a little inclined to be defiant.

"Mistress de Chavasse," she said quietly, "will you be good enough to
explain by what right you have spied on me to-night? Hath my guardian
perchance set you to dog my footsteps?"

"There was no thought in my mind of spying on your ladyship," rejoined
Mistress de Chavasse coldly. "I was troubled in my sleep and came
downstairs because I heard a noise, and feared those midnight marauders
of which we have heard so much of late. I myself had locked this door,
and was surprised to find it unlatched. I opened it and saw you standing
there."

"Then we'll all to bed, fair mistress," rejoined Sue gayly. She was too
happy, too sure of herself and of her lover to view this sudden
discovery of her secret with either annoyance or alarm. She would be
free in three months, and he would be faithful to her. Love proverbially
laughs at bars and bolts, and even if her stern guardian, apprised of
her evening wanderings, prevented her from seeing her prince for the
next three months, pshaw! a hundred days at most, and nothing could keep
her from his side.

"Good-night, fair prince," she repeated tenderly, extending her hand
towards her lover once more, while throwing a look of proud defiance to
Mistress de Chavasse. He could not help but return to the foot of the
steps; any pusillanimity on his part at this juncture, any reluctance to
meet Editha face to face or to bear the brunt of her reproaches and of
her sneers, might jeopardize the romance of his personality in the eyes
of Sue. Therefore he boldly took her hand and kissed it with mute
fervor.

She gave a happy little laugh and added pertly:

"Good-night, mistress ... I'll leave you to make your own adieux to
Monseigneur le Prince d'Orleans. I'll warrant that you and he--despite
the lateness of the hour--will have much to say to one another."

And without waiting to watch the issue of her suggestion, her eyes
dancing with mischief, she turned and ran singing and laughing into the
house.

CHAPTER VIII

PRINCE AMEDE D'ORLEANS

At first it seemed as if the stranger meant to beat a precipitate and
none too dignified retreat now that the adoring eyes of Lady Sue were no
longer upon him. But Mistress de Chavasse had no intention of allowing
him to extricate himself quite so easily from an unpleasant position.

"One moment, master," she said loudly and peremptorily. "Prince or
whatever you may wish to call yourself ... ere you show me a