involuntarily. "Oh my God!"

But she looked him full in the face, and threw back her head with a
gesture of pride and of wrath.

"Master Lambert," she said haughtily, "methinks 'twere needless to
remind you that--since I inadvertently revealed my most cherished secret
to you--it were unworthy a man of honor to betray it to any one."

"My lady ... Sue," he said, feeling half-dazed, bruised and crushed by
the terrible moral blow, which he had just received, "I ... I do not
quite understand. Will you deign to explain?"

"There is naught to explain," she retorted coldly. "Prince Amede
d'Orleans loves me and I have plighted my troth to him."

"Nay! I entreat your ladyship," he said, feeling--knowing the while, how
useless it was to make an appeal against the infatuation of a hot-headed
and impulsive girl, yet speaking with the courage which ofttimes is born
of despair, "I beg of you, on my knees to listen. This foreign
adventurer ..."

"Silence!" she retorted proudly, and drawing back from him, for of a
truth he had sunk on his knees before her, "an you desire to be my
friend, you must not breathe one word of slander against the man I love.
..."

Then, as he said nothing, realizing, indeed, how futile would be any
effort or word from him, she said, with growing enthusiasm, whilst her
glowing eyes fixed themselves upon the gloom which had enveloped the
mysterious apparition of her lover:

"Prince Amede d'Orleans is the grandest, most selfless patriot this
world hath ever known. For the sake of France, of tyrannized, oppressed
France, which he adores, he has sacrificed everything! his position, his
home, his wealth and vast estates: he is own kinsman to King Louis, yet
he is exiled from his country whilst a price is set upon his head,
because he cannot be mute whilst he sees tyranny and oppression grind
down the people of France. He could return to Paris to-day a rich and
free man, a prince among his kindred,--if he would but sacrifice that
for which he fights so bravely: the liberty of France!"

"Sue! my adored lady," he entreated, "in the name of Heaven listen to
me.... You do believe, do you not, that I am your friend? ... I would
give my life for you.... I swear to you that you have been deceived and
tricked by this adventurer, who, preying upon your romantic imagination
..."

"Silence, master, an you value my friendship!" she commanded. "I will
not listen to another word. Nay! you should be thankful that I dea