s, and trust implicitly, as
she had done before, to his undoubted desire to retrieve his lost
standing.

She turned into the path which led from the arbor, and hurried through
into the narrow path which led to the hidden gate beyond. Just here
where the foliage was thickest, and not twenty yards from the spot where
she and Hugh Renwick had listened to the pact of Konopisht, a figure
stood bowing. She had been so intent upon seeing the Englishman that it
was a full moment before she recovered from the shock of her surprise.
The man before her was tall, with good shoulders, and wore a brown
Norfolk jacket and a soft hat. His eyes were dark and as he smiled they
wrinkled very pleasantly at the corners.

Marishka halted and stared at him uncertainly.

"I beg your pardon," she said. "I came here to meet----" She paused, for
the thought suddenly entered her head that this perhaps might be another
of the men sent to detain her. But in a moment she realized her mistake.
The air with which the man swept off his hat and bowed convinced her
that he was a gentleman and his manner put her at once at her ease.

"Herr Renwick," he said, with a smile, "has gone on to make some
arrangements for your comfort. He has asked me to conduct you to the
automobile, and will join us beyond the village."

An automobile! There would still be time, perhaps, to reach Vienna
before the archducal party should leave for Bosnia.

"Oh, of course," gasped Marishka thankfully.

"If you will come this way, Countess----" he said, with something of an
air. He bowed, but kept his gaze fixed upon hers. There was something
very remarkable about this man's eyes--she could not tell just what it
was--but they held her for a second, held her motionless until the hand
which held his hat gestured for her to pass on. She took the walk before
him, descended the steps which led to the lower path where he hurried
forward and opened the door in the wall.

Even now, no notion entered her head that this polite person was other
than he represented himself to be. And the well equipped machine which
stood in the road outside the wall only caused her a momentary thrill of
joy at the opportunity which placed the means of their escape so readily
at the hand of the now really admirable Herr Renwick. As she paused
again for a moment, her companion threw open the door of the limousine,
and lightly touched her elbow.

"If the Countess Strahni will enter----" he said quietly.