kindling eyes. "Just think of it,
dear! The power, the magnificence, the jewels! Oh, I believe I'd do
anything for riches."

"Violet! I wouldn't!"

Olga spoke with strong emphasis and Violet laughed--a short, hard laugh.
"Oh, no, you wouldn't, I know! You were born to be a slave. But I
wasn't. I was born to be a queen, and a queen I'll be--or die!" She
suddenly glanced about her with the peculiar, furtive look that Olga had
noticed the day before. "That's why I wouldn't marry Max Wyndham," she
said, "for all the riches in the world! He is the One Impossible."

Olga felt her colour rising. She made response with an effort. "Don't
you like him, then?"

"Like him!" Violet's eyes came down to her. They expressed a fiery
chafing at restraint that made her think of a wild creature caged. "My
dear, what has that to do with it? I wouldn't marry a man who didn't
worship me, whatever my own feelings might be; and it isn't in him to
worship any woman. No, he would only grind me under his heel, and I
should probably kill him in the end and myself too." A passionate note
crept into the deep voice. It seemed to quiver on the verge of tragedy;
and then again quite suddenly she laughed. "But I don't feel in the
least murderous," she said. "In fact, I'm at peace with all the world
just now. Listen, Allegro! You've told me your secret. I'll tell you one
of mine. But you must swear on your sacred honour that you will never
repeat it to a soul."

Olga was in a fashion used to this form of affidavit. She had been the
recipient of Violet's secrets before. She gave the required pledge with
the utmost simplicity, little dreaming how soon she was to repent of it.

Violet leaned towards her and spoke in low, confidential tones. "So
amusing, dear! I know you won't mind for once. It's Hunt-Goring again.
He really is too ridiculous for words. He has hired a yacht, you must
know--a nice little steam-yacht, Allegro. He walked over this afternoon
to tell me about it. Don't look so horrified! There's much worse to
come." She laughed again under her breath. "He has asked me--in fact,
persuaded me--to go for a little trip in it one day next week. Of course
I said No at first; and then he said you could come too to make it
proper; so I consented. I'm sure you won't mind for once, and a breath
of sea air will do me good."

She laid a hand of careless coaxing upon Olga's shoulder. But Olga's
demeanour was very far from acquiescent.

"But, Violet!"