half-past, Princess. I am here to the minute."

"Je te dirai apres," she said, and the daring of the intimate speech
took his breath away.

"Your Royal Highness," she turned to the young man beside her--and then
Paul suddenly recognized a prince of the blood royal of England--"may I
present Mr. Savelli."

"I'm very pleased to meet you," said the Prince graciously. "Your Young
England League has interested me greatly. We must have a talk about it
one of these days, if you can spare the time. And I must congratulate
you on your speech the other night."

"You are far too kind, sir," said Paul.

They chatted for a minute or two. Then the Princess said: "You'll take
in the Countess of Danesborough. I don't think you've met her; but
you'll find she's an old friend."

"Old friend?" echoed Paul.

She smiled and turned to a pretty and buxom woman of forty standing
near. "My dear Lady Danesborough. Here is Mr. Savelli, whom you are so
anxious to meet."

Paul bowed politely. His head being full of his Princess, he was
vaguely puzzled as to the reasons for which Lady Danesborough desired
his acquaintance.

"You don't remember me," she said.

He looked at her squarely for the first time; then started back. "Good
God!" he cried involuntarily. "Good God! I've been wanting to find you
all my life. I never knew your name. But here's the proof."

And he whipped out the cornelian heart from his waistcoat pocket. She
took it in her hand, examined it, handed it back to him with a smile, a
very sweet and womanly smile, with just the suspicion of mist veiling
her eyes.

"I know. The Princess has told me."

"But how did she find you out--I mean as my first patroness?"

"She wrote to the vicar, Mr. Merewether--he is still at
Bludston--asking who his visitor was that year and what had become of
her. So she found out it was I. I've known her off and on ever since my
marriage."

"You were wonderfully good to me," said Paul. "I must have been a funny
little wretch."

"You've travelled far since then."

"It was you that gave me my inspiration," said he.

The announcement of dinner broke the thread of the talk. Paul looked
around him and saw that the room was filled with very great people
indeed. There were chiefs of his party and other exalted personages.
There was Lord Francis Ayres. Also the Winwoods. The procession was
formed.

"I've often wondered about you," said Lady Danesborough, as they were
walking down the wide