urtesy to the princess. She was indeed dazzling in her
beauty to-day, for her rich Court toilette so well chosen, suited her
most admirably. The costly white brocade, with its long, heavy folds,
set off her slender figure to advantage, the pearls which encircled her
neck, and the diamonds which glistened in her light blonde hair, were
jewels well worth the notice of connoisseurs; but that which was most
worthy of attention was the singular coldness and earnestness of this
young wife's face and bearing. She bore no resemblance whatever to
others of her own age in this brilliant assemblage, who were for the
most part married also, and who were decked out in all the witcheries of
lace and flowers. They possessed nothing of her stateliness, but she in
turn had none of their sweetness or assumed gentleness; none of that
premeditated amiability which society women assume under the public
gaze. The severe rigidity of that lovely face was a heritage from her
father, whose stern, austere nature had left its impress upon her soul
as well.

Egon kissed the hand of his illustrious aunt, and murmured a few polite
words of greeting, but the amiable attention of her highness was
directed toward the beautiful woman who had just joined them.

"I was just saying to his excellency, that you found yourself at home
very readily in our little Court circle, my dear baroness. You are
entering our little society for the first time to-day, and have lived,
no doubt, in a very different atmosphere until now. Your name was--?"

"Stahlberg, your highness," was the quiet reply.

"Oh, yes, I remember it now. I have heard the name often enough. It was
well known, I believe--in mercantile circles."

"My dearest aunt, you must permit me to set you right in this matter,"
interrupted Prince Egon, not wishing to lose an opportunity to anger his
aunt. "The Stahlberg manufacturies have a worldwide reputation, and are
as celebrated across the ocean as here. I had an opportunity, when I was
in North Germany, to learn something about them, and can assure you that
these works, with their iron foundries and enormous factories, their
colony of officers and army of workmen, could absorb many a little
principality, whose rulers have no such unlimited power as had the
baroness' father."

The lady threw her princely nephew anything but a friendly glance; his
interference was to her mind most uncalled for.

"Indeed! I had no conception of such greatness," said sh