oncerns me?' Rallywood flung back the words.

'Would you deny it? You are as deep in that as I,' nodding towards the
door behind them.

Rallywood's answer came slowly.

'I do not deny it. Why should I wish to? Though regard for her has led
me to attempt to hide my--folly. I see I have not been altogether as
successful as I hoped. But, had I anything to offer her beside my sword,
I'm hanged if I would let that infernal German have her!'

'In these affairs, my friend, the ladies equally make choice,' Unziar
replied with a sneer. 'Besides, it is only a part of the--plot,' the
last word was scarcely audible.

Rallywood turned on him a long, keen look.

'And you think that she, Mademoiselle, is in it?' he asked at last.

'I wish to God I could say not! But in the teeth of this conspiracy, for
the sake of Maasau, we of the Guard cannot lie to each other.'

Rallywood, being on duty during the evening, stood, according to usage,
at some little distance behind the Duke's chair. From among the coming
and going, from chance words and prepared speeches he gathered a thread
of suspicion which had its use in the perplexing future that was rapidly
advancing upon them.

Valerie, with a flush upon her face, was looking unusually brilliant as
she talked for a while with Unziar, who, judging from the sourness of
his smile, may have been offering her his congratulations.

Counsellor came up to Rallywood, and as they stood well away from the
crowd, spoke openly.

'You have heard the news I see, John, and you are not nearly such a fool
as you think yourself. She is a girl in ten thousand, and may, not
improbably, make the exceptional woman I once before spoke to you about.
I knew this connection was under consideration by Elmur, but the
engagement did not exist a few hours ago, and the present moment is
precisely the most inopportune which could be chosen for its
announcement, hence it follows that someone has forced Elmur's hand, or
that he is forcing the hand of someone, it may be Mdlle. Selpdorf's.'

'Will it be announced--publicly? The Duke, for example.'

'It is known already to half-a-dozen; what can they do? I had it from
Blivinski, the little Russian _attache_, as a secret. Russia is, like
nature herself, the vast reservoir of all secrets; and not one is
allowed to escape, except for a purpose. Yet I wonder how it will end.
Look at her! How brilliant she is. But rouge on the cheek of a woman who
habitually uses none me