his evening," she went on, "I received a visit from a man whom I took
at first to be an insignificant member of the German bourgeoisie. I
learnt something of his true position later. He came to me to explain
that Leopold was engaged in this country on secret service, that he
was passing under the name which he gave me,--Sir Everard Dominey, an
English baronet, long lost in Africa. You know of this?"

"I know that to-night I am receiving a visit from Sir Everard Dominey."

"He is to work under your auspices?"

"By no means," the Prince rejoined warmly. "I am not favourably inclined
towards this network of espionage. The school of diplomacy in which I
have been brought up tries to work without such ignoble means."

"One realises that," she said. "Leopold is coming, however, to-night, to
pay his respects to you."

"He is waiting for me now in my study," the Ambassador asserted.

"You will do me the service of conveying to him a message from me,"
she continued. "This man Seaman pointed out to me the unwisdom of any
association between myself and Leopold, under present conditions. I
listened to all that he had to say. I reserved my decision. I have
now considered the matter. I will compromise with necessity. I will be
content with the acquaintance of Sir Everard Dominey, but that I will
have."

"For myself," the Ambassador reflected, "I do not even know what Von
Ragastein's mission over here is, but if in Berlin they decide that, for
the more complete preservation of his incognito, association between you
and him is undesirable--"

She laid her fingers upon his arm.

"Stop!" she ordered. "I am not of Berlin. I am not a German. I am not
even an Austrian. I am Hungarian, and though I am willing to study your
interests, I am not willing to place them before my own life. I make
terms, but I do not surrender. Those terms I will discuss with Leopold.
Ah, be kind to me!" she went on, with a sudden change of voice. "Since
these few minutes at midday I have lived in a dream. Only one thing can
quiet me. I must speak to him. I must decide with him what I will do.
You will help?"

"An acquaintance between you and Sir Everard Dominey," he admitted, "is
certainly a perfectly natural thing."

"Look at me," she begged.

He turned and looked into her face. Underneath her beautiful eyes were
dark lines; there was something pitiful about the curve of her mouth. He
remembered that although she had carried herself throughout the e