he wind was ceaseless.

"Here at least we shall be comfortable, I think," Cecil remarked, as
they all entered. "My frescoes are faded, but they represent flowers,
not faces. There are no eyes to stare at you from out of the walls
here, Princess."

The Princess laughed gaily as she seated herself before a Louis Quinze
card-table, and threw a pack of cards across the faded green baize
cloth.

"It is charming, this," she declared. "Shall we challenge these two
boys, Nigel? You are the only man who understands my leads, and who
does not scold me for my declarations."

"I am perfectly willing," Forrest answered smoothly. "Shall we cut for
deal?"

Cecil de la Borne leaned over and turned up a card.

"I am quite content," he remarked. "What do you say, Engleton?"

Engleton hesitated for a moment. The Princess turned and looked at him.
He was standing upon the hearthrug smoking, his face as expressionless
as ever.

"Let us cut for partners," he drawled. "I am afraid of the Princess and
Forrest. The last time I found them a quite invincible couple."

There was a moment's silence. The Princess glanced toward Forrest, who
only shrugged his shoulders.

"Just as you will," he answered.

He turned up an ace and the Princess a three.

"After all," he remarked, with a smile, "it seems as though fate were
going to link us together."

"I am not so sure," Cecil de la Borne said, also throwing down an ace.
"It depends now upon Engleton."

Engleton came to the table, and drew a card at random from the pack.
Forrest's eyes seemed to narrow a little as he looked down at it.
Engleton had drawn another ace.

"Forrest and I," he remarked. "Jolly low cutting, too. I have played
against you often, Forrest, but I think this is our first rubber
together. Here's good luck to us!"

He tossed off his liqueur and sat down. They cut again for deal, and
the game proceeded.

Jeanne had moved across towards the window, and laid her fingers upon
the heavy curtains. Cecil de la Borne, who was dummy, got up and stood
by her side.

"Do you know," she said, "although your frescoes are flowers, I feel
that there are eyes in this room, too, only that they are looking in
from the night. Can one see the sea from here, Mr. De la Borne?"

"It is scarcely a hundred yards away," he answered. "This window looks
straight across the German Ocean, and if you look long enough you will
see the white of the breakers. Listen! You will hear, too, what m