r had word sent to me at once. 'Do not tell father, it would
kill him,' he wrote. I knew better than he that it would do so; my
father was far too ill then to bear any excitement. It was hard for the
moment to know what to do, for we were strangers in a strange land. Then
I thought of Herbert, who was at that time ambassador to Florence. We
knew him slightly at home, and he had called upon us in Florence, and
offered his services or those of his attaches if we should desire
anything. Since we had taken a house he had been to see father
frequently, and came now immediately in answer to my request. I had
reliance in him, and told him all, asking for advice and help, and he
gave me both."

"At what price?" asked the Colonel, suddenly, with darkening face.

"No, no; it is not as you think, or as Eugen will persist in believing.
I have not been forced. Herbert gave me my free choice. He explained to
me that the matter was much more serious than I had thought, that all
sums lost at play must be paid, and that the affair might yet assume
serious proportions on account of the wounding of the policeman. He
explained that it would be very embarrassing for him in his position, to
be personally mixed up in such an affair. 'You desire me to save your
brother," he said. "Perhaps I can do it, but I place my present
position, and my whole future at stake by so doing, and one hardly cares
to do that for any one less than a brother, or brother-in-law!"

Falkenried rose with a start and paced the room once, then he stood
before his friend's wife, and said in an angry tone:

"And in your deadly anxiety, naturally you believed him?"

"Do you mean that it was not so?" questioned Adelheid.

He shrugged his shoulders as he answered:

"Possibly. I understand little of diplomatic considerations, but I know
that Wallmoden showed himself a greater diplomat than ever in this hour.
What answer did you give him?"

"I begged for time, it had all come on me so suddenly. But I knew not a
moment was to be lost, so the same evening I gave Herbert the right to
rescue his brother-in-law."

"Naturally," muttered Falkenried with keen contempt. "Wise Herbert."

"He left for Rome at once," continued Baroness von Wallmoden, "and
returned eight days later with my brother. He had succeeded in getting
Eugen off without making him conspicuous; his name was not even
mentioned in the papers as connected with the affair. How Herbert did it
I never knew. He s