s said almost gaily. "Let us get
rid of that horrible man first. You must return those fine diamonds to
him. Oh, I know about the diamonds, because I read an account of them
in the papers. Perhaps you have already done so?"

"No," Beatrice said, "they are in my dressing-room at the present
moment."

"Oh, the careless girl! But that shows how little you value that kind of
thing. Well, General, and what do you want with me at this time of the
evening?"

A tall, military man had lounged up to them. He was exquisitely
preserved. He bowed over Beatrice's hand as he was introduced as General
Gastang.

"Delighted to meet you," he said. "I knew your father slightly.
Countess, your maid is wandering in a desolate way about the corridor,
looking for you, with some story of a dressmaker."

"_Ma foi_, I had quite forgotten!" the Countess exclaimed. "Do not go
from here, _cherie_; talk to the General till I return, which will not
be long. Those dressmakers are the plague of one's life. I will be back
as soon as possible."

The General's manner was easy and his tongue fluent. Beatrice had only
to lean her head back and smile faintly from time to time. The General
suddenly paused--so suddenly that Beatrice looked up and noticed the
sudden pallor of his face, his air of agitation.

"You are not well?" the girl asked. "The heat of the room has been too
much for you."

The General gasped something; with his head down he seemed to be
avoiding the gaze of a man who had just come into the drawing-room. As
the newcomer turned to speak to a lady, the General shot away from
Beatrice's side, muttering something about a telegram. He had hardly
vanished before Beatrice was conscious of a cold thrill.

After all she knew nothing of these people. Such scraps of her history
as they had gleaned might have come from anybody. Then Beatrice had
another thrill as she recollected the fact that she had told this
strange Countess that the diamonds were in her dressing-room. Suppose
those two were in league to----

Beatrice waited to speculate on this point no longer. She hurried from
the room and up the stairs to her bedroom. The corridors were
practically deserted at this time in the evening. Beatrice gave a sigh
of relief to see that her door was shut. She placed her hand gently on
the handle, but the door did not give.

It was locked on the inside! From within came whispering voices. In
amaze, the girl recognized the fact that one of the v