"That is just what
they have done. I wondered why you told Bradley we were going out! I
had no idea that you knew so much about the case."
"Bradley knew that I knew the boy to be an imposter," Ned went on.
"He intended we should make the discovery in time--after he had
watched the grandson for a few days, sized up the situation
generally, and dropped out of sight. He intended me to know in a
couple of weeks, after he was out of harm's way. But I discovered the
trick too quickly for him."
"When did you first suspect?" asked Jack.
"That first morning. The boy's French was from the back of the book,
and there was too strong an atmosphere of Washington about him--an
atmosphere which does not savor of the quiet life of the prince of
the blood. Then when I watched him closer I saw that he had been
painted. Oh, it was all plain enough."
"So you think the prince is here--in these hills?" asked the old
lady.
"I can't say, now," Ned replied. "I am sure that he was here
yesterday. I think I saw him! But the escape of the two men who
captured Jimmie mussed things up a lot. I wanted to put them through
a little examination.
"After their escape I could not pose longer as a lad after snapshots!
I can't say as I deceived the conspirators when I laid the capture of
Jimmie to the counterfeiters.
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