that," she remarked. "There are only one or two
little things against it. However, we will see. You had better go now.
I have some callers coming and must make myself respectable."

She gave him her hands and he raised them to his lips. Her eyes
followed him as he turned away and left the room. For a few moments she
was thoughtful. Then she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well," she said, "all things must come to an end, I suppose."

She rang the bell and sent for Jeanne. It was ten minutes, however,
before she appeared.

"What have you been doing?" the Princess asked with a frown.

"Finishing some letters," Jeanne answered calmly. "Did you want me
particularly?"

"To whom were you writing?" the Princess demanded.

"To Monsieur Laplanche for one person," Jeanne answered calmly.

The Princess raised her eyebrows.

"And what had you," she asked, "to say to Monsieur Laplanche?"

"I have written to ask him a few particulars concerning my fortune,"
Jeanne answered.

"Such as?" the Princess inquired steadily.

"I want to know," Jeanne said, "at what age it becomes my own, and how
much it amounts to. It seems to me that I have a right to know these
things, and as you will not tell me, I have written to Monsieur
Laplanche."

The Princess held out her hand.

"Give me the letter," she said.

Jeanne made no motion to obey.

"Do you object to my writing?" she asked.

"I object," the Princess said, "to your writing anybody on any subject
without my permission, and so far as regards the information you have
asked for from Monsieur Laplanche, I will tell you all that you want to
know."

"I prefer," Jeanne said steadily, "to hear it from Monsieur Laplanche
himself. There are times when you say things which I do not understand.
I have quite made up my mind that I will have things made plain to me
by my trustee."

The Princess was outwardly calm, but her eyes were like steel.

"You are a foolish child," she said. "I am your guardian. You have
nothing whatever to do with your trustees. They exist to help me, not
you. Everything that you wish to know you must learn from me. It is not
until you are of age that any measure of control passes from me. Give
me that letter."

Jeanne hesitated for a moment. Then she turned toward the door.

"No!" she said. "I am going to post it."

The Princess rose from her chair, and crossing the room locked the door.

"Jeanne," she said, "come here."

The girl hesitated. In the end s