feared. The strength of his will made itself felt.

He turned to the princess with the grave courtesy that always marked his
attitude toward her.

"Madame," he said, "I fully recognize your cleverness in raising
yourself to the position you now occupy. But I would remind you that
that position carries with it certain obligations. It is hardly
dignified for a princess to engage herself in a vulgar love intrigue in
her own house."

"It is not a vulgar love intrigue!" cried Etta, with blazing eyes. "I
will not allow you to say that! Where is your boasted friendship? Is
this a sample of it?"

Karl Steinmetz bowed gravely, with outspread hands.

"Madame, that friendship is at your service, now as always."

De Chauxville gave a scornful little laugh. He was biting the end of his
mustache as he watched Etta's face. For a moment the woman stood--not
the first woman to stand thus--between two fears. Then she turned to
Steinmetz. The victory was his--the greatest he had ever torn from the
grasp of Claude de Chauxville.

"You know," she said, "that this man has me in his power."

"You alone. But not both of us together," answered Steinmetz.

De Chauxville looked uneasy. He gave a careless little laugh.

"My good Steinmetz, you allow your imagination to run away with you. You
interfere in what does not concern you."

"My very dear De Chauxville, I think not. At all events, I am going to
continue to interfere."

Etta looked from one to the other. She had at the first impulse gone
over to Steinmetz. She was now meditating drawing back. If De Chauxville
kept cool all might yet be well--the dread secret of the probability of
Sydney Bamborough being alive might still be withheld from Steinmetz.
For the moment it would appear that she was about to occupy the
ignominious position of the bone of contention. If these two men were
going to use her as a mere excuse to settle a lifelong quarrel of many
issues, it was probable that there would not be much left of her
character by the time that they had finished.

She had to decide quickly. She decided to assume the role of peacemaker.

"M. de Chauxville was on the point of going," she said. "Let him go."

"M. de Chauxville is not going until I have finished with him, madame.
This may be the last time we meet. I hope it is."

De Chauxville looked uneasy. His was a ready wit, and fear was the only
feeling that paralyzed it. Etta looked at him. Was his wit going to
desert him n