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and freely admitted his guilt。 The two women looked at one another
in horror。 Even Lady Carey was affected。
〃What a hateful thing；〃 she said。 〃I am glad that we had no hand
in it。〃
〃Are you so sure that we hadn't？〃 Lucille asked bitterly。 〃You see
what it says。 The man killed him because of his political apostasy。
We had something to do with that at least。〃
Lady Carey was recovering her sang froid。
〃Oh； well；〃 she said； 〃indirect influences scarcely count； or one
might trace the causes of everything which happens back to an absurd
extent。 If this man was mad he might just as well have shot Brott
for anything。〃
Lucille made no answer。 She leaned back and closed her eyes。 She
did not speak again till they reached Dover。
They embarked in the drizzling rain。 Lady Carey drew a little
breath of relief as they reached their cabin； and felt the boat
move beneath them。
〃Thank goodness that we are really off。 I have been horribly
nervous all the time。 If they let you leave England they can have
no suspicion as yet。〃
Lucille was putting on an ulster and cap to go out on deck。
〃I am not at all sure；〃 she said； 〃that I shall not return to
England。 At any rate； if Victor does not come to me in Paris I
shall go to him。〃
〃What beautiful trust！〃 Lady Carey answered。 〃My dear Lucille； you
are more like a school…girl than a woman of the world。〃
A steward entered with a telegram for Lucille。 It was banded in at
the Haymarket； an hour before their departure。 Lucille read it； and
her face blanched。 〃I thank you for your invitation； but I fear
that it would not be good for my health。 … S。〃
Lady Carey looked over her shoulder。 She laughed hardly。
〃How brutal！〃 she murmured。 〃But； then； Victor can be brutal
sometimes； can't he？〃
Lucille tore it into small pieces without a word。 Lady Carey
waited for a remark from her in vain。
〃I； too；〃 she said at last； 〃have had some telegrams。 I have been
hesitating whether to show them to you or not。 Perhaps you had
better see them。〃
She produced them and spread them out。 The first was dated about
the same time as the one Lucille had received。
〃Have seen S。 with message from Lucille。 Fear quite useless； as
he believes worst。〃
The second was a little longer。
〃Have just heard S。 has left for Liverpool； and has engaged berth in
Campania； sailing to…morrow。 Break news to Lucille if you think well。
Have wired him begging return； and promising full explanation。〃
〃If these；〃 Lucille said calmly； 〃belonged to me I should treat them
as I have my own。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I should tear them up。〃
Lady Carey shrugged her shoulders with the air of one who finds
further argument hopeless。
〃I shall have no more to say to you； Lucille； on this subject；〃 she
said。 〃You are impossible。 In a few days you will be forced to
come round to my point of view。 I will wait till then。 And in the
meantime； if you think I am going to tramp up and down those sloppy
decks and gaze at the sea you are very much mistaken。 I am going
to lie down like a civilized being； and try and get a nap。 You had
better do the same。〃
Lucille laughed。
〃For my part；〃 she said； 〃I find any part of the steamer except the
deck intolerable。 I am going now in search of some fresh air。
Shall I send your woman along？〃
Lady Carey nodded； for just then the steamer gave a violent lurch；
and she was not feeling talkative。 Lucille went outside and walked
up and down until the lights of Calais were in sight。 All the time
she felt conscious of the observation of a small man clad in a huge
mackintosh； whose peaked cap completely obscured his features。 As
they were entering the harbour she purposely stood by his side。 He
held on to the rail with one hand and turned towards her。
〃It has been quite a rough passage； has it not？〃 he remarked。
She nodded。
〃I have crossed；〃 she said； 〃when it has been much worse。 I do not
mind so long as one may come on deck。〃
〃Your friend；〃 he remarked； 〃is perhaps not so good a sailor？〃
〃I believe；〃 Lucille said； 〃that she suffers a great deal。 I just
looked in at her； and she was certainly uncomfortable。〃
The little man gripped the rail and held on to his cap with the
other hand。
〃You are going to Paris？〃 he asked。
Lucille nodded。
〃Yes。〃
They were in smoother water now。 He was able to relax his grip of
the rail。 He turned towards Lucille； and she saw him for the first
time distinctly … a thin； wizened…up little man； with shrewd kindly
eyes； and a long deeply cut mouth。
