t to walk over the icy and unfamiliar
ground.

But suddenly she stopped and gave an exclamation of surprise and delight
which was almost one of awe.

She and General Alexis were alone. Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff had walked
off in an opposite direction. But Mildred now beheld the sun setting
upon the Russian capital. Beneath, the world was pure white, and above,
the sky a glory of orange and purple and rose. Between the two,
suspended like giant fairy balls, were the great domes of Petrograd's
many churches.

"I shall never, never forget that picture so long as I live. It will
stay with me as my vision of Petrograd long after I have gone home to my
own country," Mildred said simply. Then she stopped in her walk and held
out her hand. "Thank you for this afternoon."

General Alexis did not release the girl's hand. Instead he lifted it to
his lips and kissed it, although the hand was covered with a heavy
glove.

Then he smiled at Mildred almost boyishly. "I want to say something to
you, Miss Thornton, which I suppose a woman does not really mind
hearing, no matter to what country she belongs or what her answer may
be. In these weeks I have known you I have come to care for you very
deeply. I am old enough perhaps to be your father. I have said this to
myself a hundred times and that it ought to make my feeling impossible.
It has not. Naturally I understand that my age may make it impossible
for you to return my affection, but it has not made the difference with
me. I love you, Mildred. I have known many women, but have never met one
so fine and sweet as you. It is the custom of your country when a man
cares for a woman to tell her so, is it not, or perhaps I should have
written first to your father?"

General Alexis' manner was so naive, almost as if he had been a boy
instead of one of the most distinguished men in Europe. Mildred could
almost have smiled if she had not been so overwhelmed by his speech.

Was General Alexis actually saying that he was in love with her? No one
had ever proposed to her in her life and she had never expected that any
one would care sufficiently. But that the words should come from the man
whom she felt to be a genius and a hero! No wonder Mildred was
speechless for a moment.

"General Alexis, I have never dreamed of anything like this. I only
hoped at the most that you were my friend," she answered a little later.
"Really, I don't know--I can't say how I feel. I appreciate the honor