ugh it was in her
thoughts, she dismissed her maid and curling up before the fire set
her woman's wit to match the machinations of her greedy relation.

And as she pondered, she smiled. If she _had_ acted on a sudden
impulse once, she felt that she could be deliberate now. Having been
somewhat indiscreet in the rustic tea-house, with a woman's
inconsistency she was determined to veer to a course of conduct
exactly opposite.

She felt too well her power to draw Paul to her--indeed, what woman
does not know her own capability to attract? And here was an
opportunity to gain a brief respite from the grim path on which her
destiny seemed to be leading her. She _would_ see him again.

Her bright eyes roved to the dainty table near at hand. She picked up
a perfumed note, and read it again, and as she read, a happier look
smoothed away the sharp lines of mental anguish which had marked the
beautiful face but a short time before. The crested sheet bore the
address of the Dalmatian Embassy in Paris, and was from the lovable
old Countess Oreshefski, whose husband was the honoured Ambassador.

"My dearest little Natalie," the cordial note of invitation began, and
concluded with a reassurance that the Countess expected her on the
ninth of May, without fail.

Yes--the ninth of May--that was to-morrow. The Comtesse was insistent,
and the Ambassador himself had charged his spouse to invite her. Very
well! She would be there.

And Mademoiselle Vseslavitch called her maid and gave her instructions
to be ready to leave for Paris by the morning train.

The next day the little _cafe_ across the street from the humble
_Hotel de la Republique_ was the richer by a generous gold piece, and
the rubicund _proprietaire_ marvelled to his equally rubicund wife
over the peculiar habits of the Englishman, who preferred to drink
much black coffee and smoke many black cigars sitting at the little
table in the doorway, rather than see the beautiful cathedral, as did
all the other tourists.

Finally, Paul, impatient at his lengthy vigil, elicited the
information, so much desired and yet so disappointing, that a _grande
dame_, for surely she must be such to have so many servants, had
honoured the humble hotel across the way by her presence for a brief
twenty-four hours and only that morning had taken the train for Nice.

After this bit of information, mingled with much more voluble, mine
host had further occasion to remark on the strange actions