〃I trust；〃 he said； 〃that you will not think me impertinent； but it
occurred to me that you have noticed some apparent interest of mine
in your movements since you arrived on the boat。〃
Lucille nodded。
〃It is true；〃 she answered。 〃That is why I came and stood by your
side。 What do you want with me？〃
〃Nothing； madam；〃 he answered。 〃I am here altogether in your
interests。 If you should want help I shall be somewhere near you
for the next few hours。 Do not hesitate to appeal to me。 My
mission here is to be your protector should you need one。〃
Lucille's eyes grew bright； and her heart beat quickly。
〃Tell me；〃 she said； 〃who sent you？〃
He smiled。
〃I think that you know；〃 he answered。 〃One who I can assure you
will never allow you to suffer any harm。 I have exceeded my
instructions in speaking to you； but I fancied that you were looking
worried。 You need not。 I can assure you that you need have no
cause。〃
Her eyes filled with tears。
〃I knew；〃 she said； 〃that those telegrams were forgeries。〃
He looked carefully around。
〃I know nothing about any telegrams；〃 he said； 〃but I am here to
see that no harm comes to you； and I promise you that it shall not。
Your friend is looking out of the cabin door。 I think we may
congratulate ourselves； madam； on an excellent passage。〃
Lady Carey disembarked； a complete wreck； leaning on the arm of her
maid； and with a bottle of smelling salts clutched in her hand。 She
slept all the way in the train； and only woke up when they were
nearing Paris。 She looked at Lucille in astonishment。
〃Why； what on earth have you been doing to yourself？〃 she exclaimed。
〃You look disgustingly fit and well。〃
Lucille laughed softly。
〃Why not？ I have had a nap； and we are almost at Paris。 I only
want a bath and a change of clothes to feel perfectly fresh。〃
But Lady Carey was suspicious。
〃Have you seen any one you know upon the train？〃 she asked。
Lucille shook her head。
〃Not a soul。 A little man whom I spoke to on the steamer brought
me some coffee。 That is all。〃
Lady Carey yawned and shook out her skirts。 〃I suppose I'm getting
old；〃 she said。 〃I couldn't look as you do with as much on my mind
as you must have； and after traveling all night too。〃
Lucille laughed。
〃After all；〃 she said； 〃you know that I am a professional optimist；
and I have faith in my luck。 I have been thinking matters over
calmly； and； to tell you the truth； I am not in the least alarmed。〃
Lady Carey looked at her curiously。
〃Has the optimism been imbibed；〃 she asked； 〃or is it spontaneous？〃
Lucille smiled。
〃Unless the little man in the plaid mackintosh poured it into the
coffee with the milk；〃 she said； 〃I could not possibly have imbibed
it； for I haven't spoken to another soul since we left。〃
〃Paris！ Here we are； thank goodness。 Celeste can see the things
through the customs。 She is quite used to it。 We are going to the
Ritz； I suppose！〃
CHAPTER XLI
At eight o'clock in the evening Lucille knocked at the door of
Lady Carey's suite of rooms at the hotel。 There was no answer。
A chambermaid who was near came smiling up。
〃Miladi has； I think； descended for dinner；〃 she said。
Lucille looked at her watch。 She saw that she was a few minutes
late； so she descended to the restaurant。 The small table which
they had reserved was； however； still unoccupied。 Lucille told the
waiter that she would wait for a few moments； and sent for an
English newspaper。
Lady Carey did not appear。 A quarter of an hour passed。 The head
waiter came up with a benign smile。
〃Madam will please to be served？〃 he suggested； with a bow。
〃I am waiting for my friend Lady Carey；〃 Lucille answered。 〃I
understood that she had come down。 Perhaps you will send and see
if she is in the reading…room。〃
〃With much pleasure； madam；〃 the man answered。
In a few minutes he returned。
〃Madam's friend was the Lady Carey？〃 he asked。
Lucille nodded。
The man was gently troubled。
〃But； Miladi Carey；〃 he said； 〃has left more than an hour ago。〃
Lucille looked up； astonished。
〃Left the hotel？〃 she exclaimed。
〃But yes； madam；〃 he exclaimed。 〃Miladi Carey left to catch the
boat train at Calais for England。〃
〃It is impossible；〃 Lucille answered。 〃We only arrived at midday。〃
〃I will inquire again；〃 the man declared。 〃But it was in the office
that they told me so。〃
〃They told you quite correctly；〃 said a familiar voice。 〃I have
come to take her place。 Countess； I trust that in me you will
recognise an efficient substitute。〃
It was the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer who was calmly s