, but mainly because fate had
denied me the chance of living anybody else's.

III

THE ADVENTURE OF THE INQUISITIVE AMERICAN

In one week I had multiplied my capital two hundred and forty-fold! I
left London with twopence in the world; I quitted Schlangenbad with two
pounds in pocket.

'There's a splendid turn-over!' I thought to myself. 'If this luck
holds, at the same rate, I shall have made four hundred and eighty
pounds by Tuesday next, and I may look forward to being a Barney Barnato
by Christmas.' For I had taken high mathematical honours at Cambridge,
and if there is anything on earth on which I pride myself, it is my firm
grasp of the principle of ratios.

Still, in spite of this brilliant financial prospect, a budding
Klondike, I went away from the little Spa on the flanks of the Taunus
with a heavy heart. I had grown quite to like dear, virulent, fidgety
old Lady Georgina; and I felt that it had cost me a distinct wrench to
part with Harold Tillington. The wrench left a scar which was long in
healing; but as I am not a professional sentimentalist, I will not
trouble you here with details of the symptoms.

My livelihood, however, was now assured me. With two pounds in pocket, a
sensible girl can read her title clear to six days' board and lodging,
at six marks a day, with a glorious margin of four marks over for
pocket-money. And if at the end of six days my fairy godmother had not
pointed me out some other means of earning my bread honestly--well, I
should feel myself unworthy to be ranked in the noble army of
adventuresses. I thank thee, Lady Georgina, for teaching me that word.
An adventuress I would be; for I loved adventure.

Meanwhile, it occurred to me that I might fill up the interval by going
to study art at Frankfort. Elsie Petheridge had been there, and had
impressed upon me the fact that I must on no account omit to see the
Staedel Gallery. She was strong on culture. Besides, the study of art
should be most useful to an adventuress; for she must need all the arts
that human skill has developed.

So to Frankfort I betook myself, and found there a nice little
_pension_--'for ladies only,' Frau Bockenheifner assured me--at very
moderate rates, in a pleasant part of the Lindenstrasse. It had dimity
curtains. I will not deny that as I entered the house I was conscious of
feeling lonely; my heart sank once or twice as I glanced round the
luncheon-table at the domestically-unsympathetic G