ble to let the unfortunate girl
starve, Madame set a tray, with the intention of carrying it up to
Natalie's room.

Before she could do this, however, it was necessary to send for
Michael in order to obtain the key.

When she asked for it, he shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

"I have very strict orders," he said.

"What do you mean?" Madame demanded sharply. "What do you mean?"

"Simply that the master said that you and the young lady were not to
get talking too much. He said nothing about food, or of waiting on
her highness, and it didn't occur to me until this morning that it was
a bit awkward for a chap like myself to wait on her.

"However," he added, with a smirk, "I don't so much mind."

But Michael's clumsy utterances had aroused all Madame's sleeping
suspicions. There was no reason why she should keep silence.

She laughed in Michael's face.

"It was hardly necessary for your master to give you any orders,
seeing that he gave certain instructions to me. He said that since
there was no other woman in the house it would be my place to take
Mademoiselle anything that she actually needed. I am going to take up
her breakfast now. Give me the key."

Michael hesitated a moment, but finally handed over the key. Madame
put it on the breakfast tray and went upstairs.

Natalie, as she heard the bolts drawn back and the key turned in the
lock, suffered fresh apprehension. For she had caught the rustle of
Madame's skirts outside, and she would rather have faced Boris than
the woman.

With very little apology Madame Estelle entered, and, setting the
breakfast down, immediately withdrew.

In half an hour's time she went up for the tray, and then she faced
Natalie boldly and looked her in the eyes.

"Mademoiselle," she said, "I am really ashamed to meet you here in
such a way. I will not ask you to forgive me, for you will not
understand. I can only tell you that I am a very loving and also a
very jealous woman."

Madame Estelle paused, and was conscious that Natalie looked at her
in great surprise.

"I want," she continued, "to ask you a question which means much to
me. Is it, or is not, one of Boris Ivanovitch's conditions that you
shall marry him?"

"Yes," answered Natalie, very quietly, "it is."

Madam's rather flushed face grew white, and her eyes blazed with
passion. She clenched her fists and beat the air with them.

"Oh, the liar!" she cried, "the liar! Oh! it is hard to be treated