the better."

Madame Estelle looked greatly troubled.

"Are you sure, Boris," she asked again, "that this is absolutely true?
Oh! be sure that I dislike to distress you in this way, but I cannot
help it."

"My dear Estelle," Boris cried, with a greater show of tenderness than
he had yet exhibited, "surely I have been true enough and faithful
enough all these years for you to believe me now. Indeed, you must
believe in me, because if you don't believe in me and give me your
support the cup of happiness which is so near our lips may be dashed
away from them.

"Wait!" he went on, "and see whether I am speaking the truth or not."

Nevertheless, Madame was restless and ill at ease.

"If I had seen that girl before to-day," she said, "I should never
have entered into this business with you."

"Then you would have been a fool," said Boris, rudely.

"Possibly, but still, even at the risk of your displeasure, there are
a few things which I do not care to do."

Boris glanced at her sharply.

"Of course," she continued, "it is too late now. I have made up my
mind, and we will go through with it, but frankly, I don't like this
business."

"Never mind," said Boris; "it will not last forever. To-morrow ought
to settle it."

As Madame at this point started to leave the room, Boris enjoined her
to silence; and though Madame promised that she would not discuss his
affairs with Natalie, she was, if the truth were told, not quite
decided whether she would keep her word.

Then Boris sent for Michael.

"Mark you, Michael," he said, "I will have no hanky-panky games in
this house. And, mark you, too, I have no desire to have Madame
Estelle and Mademoiselle Vseslavitch becoming too friendly. You never
can rely on women. They are funny creatures, and Madame is far too
sympathetic with the girl already. So I shall look to you to stop
anything of that sort.

"For the rest, you will know what to do if certain contingencies
should arise. I have not brought the dogs here for nothing." He broke
off and shuddered a little himself as at some short distance from the
house he could hear the baying of the great hounds.

"They are loose, I suppose?" he asked.

Michael nodded.

"Then Heaven help the stranger," he rejoined with a cruel laugh, and
pulling a rug over himself he lay down to sleep on the sofa.

CHAPTER XXIV

Boris had left no instructions in regard to Mademoiselle's food, and
as she did not consider it advisa