riumph. No whisper escaped her, no glance, no nudge of admiring
or envious notice. On Steinmetz's arm she passed out of the tent; the
touch of her hand on his sleeve reminded him of a thoroughbred horse
stepping on to turf, so full of life, of electric thrill, of excitement
was it. But then, Karl Steinmetz was a cynic. No one else could have
thought of comparing Etta's self-complaisant humor to that of a horse in
a racing paddock.

They procured skates and glided off hand in hand, equally proficient,
equally practised, maybe on this same lake; for both had learned to
skate in Russia.

They talked only of the present, of the brilliancy of the fete, of the
music, of the thousand lights. Etta was quite incapable of thinking or
talking of any other subject at that moment.

Steinmetz distinguished Claude de Chauxville easily enough, and avoided
him with some success for a short time. But De Chauxville soon caught
sight of them.

"Here is M. de Chauxville," said Etta, with a pleased ring in her voice.
"Leave me with him. I expect you are tired."

"I am not tired, but I am obedient," replied Steinmetz, as the Frenchman
came up with his fur cap in his hand, bowing gracefully. Claude de
Chauxville usually overdid things. There is something honest in a clumsy
bow which had no place in his courtly obeisance.

Although Steinmetz continued to skate in a leisurely way, he also held
to his original intention of looking on. He saw Paul and Maggie come
back to the edge of the lake, accompanied by an English lady of some
importance in Russia, with whom Maggie presently went away to the
concert-room.

Steinmetz glided up to Paul, who was lighting a cigarette at the edge of
the pond, where an attendant stood by an open wood fire with cigarettes
and hot beverages.

"Get a pair of skates," said the German. "This ice is
marvellous--colossa-a-a-l."

He amused himself with describing figures, like a huge grave-minded boy,
until Paul joined him.

"Where is Etta?" asked the prince at once.

"Over there with De Chauxville."

Paul said nothing for a few moments. They skated side by side round the
lake. It was too cold to stand still even for a minute.

"I told you," remarked Paul at length, "that that fellow is coming to
Thors."

"I wish he would go to the devil," said Steinmetz.

"No doubt he will in time," answered Paul carelessly.

"Yes; but not soon enough. I assure you, Paul, I do not like it. We are
just in that position