elf young
like you. I cannot call back the years, however much I might wish to do
so. And for the rest, I have been your guardian. I, a poor writer of no
particular family and very meagre fortune, and you my ward, a princess
standing at the opposite pole of life. I have had to remember these
things, Isobel."

She leaned a little further across the table. Again her eyes held mine,
and I felt my heart beat like a boy's at the touch of her soft white
fingers as she laid her hand on mine.

"I wish," she murmured, "oh, I wish----"

"So we've found you at last, have we?"

Isobel's speech was never ended. Mabane and Arthur stood within a few
feet of us, the former grave, the latter white and angry. I rose slowly
to my feet and held out my hand to Allan.

"I am glad to see you, Allan!" I said.

He looked first at my hand, and afterwards at me. Then, with a sigh of
relief, he took it and nearly wrung it off.

"And I can't tell you how glad I am to see you both again!" he
exclaimed. "We've heard strange stories--or rather Arthur has--from his
friend Lady Delahaye, and at last we decided to come over and find out
all about it for ourselves. Don't take any notice of Arthur," he added
under his breath, "he's not quite himself."

Arthur was standing with his back to me, talking to Isobel. Certainly
her welcome was flattering enough. I realized with a sudden gravity that
I had not heard her laugh like this since she had been in England.
Arthur continued talking in a low, earnest tone.

"How did you find us?" I asked Allan.

"We called at the Rue de St. Antoine," he answered. "The housekeeper
said that she had heard you talk about dining at one of these places.
Arnold?"

"Well?"

"Why are you and Isobel staying on in Paris?"

"First of all," I answered promptly, "we had to stay for the funeral,
and now there are some legal formalities which cannot be finished until
to-morrow. I am Monsieur Feurgeres' executor, Allan, and he has left me
twenty thousand pounds. Isobel has the rest."

"I am delighted, old chap," Mabane declared heartily. "In fact, I'll
drink your health."

I called a waiter and ordered liqueurs. Arthur took his with an ill
grace, and he still avoided any direct speech with me. Isobel was
evidently uneasy, and looked at me once or twice as though anxious that
I should break up their _tete-a-tete_. But when I had paid the bill and
we rose to go, Allan passed his arm through mine, and I was forced to
let