Lucilletoreitintosmallpieceswithoutaword。LadyCareywaitedforaremarkfromherinvain。
　　“I，too，“shesaidatlast，“havehadsometelegrams。Ihavebeenhesitatingwhethertoshowthemtoyouornot。Perhapsyouhadbetterseethem。“
　　Sheproducedthemandspreadthemout。ThefirstwasdatedaboutthesametimeastheoneLucillehadreceived。
　　“HaveseenS。withmessagefromLucille。Fearquiteuseless，ashebelievesworst。“
　　Thesecondwasalittlelonger。
　　“HavejustheardS。hasleftforLiverpool，andhasengagedberthinCampania，sailingto-morrow。BreaknewstoLucilleifyouthinkwell。
　　Havewiredhimbeggingreturn，andpromisingfullexplanation。“
　　“Ifthese，“Lucillesaidcalmly，“belongedtomeIshouldtreatthemasIhavemyown。“
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“
　　“Ishouldtearthemup。“
　　LadyCareyshruggedhershoulderswiththeairofonewhofindsfurtherargumenthopeless。
　　“Ishallhavenomoretosaytoyou，Lucille，onthissubject，“shesaid。“Youareimpossible。Inafewdaysyouwillbeforcedtocomeroundtomypointofview。Iwillwaittillthen。Andinthemeantime，ifyouthinkIamgoingtotrampupanddownthosesloppydecksandgazeattheseayouareverymuchmistaken。Iamgoingtoliedownlikeacivilizedbeing，andtryandgetanap。Youhadbetterdothesame。“
　　Lucillelaughed。
　　“Formypart，“shesaid，“Ifindanypartofthesteamerexceptthedeckintolerable。Iamgoingnowinsearchofsomefreshair。
　　ShallIsendyourwomanalong？“
　　LadyCareynodded，forjustthenthesteamergaveaviolentlurch，andshewasnotfeelingtalkative。LucillewentoutsideandwalkedupanddownuntilthelightsofCalaiswereinsight。Allthetimeshefeltconsciousoftheobservationofasmallmancladinahugemackintosh，whosepeakedcapcompletelyobscuredhisfeatures。Astheywereenteringtheharbourshepurposelystoodbyhisside。Heheldontotherailwithonehandandturnedtowardsher。
　　“Ithasbeenquitearoughpassage，hasitnot？“heremarked。
　　Shenodded。
　　“Ihavecrossed，“shesaid，“whenithasbeenmuchworse。Idonotmindsolongasonemaycomeondeck。“
　　“Yourfriend，“heremarked，“isperhapsnotsogoodasailor？“
　　“Ibelieve，“Lucillesaid，“thatshesuffersagreatdeal。Ijustlookedinather，andshewascertainlyuncomfortable。“
　　Thelittlemangrippedtherailandheldontohiscapwiththeotherhand。
　　“YouaregoingtoParis？“heasked。
　　Lucillenodded。
　　“Yes。“
　　Theywereinsmootherwaternow。Hewasabletorelaxhisgripoftherail。HeturnedtowardsLucille，andshesawhimforthefirsttimedistinctly-athin，wizened-uplittleman，withshrewdkindlyeyes，andalongdeeplycutmouth。
　　“Itrust，“hesaid，“thatyouwillnotthinkmeimpertinent，butitoccurredtomethatyouhavenoticedsomeapparentinterestofmineinyourmovementssinceyouarrivedontheboat。“
　　Lucillenodded。
　　“Itistrue，“sheanswered。“ThatiswhyIcameandstoodbyyourside。Whatdoyouwantwithme？“
　　“Nothing，madam，“heanswered。“Iamherealtogetherinyourinterests。IfyoushouldwanthelpIshallbesomewherenearyouforthenextfewhours。Donothesitatetoappealtome。Mymissionhereistobeyourprotectorshouldyouneedone。“
　　Lucille’seyesgrewbright，andherheartbeatquickly。
　　“Tellme，“shesaid，“whosentyou？“
　　Hesmiled。
　　“Ithinkthatyouknow，“heanswered。“OnewhoIcanassureyouwillneverallowyoutosufferanyharm。Ihaveexceededmyinstructionsinspeakingtoyou，butIfanciedthatyouwerelookingworried。Youneednot。Icanassureyouthatyouneedhavenocause。“
