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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 seating himself
opposite to her。 The waiter； with the discretion of his class；
withdrew for a few paces and stood awaiting orders。 Lucille looked
across at him in amazement。
〃You here？〃 she exclaimed； 〃and Muriel gone？ What does this mean？〃
The Prince leaned forward。
〃It means；〃 he said； 〃that after you left I was in torment。 I felt
that you had no one with you who could be of assistance supposing
the worst happened。 Muriel is all very well； but she is a woman；
and she has no diplomacy； no resource。 I felt； Lucille； that I
should not be happy unless I myself saw you into safety。〃
〃So you followed us here；〃 Lucille remarked quietly。
〃Exactly！ You do not blame me。 It was for your sake … as well as
my own。〃
〃And Muriel … why has she left me without farewell … without warning
of any sort？〃
The Prince smiled and stroked his fair moustache。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃it is rather an awkward thing for me to explain；
but to tell you the truth； Muriel was a little … more than a little
… annoyed at my coming。 She has no right to be； but … well； you
know； she is what you call a monopolist。 She and I have been
friends for many years。〃
〃I understand perfectly what you have wished to convey；〃 Lucille
said。 〃But what I do not understand are the exact reasons which
brought you here。〃
The Prince took up the carte de jour。
〃As we dine；〃 he said； 〃I will tell you。 You will permit me to
order？〃
Lucille rose to her feet。
〃For yourself； certainly；〃 she answered。 〃As for me； I have
accepted no invitation to dine with you； nor do I propose to do so。〃
The Prince frowned。
〃Be reasonable； Lucille；〃 he pleaded。 〃I must talk with you。 There
are important plans to be made。 I have a great deal to say to you。
Sit down。〃
Lucille looked across at hi m with a curious smile upon her lips。
〃You have a good deal to say to me？〃 she remarked。 〃Yes； I will
believe that。 But of the truth how much； I wonder？〃
〃By and bye；〃 he said； 〃you will judge me differently。 For hors
d'oeuvres what do you say to oeufs de pluvier？ Then … 〃
〃Pardon me；〃 she interrupted； 〃I am not interested in your dinner！〃
〃In our dinner；〃 he ventured gently。
〃I am not dining with you；〃 she declared firmly。 〃If you insist
upon remaining here I shall have something served in my room。 You
know quite well that we are certain to be recognised。 One would
imagine that this was a deliberate attempt on your part to
compromise me。〃
〃Lucille；〃 he said； 〃do not be foolish！ Why do you persist in
treating me as though I were your persecutor？〃
〃Because you are；〃 she said coolly。
〃It is ridiculous；〃 he declared。 〃You are in the most serious
danger； and I have come only to save you。 I can do it； and I will。
But listen … not unless you change your demeanour towards me。〃
She laughed scornfully。 She had risen to her feet now； and he was
perforce compelled to follow her example。
〃Is that a challenge？〃 she asked。
〃You may take it as such if you will；〃 he answered； with a note of
sullenness