went to her, cap in hand. She
turned and walked to a little lounge-place out of sight of the office.
I followed her there. For a moment she did not speak. Then:

"Oh, I feel such a beast!" she said passionately. "Such a beast!
Don't take your cap off to me. Put it on. For heaven's sake, put it
on! And sit down. Sprawl about. Light a cigarette. Shake me. Kiss
me, if you like. Anything to show you're my own class and not a
servant." She stopped and passed a hand over her eyes. Then she spoke
hopelessly. "And all the time it's no good. You've got to take us out
for a drive, and I've got to treat you--you like a servant. And you've
got to say 'Yes, madam,' and 'No, madam,' and have your tea alone,
and--Oh, what on earth did I do it for?"

She was on the verge of tears. I put my hands on her shoulders and
looked into her eyes.

"My dear beautiful doll, don't take it all so seriously. It's only a
game. We're both play-acting. You've just got to keep it up and order
me about in the most monstrously imperious manner this afternoon, and
then in the evening we're going to drive home together. And I'm going
to get some of my own back then, I don't mind telling you. I'll sprawl
and smoke cigarettes and shake you, and--What else was it you said? I
haven't forgotten that you agreed to 'all found,' you know. You wait.
And I think your eyes are absolutely wonderful. How did it go?

'I thought they were stars,
And I know they were shining.'"

She looked me full in the eyes now, and a grand smile swept into her
face. Then she put her arms round my neck and kissed me. The next
moment she was half-way up the broad stairs.

Ten minutes later I brought the car round to the door. Niece and uncle
and aunt all sat together on the back seat. As I shut the door:

"We don't want to go too far, Norval, or too fast. Lady Brethe is
rather tired. I think about twenty miles out and twenty back will do.
About two hours altogether."

"Yes, madam. Shall I go towards Savavic?"

"Yes, I think so."

We had done our twenty miles out, and I was looking for a place
to turn the car, when I caught sight of Poganec below us in the valley,
by road some three or four miles away. Then suddenly for the first
time a terrible thought flashed into my mind. We were on the very road
which Berry and the others must take, coming from Salzburg. Supposing
we met them....

Here the road broadened, so I slowed down and, in