utally, he
would have refused the honor of the proposed visit, but it is difficult
to be rude to a charming woman bent upon having her own way. Ware kicked
as a man will, but ended in accepting the inevitable.

Olga returned to the inn, and found the Princess seated on the sofa
fanning herself violently. Mrs. Morris was in the room, fluttering
nervously as she laid the cloth for luncheon. Olga looked at her mother.
"Did you take your walk?" she asked.

The Princess nodded. "I am very warm," she said.

"What do you think now?" asked her daughter impatiently.

"I think that you are a very clever woman, Olga," replied the Princess;
"but I am too hungry to talk just now. When I have eaten and am rested
we can speak."

"But just one word. Am I right?"

"Perfectly right."

This conversation was conducted in French, and Mrs. Morris could make
nothing of it. Even if she had known the sense she would not have
understood what it meant. However, Olga and her mother reverted to
English for the benefit of the landlady, and chatted about their
proposed visit to Ware's mansion. After that came luncheon. Shortly
after three mother and daughter were with Giles. He received them with
composure, although he felt quite otherwise than composed. The Princess
pronounced him a charming young man.

"And what a delightful place you have here!" she said, looking at the
quaint Tudor house, with its grey walls and mullion windows. "It is
like a fairy palace. The Castle"--she meant her husband's residence in
Styria--"is cruel-looking and wild."

"It was built in the Middle Ages," said Olga. "I don't think any one was
particularly amiable then."

"I would rather have stayed in Jamaica," sighed the Princess. "Why did I
ever leave it?"

Olga, who always appeared annoyed when her mother reverted to her early
life, touched the elder woman's elbow. The Princess sighed again, and
held her peace. She had a fine temper of her own, but always felt that
it was an effort to use it. She therefore usually gave in to Olga. "It
saved trouble," she explained.

But her good temper did not last all the afternoon, and ended in
disarranging Olga's plans. After a hearty afternoon tea on the lawn the
Princess said that she did not feel well, and wished to go home. Olga
demurred, but Giles, seeing the chance of escape, agreed that the
Princess really was unwell, and proposed to send them back to the inn in
his carriage. Princess Karacsay jumped at the offer