"Sit down, please," she invited. "I will tell you things you may like to
hear."
A sudden thought flashed into Maggie's mind. She began to see light. She
obeyed at once. The two women sat well back and out of sight of the
house. La Belle Nita held the handle of the door in her hand while she
spoke, as though to prevent any one entering.
"I have an enemy who was once a friend," she said, "and I wish to do him
evil. He is not only my enemy, but he is yours. He is the enemy of all
you English people, because it is a great disaster which he plans to
bring upon you."
"You speak of Prince Shan?" Maggie exclaimed.
Even at the mention of his name, the girl shook. She looked around as
though fearing the shadows. She rattled the door to make sure that it
was closed.
"For him whom you call Prince Shan I have worked many years, first of
all in Paris, now here. I was content with small reward. That reward he
now takes from me. It is my wish to betray him."
"Why do you send for me?" Maggie asked.
"Because you have been an English spy," was the quiet reply. "It may
surprise you that I know that, but I do know. I have been a spy for
Prince Shan in Paris. You were a spy for England in Berlin. You were a
spy for your country's sake; I was a spy for love. Now I betray for
hate."
"Please go on."
"Prince Shan came this time to Europe with two schemes in his mind," the
girl continued. "One concerned France. That one he has discarded.
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