fault?'

His hand held hers close, and she could see that he was moved out of the
common by some emotion, the cool stillness of his manner was replaced by
a passion of which she had not believed him capable. Her beauty and the
thought of losing her had a good deal to do with this disturbance, but
the chief cause was the fear, that, after all, his mission might fail,
and fail badly.

'I cannot explain; but I implore you to act on my advice.'

Valerie hesitated. Elmur was very much in earnest, yet it might be an
attempt to trick her into a position from which she would find it almost
impossible to withdraw.

'Do you wish to make this public?' she asked.

'No, no. That--pardon me once more--would be equally fatal after the
impression you unluckily conveyed to the Duke. No; I only ask you to
allow Count Sagan to believe that you have consented to become my wife.
I beg you to do this--for M. Selpdorf's sake, and, indeed, Mademoiselle,
for your own!'

As they entered the circle of brilliant light falling from the great
lamp above Madame de Sagan's door Baron von Elmur resumed something of
his usual manner.

'Then I may conduct you no further?' he said, turning in front of her to
screen her agitated face from two persons who were coming along the
gallery.

'Thank you for your protection, Baron,' the girl replied in an audible
tone, 'the Castle is haunted on nights like these, when the _tsa_ cries
around it.'

The door swung open noiselessly beside them, and Count Sagan stood on
the threshold. By some instinct, without looking at him, she seemed to
see his angry, questioning gaze.

'Au revoir,' she added to Elmur, with a coquettish ring in her voice.

'Ah, Mademoiselle, I live for that only--to see you again,' began Elmur.

Sagan cut him short.

'Tut, tut, Baron, too many eyes are looking on to permit of such
endearments as these! Ardour in a betrothed lover is natural, yet----'

Valerie looked up and smiled miserably.

'Au revoir,' she repeated faintly.

With that the door closed behind her as Sagan led her away to his wife,
and Elmur, affecting not to see the two men who were passing, strolled
on singing a love-song under his breath. Unziar paused, then drew
Rallywood with him into the centre of the wide lighted passage, where
they could speak with more freedom. 'That settles more questions than
one!' he said mockingly. 'For example, it settles a question which most
concerns you and me, Rallywood.'

'C