The Princess did not allow me to read them, but locked them away in a secret drawer in her dressing-room, but she is so careless with her keys and everything else, that I am sure I can get them for you, if you want them." "Yes, yes, I want them," said the Prince, "and will pay you handsomely for them." "Very well," replied Miss Baxter, "you shall have them.

If you will wait here ten minutes, I shall return with them." "But," hesitated the Prince, "say nothing to the Princess." "Oh, no, I shall not need to; the keys are sure to be on her dressing-table." Miss Baxter ran down to the room of the Princess, and had little difficulty in obtaining the keys.

She unlocked the secret drawer into which she had seen the Princess place the packet of letters, and taking them out, she drew another sheet of paper along with them, which she read with wide-opening eyes, then with her pretty lips pursed, she actually whistled, which unmaidenly performance merely gave sibilant expression to her astonishment.

Taking both the packet of letters and the sheet of paper with her, she ran swiftly up the stair and along the corridor to the room where the Prince was impatiently awaiting her.
"Give them to me," he snapped, rudely snatching the bundle of documents from her hand.

She still clung to the separate piece of paper and said nothing.