aware that
after all here was the only prop she had to lean upon in this extremity.
She did not speak. The wrong he had done her and Austria was
great--unforgivable, but the merit of his service in this situation was
unmistakable. Inimical as he might be to the sentiments in her heart,
there was no disguising the relief his presence gave her or the
confidence that radiated from his calm assurance.

"One of the men I have seen before," he said. "He has gained some
celebrity in the Secret Service. You see, we must give them the slip
before we get to Budweis. This train makes several stops. It ought not
to be difficult."

The plural pronoun seemed quite inoffensive now, and she even uttered
it--herself.

"Yes," breathlessly; "but suppose they tried to stop us?"

"Er--that would be most unfortunate," he muttered, as though to himself.

"You don't think they will, do you?" she appealed.

"I'm sure I don't know," he said thoughtfully.

For some moments he said nothing and Marishka, whose pride had come
again to her rescue, gazed steadily out of the window away from him,
trying to forget her dependence upon her companion, whose initiative and
devotion were hourly growing more in importance. Whatever his private
purposes in aiding her, and she had no reason to doubt his
disinterestedness, for the present at least they had a common duty to
humanity which must be performed at any costs to prejudice or pride.

At the next station a surprise awaited them. The door of their
compartment was opened, a man entered and bowing most politely, quickly
closed the door behind him. Marishka examined him with apprehension,
noticing that he seemed more interested in the Englishman than in
herself, for in the brief glance he gave Renwick, the suavity of his
demeanor seemed for a brief moment to have changed.

He was a person of middle age, tall, stockily built, but withal rather
jaunty in appearance, and when he smiled again he disclosed a gold tooth
which seemed to Marishka for some reason inexpressibly reassuring. He
rubbed his hands together and looked a great deal like a successful
head-waiter in mufti. But he glanced from one to the other quickly and
settled himself in a corner with an air of being very much at home,
which removed the earlier impression. Renwick took the initiative at
once.

"A pleasant evening," he said to the newcomer, in German.

"One might say so," replied the other, bowing calmly.

"But one doesn't?" ask