avour. I should prefer that, but I think she is too
clever to do it. Anyway, report to me how things go, which way they
go. And I rely upon it, that you are a faithful servant of the House
of Romanoff."

Nello assured him that he was, and returned to his hotel full of
thought.

So this was what the apparently benevolent Salmoros had secured him
for, to be a spy of the Russian Government. At first he felt a little
indignant. La Belle Quero might be a traitress, a conspirator, but was
it his mission to unmask her?

Then his shrewd Latin sense came to his aid. Whatever their ulterior
motives, his powerful friends had incidentally helped him, and his
bounden duty was to them. If the handsome Spanish woman, who should
have no part or lot in the political concerns of Russia, had chosen to
mix herself up with a lot of base intriguers, that was her business.
It was, after all, diamond cut diamond.

Perhaps he was the more impelled to the cause which the wily Golitzine
had urged him to take, by the rumour in the circles where he chiefly
mixed that the names of Prince Zouroff and La Belle Quero were
generally coupled together. It was currently reported that as soon as
the beautiful singer could get a divorce from her complacent
fisherman, she would marry the Prince. But in Roman Catholic countries
divorce is not easily to be obtained, and the fascinating Madame Quero
was still united to the lover of her youth. And according to further
rumour, Zouroff was not inclined to hurry matters on. As a matter of
fact, he was much more interested in other things. Perhaps, also, the
lady was not quite so keen as formerly.

So Nello resolved to play his part, the part that it was his bounden
duty to play. If the Spanish woman and her confederates were playing a
low-down game, he was playing a straight one by outwitting them, in
the interests of the Imperial House which had shown him such
remarkable favour.

That night the two met, as Madame Quero was going to her
dressing-room. She had sung better than ever that evening, never had
she aroused greater enthusiasm. Her eyes were sparkling, her cheeks
were glowing with triumph. She met Corsini's cold glance, and her
smile faded away.

"You do not seem very amiable to-night, Signor. Have I had the
misfortune to offend you in any way?"

The appealing look she darted at him was certainly that of a woman
more or less in love. For a moment, Nello felt a little ashamed of the
part he had to