ame Wolsky to go away? Please don't mind my
asking you this?"

"_I_ ask Madame Wolsky to go away?" he repeated, genuinely surprised.
"Such a thought never even crossed my mind. It would have been very
impertinent--what English people would call 'cheeky'--of me to do such
a thing! You must indeed think me a hypocrite! Have I not shared your
surprise and concern at her extraordinary disappearance? And her luggage?
If I had wished her to go away, I should not have encouraged her to leave
all her luggage behind her!" he spoke with the sarcastic emphasis of
which the French are masters.

Sylvia grew very red.

As a matter of fact, it had been Madame Wachner who had suggested that
idea to her. Only the day before, when Sylvia had been wondering for
the thousandth time where Anna could be, the older woman had exclaimed
meaningly, "I should not be surprised if that Count de Virieu persuaded
your friend to go away. He wants the field clear for himself."

And then she had seemed to regret her imprudent words, and she had begged
Sylvia not to give the Count any hint of her suspicion. Even now Sylvia
did not mention Madame Wachner.

"Of course, I don't think you a hypocrite," she said awkwardly, "but you
never did like poor Anna, and you were always telling me that Lacville
isn't a place where a nice woman ought to stay long. I thought you might
have said something of the same kind to Madame Wolsky."

"And do you really suppose," Count Paul spoke with a touch of sharp irony
in his voice, "that your friend would have taken my advice? Do you think
that Madame Wolsky would look either to the right or the left when the
Goddess of Chance beckoned?"--and he waved his hand in the direction
where the white Casino lay.

"But the Goddess of Chance did not beckon to her to leave Lacville!"
Sylvia exclaimed. "Why, she meant to stay on here till the middle of
September--"

"You asked me a very indiscreet question just now"--the Count leant
forward, and looked straight into Mrs. Bailey's eyes.

His manner had again altered. He spoke far more authoritatively than
he had ever spoken before, and Sylvia, far from resenting this new,
possessive attitude, felt thrilled and glad. When Bill Chester spoke as
if he had authority over her, it always made her indignant, even angry.

"Did I?" she said nervously.

"Yes! You asked me if I had persuaded Madame Wolsky to leave Lacville.
Well, now I ask you, in my turn, whether it has ever occurred t