the beginning of the war. I rarely
left the hospital. Heaven knows where my other servants are. The
young men were mobilized and those that returned alive were either
killed in the revolution or turned revolutionists themselves. No doubt
the new government would have turned Mary's palace in Buda Pesth into a
tenement house if it had not still been a hospital. We left during the
revolution and lived in Vienna. Servants with the virus of Bolshevism
in their veins would be worse than these."

"Were you ever in danger?"

"Oh, many times," she said indifferently. "Who was not?"

"Was that what broke your cousin down?"

"That and the hard work in Vienna trying to relieve the distress--while
half-starved herself. Of course we had almost no money until the
United States Government restored our properties."

"Will she join you here when she is well?"

"No, Mary Zattiany will never be seen again."

"Ah? As bad as that? Her friends will be distressed. I understand
they saw her abroad from time to time before the war--particularly Mrs.
Oglethorpe. That old set is very loyal."

"Loyal! Oh, yes. They are loyal. Mrs. Oglethorpe was ready to give
me over to the police. She seemed to think that I had murdered
Mary--no doubt during the revolution, when it would have been quite
easy. And she seemed to resent quite bitterly my resemblance to Mary
in her youth--as if I had committed a theft."

"Probably it made her feel her age. I wonder you saw her."

"I was coming down the stairs as she crossed the hall. Be sure I would
not have seen her if I could have avoided it."

"Why?" He left his seat restlessly and leaned against the mantelshelf.
"That sounds impertinent. All my questions have been impertinent, I am
afraid. But--I should warn you--I gather that both Mr. Dinwiddie and
Mrs. Oglethorpe think there is something wrong--that is, unexplained."

"Really?" She looked intensely amused. "But that is interesting. Of
course I knew of Mr. Dinwiddie's curiosity from Judge Trent--but I
rather thought----"

"Oh, yes, you have floored him completely. But I fancy he's more
curious than ever. I--I--wish you would confide in me. I might be
better able to defend you if the necessity arose."

"Don't you believe I am what I represent myself to be?"

"It is a terrible thing to say to a woman like you, but----"

He expected her to rise in her majesty and order him to leave the
house, but she merely smiled agai