The Lighted Match

When Blanco had carefully folded the emblem of his embassy in paper and

deposited it in his breast pocket, she gave him her hand again, and,

turning, went out through the same door that she had entered.

Back in the town, Blanco had certain investigations to make. He knew Von

Ritz's men had been too late to capture the Duke, and that the Countess

Astaride had sailed by the steamer leaving for French and Italian ports.

Wherever these two conspirators should meet would become the next point

to watch.

Blanco felt sure that Louis would be willing to drop back into the

routine of his life in Paris, freshly stocked with pessimistic memories

of how a crown had slipped through his fingers. It would take driving to

prevent him lagging into the inertia of sentimental brooding. On the

other hand, he knew that the Countess Astaride, having gone so far,

would never again relinquish her ambitions. He knew the temper of the

Countess's mind from various bits of gossip he had heard and now also

from what he had seen. He knew that, while she was entirely willing to

participate in a murder plot to further her designs, she was not fired

solely by a lust for power. More deeply she was actuated by her wish to

make Louis Delgado a man of potentiality because she loved Louis

Delgado.

That love might evidence itself in savagery toward men who obstructed

the road which her lover must travel to a crown, but it was a ferocity

born of love for the Pretender.

Since this was true it was not probable that she would allow the matter

to end where it stood. Even if she were willing, it was more than

certain that Jusseret had not entered into the undertaking without some

sufficient end in view. Having entered it, he would not relinquish it

because the first attempt had been bungled.

That same night Manuel sent a message to the Isis, saying that he was

sailing the following morning by the Genoa steamer and asking that the

yacht meet the ship and take him on board. Having done that much, he

went to the hotel where the Countess had stopped and told the clerk that

he had news of importance to communicate to Madame the Countess, and

that he wished to learn her present address. The clerk, like all Puntal,

was ignorant of what important matters had just missed happening, but he

had instructions from this lady to assume ignorance as to her

destination. Blanco, however, showed the seal ring which she had said

would prove a passport to her presence and which Benton had left with

him. He was promptly informed that she had taken passage for

Villefranche, and had ordered her mail forwarded there in care of the

steamship agency.