ancy--"

She stopped at that last word, and pointed suddenly over Fabio's
shoulder.

"The Yellow Mask!" she exclaimed. "Oh, sir, draw her away into the
ballroom, and give Nanina a chance of getting out!"

Fabio turned directly, and approached the Mask, who, as they looked at
each other, slowly retreated before him. The waiting-woman, seeing the
yellow figure retire, hastened back to Nanina in the refreshment-room.

Slowly the masked woman retreated from one apartment to another till
she entered a corridor brilliantly lighted up and beautifully ornamented
with flowers. On the right hand this corridor led to the ballroom; on
the left to an ante-chamber at the head of the palace staircase. The
Yellow Mask went on a few paces toward the left, then stopped. The
bright eyes fixed themselves as before on Fabio's face, but only for a
moment. He heard a light step behind him, and then he saw the eyes
move. Following the direction they took, he turned round, and discovered
Nanina, wrapped up in the old cloak which was to enable her to get
downstairs unobserved.

"Oh, how can I get out? how can I get out?" cried the girl, shrinking
back affrightedly as she saw the Yellow Mask.

"That way," said Fabio, pointing in the direction of the ballroom.
"Nobody will notice you in the cloak; it will only be thought some new
disguise." He took her arm as he spoke, to reassure her, and continued
in a whisper, "Don't forget to-morrow."

At the same moment he felt a hand laid on him. It was the hand of the
masked woman, and it put him back from Nanina.

In spite of himself, he trembled at her touch, but still retained
presence of mind enough to sign to the girl to make her escape. With
a look of eager inquiry in the direction of the mask, and a half
suppressed exclamation of terror, she obeyed him, and hastened away
toward the ballroom.

"We are alone," said Fabio, confronting the gleaming black eyes, and
reaching out his hand resolutely toward the Yellow Mask. "Tell me who
you are, and why you follow me, or I will uncover your face, and solve
the mystery for myself."

The woman pushed his hand aside, and drew back a few paces, but never
spoke a word. He followed her. There was not an instant to be lost, for
just then the sound of footsteps hastily approaching the corridor became
audible.

"Now or never," he whispered to himself, and snatched at the mask.

His arm was again thrust aside; but this time the woman raised her
disenga