she cried eagerly; "and if you
. . ."

"Stop a bit," he broke in quietly; "I didn't say that I was that friend,
did I?"

"Then you are only tormenting me. It isn't kind when I'm in such
trouble."

"I didn't mean to torment you, Klara," he said more softly. "I will even
go so far as to say that I might be that useful friend. You understand?"

"Yes! You'll make conditions for doing that friendly act for me. I
understand well enough," she said, still speaking with fierce
sullenness. "What are your conditions?" she asked.

"Look here, Klara," he replied earnestly, "a bargain is a bargain, isn't
it? I will get you out of this trouble, and what's more, I'll hold my
tongue about it. But you leave Eros Bela alone . . . understand?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh! You know well enough what I mean," he said, almost roughly now, for
the name of Eros Bela, which he himself had brought into this matter,
had at once conjured up in his mind the painful visions of this
afternoon--Elsa's tears, her humiliation and unhappiness--and had once
more hardened his heart against the woman who had been the cause of it
all. "You know well enough what I mean. Eros Bela is full of vanity,
your attentions to-day pleased him, and he neglected Elsa as he had no
right to do. Now I don't say for a moment that you meant any harm. It
was only your vanity that was pleasantly tickled too, but you made Elsa
unhappy, and that is what I mean when I say that a bargain is a bargain.
If I get you out of your trouble to-night, you must leave Eros Bela
severely alone in the future."

"You are a fine one to preach," she retorted, with a harsh laugh. "As if
you weren't in love with Elsa, though Elsa will be Bela's wife
to-morrow."

"My being in love with Elsa has nothing to do with the matter. Nor am I
preaching to you. You want me to do you a service and I've told you my
price. You can accept it or not as you please."

"I can't help Eros Bela running after me," came as a final sullen
protest from the girl.

"Then you will have to try and help it, that's all," he said
emphatically, "if you want me to help you."

She said nothing for a moment, whilst her dark eyes searched his own,
trying to see how much determination lay behind that stern-looking face
of his, then she murmured gently:

"And if I promise . . . what you want me to promise, Andor . . . will
you go and see Count Feri at once?"

"A promise isn't enough," he said.

"An oath, then?"

"Yes.