country and would not return to St. Petersburg till
the midday of the Thursday.

She drove to the Zouroff Palace in the afternoon and sent up her card
to the Princess Nada. On it she had pencilled--"To see you on an
urgent matter."

The young Princess's maid, Katerina, who was devoted to her mistress,
brought in the card.

Nada read it, and she frowned. She was not at all conventional for a
girl of her rank and station, and she numbered many artists amongst
her friends. But she had heard of the reputation of La Belle Quero.
Rumours had reached her of the peculiar relations between the singer
and her brother, the Prince. Obviously, she was not the sort of woman
she could receive in a private capacity.

"Go down yourself, Katerina, to this person, and be perfectly civil,"
she enjoined her maid. "Explain to her as politely as possible that I
am not able to see any visitors to-day."

The young woman conveyed the cold, decisive message to the waiting
Madame Quero. A dull, red flush spread over the singer's face as she
recognised the reasons for the refusal to accord her an interview.

But she had not come unprepared for such a rebuff. "One moment, if you
please," she said, drawing forth a letter and handing it to the maid.
"Take this to your young mistress. I will wait till you return. I
fancy next time you will bring me a different answer."

The maid bowed and went back to the Princess. Nada tore the letter
open angrily. The woman was a trifle too insolent and persistent. Then
her angry mood passed as she mastered the brief contents.

"I regret very much to intrude upon you; I can quite guess that my
presence is not welcome. A great danger is threatening a certain
gentleman, Signor Corsini, for whom I believe you have some
friendship. You are the only person I can think of at the moment who
can avert that danger, especially as it is threatened by a member of
your own family. If you still persist in refusing to see me, please
seal up this letter and return it by your maid."

There was no longer any fear of refusal. Corsini threatened with
danger, and by a member of her own family, who could be none other
than Boris!

"Bring the lady to me at once, Katerina," she commanded the wondering
maid.

A moment later the two faced each other, the Princess standing in the
middle of the room, courteous but distantly polite, to receive her
unwelcome guest.

They looked at each other steadily, with dislike in their hearts