many other European liberators. For this reason alone her
conversation could scarcely have failed to prove interesting.
Katherine, on the other hand, was strangely quiet.

The dinner at an end, the ladies withdrew to put on their cloaks; and
while they were absent Browne ascertained that his carriage was at the
door. In it they drove to Covent Garden. The box was on the prompt
side of the house, and was the best that influence and money could
secure. Madame Bernstein and Katherine Petrovitch took their places in
the front, while Browne managed to manoeuvre his chair into such a
position that he could speak to Katherine without the others
overhearing what he said.

"You are fond of music, are you not?" he inquired as the orchestra took
their places. He felt as he said it that he need not have asked; with
such a face she could scarcely fail to be.

"I am more than fond of it," she answered, playing with the handle of
her fan. "Music and painting are my two greatest pleasures."

She uttered a little sigh, which seemed to suggest to Browne that she
had not very much pleasure in her life. At least, that was the way in
which he interpreted it.

Then the curtain went up, and Browne was forced to be silent. I think,
if you were to ask him now which was the happiest evening of his life,
he would answer, "That on which I saw Lohengrin with Katherine
Petrovitch." If the way in which the time slipped by could be taken as
any criterion, it must certainly have been so, for the evening seemed
scarcely to have begun ere it was over and the National Anthem was
being played. When the curtain descended the two young men escorted
the ladies to the entrance hall, where they waited while the carriage
was being called. It was at this juncture that Jimmy proved of use.
Feeling certain Browne would be anxious to have a few minutes alone
with Katherine, he managed, with great diplomacy, to draw Madame
Bernstein on one side, on the pretence of telling her an amusing story
concerning a certain Continental military attache with whom they were
both acquainted.

"How long do you think it will be before I may venture to see you
again?" Browne asked the girl when they were alone together.

"I cannot say," she replied, with an attempt at a smile. "I do not
know what Madame Bernstein's arrangements are."

"But surely Madame Bernstein does not control all your actions?" he
asked, I fear a little angrily; for he did not like to think s