," she said, "and besides,
the world is a small place. We shall see something of you, I suppose,
always. By the by, you have not been particularly attentive to my
stepdaughter during the last few days, have you?"

"She gives me very little chance," he answered, in a slightly aggrieved
tone.

"She is very young," the Princess said, "too young, I suppose, to take
things seriously. I do not think that she will marry very early."

Cecil bent over his companion till his head almost touched hers.

"Dear lady," he said, "I am afraid that I am not very interested in
your stepdaughter while you are here."

"Absurd!" she murmured. "I am nearly twice your age."

"If you were," he answered, "so much the better, but you are not. Do
you know, I think that you have been rather unkind to me. I have
scarcely seen you alone since you have been here."

She laughed softly, and took up her little dog into her arm as though
to use him for a shield.

"My dear Cecil," she said earnestly, "please don't make love to me. I
like you so much, and I should hate to feel that you were boring me.
Every man with whom I am alone for ten minutes thinks it his duty to
say foolish things to me, and I can assure you that I am past it all. A
few years ago it was different. To-day there are only three things in
the world I care for--my little spaniel here, bridge, and money."

His face darkened a little.

"You did not talk like this in London," he reminded her.

"Perhaps not," she admitted. "Perhaps even now it is only a mood with
me. I can only speak as I feel for the moment. There are times when I
feel differently, but not now."

"Perhaps," he said jealously, "there are also other people with whom
you feel differently."

"Perhaps," she admitted calmly.

"When I came into the room the other day," he said, "Forrest was
holding your hand."

"Major Forrest," she said, "has been very much upset. He needed a
little consolation. He has some other engagements, and he ought to have
left before now, but, as you know, we are all prisoners. I wonder how
long it will last."

"I cannot tell," Cecil answered gloomily. "Forrest knows more about it
than I do. What does he say to you?"

"He thinks," the Princess said slowly, "that we may be able to leave in
a few days now."

"Then while you do stay," Cecil begged, "be a little kinder to me."

She withdrew her hand from her dog and patted his for a moment.

"You foolish boy," she said. "Of course I wi