tudy; her emotions would
be wholly her own.

Presently she laughed with malice.

"You are not comfortable in that chair."

"That is true; and yet it is soft and roomy. I am uneasy. Perhaps you
recall to my subconsciousness a period in my former existence on earth;
or, if you will, one of my ancestors."

"I fail to understand."

"Well, a Hillard two hundred years ago had his head cut off by an ax.
His executioner wore a mask."

"A mistake. Your ancestor should have been hanged."

"And I along with him, you would imply?"

"Are you not Irish? I have known Irishmen by the name of Hillard."

"They were in disguise. But I have a generous strain of Irish blood in
me. Otherwise I shouldn't have had the courage to follow up an adventure
like this."

"Thanks. The compliment is rather ambiguous."

"My compliments can not possibly be more ambiguous than your appearance.
Surely, there will be an hour for unmasking."

"It has already begun, Mr. Hillard."

"So I am the one who is to be unmasked? Well, I have only the mask
nature gave to me. I wish she had been more liberal. But I shall see
what can be done with it."

"Is there any mask quite so terrible, quite so deceptive, as this very
mask nature gives us? Can it not lie adroitly, break hearts, overthrow
empires? You can judge a character by this mask sometimes, but never the
working of the mind behind it." She resumed her seat on the divan.

"I wish I could read yours."

"And much good it would do you." She smiled, rather ruefully Hillard
thought.

He took note of her teeth, and felt a sudden tinge of regret. One may
disguise the face and hair, but the teeth are always the same. Two lower
teeth on the right side appeared to be gone; the others were firm and
glistening white. It was a pity, for a woman's teeth are as much her
glory as her hair.

"I am curious to learn what you brought for dinner."

He enumerated the delicacies.

"You have evidently studied your Lucullus," she said.

Silence. The ruddy light on her hair fascinated him.

"What is it?" she demanded.

"Your hair," with a simplicity which silenced her. "You have the most
beautiful hair I have ever seen."

"Thank you. And yet, for all you know, it may be a fine wig."

"If it is, I shall never be sure of anything again. Am I in prosaic New
York? Have you not, by some carpet-magic, transported me to old Europe?
If a dozen conspirators came in in cowls to render me the oath, I should
not be