easy entrance into
Russia. So you see, Nadine, alive and in safety, was a perpetual menace
to the German plans. For some years she was hidden in a convent down in
the West Country, not very far from Crailing, and after a while people
came to believe that she, too, had perished in the revolution. It was
only then that Max allowed her to emerge from the convent, and by that
time she had grown from a young, unformed girl into a woman, so that
there was little danger of her being recognised by any casual
observer--or even by the agents of the anti-royalist party."

"Max seems to have done--a great deal--for her," said Diana, speaking
slowly and rather painfully.

Olga flashed her a brief look of understanding.

"Yes," she said quietly. "He has done everything that patriotism
demanded of him--even"--meaningly--"to the sacrificing of his own
personal happiness. . . . It was entirely his idea that Nadine should
pass as an actress. She always had dramatic talent, and when she came
out of the convent he arranged that she should study for the stage. He
believed that there was no safer way of concealing her identity than by
providing her with an entirely different one--and a very obvious one at
that. And events have proved him right. After all, people only become
suspicious when they see signs of secrecy, and there is no one more
constantly in the public eye than an actress. The last place you would
look for a missing grand duchess is on the English stage! The very
daring and publicity of the thing made it a success. No one guessed who
she was, and only I, I and Carlo Baroni, knew. Oh, yes, I was sworn to
secrecy"--as she read the question in Diana's eye--"and when I saw you
and Max drifting apart, and knew that a word from me could set things
right, I've been tempted again and again to break my oath. Thank
God!"--passionately--"Oh, thank God! I can speak now!"

She twisted her shoulders as though freed from some heavy burden.

"Yon thank God? _You_?" Diana spoke with bitter unbelief. "Why, it was
you who made things a thousand times worse between us--you who goaded me
into fresh suspicions. You never helped me to believe in him--although
you knew the truth! You tried to part us!"

"I know. I did try," acknowledged Olga frankly. "I'd borne it all for
years--watched my brother sheltering Nadine, working for her, using his
genius to write plays for her--spilling all his happiness at her
feet--and I couldn