The decree which was in due time issued from the Vatican, that, so long as his divorced wife lived, the prince might not marry again, was a serious check upon certain pet schemes cherished by the Marchioness Caldariva.
* * * * * To return to the latter's boudoir, where she and her willing tool were bending over the cipher despatches, after long and fruitless search they came upon a name familiar to them both,--Adorjan.

It appeared that a certain Adorjan of Toroczko had gone out to parley with the insurgent forces then besieging the town, and they had seized him and held him prisoner.

A second Adorjan had followed to ransom his brother, but he too was detained.

Finally there came a third brother,--Manasseh.
"Ah, at last!" cried the marchioness, eagerly.
It appeared that this third Adorjan was on his way home from Italy, and was accompanied by his fiancee, whom he left in care of his brother Aaron while he himself sought the insurgents' camp.

He too was seized and imprisoned, and preparations were made for the execution of the three brothers; but in the morning, by some means or other, he succeeded in persuading his captors to release all three of their prisoners and to give the whole party, including the young lady, Princess Blanka Zboroy, a safe-conduct to Toroczko, while the insurgents themselves dispersed to their homes.
"But go on!" urged Rozina; "what occurred after that in Toroczko ?" "Nothing further is said about Toroczko," answered the other.
"Have you no spies there ?" demanded the marchioness.
"No, there are no informers in Toroczko.