ns?"

Nello nodded. It was very easy to explain to this wonderful old man,
who seemed to know what you were going to say before the words were
formed.

"Now confide in me," said the Baron in his most confidential tones.
"You dropped a rather significant phrase just now. You said you had
not yet formulated your ideas, except in one particular direction.
Will you tell me, or can I guess it?"

The young man blushed vividly. "I have been fortunate far beyond my
deserts, sir. The Princess Nada Zouroff, whom I first met in London
at the Russian Embassy, has been kind enough----"

"Don't be so formal, Nello," said the Baron kindly, using his
Christian name to put him at his ease. "You need not tell me any more.
I had a long talk with Golitzine this afternoon. Of course he told me
many things and amongst them was this item of news, that Nada is going
to marry you."

This wonderful old Salmoros knew everything, but how could he help it,
when so many channels of information were open to him? Corsini's
answer was a still deeper blush.

"She will make you a good wife. Golitzine knows them well; he speaks
in the highest terms of her and her mother. The father was a bully and
a ruffian, the brother we know was a traitor, and will get his
deserts."

He raised his glass, bowing to the young man with an old-world
courtesy.

"To the health of your _fiancee_, the future Countess Corsini. When do
you propose to marry?"

"I cannot fix the exact date, Baron. Her mother, you may have heard,
is very ill. Nada has only returned to the Palace to-day. It would
not have been safe for her to do so while that scoundrel Boris was at
large."

Salmoros mused for a few moments before he spoke again. "So you will
marry as soon as all the circumstances will permit. And I take it you
will reside in England. What does the young Princess say to that?"

"Nada loves England," was Corsini's answer, "and after the events of
last night Russia will not have very pleasant recollections for her or
her mother."

"True," agreed the Baron. "I shall very much like you to spend part of
your honeymoon with me at my place in Sussex, if it falls in with your
arrangements."

"I am sure we shall be delighted, sir," cried Nello. He paused and
added a little nervously: "But I hope you won't want to send me on any
more missions of this sort. If so, you must let me know the nature of
the danger beforehand."

Salmoros laughed good-humouredly. "No, my young fri