had so long lived in terror. Yet Safti
would not let her have the ring. And she could not live for ever in
Tunis. Already she had prolonged her stay abroad, and was due in Russia,
where her anxious husband awaited her. She knew not what to do. Suddenly
an idea occurred to her. It made her flush red and tingle with shame.
She glanced up, and saw the lustrous eyes of Abdul fixed intently upon
her. As he left her at the door of the hotel he said,

"The Princess will stay long in Tunis?"

"Another week at least, Abdul," she answered carelessly. "You can go
home now. I shall not want you any more to-day."

And she walked into the hotel without looking at him again. When she was
in her room she sent for a list of the steamers sailing daily from Tunis
for the different ports of Africa and Europe. Presently she came to the
bedside of Madame de Rosnikoff.

"Countess," she said, "you are no better?"

"How can I be? The drains are bad, and the tea here is too strong."

"There is a boat that leaves for Sicily at midnight--for Marsala. Shall
we go in her?"

The old lady bounded on her pillow.

"Straight on by Italy to Russia?" she cried joyfully.

The Princess nodded. A fierce excitement shone in her pretty eyes, and
her little hands were trembling as she looked down at the dull emerald
of Safti.

*****

At eleven o'clock that night the Princess and the Countess got into a
carriage, drove to the edge of the huge salt lake by which Tunis lies
and went on board the Stella d'Italia.

The sky was starless. The winds were still, and it was very dark. As the
ship glided out from the shore the old Countess hurried below. But the
Princess remained on deck, leaning upon the bulwark, and gazing at the
fading lights of the city where Safti dwelt. Two flames seemed burning
in her heart, a fierce flame of joy, a fierce flame of contempt--of
contempt for herself. For was she not a common thief? She looked at
Safti's ring on her finger, and flushed scarlet in the darkness. Yet she
was joyful, triumphant, as she heard the beating of the ship's heart,
and saw the lights of Tunis growing fainter in the distance, and felt
the onward movement of the _Stella d'Italia_ through the night. She
felt herself nearer to Russia with each throb of the machinery. And from
Russia she would expiate her sin. From Russia she would compensate Safti
for his loss. The lights of Tunis grew fainter. She thought of the open
sea.

But suddenly she felt tha