tribute, an added charm. Her hostess felt a
deepening interest. This girl would be a more potent factor in the
intrigues for which they had destined her than they had dreamed. She
watched Wilhelmine as a full-grown tigress might watch the play of a
tiger cub, noting the promise of each movement, gauging the strength of
the young animal, and calculating the fighting powers which it would
develop. At length Madame de Ruth rose, and, drawing Wilhelmine to her,
she kissed her affectionately. 'You have a future before you, my dear,'
she said, and her fine smile lit her face. 'You have bewitched me, and
you will bewitch others of more importance. Now, dress. We dine at three
o'clock, and the Duke of Zollern will be with us.'

* * * * *

The Duke of Zollern was seated at Madame de Ruth's right hand; Monsieur
de Stafforth, Oberhofmarshall of the court of Wirtemberg, was at her
left; Madame Friedrich de Graevenitz sat beside the Duke to his right;
beside her was the Freiherr von Reischach, a gentleman famous for his
fine courtliness and his experience in war and love; Friedrich Graevenitz
sat next to him, and then came Wilhelmine seated between her brother and
Monsieur de Stafforth, opposite her hostess and the Duke of Zollern.
Madame de Ruth sat with her back turned towards the light; she knew the
value of shadow to an ageing face, and always declared that the glare
hurt her eyes, though, God knows, these were neither weak nor easily
dazzled. The Duke of Zollern, too, liked to have the light behind him.
'It is fitting for the old to turn their backs to the sunshine,' he had
remarked as they took their places at the table, 'for, indeed, the light
of youth is behind us, shining, alas! on the paths we have already
traversed. For the young--let the sunshine lie before them, making their
youth still more fair--if possible.' And he had bowed in his inimitable
way to Wilhelmine, who delighted in this courteous speech, though she was
perfectly aware that he and Madame de Ruth had placed her in the full
light in order to study her the better. Of a truth, Wilhelmine looked
wonderfully lovely that afternoon. Her luxuriant hair, innocent of
powder, was piled high on her head, and turned back from off her white
brow; the glow of perfect health was in her cheeks, and her strange
magnetic eyes were softened by shyness. She had fashioned herself a
bodice out of the feast-day kerchiefs which Mecklemburg peasant wo