nees and looked at De
Chauxville over his gold eye-glasses. He did not attempt to conceal the
fact that he was wondering what this man wanted with him. The baron
seemed to be wondering what object Steinmetz had in view in getting
stout. He suspected some motive in the obesity.

"Ah!" he said deprecatingly. "That is nothing. Time leaves its mark upon
all of us. It was not yesterday that we were in Petersburg together."

"No," answered Steinmetz. "It was before the German Empire--many years
ago."

De Chauxville counted back with his slim fingers on the
table--delightfully innocent.

"Yes," he said, "the years seem to fly in coveys. Do you ever see any of
our friends of that time--you who are in Russia?"

"Who were our friends of that time?" parried Steinmetz, polishing his
glasses with a silk handkerchief. "My memory is a broken reed--you
remember?"

For a moment Claude de Chauxville met the full, quiet, gray eyes.

"Yes," he said significantly, "I remember. Well--for instance, Prince
Dawoff?"

"Dead. I never see him--thank Heaven!"

"The princess?"

"I never see; she keeps a gambling house in Paris."

"And little Andrea?"

"Never sees me. Married to a wholesale undertaker, who has buried her
past."

"En gros?"

"Et en detail."

"The Count Lanovitch," pursued De Chauxville, "where is he?"

"Banished for his connection with the Charity League."

"Catrina?"

"Catrina is living in the province of Tver--we are neighbors--she and
her mother, the countess."

De Chauxville nodded. None of the details really interested him. His
indifference was obvious.

"Ah! the Countess Lanovitch," he said reflectively, "she was a foolish
woman."

"And is."

M. de Chauxville laughed. This clumsy German ex-diplomat amused him
immensely. Many people amuse us who are themselves amused in their
sleeve.

"And--er--the Sydney Bamboroughs," said the Frenchman, as if the name
had almost left his memory.

Karl Steinmetz lazily stretched out his arm and took up the _Morning
Post_. He unfolded the sheet slowly, and having found what he sought, he
read aloud:

"'His Excellency the Roumanian Ambassador gave a select dinner-party at
4 Craven Gardens, yesterday. Among the guests were the Baron de
Chauxville, Feneer Pasha, Lord and Lady Standover, Mrs. Sydney
Bamborough, and others.'"

Steinmetz threw the paper down and leant back in his chair.

"So, my dear friend," he said, "it is probable that you know more about
the