ws were set. But by a prodigious
effort of his will he resumed almost instantly his calm, his
self-control. As he went back across the Neva, across the bridge where
he had felt so elated a little while before, and saw the isles again he
sighed heavily. "I thought I had got it all over with, so far as I was
concerned, and now I don't know where it will stop." His eyes grew dark
for a moment with somber thoughts and the vision of the Lady in Black
rose before him; then he shook his head, filled his pipe, lighted it,
dried a tear that had been caused doubtless by a little smoke in his
eye, and stopped sentimentalizing. A quarter of an hour later he gave
a true Russian nobleman's fist-blow in the back to the coachman as an
intimation that they had reached the Trebassof villa. A charming picture
was before him. They were all lunching gayly in the garden, around the
table in the summer-house. He was astonished, however, at not seeing
Natacha with them. Boris Mourazoff and Michael Korsakoff were there.
Rouletabille did not wish to be seen. He made a sign to Ermolai, who was
passing through the garden and who hurried to meet him at the gate.

"The Barinia," said the reporter, in a low voice and with his finger to
his lips to warn the faithful attendant to caution.

In two minutes Matrena Petrovna joined Rouletabille in the lodge.

"Well, where is Natacha?" he demanded hurriedly as she kissed his hands
quite as though she had made an idol of him.

"She has gone away. Yes, out. Oh, I did not keep her. I did not try
to hold her back. Her expression frightened me, you can understand, my
little angel. My, you are impatient! What is it about? How do we stand?
What have you decided? I am your slave. Command me. Command me. The keys
of the villa?"

"Yes, give me a key to the veranda; you must have several. I must be
able to get into the house to-night if it becomes necessary."

She drew a key from her gown, gave it to the young man and said a few
words in Russian to Ermolai, to enforce upon him that he must obey the
little domovoi-doukh in anything, day or night.

"Now tell me where Natacha has gone."

"Boris's parents came to see us a little while ago, to inquire after
the general. They have taken Natacha away with them, as they often have
done. Natacha went with them readily enough. Little domovoi, listen to
me, listen to Matrena Petrovna--Anyone would have said she was expecting
it!"

"Then she has gone to lunch at their h