s lay more in
leadership than in strategy. As to her father, he had come through
the sixties, and had survived the persecution and the dangers of
Wielopolski's day--he could reasonably be expected to take care of
himself. With regard to herself, she had no fear. Hers was the woman's
lot of watching others in a danger which she could not share.

It was nearly half-past eleven when Martin came in. He was in
riding-costume and was covered with dirt. His eyes, rimmed with dust,
looked out of a face that was pale beneath the sunburn. He threw himself
into a chair with an exclamation of fatigue.

"Had any dinner?" asked his father.

Wanda looked at her brother's face, and changed color herself. There
was a suggestion of the wild rose in Wanda's face, with its delicate,
fleeting shades of pink and white, while the slim strength of her limbs
and carriage rather added to a characteristic which is essentially
English or Polish. For American girls suggest a fuller flower on a
firmer stem.

"Something has happened," said Wanda, quietly.

"Yes," replied Martin, stretching out his slight legs.

The prince laid aside his newspaper, and looked up quickly. When his
attention was thus roused suddenly his eyes and his whole face were
momentarily fierce. Some one had once said that the history of Poland
was written on those deep-lined features.

"Anything wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing that affects affairs," replied Martin. "Everything is safe."

Which seemed to be catch-words, for Kosmaroff had made use of almost the
identical phrases.

"I am quite confident that there is no danger to affairs," continued
Martin, speaking with the haste and vehemence of a man who is anxious to
convince himself. "It was a mere mischance, but it gave us all a horrid
fright, I can tell you--especially me, for I was doubly interested.
Cartoner rode into our midst to-night."

"Cartoner?" repeated the prince.

"Yes. He rang the bell, and when the door was opened--we were expecting
some one else--he led his horse into our midst, with a loose shoe."

"Who saw him?" asked the prince.

"Every one."

"Kosmaroff?"

"Yes. And if I had not been there it would have been all up with
Cartoner. You know what Kosmaroff is. It was a very near thing."

"That would have been a mistake," said the prince, reflectively. "It was
the mistake they made last time. It has never paid yet to take life in
driblets."

"That is what I told Kosmaroff afterwards, when Car