r in a low hoarse tone.

"You must--give me time! I don't want to lose you. I--"

He caught up his coat.

"Coming, Grahame," he said firmly. "Countess, I must beg your pardon
ten thousand times for this abrupt departure. My servants will call your
carriage."

She leaned towards him, beautiful, anxious, alluring.

"Reginald!"

"Yes or no," he whispered in her ear.

"Give me until to-morrow," she faltered.

"Not one moment," he answered. "Yes--now, this instant--or I go!"

"Brott! My dear man, we have not a second to lose."

"You hear!" he muttered. "Yes or no?"

She trembled.

"Give me until to-morrow," she begged. "It is for your own sake. For
your own safety."

He turned on his heel! His muttered speech was profane, but
inarticulate. He sprang into the hansom by Grahame's side.

"Euston!" the latter cried through the trap-door. "Double fare, cabby.
We must catch the Scotchman."

Lucille came out a few moments later, and looked up and down the street
as her brougham drove smartly up. The hansom was fast disappearing in
the distance. She looked after it and sighed.

CHAPTER XXVI

Lucille gave a little start of amazement as she realised that she was
not alone in the brougham. She reached out for the check-cord, but a
strong hand held hers.

"My dear Lucille," a familiar voice exclaimed, "why this alarm? Is it
your nerves or your eyesight which is failing you?"

Her hand dropped. She turned towards him.

"It is you, then, Prince!" she said. "But why are you here? I do not
understand."

The Prince shrugged his shoulders.

"It is so simple," he said. "We are all very anxious indeed to hear the
result of your interview with Brott--and apart from that, I personally
have too few opportunities to act as your escort to let a chance go by.
I trust that my presence is not displeasing to you?"

She laughed a little uneasily.

"It is at any rate unnecessary," she answered. "But since you are here I
may as well make my confession. I have failed."

"It is incredible," the Prince murmured.

"As you will--but it is true," she answered. "I have done my very best,
or rather my worst, and the result has been failure. Mr. Brott has a
great friend--a man named Grahame, whose influence prevailed against
mine. He has gone to Scotland."

"That is serious news," the Prince said quietly.

Lucille leaned back amongst the cushions.

"After all," she declared, "we are all out of place in this country.
There