ne in brown satin and gaily embroidered waistcoat,
took a patronising and curious air as though, accustomed as he was to the
ceremony of Vienna's court, he found himself much diverted by this
provincial gathering.

Formal presentations began. The Countess of Urach had a gracious smile
for each and all, and the guests found themselves in an unpleasant
dilemma. It is so difficult to be disagreeable to a smiling woman without
actually insulting her; and that would have been dangerous, for who could
tell what the future might bring forth?

Thus the ball progressed right merrily, and Wilhelmine's triumph was
complete. The formality of the entertainment wore off a little, and the
company danced gaily. Wilhelmine did not dance after the first gavotte,
whose stately measure she trod with Monseigneur de Zollern, but this was
a solemn ceremony. For the rest, the Countess of Urach sat in her gilded
chair and conversed with chosen courtiers who were led up to her by the
Oberhofmarshall or by Madame de Ruth. It was noticeable how the men
lingered near her, and the ladies' angry spite was increased thereby. His
Highness danced much and often. He was justly celebrated as the finest,
most graceful, most precise dancer of his day, and Stafforth--who
compiled a ponderous, pompous memoir of Eberhard Ludwig's journey to
England to the court of Queen Anne, and also to the court of France--has
left it on record that 'they all stood surprised before my Prince's great
agility and marvellous skill.'

So pavane followed gavotte and sarabande and the more modern minuet, and
the ball was very brilliant and gay.

Late in the evening Schuetz, his Highness's own secretary, was called
away.

'Affairs of State!' he said airily, but so loudly that many should hear
him. A sudden presentiment knocked at Wilhelmine's heart: could this be
some disastrous happening come to mar her triumph? She signed to Madame
de Ruth.

'A cruel foreboding is over me, dear friend,' she whispered.

'Tut! child, what should it be? Come, forget it, enjoy your hour.'

'Alas! the best hours are always pursued by evil things!' replied
Wilhelmine sadly. She turned to Reischach, who stood near her. 'Come and
tell me a story of some gallant adventure, Baron! Now let us hear--you
and a princess let it be, for I love the stories to which I am
accustomed!' She smiled maliciously, but the laughter froze on her lips,
for Schuetz was making his way towards her, and there was a loo