h to a child
and Death came hurrying to gather the little life. Madame de Ruth
remembered how eagerly she had read in the Book of Life during the sad
hours of her recovery, seeking wildly, miserably for consolation, and she
recalled how the kind old peasant woman, who nursed and mourned with her
for the baby's loss, had brought her a flower which bloomed near the
piteously small mound beneath which the little one slept for ever. And
Madame de Ruth had laid the blossom tenderly between the Bible's pages,
and now, after long years of forgetful gaiety and dissipation, the
yearning, unsatisfied motherhood welled up in her heart and she wept
again.

* * * * *

Once more we are in the panelled room at Neuhaus, and again is assembled
the company which on that portentous November evening of the preceding
year had discussed the plan of summoning Wilhelmine von Graevenitz, she
who was to be their tool in an ordinary court intrigue. Madame de Ruth,
the hostess; Monseigneur de Zollern; Friedrich Graevenitz, since a few
days become Count of the Empire; Marie Graevenitz, his bigoted Catholic
wife; Monsieur the Hofmarshal Stafforth.

'It is madness, rank lunacy!' Stafforth was saying vehemently. 'Illegal
and impossible, it will spell disgrace and misfortune to us all. The
Emperor will interfere, for this is going too far. We must hinder this
farcical ceremony; his Highness cannot marry two wives! It will be
Moempelgard over again! Think how absurd, Graevenitz! Cannot you see that
this farce is bigamy?'

Count Graevenitz held his hands over his brow. 'I agree with you, Monsieur
de Stafforth. My sister goes too far. It is very hard on me; I advised
her to be satisfied with a settled annuity, and to live peacefully with
me, her brother, the head of her house. His Highness can always visit
her--a great honour indeed----' He broke off, seeing the sneer on
Monseigneur de Zollern's face.

'I wash my hands of the whole affair!' cried Graevenitz distractedly.

'Ce cher Pilate,' murmured Zollern. Madame de Ruth laughed.

'Graevenitz, your sister will be Duchess, never fear! Marie, she will
befriend the Holy Church in Wirtemberg.' Madame de Ruth addressed herself
to Marie Graevenitz, but it was Zollern whom she observed as she spoke.
'Stafforth, you will become a Count; and for myself, I shall see the last
of her Dull Highness from Baden. That is _my_ reward.' She laughed, but
no responsive gaiety came from