He had dined with such an one; such an one had dined with him.

Ordinarily innocent entries, all these; there was no subtle significance to be attached to any of them: they were just the sort of entries which the busy commercial man, engaged in operations of some magnitude, would make for his own convenience.
There was, in short, nothing in that tiny book--a mere, waistcoat-pocket sort of affair--which Allerdyke was at a loss to understand, or which excited any wonder or speculation in him: with one exception.

That exception was in three entries: brief, bald, mere lines, all made during James's second stay--the fortnight period--in St.Petersburg.They were:-- April 18: Met Princess.
April 20: Lunched with Princess.
April 23: Princess dined with me.
These entries puzzled Allerdyke.

His cousin had been going over to Russia at least twice a year for three years, but he had never heard him mention that he had formed the acquaintance of any person of princely rank.

Who was this Princess with whom James had evidently become on such friendly terms that they had lunched and dined together?
James had twice written to him during his absence--he had both letters in his pocket then, and one of them was dated from St.Petersburg on April 24th, but there was no mention of any Princess in either.