ld tell? Perhaps Mademoiselle Desvarennes had looked
favorably upon the handsome Serge.

He was really admirable to view, this Panine, with his blue eyes, pure as
a maiden's, and his long fair mustache falling on each side of his rosy
mouth. He had a truly royal bearing, and was descended from an ancient
aristocratic race; he had a charming hand and an arched foot, enough to
make a woman envious. Soft and insinuating with his tender voice and
sweet Sclavonic accent, he was no ordinary man, but one usually creating
a great impression wherever he went.

His story was well known in Paris. He was born in the province of Posen,
so violently seized on by Prussia, that octopus of Europe. Serge's father
had been killed during the insurrection of 1848, and he, when a year old,
was brought by his uncle, Thaddeus Panine, to France, and was educated at
the College Rollin, where he had not acquired over much learning.

In 1866, at the moment when war broke out between Prussia and Austria,
Serge was eighteen years old. By his uncle's orders he had left Paris,
and had entered himself for the campaign in an Austrian cavalry regiment.
All who bore the name of Panine, and had strength to hold a sword or
carry a gun, had risen to fight the oppressor of Poland. Serge, during
this short and bloody struggle, showed prodigies of valor. On the night
of Sadowa, out of seven bearing the name of Panine, who had served
against Prussia, five were dead, one was wounded; Serge alone was
untouched, though red with the blood of his uncle Thaddeus, who was
killed by the bursting of a shell. All these Panines, living or dead, had
gained honors. When they were spoken of before Austrians or Poles, they
were called heroes.

Such a man was a dangerous companion for a young, simple, and artless
girl like Micheline. His adventures were bound to please her imagination,
and his beauty sure to charm her eyes. Cayrol was a prudent man; he
watched, and it was not long before he perceived that Micheline treated
the Prince with marked favor. The quiet young girl became animated when
Serge was there. Was there love in this transformation? Cayrol did not
hesitate. He guessed at once that the future would be Panine's, and that
the maintenance of his own influence in the house of Desvarennes depended
on the attitude which he was about to take. He passed over to the side of
the newcomer with arms and baggage, and placed himself entirely at his
disposal.

It was he wh