g the earlier years of her career. She had become a mediocre
actress merely for the sake of having some profession, and had
frequented the night restaurants in quest of a wealthy lover. It was
only after a long delay that fortune had smiled upon her, and she had
arrived at the enviable position of being the mistress of a King.

Frederick-Christian II, since the death of his father three years
previously, reigned over the destinies of the Kingdom of Hesse-Weimar.
Young and thoroughly Parisian in his tastes, he felt terribly bored in
his middle-class capital and sought every opportunity of going,
incognito, to have a little fun in Paris. During each visit he never
failed to call upon Susy d'Orsel, and by degrees, coming under the sway
of her charms, he made her a sort of official mistress, an honor which
greatly redounded to her glory and popularity.

He had installed her in a dainty little apartment in the Rue de Monceau.
It was on the third floor and charmingly furnished. In fact, he was in
the habit of declaring that his Queen Hedwige, despite all her wealth,
was unable to make her apartment half so gracious and comfortable.

Thus it was that Susy d'Orsel waited patiently for the arrival of her
royal lover, who had telephoned her he would be with her on the night of
December the thirty-first.

The official residence of the King while in Paris was the Royal Palace
Hotel, and although in strict incognito, he rarely spent the whole night
out. But he intended to make the last night of the year an exception to
this rule. As became a gallant gentleman, he had himself seen to the
ordering of the supper, and a procession of waiters from the first
restaurants of Paris had been busy all the afternoon preparing for the
feast.

Suddenly a discreet ring at the bell startled Susy d'Orsel.

"That's queer, I didn't expect the King until one o'clock!" she
exclaimed.

She opened the door and saw a young girl standing on the landing.

"Oh, it's you, Mademoiselle Pascal! What are you coming at this hour
for?"

"Excuse me, Madame, for troubling you, but I've brought your lace
negligee. It took me quite a time to finish, and I thought you'd
probably like it as soon as possible."

"Oh, I thought it had already come. I'm very glad you brought it. There
would have been a fine row if it hadn't been ready for me to wear this
evening."

Susy d'Orsel took the dressmaker into her bedroom and turned on the
electric lights. The gown was