　　Hereyesfilledwithtears。
　　“Iknew，“shesaid，“thatthosetelegramswereforgeries。“
　　Helookedcarefullyaround。
　　“Iknownothingaboutanytelegrams，“hesaid，“butIamheretoseethatnoharmcomestoyou，andIpromiseyouthatitshallnot。
　　Yourfriendislookingoutofthecabindoor。Ithinkwemaycongratulateourselves，madam，onanexcellentpassage。“
　　LadyCareydisembarked，acompletewreck，leaningonthearmofhermaid，andwithabottleofsmellingsaltsclutchedinherhand。Shesleptallthewayinthetrain，andonlywokeupwhentheywerenearingParis。ShelookedatLucilleinastonishment。
　　“Why，whatonearthhaveyoubeendoingtoyourself？“sheexclaimed。
　　“Youlookdisgustinglyfitandwell。“
　　Lucillelaughedsoftly。
　　“Whynot？Ihavehadanap，andwearealmostatParis。Ionlywantabathandachangeofclothestofeelperfectlyfresh。“
　　ButLadyCareywassuspicious。
　　“Haveyouseenanyoneyouknowuponthetrain？“sheasked。
　　Lucilleshookherhead。
　　“Notasoul。AlittlemanwhomIspoketoonthesteamerbroughtmesomecoffee。Thatisall。“
　　LadyCareyyawnedandshookoutherskirts。“IsupposeI’mgettingold，“shesaid。“Icouldn’tlookasyoudowithasmuchonmymindasyoumusthave，andaftertravelingallnighttoo。“
　　Lucillelaughed。
　　“Afterall，“shesaid，“youknowthatIamaprofessionaloptimist，andIhavefaithinmyluck。Ihavebeenthinkingmattersovercalmly，and，totellyouthetruth，Iamnotintheleastalarmed。“
　　LadyCareylookedathercuriously。
　　“Hastheoptimismbeenimbibed，“sheasked，“orisitspontaneous？“
　　Lucillesmiled。
　　“Unlessthelittlemanintheplaidmackintoshpoureditintothecoffeewiththemilk，“shesaid，“Icouldnotpossiblyhaveimbibedit，forIhaven’tspokentoanothersoulsinceweleft。“
　　“Paris！Hereweare，thankgoodness。Celestecanseethethingsthroughthecustoms。Sheisquiteusedtoit。WearegoingtotheRitz，Isuppose！“
　　Ateighto’clockintheeveningLucilleknockedatthedoorofLadyCarey’ssuiteofroomsatthehotel。Therewasnoanswer。
　　Achambermaidwhowasnearcamesmilingup。
　　“Miladihas，Ithink，descendedfordinner，“shesaid。
　　Lucillelookedatherwatch。Shesawthatshewasafewminuteslate，soshedescendedtotherestaurant。Thesmalltablewhichtheyhadreservedwas，however，stillunoccupied。Lucilletoldthewaiterthatshewouldwaitforafewmoments，andsentforanEnglishnewspaper。
　　LadyCareydidnotappear。Aquarterofanhourpassed。Theheadwaitercameupwithabenignsmile。
　　“Madamwillpleasetobeserved？“hesuggested，withabow。
　　“IamwaitingformyfriendLadyCarey，“Lucilleanswered。“I
　　understoodthatshehadcomedown。Perhapsyouwillsendandseeifsheisinthereading-room。“
　　“Withmuchpleasure，madam，“themananswered。
　　Inafewminuteshereturned。
　　“Madam’sfriendwastheLadyCarey？“heasked。
　　Lucillenodded。
　　Themanwasgentlytroubled。
　　“But，MiladiCarey，“hesaid，“hasleftmorethananhourago。“
　　Lucillelookedup，astonished。
　　“Leftthehotel？“sheexclaimed。
　　“Butyes，madam，“heexclaimed。“MiladiCareylefttocatchtheboattrainatCalaisforEngland。“
　　“Itisimpossible，“Lucilleanswered。“Weonlyarrivedatmidday。“
　　“Iwillinquireagain，“themandeclared。“Butitwasintheofficethattheytoldmeso。“
