I stand reproved," said the Duke; and he smiled at Sonia.

"My keys, Sonia--the keys of the Paris house," said the millionaire.

Sonia took her own keys from her pocket and went to the bureau. She
slipped a key into the lock and tried to turn it. It would not turn;
and she bent down to look at it.

"Why--why, some one's been tampering with the lock! It's broken!"
she cried.