　　“Theytoldyouquitecorrectly，“saidafamiliarvoice。“Ihavecometotakeherplace。Countess，Itrustthatinmeyouwillrecogniseanefficientsubstitute。“
　　ItwasthePrinceofSaxeLeinitzerwhowascalmlyseatinghimselfoppositetoher。Thewaiter，withthediscretionofhisclass，withdrewforafewpacesandstoodawaitingorders。Lucillelookedacrossathiminamazement。
　　“Youhere？“sheexclaimed，“andMurielgone？Whatdoesthismean？“
　　ThePrinceleanedforward。
　　“Itmeans，“hesaid，“thatafteryouleftIwasintorment。Ifeltthatyouhadnoonewithyouwhocouldbeofassistancesupposingtheworsthappened。Murielisallverywell，butsheisawoman，andshehasnodiplomacy，noresource。Ifelt，Lucille，thatI
　　shouldnotbehappyunlessImyselfsawyouintosafety。“
　　“Soyoufollowedushere，“Lucilleremarkedquietly。
　　“Exactly！Youdonotblameme。Itwasforyoursake-aswellasmyown。“
　　“AndMuriel-whyhassheleftmewithoutfarewell-withoutwarningofanysort？“
　　ThePrincesmiledandstrokedhisfairmoustache。
　　“Well，“hesaid，“itisratheranawkwardthingformetoexplain，buttotellyouthetruth，Murielwasalittle-morethanalittle-annoyedatmycoming。Shehasnorighttobe，but-well，youknow，sheiswhatyoucallamonopolist。SheandIhavebeenfriendsformanyyears。“
　　“Iunderstandperfectlywhatyouhavewishedtoconvey，“Lucillesaid。“ButwhatIdonotunderstandaretheexactreasonswhichbroughtyouhere。“
　　ThePrincetookupthecartedejour。
　　“Aswedine，“hesaid，“Iwilltellyou。Youwillpermitmetoorder？“
　　Lucillerosetoherfeet。
　　“Foryourself，certainly，“sheanswered。“Asforme，Ihaveacceptednoinvitationtodinewithyou，nordoIproposetodoso。“
　　ThePrincefrowned。
　　“Bereasonable，Lucille，“hepleaded。“Imusttalkwithyou。Thereareimportantplanstobemade。Ihaveagreatdealtosaytoyou。
　　Sitdown。“
　　Lucillelookedacrossathimwithacurioussmileuponherlips。
　　“Youhaveagooddealtosaytome？“sheremarked。“Yes，Iwillbelievethat。Butofthetruthhowmuch，Iwonder？“
　　“Byandbye，“hesaid，“youwilljudgemedifferently。Forhorsd’oeuvreswhatdoyousaytooeufsdepluvier？Then-“
　　“Pardonme，“sheinterrupted，“Iamnotinterestedinyourdinner！“
　　“Inourdinner，“heventuredgently。
　　“Iamnotdiningwithyou，“shedeclaredfirmly。“IfyouinsistuponremaininghereIshallhavesomethingservedinmyroom。Youknowquitewellthatwearecertaintoberecognised。Onewouldimaginethatthiswasadeliberateattemptonyourparttocompromiseme。“
　　“Lucille，“hesaid，“donotbefoolish！WhydoyoupersistintreatingmeasthoughIwereyourpersecutor？“
　　“Becauseyouare，“shesaidcoolly。
　　“Itisridiculous，“hedeclared。“Youareinthemostseriousdanger，andIhavecomeonlytosaveyou。Icandoit，andIwill。
　　Butlisten-notunlessyouchangeyourdemeanourtowardsme。“
　　Shelaughedscornfully。Shehadrisentoherfeetnow，andhewasperforcecompelledtofollowherexample。
　　“Isthatachallenge？“sheasked。
　　“Youmaytakeitassuchifyouwill，“heanswered，withanoteofsullennessinhistone。“YouknowverywellthatIhavebuttoliftmyfingerandthegendarmeswillbehere。Yes，wewillcallitachallenge。AllmylifeIhavewantedyou。NowIthinkthatmytimehascome。EvenSouspennierhasdesertedyou。Youarealone，andletmetellyouthatdangeriscloseratyourheelsthanyouknowof。Icansaveyou，andIwill。ButIhaveaprice，anditmustbepaid。“